- Ododo’s commitment to education inspired school aid for needy Ajaokuta pupils – Abanika
A support group, the Ododo Vanguard for Tinubu, has distributed school bags and other learning materials to indigent students in Ajaokuta Local Government Area, in an effort to complement the Kogi State Government’s drive to widen access to education and support vulnerable children.
The initiative, led by Kogi State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Taiye Abanika, targets children from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly orphans and students whose parents struggle to afford basic school necessities.
Abanika said the programme was inspired by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s commitment to improving people’s lives, especially children’s, through inclusive governance and support for education.
He said visits to schools in the community showed that some students lacked basic learning materials, while others attended classes in torn uniforms and without footwear. The intervention was designed to meet some of those immediate needs, with items including school bags, sandals, uniforms, notebooks, socks and water bottles.
Abanika added that the gesture reflects the responsibility of those serving in the present administration to give back to society and support the governor’s development agenda.
Representing Education Commissioner, Hon. Wemi Jones, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Hon. Abdullahi Abdulmalik described the exercise as exemplary and worthy of emulation, noting that education remains a cornerstone of development.
He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the materials, be worthy ambassadors of their schools and stay committed to academic excellence.
Abdulmalik also said the state government continues to prioritise education through its free education policy, which aims to give every child access to learning.
Ajaokuta Local Government Chairman, Hon. Haruna Ganaja commended the intervention as a demonstration of responsive leadership and commitment to grassroots development.
He said the gesture would help address some immediate educational needs of families facing financial hardship, and urged other well-meaning individuals and organisations to invest in young people’s future.
The Ohi of Ajaokuta, His Royal Highness Isah Achuja, praised Governor Ododo’s leadership as inclusive and said it places education among its priorities. The traditional ruler said the support would ease some of the financial burden on beneficiaries’ families.
He also commended Abanika for identifying with the governor’s vision and turning the administration’s commitment to education into practical support for children in the community.
