AYFF projects cut across six LGs in Ijesaland —Fasuyi

Chief Yinka Fasuyi is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ibadan Business School. Recently, he presented cheques of WAEC fees to 100 students from 20 selected public schools in Ijeshaland, courtesy of Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi Foundation (AYFF). In this interview with KEHINDE ADIO, he gives reasons for the gesture, among other issues. Excerpts:

 

What informed your establishment of AYFF and your focus on Ijesaland?

The concept of giving back to the society and most especially my community of origin has always been a long time ambition of mine for a number of reasons. This is the land that it has pleased God to create and birth me into. This is the same land that it has pleased my destiny, in spite of all the rough edges and travails of life, to have reasonably prospered me.

Furthermore, I am a product and beneficiary of government, as well as community levies, taxes and contributions over the years. Record has it that my birth delivery took place at the famous Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa. I also had cause to regularly visit the same hospital for medical care in the many years of my sickly childhood.

I am a product of Otapete Methodist Primary School, Ilesa, where I had my primary education from 1962 to 1968.  I am also privileged to be an alumnus of Ilesa Grammar School, where I was a student from 1969 to 1973. By the same token, the public and government provided me an opportunity to obtain four university degrees at different times.

 

What does AYFF stand for?

AYFF is a non-governmental and social responsibility initiative with the overriding vision to empower (at no cost) youths, entrepreneurs and residents across Ijesaland by providing them with requisite skills, knowledge and support needed to live a highly productive life to make desired positive impacts in the society. This we do in many ways, including facilitating the creation of opportunities and role models, who serve as compass in navigating the path towards self-actualisation and community development. At AYFF, we have continuously and actively engaged in a number of result-driven and impact-based development projects to support and encourage productivity and thereby, reduce the unemployment and poor standard of living in Ijesaland.

Our projects cut across the six local governments in Ijesaland. The foundation provides free extramural classes in Mathematics and English Language for public secondary school students in Ijesaland. The extramural classes are held on Fridays and Saturdays to support the efforts of the state government in improving the performance of students in the WAEC, NECO and UTME. This is carried out in one selected school centre in each of the six local governments in Ijesaland. The AYFF WAEC Education Support Scheme has the primary objective of paying the WAEC fees of the most academically gifted and performing students in selected public secondary schools across the six local governments in Ijesaland.

 

What are the criteria for choosing beneficiaries across the six local government areas in the land?

Following extensive consultations with all relevant stakeholders, the Foundation came up with a programme, whereby the best five students in each selected public secondary school (based on the unified promotional examination for students in SS2 going to SS3) would have their WAEC fees paid by the Foundation. This decision to fulfill and support students who show adequate commitment to their studies formed the basis for the 100 beneficiary students. In selecting the best five students in each of the 20 selected public secondary schools, the staff of AYFF wrote and visited the Ministry of Education, Osun State, to declare our intention and also to obtain valid information for the successful implementation of the scheme. AYFF, in strict adherence to merit, fairness and transparency and thorough scrutiny thereby selected 100 students from 20 selected public secondary schools across six councils in Ijesaland.

 

How much have you expended on this project?

In all, the 100 students as well as the 20 selected schools received a sum of N2, 150,000 million. By the special grace of God, this exercise would be an annual event whereby a minimum of 100 students from selected public secondary schools across Ijesaland would benefit from this scheme in every academic year. More so, AYFF has decided that 10 students from the 100 beneficiaries present here today, with the best WAEC result in 2018, will have the privilege of enjoying on an annual basis the AYFF Tertiary Education Scholarship Scheme valued at the sum of N100, 000 per student after securing admission in either universities or polytechnics within Nigeria. These best 10 students will be made up of five male and five female students to observe gender balance and equity.

 

What is your advice for other Nigerians, home and in Diaspora on social responsibility?

At this juncture, I will like to use this medium to encourage all Ijesa sons and daughters in Ijesaland, in Nigeria and in Diaspora to also emulate and support those who have been doing things like this, no matter how little. Little drops of water, they say, form an ocean. Nothing is too little.