From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) on Thursday, gave scholarship to 11 indigent students of the institution.
The University has two campuses – Oye-Ekiti and Ikole-Ekiti campuses
The scholarship which was the maiden edition of the branch took place at the Oye campus where cheques were presented to the students by Dr Okoh Hillary, a lecturer from the department of Animal and Environmental Biology.
The students comprising nine males and two females who are currently in 200 to 500 levels were selected from the two campuses.
The students are: Adeleye Oyindamola(Microbiology), Sam Mario(Mass Communication), Ayeoyenikan Gbenga(Agric & Bioresources Engineering, Obadina Tolulope(Mech Engineering), Gbangbala Usman(Elect/Elect),
Others are: Adejumo Oluwapelumi(Mech Engineering), Ogundare Emmanuel(Crop Science & Horticulture), Orji Maryana(Sociology), Akingbade James(Geology), Oluwatuyi Ezekiel and one other.
The scholarships were in two phases – national and branch scholarships, where only one student won the national scholarship and ten (10) others won the branch scholarships.
A 400 level female student from the Department of Microbiology, Oye campus, Adeleye Oyindamola, won the national scholarship and got a cheque of N100,000 while others in the second phase and from various departments and levels each received a cheque of N50,000.
Speaking on the scholarship, the university branch Chairperson, Dr Gabriel Omonijo, who was represented by Dr Fagbuagun said : “ASUU is interested in the welfare of students. We discovered that some students are very brilliant in the university but are having challenges in the payment of their school fees, so because of this, ASUU as a union is solidarising with the students. The reason why we are giving them is to assist them in the payment of their school fees and some other financial challenges they have.
“About three or four months ago,we put out the call to students that they should come out and apply for ASUU scholarship but it was so painful that not more than 30 students responded.
” The scholarship is in two phases, the first is national scholarship and one of them won in this phase and the others won in the second phase which is the branch scholarship.
” This scholarship is a bi -annual event, then one very important aspect of the scholarship is that before you can be qualified, you must have a GPA of not less than 3.5 and this scholarship is our first time in our branch here and we hope to continue in order to assist our students.”
Disabusing the perception of some people on ASUU as being synonymous with strike, Dr Omonijo said the strikes that had been embarked upon by the union were in the interest of the students, universities and the society.
The chairperson noted that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the Needs Assessment and many others which universities in the country are now enjoying are products of the struggles of ASUU.
Present at the event include the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Abayomi Fasina, who was represented by Prof Onaga Vitalis, Prof Dosu Malomo, Prof Andrew Agbon.
Others are : Dr Fagbuagun Ojo, Dr Kolawole Taiwo, Dr Okoh Hillary, Dr Kolawole Mofolorunso and Mr Teslim Salaudeen( FUOYE-SUG President).
Earlier in their remarks, the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina and the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Dosu Malomo advised the students to shun acts that could truncate their dreams and careers.
Appreciating the gesture on behalf of the students, Adeleye, said : “We appreciate ASUU for giving us this scholarship. This type of programme will go a long way in helping us to meet some of our educational needs. God will continue to bless ASUU .”