– By Tobi Oyetunde –

It was pleasant moments for 20 Students across Nigeria universities who received the 2016 Annual Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship.

The lucky students who receive the 2016 awards of a cash prize of 100,000 naira each include: Ajewole Thomas Adeyemi (University of Ibadan), Akinsanya Damilola John (University of Ibadan), Akorede Adelupe IIiyas (University of Lagos), Ariyibi Ahmod Babatunde (Bayero University, Kano), Ashiru Fatai Aderoju (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta), Ephraim Jeremiah (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi). Others are Eyam Rita Esighetti (University of Calabar), Folorunsho Abidemi Bashiru (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta), Goji Joy (Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria), Kalu Kinsley Samuel (University of Calabar), Michael Faith Eloho (University of Calabar), Moshood Yusuf Lere (University of Ibadan), Okezie Nina Chidinma (Michael Okpara University), Okorie Uchechukwu Victor (University of Lagos), Olofinnika James Adewole (Obafemi Awolowo University).

The annual awards, which began in 1973, and has served as source of empowerment to over 800 students since inception was also used to celebrate and remember the legacy of Late Gani Fawehinmi. The event was celebrated with the theme, ‘Education in the Age of Neoliberalism: Local and External Contexts’.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Oladipo Fashina, Chairman of the Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship awards Board reiterated that the principle of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi must not be forgotten. While addressing the university students present, Mr. Oladipo advised them to be sincere and put more energy into their education.

He said, “we must never forget the principle of Gani and what he lived for. We must follow his legacy in improving the education sector of the country in any capacity we can. Education is a right which must be exercised by all Nigerians with real equality of opportunity, such right must be to a free education, free education is capable is capable of ensuring political stability and every Nigeria youth must e educated so that he may be free to live a dignified and useful life.”

The guest speaker at the ceremony, Dr. Sylvester Odion Akhaine, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University lamented how policy made by government is killing education and encourage everybody to fight for their right.

“The fact that politicians now showcase red roofs in primary and secondary schools is an indication of the decay in that sector during the adjustment years. The short of it is that the structural advancement policy has endangered unprecedented levels of peonage in Nigeria’s history, economic underdevelopment”, he noted.

He concluded by saying, “we must rescue the educational sector from its present paralysis, free it from policy summersault, underfunding and the spasm of massification underlined by the illusion of choice and banking approach based on memorization.”