Fuel Subsidy Is A Waste Of Nigeria Resources, Change It To Education Subsidy For Rapid Growth – Oyebade, National President Adeyemi University Alumni Association

… Charges FG To Reduce Cost Of Servicing Foreign Debts 

… Just As 10 Outstanding Students Gets Alumni Education Support Fund

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By Emmanuel Adeoye 

The National President, Alumni Association of the Adeyemi Federal University Of Education in Ondo, Dr. Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade has called on the Federal Government to change the subsidy on petroleum to subsidy on the Education of the students.

He advocated that the subsidy on Education would be more productive than on fuel which he regarded as wasting of Nigeria scarce resources.

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The Adeyemi Federal University Of Education Alumni Association National President made the call at the Ipaye Lecture Theatre during the 59th Founders Day lecture titled: “Nigeria’s Civil Rule And The Imagined Possibilities Of Development” organized by the Alumni Association.

He stressed that the recently secured $800 million loan from the World Bank to cushion the effect of subsidy removal should be diverted to Education, saying the outgoing administration should allow the Incoming Government to use the money on education.

Dr. Oyebade who underscored the importance of education in the life of a Country which he hinged on ‘Plato and Aristotle’ that prescribed Education as the surest means of decoding the latent potential in individuals’ development physically, mentally and spiritually. He however, frowned at the 20 million out of school children in the Country. 

According to Oyebade, he said, “the above uninviting statistics is a defeat of the Sustainable Development Goal on Education (SDG 4) meaning that each state of the federation has 556,000 out of school students”. 

Dr. Oyebade also called on the government, private Institution’s and  individuals to rescue the Nation from the mess, saying if urgent steps are not taking, the huge numbers of students without education could ground the country to a halt in future.

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He added that another time bomb in the education sector is the high rate of unqualified teachers in the schools. 

“It’s like a quack doctor conducting intricate surgery on patients. We must be wounded at heart that 90 percent of private School Teachers in South-West are not qualified according to Professor Josiah Ajiboye, The Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria”, declared recently. 

Dr. Oyebade further bemoaned the security architecture of the Country which gave room for the adoption of Nigeria’s students. 

Citing examples, he said “on the 6th of September, 2021, the UNICEF Representatives in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Hawkins revealed that, since December 2020, 1,436 students and 17 teachers were abducted and N220 million had been paid as ransoms while many schools were closed due to insecurity reasons”. 

Speaking on the economy of the Country, the National President cautioned the Federal Government to take steps to drastically reduced the cost of servicing foreign debts which may not be sustainable if care is not taken. 

While commending the Federal Government for approving the Institution’s to the Federal University, he  charged government to announce names of Vice Chancellor and Principal Officers for the smooth running of the Institution without further delay.

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The National President further charged the students to shun social vices that can truncate their educational dreams and dragged the good name of the school in the mud.

The high point of the event was the presentation of a sum of N50,000 each to ten outstanding students in their various field of studies as Education Support Fund which the President said would be done yearly.

Also, the Distinguished Award of Honorary Fellowship of the Adeyemi Alumni Association was bestowed on the Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu while Honourable Abiola Peter Makinde, an House of Representatives Member representing the people of Ondo East and West Federal Constituency was given award of excellence.

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Others included Ambassador Godson Echegile (OFR), Dr. Emmanuel Olakunle Filani and Dr. Olawunmi Egbayelo – Ilawole (MNIM) were given awards.

Responding on behalf of the Awardees, Hon. Abiola Makinde reiterated that Adeyemi Federal University has come to stay and would get necessary things to be operational in a matter of days. He promised their unalloyed support for the institution at all times and appreciated the Alumni Association for honouring them.

Dignitaries at the lecture were Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Union Matters, Oba Olabomi, the Oniragbiji of Iragbaji in Osun State, the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom, High Chief Ogundipe, the Acting Provost of the Institution; Dr. Olufemi Olajuyigbe, the Acting Provost of the Institution; the School Management membrs, the Alumni Executives as well as members and students.

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