Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
Member House of Representatives for Yagba Federal Constiruency, Hon. Leke Abejide last weekend distributed over N72 million to candidates sitting for the West African Examination Certificate (WAEC) as fees and other administrative charges for students in public and private secondary schools in his constituency.
The lawmaker presenting the cheques to beneficiaries who are students from both the public and private schools, said the gesture will enable them undertake the examination and reduce the burden of WAEC fees on parents.
He encouraged the students to be more serious with their studies, pointing out that education is the hub of human development, “Most important to me is education. It’s the key that opens every door of success. An educated people will be developing people and eventually a developed people. Without education, society can’t move forward, it can’t prosper, it can’t grow.”
“Today, we are presenting cheques of N72,000,000 to principals of public secondary schools of our constituency. This is part of my commitment to improve on the standard of education and to reduce the burden of WAEC fees on parents.
“The importance of education to societal development cannot be overemphasised, hence the need for the gesture.”
Hon. Abejide restated his commitment to initiate good policies and programmes that would have direct bearing on the lives of the people of his constituency and the country at large.
The donation which was made through the lawmaker’s foundation, Leke Abejide Foundation saw 68 schools both of private and public secondary schools across the three council areas of the constituency as beneficiaries.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Foundation, Chief Shola Adebola disclosed that in 2019, the lawmaker paid WAEC fees for students in the Constituency even before he got elected, stressed that this year’s payment is in fulfilment of campaign promises made to the people of Yagba to continue the payment for the period of four years in office.
Adebola urged the beneficiaries to take their studies with seriousness to excel in their academic pursuits in the interest of development.
“The legislator, Hon. Leke Abejide has been making frantic efforts towards the delivery of a sound education foundation through the payments of WAEC fees for the students in his constituency. It is his sincere belief that there is no substitute to quality education. Our resolve on education is not accidental. We are very clear in our resolve that we need to upgrade the standard.The representative of the Traditional father’s, HRM Oba S.A. Muhammad, eulogised the lawmaker.
“Education offers knowledge and knowledge is power. It’s the greatest legacy any worthwhile generation can bequeath to its posterity.”
Speaking on behalf of the benefiting parent, Chief Samuel Iwalaiye uh said, “In our contemporary Nigeria, we have three major sectors; politics, commerce and education. Out of these three major sectors, education is the most paramount. We cannot make waves in other two sectors without education”.
Spokesperson for the schools, Chief Toyin Adedoyin also eulogized the lawmaker for extending the kind gesture to all the private secondary schools in Yagba federal constituency, “I am proud of what we have achieved under the visionary leadership of Hon Leke Abejide. You have actually made remarkable mark in Yagba Land.
“We can never thank you enough for this generous gesture of caring for and sharing with the less-priviledged.I happen to know that N72 million is not a small amount by any stretch of imagination.
“I hope other politicians and office holders in our midst will feel inspired by this unprecedented demonstration of love of our people rather than the self. They must learn to play politics of development that focuses on the people in every sense of the word and not just power for it’s own sake.
“What Hon Leke Abejide is doing is an exercise in self- abnegation; for he could have chosen to spend the money on other per
