By John Meze
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, Dangote Oil Refining Company has awarded scholarships to students of 137 tertiary institutions and secondary schools from its host communities in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State.
The company said the scholarship had become an annual event meant to contribute to the educational development of the people and position them rightly in the scheme of things in Lagos State and Nigeria in general.
Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Group, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, presented the scholarships to beneficiaries on Monday. The scholarships were presented to 19 tertiary institution students and 118 secondary school students from 15 communities in Ibeju Lekki.
Edwin said the Dangote Group believes that education is the passport to the future and that an investment in knowledge yields the greatest dividends for mankind. He said the company had over the years supported the Nigerian educational sector by instituting scholarship award programmes. According to him, this is part of the company’s education intervention initiative for indigenous students of host communities impacted by its businesses.
He said, “In 2019, we executed a pilot of the scholarship programme where 51 secondary school students from our 15 host communities here in Ibeju Lekki were awarded. However, as 2019 came to a close, COVID-19 hit the global community, leaving its indelible mark not only on businesses but on every household. As a result, we could not institute the second edition of the scholarship programme in the year 2020.
“As the curtain closes on 2021, we cannot but acknowledge the efforts that our scholars have put into their academic studies, to obtain such excellent results which qualifies them as beneficiaries of this award. Hence, after a rigorous screening process, 118 secondary school students and 19 tertiary institution students from our host communities have qualified for this scholarship award,” the GED added.
While congratulating the beneficiaries, he enjoined them to continue to work hard at their studies, strive to achieve excellence in all that they do, and never stop giving their best.
“With the continuous support of the people and the Lagos State Government, we shall not relent in our efforts to be socially accountable while we positively impact our host communities. We look forward to a continuous peaceful and rewarding relationship with our host communities in Ibeju Lekki,” Edwin said.
On his part, the Oni-Lekki of Lekki, Oba Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun, commended Dangote Oil Refining Company for initiating the scholarship award for indigenes of the area. The monarch noted that the move showed that the company was determined to carry along host communities and to contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the locality.
He urged the beneficiaries to study hard and focus on their education in order to better their lives and become worthy ambassadors of Ibeju Lekki in future.
One of the beneficiaries, Master Qudus Sodiq, a Senior Secondary School Student from Community Senior High School, Lekki, thanked the Dangote Group for the scholarship. “I am very happy with this scholarship. It will help me to accomplish my educational aspiration and pursue my dreams in future,” he said.