Dr. Olumuyiwa Adedeji, an alumnus of United Secondary School Agugu (USSA), Ibadan, donated textbooks and stationery to senior secondary students on March 4, 2004. These learning materials were presented by USSA 1986 set.
The donation, which took place at the school compound, had in attendance over 270 students, who are beneficiaries of the gesture, old students, management, staff, and representatives of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
In the same vein, the old students’ association in partnership with the management and staff have recently put in place a tutoring program for the SSS3 students to further prepare them for their forthcoming WAEC and NECO exams.
The innovative program that combines old students that are teachers and current teachers of the USSA, is expected to cost about three million naira.
Addressing students at the event, Dr Olumuyiwa Adedeji, described the gesture as one borne out of conviction for providing a favourable learning environment for students. According to Dr. Adedeji, “We are here today because of personal sacrifices and great commitment to the advancement of our Alma Mater. My ongoing financial contributions to the development of my Alma Mater is not because I’m wealthy, but my conviction that we rise by lifting others. It’s all about making my little contributions to ensure that students have a more favourable learning environment.
“The idea of purchasing books for the senior students of USSA originated from the conversation that Professor Francis Fasanu and myself had with Mrs. Abisoye. After that conversation, Professor Fasanu and I decided that we should share the cost of buying books for the students equally. Today, we are delivering 270 textbooks and in the very near term, another 270 textbooks will be delivered.
While hinting that the book donation project cost about N1.5 million, he noted that the old students association spent a total of N15 million in 2022 on infrastructural projects and a sum of N4 million in 2023 on similar initiatives.
Professor Francis Fasanu, in his address, charged the SS3 students to leverage the availability of the textbooks in preparation for their SSCE, adding that the old students will be willing to make more donations if the learning materials are properly managed.
The Principal of the school, Mr Kamal Adio, who expressed his appreciation for the donation, described it as the first of its kind and also assured that the books and writing materials will be evenly distributed and judiciously used.
While highlighting some other donations made by the alumni, Dr. Adedeji also pointed out that the old students’ interventions in USSA offer a robust framework for collaboration between the State Government and Old Students Association of public schools in Oyo State.
The President of the USSA old students association, Pastor Olawale Peluola, pledged the association’s commitment to making sure the students actualise their destinies and potential “and to make sure that their future is better and better even than ours”. Comrade Taiwo Salawu (coordinator for the 1986 set) and Dr. Waheed Ismail (Secretary for the 1986 set) emphasized the importance of working together to bring about accelerated development of USSA.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the head boy (Joshua Kilanko) and head girl (Abibat Okesanya), expressed gratitude to the old students for the resuscitation of dilapidated facilities in the school and the recent donation of books, notebooks and writing materials. They also promised to make the donors proud by performing excellently in their SSCE
Highlight of the event is the launching of a N500,000 programme that will award three subject teachers with outstanding performance in WAEC and a support program of about N1 million to eligible students to pay for the cost of registering for the next NECO exam.
