Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has commended the founder and financier of Tajudeen Olesin Foundation for his consistency in human capacity and community development.
Governor AbdulRazaq gave the commendation in his remarks at the closing ceremony of the 2023 edition of Tajudeen Olesin Free Summer Lesson and Award of Scholarship to the outstanding students held on Sunday at Government Day Secondary School, Amule, Ilorin, Kwara State.
According to the governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Mahe Abdulkadir “I will like to thank the founder and financier of Tajudeen Olesin Foundation for his consistency in organising this educational activity.
“Your consistency and commitment becomes even more evident when one considers the fact that this educational activity is merely one out of several community initiatives you are involved in through your foundation. I really commend your efforts,” he said.
The governor pointed out that his administration is making the right investments in education in the realization that the state would only have a future if the children have a future.
“As you must well know, these children are a core priority for us in Kwara state. We are making the right investments in them both academically and having a conducive learning environment because we believe our state will have a future only when they have a future. This is why we introduced Kwaralearn initiative,” he said.
In his opening speech, Ambassador Olesin emphasized that the foundation’s impact extended far beyond education as it also served as a catalyst for driving positive change within Kwara communities.
The foundation, he said, had taken the initiative to support projects geared toward enhancing infrastructure and promoting environmental sustainability.
“Eight years ago, The Olesin Foundation embarked on this mission driven by a deep passion for education and a dedicated commitment to creating positive change in our community.
“However, the road to progress is not always linear, and we must acknowledge the unforeseen challenges that disrupted our journey. The global COVID-19 pandemic forced us to skip some years, compelling us to adapt and find innovative ways to continue our mission amid adversity.
“In our unwavering commitment to educational equality, the Tajudeen Olesin Foundation launched the initiative to provide free writing materials to our students.
“We recognized that many of our participants hailed from financially challenged backgrounds, and we firmly believe that education should be within reach of every child. By alleviating the burden of purchasing costly writing materials, we aim to have more students from disadvantaged backgrounds to partake in our program, fostering not only learning but also confidence and self-esteem,” he said.
He extended his heartfelt appreciation to the dedicated teachers and coordinators, recognizing that their tireless efforts have brought the vision of providing quality education to young minds much to life.
He said that the foundation has made significant contributions to education by granting scholarships to three students in every class, covering the WAEC and NECO fees for exceptional students, and providing support to neighbouring summer coaching programs.
“We have invested in the development of GDSS Amule, our venue, by renovating classrooms and providing essential equipment such as computers and printers. In the 4th edition, we increased the number of scholarship recipients to seven best-performing students in each class.
“Our Foundation’s reach extends beyond education. We have taken on challenges in our community, including addressing the issue of erratic power supply. We have invested in infrastructure by grading a 5km dilapidated road and have supported local businesses. Additionally, we have contributed to the welfare of the community by painting mosques and empowering individuals through financial assistance.
“We envision the establishment of a Free Computer-Based Training (CBT) Centre for students preparing for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, we discovered that our students are good academically but many have deficiencies in computer operation that always hinder their performance during JAMB Examination and we are going to tackle it via this way,” said the philanthropist.
Delivering his goodwill message, a former Senior Special Adviser to the Governor, Alhaji Saad Salahudeen, who was the chief host of the event, lauded Olesin for being a pillar of support for education in the community and state and thanked the participating tutors, and distinguished personalities presence at the event.
The event was graced by government officials community and political leaders across the state.
