RASHEED SHABI DONATES TO STUDENTS
About 1,000 Senior Secondary students resident in the Yaba area of the Lagos Mainland Constituency 11 in Lagos State smiled home at the weekend with back-to-school packs donated by Engineer Rasheed Adebola Shabi, a lawmaker representing the Mainland Constituency 11 in the Lagos State House Of Assembly.
The packs, which included quality school bags, exercise books, writing materials and mathematical sets were donated to mark the end of the Summer Coaching Class, organised and funded under the patriotic initiative of the lawmaker, who was also former executive chairman,Yaba Local Council Development Area.
At the end of the coaching session organised across four centres of the Mainland Constituency 11, Balogun Mosopeoluwa, a student of Eletu Odibo High School, emerged as the best student, while Bamigbade Fridauz, of the Lagos City Senior College, came top at the Lagos City Senior College Centre.
Others included Gbagbeolu Anuoluwapo of Onike Girls High School,and Awojodu Ayomide, from Mainland Senior High School,who was the best student at the Mainland Senior High School Centre.
Important personalities present at the occasion included Alhaji Ibrahim Alao Megida,a Lagos Mainland APC chieftain,and Special Assistant on Politics,to Tunji Bello,the immediate ex Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources,Lagos State,Hon Wale Oshun, former Chief Whip, House of Representatives,during the Third Republic,Mrs.Folashade Adefisayo,former Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Alhaja Folashade Morounkeji, Chairman, Conference of Principals,Lagos State,Mrs.Omolola Essien, Chairman, Lagos Mainland Local government Council,Hon Ajani Owolabi, representing Lagos Mainland Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly,Hon Tajudeen Agoro,a notable lawyer and politician, Hon Adefuye, representing the Oba of Igbobi Sabe,Peter Akinniyi,Youth leader of the Ibrahim Megida-led Mainland Independent Group,among others.
At the event,Hon Olatunji Bello, immediate ex Commissioner,Ministry of Environment and Water Resources,extolled the patriotic virtue of Hon. Shabi for his exemplary commitment to the academic well being of the students,whom he described as leaders of tomorrow.
The ex Commissioner,who was represented by Alhaji Ibrahim Alao Megida,his Special Assistant on Politics,commended the lawmaker,not only for the coaching initiative,but also going further steps to equip the students with essential items that would put them on competent footing to attain mastery and excellence in their academic career.
Other personalties present also took time to applaud Shabi’s gesture,which according to them,has gone a long way in demonstrating his sense of empathy and fellow feeling,by discerning and recognising the challenges that students face,and intervening accordingly to complement the effort in putting them on competent academic footing,just as the donation has gone a long way in cushioning the pang of hardship on parents and guardian who are passing through the prevailing travails in the nation’s economy.
They remarked further that Shabi’s generosity and dedication to the advancement of education, was such that commend itself as an inspiring example worthy of emulation by everyone,to always strive to contribute to the betterment of our respective communities,just as it also served as an apt reminder that little acts of sacrifice made in the collective interest of our respective communities,and its people, surely stands to have a positive multiplier consequences in terms of empowerment and upliftment of those unto whom they are being sown,and ultimately for the development of the community as a whole
In his speech, Engineer Shabi, who was literally mobbed and cheered all through the event by the tumultuous crowd of joyous and excited students and parents,remarked that in embarking on the gesture,he was animated by the indisputable truth that the greatest legacy that one could beaqueath to another,for the overall good of the larger society is education.
Looking back to the genesis of the idea, he recalled that he had initially aimed at beginning with 500 students for logistic reasons and thorough financing but was amazed by the increasing pressure from the mounting number of students who insisted that they must be part of the programme.
“The result is what we are seeing today as you could see in the huge turn out of students” said Shabi, who was besides himself with joy.
He pleaded passionately to the well-to-do ones in the community not to hesitate to intervene in augmenting government’s efforts in providing standard and qualitative education,in the interest of the youths and also for the overall benefit of the society, considering the fact that today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow.
He further urged the students to be thoroughly focused on their studies which essentially constitutes the foundation for the fulfillment of their destinies.
He further pledged to offer scholarship assistance to students from his Constituency who excel in their WASC exam,while also affirming his avowed resolve towards a progressively improving quality and standard as an abiding commitment with regards to subsequent programmes.
