10th Anniversary: BBBF gives 877 students, undergraduates scholarships
KEHINDE AKINPELU, ILORIN
No fewer than 877 students and undergraduates received scholarships from the Bayo and Bunmi Babalola Foundation (BBBF) on Thursday in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Co-founder of BBBF, Engineer Sunday Babalola, stated at the 10th scholarship award ceremony that beneficiaries included 103 Junior Secondary School students, 140 Senior Secondary School students, 338 other secondary school students, and 296 tertiary institution undergraduates.
Scholarships for SS3 and JSS3 covered examination fees, while those for undergraduates covered tuition and other expenses. With this latest award, 3,381 students have benefited from the scheme since its inception.
Babalola commended his wife, Mrs Christiana Bunmi Babalola, their children, and all involved in the scheme. He expressed concern over Nigeria’s high number of out-of-school children, citing UNESCO’s figure of 20.2 million.
He called for concerted efforts to address this challenge, emphasizing education’s role in national development. Babalola decried unemployment, underemployment, and economic challenges facing Nigerians, particularly out-of-school children, saying they pose a threat to development and security.
Mrs Christiana Bunmi Babalola thanked God for sustaining the program and commended her husband and the organizing committee. Traditional rulers, including the Olomu of Omu-Aran and the Olusin of Isanlu-Isin, praised the foundation’s contributions to education.
The Olomu said those who help others are “true rich,” while the Olusin described the effort as a model for community-driven empowerment. The National President of the Omu-Aran Development Association urged other wealthy indigenes to emulate the Babalolas.
