The Oyo State Government has offered full university education scholarship to Miss Itunuoluwa Joel, a student in a public school within the state with the best performance in the 2017/2018 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
The state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, made the announcement during a Gala Nite that wrapped up day two of the Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association’s National Women Summit, in Ibadan, on Thursday.
The three-day annual event was organized by the Wife of the governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, as a platform to galvanize wives of elected and appointed officials of the state into rallying women of the state for political and social prominence.
Speaking on the scholarship award, the governor said that the gesture was an incentive to encourage the girl child that they could outsmart and outperform their male folks with hard work, dedication and determination.
The announcement of the scholarship was one of the major highlights of the event, where seven brand new cars were also given out to winners of a raffle draw, who had earlier purchased tickets during the programme.
Apart from the star prize, others also won deep freezers, sewing machine, iced coolers, microwave oven, grinding machine, power generator, refrigerators among other items.
Sixteen-year-old Itunuoluwa, who is currently an A-Level student of the Vale College, Ibadan, was born into the family of Pastor Olukunmi and Mrs Olubusola Joel of Osatan Compound, Ojagbo, Ibadan.
The governor said, “Itunu is an inspiration to other girls, having distinguished herself in academic performance right from her days at Canon Okuseinde Memorial Primary School, Aremo, Ibadan, where she was the best pupil.
“In her secondary education, she sat for the 2017/2018 SSSCE and scored distinction in four out of nine subjects. In fact, it has been a harvest of scholarships for the young girl since 2017 when a philanthropist paid her NECO fee.
“In 2018, she took part in a quiz competition organized by the Vale College and emerged as the overall best. For her feat, she was offered A-levels scholarship by the management of the college, where she currently studies.
“Tonight, the state government is adding to these awards by offering her full scholarship for her university education for her exemplary brilliance and dedication to her studies. I hope this will incentivize other girls to break the glass ceilings.”
Also at the event the first award of honour presented to women who have distinguished themselves in their chosen carriers went to the governor’s wife for lifting several thousands of women out of the vicious circle of poverty.
Other awardees of the night included foremost educationist and founder of Bodija International School, Mrs Aina Esho; Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose, Mrs Mobola Sagoe, among others.
