August 30, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council for the University of Ibadan, Chief Bisi Akande, has directed that any allowances due to him for his services be utilized to benefit deserving undergraduate students.
This was contained in a memorandum dated August 21, 2024.
Chief Akande instructed the Registrar, Mr. Ganiyu Oke Saliu, to apply any payments from his allowances towards scholarships or awards for students pursuing Science courses in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
The statement reads, “I consider my appointment as the Pro-Chancellor and as the Chairman of Council for the University of Ibadan as a national call to service from which I do not intend to earn any remuneration.
“However if the position is entitled to any allowances, for example for attending meetings of the Governing Council and its committees in accordance with the prior approvals of the Federal Government of Nigeria, you will be kind enough to assist me to apply any payments which may be due to me from such allowances solely for the benefits of some deserving undergraduate students of this University who are offering Science courses, namely in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology only.
“I expect the benefit to be in form of a kind of endowment for something like annual scholarships or any other form of awards so as to cover the cost of accommodation and other officially approved fees charged by the University for such deserving science students. I suggest that the Dean of Student Affairs office or any such University Academic officer shall be involved in coordinating the selection of such eligible science students. In the possible event that any such anticipated allowances to me from this University appointment become terminated by whatever circumstances, to prevent any student beneficiaries of this endowment arrangement from becoming stranded, there is an already incorporated Adebisi Akande Foundation for similar purposes which would augment any shortfall arising from any such commitments incurred from the awards.
“This memo is being copied to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the said Adebisi Akande Foundation to enable him liaise with you for an efficient and smooth implementation of this directive”
However, Chief Akande’s gesture is aimed at supporting students who excel in these critical fields, covering costs such as accommodation and officially approved fees charged by the University.
The Dean of the Faculty of Science will be responsible for identifying the beneficiaries of this endowment, which is expected to be in the form of annual scholarships or awards.
This move by Chief Akande sets a commendable example of giving back to the community and investing in the future of Nigeria’s youth.
