The Forum for Oke Ogun Progress (FFOP) recently concluded its fourth annual Education Summit, a significant event that saw the awarding of scholarships to 15 academically outstanding students. Held late last year, the summit combined the scholarship presentation with a focused discussion on critical issues facing Nigerian youth.
“As leaders, the children of the poor you failed to train will never let your children have peace,” Dr. Imran Saheed Adekunle, FFOP Founder and a renowned Pension Management expert, emphasized during the summit, quoting the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. This powerful statement underscored the critical role of education in fostering a stable and prosperous society.
The summit, themed “Enhancement of National Productivity Through Youth Empowerment in Nigeria,” brought together leading academic minds, including Prof. Taofiq Abdul Aziz of the University of Abuja and Prof. Y.K. Yusuf of Obafemi Awolowo University, to delve into solutions for addressing Nigeria’s declining productivity.
Dr. Saheed highlighted FFOP’s ongoing commitment to educational support, revealing that the organization has consistently provided scholarships to at least 10 exceptional university students from across the Oke-Ogun region each year, covering their tuition fees from their first to their final year of study.
This year’s summit, like its predecessors, attracted a diverse audience, including youth from universities across the nation.
A Legacy of Educational Focus:
Since its inception in January 2022, the FFOP Education Summit has consistently addressed critical issues facing Nigerian youth.
- 2022 Summit: Focused on “Education: A Panacea to Youth’s Drug Abuse, National Insecurity and Economic Challenges in Nigeria,” emphasizing the crucial role of education in addressing these interconnected challenges.
- 2023 Summit: Explored the “Sudden Wealth Syndrome and the Future of Nigerian Youth” and the “Burden of Drug Abuse Among Nigerian Youths,” featuring insights from the National Directorate of Employment and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
- 2024 Summit: Delved into the “Proliferation of Tertiary Institutions and Dwindling Educational Standards in Nigeria,” examining the root causes, consequences, and potential solutions to this pressing issue.
Through these annual summits, the FFOP continues to play a vital role in fostering educational excellence, empowering youth, and addressing the critical challenges facing Nigeria today.