1,000 students in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions across Ogun State have been supported with cash awards through Gbemiga Abiodun Memorial Education Support Programme, a foundation established to keep alive the memory of the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun’s son, Gbemiga, who died on October 7, 2017. 

The foundation awarded N39,750,000 to 159 beneficiaries from nine tertiary institutions in the state, while N14,700,000 was given to 294 primary school pupils and N36,600,000 to 366 secondary school students across Ikenne, Remo-North and Sagamu Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Abiodun, speaking during the ceremony, at Christ Apostolic Grammar School in Iperu-Remo, described his late son as an entrepreneur, full of life and extremely generous to people, revealing that the foundation had a new initiative called, "The Creative Students Category", in honour of the creative industry which his son belonged.

"If Gbemiga had N100 and you asked for his support, he would give you the entire ₦100 before remembering to keep five Naira for himself", he said.

He stated that the programme, which began in 2023 with around 600 beneficiaries, has now added 400 more students across the same categories, promising that his family would continue to increase the number of recipients, while expanding the programme to other local governments in the state.

The governor expressed joy that though his family lost a son, they had gained thousands of children through the initiative.

On his part, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, who doubles as a Consultant to the foundation, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, commended Governor Abiodun for establishing the scholarship in memory of his late son and encouraged the beneficiaries to excel in their studies.

In his remarks, the foundation’s coordinator, Revd. Bola Oyeledun, emphasised that the foundation was not just providing financial aid but also supporting and monitoring the beneficiaries throughout their educational journey, appealing to heads of institutions to keep their doors open to the foundation.

Some beneficiaries from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, Soliat Yahaya, Goodluck Adebanjo and Evelyn Falaye, respectively, thanked Governor Abiodun and his family for the educational support, enthusing that the initiative would assist in meeting their educational needs.

Highlight on the event was presentation of cheques to the heads of tertiary institutions and parents of pupils and students from primary and secondary schools in the state.