How We Compile List of Osun State Indigene In UNILORIN for Bursary Payment in 1992 – Adetunji Adepoju

BY Rev Tunji Adepoju

In 1991, after her creation, Osun State Government decided to pay N500 bursary to all indigenous Osun State Students in tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.

In University of Ilorin, then, there is no aithentic database of students of Osun State Origin.

We just formed federation of Osun State Students Union ,FOSSU,and I was the secretary of the caretaker committee:

The onus was on me to compile the list of all indigenous students of Osun State in University of Ilorin, in addition to organising the first election of union executives.

We had to liaise with Students Affairs Unit to get a cover memo for the list of students compiled after due diligence and validation by us which I personally submitted at ministry of education, Osogbo.

To the glory of God, all indigenous students of Osun State in University of Ilorin were paid their N500 bursary without a single exception or addition in 1992.

Let me share a little side story with you:

The day I was appointed to carry out the task of compiling the lists; students started accusing me of embezzlement of funds that have not been disbursed, just like Nigerians are already accusing Government of embezzling funds not yet disbursed now; this is who we are.

For some of us, that are committed to make the policy work,we have become targets of insults and abuses by people who want a policy to fail even before implementation.

What I don’t understand is what they will gain if government policy fails?

Interestingly most of my accusers are not from Osun State; however, after attacking and mocking me in the day, they sneak into my room in the night to include their names for a 50;50 share, in the Osun State list to which I refused blatantly, so these things started l9mg ago.

When the bursary was paid, I wss celebrated and congratulated by everybody including my hardest critics amd condemners.

I have believed in and have been working in Nigeria for over 33 years since my campus days, so I understand the impossibility, skeptical and cynical mindsets of most Nigerians.

I always offer myself for service in crisis time, with simple, safe, secured and sustainable solutions with little or no supervision and we have never disappointed man and God.

This is why at any point in time, I always come forward with patriotic suggestions to make things work.

I am an incurable optimist and I see things fron the perspective of possibilities, strength and opportunities, not impossibilities. waknesses and threats.

So over this palliatives issue, we are ready , willing and able to partner with government and other critical stakeholders nationwide and globally, to, ensure success of the policy, by targeting the right recipients effectively rather than condemning the policy before implementation.

If you are a student from Osun State in University of Ilorin, in 1992, from 100 to 600 levels, you can confirm this true story.

Nigeria can work if all of us can imbibe attitudes of possibility, opportunity and feasibility rather than impossibility, skepticism and cynicism.

I can’t hide my disappointment over failures of successive government policies in critical areas, but I will never give up on Nigeria.

We can give this government palliative policy a chance and work together for its success, in our own interest.

May Nigeria Succeed!
God bless us all..

Dr Adetunji Adepoju, FCIHRM, CIPM.