Otunba Segun Adewale donates N1million to Ekiti Students, condemns non-payment of bursary allowance

Federation of Ekiti Students Union (FESU) of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Ondo State chapter over the weekend honoured an Ipoti Ekiti born politician, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Otunba Segun Adewale during a public lecture and debate competition organised by the Union. The event took place at T.I Francis auditorium, FUTA. In a lecture titled Entrepreneurship, a sustainability to the economy of Ekiti, Adewale said “No one is born poor. The difference between poverty and prosperity is our perspective and approach. You can’t grow beyond your believe. You must first destroy every sense of poverty to be successful”.

The politician charged the students to discover their purpose and never be deterred by the challenges confronting entrepreneurs in Nigeria. “A failure is that man who falls in business and stay down. You should always fall forward if you must fall at all in business ventures. The bible in proverb 24:16 says For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again. Falling in business is not failure. You are a failure when you quit because you fell”, he opined.

Otunba Segun Adewale,  who is also a governorship aspirant in the July 14th governorship election in Ekiti State , vowed that entrepreneurship development will form a major thrust of his administration when elected. “The Nigerian economy has changed from the consideration of certificates acquired to deliverables. Employers today are more interested in your skills and how it affects profitability of their businesses than your course of study. Your certificate is a means to an end not an end in itself.

He admonished the students to take full advantage of their academics pursuit in their various institutions. “Education is needed to sharpen your skills. Your skills are your God’s given gifts which the bible say will make room for you. However, you need education to make the most of your skills.”

The event which attracted several Ekiti students across other institutions witnessed complaint about non payment of bursary allowance by Ekiti State  Government for about 5 years. Adewale however came to the rescue of the students with a million naira.” On the immediate,  I have made available 1 million naira to ameliorate your financial burdens occasioned by the poor state of the Nigerian economy, especially as our government in Ekiti has continually shy away from its responsibilities to its workforce and the youth”. 

In an interview with journalists after the programme, Adewale said non payment of bursary allowances for several years is condemnable. According to him, “it is an injustice to the future of Ekiti State. These students are the future of our State. It is the responsibility of those in government to give them hope. How can you not pay bursary to students whose parents you owed several months of salary areas?” He concluded.