Chief Bisi Akande, the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), has announced his decision to allocate his allowances towards scholarships for science students at the institution.
President Bola Tinubu had in June appointed Akande as chairman of the UI Governing Board.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Ganiyu Oke Saliu, the Registrar and Secretary to the Governing Council of UI, Chief Akande outlined his plans for the utilisation of his allowances.
The former Governor of Osun State and pioneer chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) stated that he considers his appointment “as a national call to service from which I do not intend to earn any remuneration.”
According to the letter, the funds will be used to create scholarships for deserving undergraduate students in science courses, specifically Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
The scholarships aim to cover accommodation costs and other officially approved fees charged by the university.
He said the Dean of Student Affairs office or another appropriate University Academic officer should coordinate the selection of eligible science students.
Chief Akande directed the Registrar to apply any due payments from his allowances to the scholarship fund.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the initiative, Chief Akande made provisions for the Adebisi Akande Foundation to step in and augment any shortfall in the event that the allowances are terminated.
The letter was also copied to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Adebisi Akande Foundation to facilitate liaison for efficient implementation of the directive.
The letter reads partly, “I consider my appointment as the Pro-Chancellor and as the Chairman of Council for the University of Ibadan as a national call to service from which I do not intend to earn any remuneration.
“However if the position is entitled to any allowances, for example for attending meetings of the Governing Council and its committees in accordance with the prior approvals of the Federal Government of Nigeria, you will be kind enough to assist me to apply any payments which may be due to me from such allowances solely for the benefits of some deserving undergraduate students of this University who are offering Science courses, namely in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology only.
“I expect the benefit to be in form of a kind of endowment for something like annual scholarships or any other form of awards so as to cover the cost of accommodation and other officially approved fees charged by the University for such deserving science students. I suggest that the Dean of Student Affairs office or any such University Academic officer shall be involved in coordinating the selection of such eligible science students.
“In the possible event that any such anticipated allowances to me from this University appointment become terminated by whatever circumstances, to prevent any student beneficiaries of this endowment arrangement from becoming stranded, there is an already incorporated Adebisi Akande Foundation for similar purposes which would augment any shortfall arising from any such commitments incurred from the awards.
“This memo is being copied to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the said Adebisi Akande Foundation to enable him liaise with you for an efficient and smooth implementation of this directive.”