More than 500 undergraduate students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), have benefited from a scholarship scheme initiated by the Protocol Liaison Officer (PLO) to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alhaji Yakubu Musa.
The scholarships, disbursed at the university’s Assembly Hall in Keffi, ranged between ₦100,000 and ₦150,000 per beneficiary.
Speaking at the event, Alhaji Yakubu Musa said the initiative was a personal effort aimed at encouraging young people to pursue higher education.
He stated that meaningful youth empowerment could only be achieved when stakeholders, the elite, and well-meaning individuals make sacrifices from their resources to complement government efforts in expanding access to education, especially for the less privileged.
Alhaji Musa emphasized that the gesture was devoid of political motives or government funding, noting that it was driven solely by his desire to support academically sound students who face financial challenges.
According to him, beneficiaries were selected strictly on merit, with eligibility based on academic performance, requiring a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0.
The Vice-Chancellor of NSUK, Professor Sa’adatu Liam, described the intervention as unprecedented in the history of the university, adding that the scholarship would significantly reduce the stress and financial burden faced by students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Chairman of the Scholarship Scheme, Professor Shuaibu Umar Abdul, disclosed that the beneficiaries were drawn from all 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State.
One of the beneficiaries, Maimuna Ibrahim Ahmed of the Department of Science Laboratory Technology, described the gesture as a practical demonstration of selfless leadership and an inspiration for students to remain focused on their studies. (Radio Nigeria)