An educational foundation in Offa, Kwara State, Adesiyun-Olafimihan Foundation, has presented bursary awards to the tune of N5 million to 203 beneficiaries in the last 10 years.

Speaking at the 2012 annual bursary award presentation during which cheques totalling N510,000 were disbursed to the successful students made up of Christians and Muslims, chairman of the board of trustees of the foundation, Canon (Mrs). Felicia Bello, said the beneficiaries were indigenes of Offa in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

Canon Bello, who applauded the initiator of the foundation, late Chief (Mrs) Felicia Adesiyun, for her philanthropic gestures, said that beneficiaries of the award had graduated and are now occupying various positions of trust.

She called on other wealthy individuals and groups in the community to emulate the gesture to make life more meaningful for the underprivileged students in the society.

The chairman also praised the children of the deceased for sustaining the legacy left by their mother, urging them to maintain the tempo, while praying for the Adesiyun and Olafimihan families.

Canon Bello, an educationist, charged the beneficiaries to utilise the money for the intended purpose, face their studies diligently, and shun all forms of social evils with the hope that they too would be philanthropists when they attained responsible positions in life.

She also praised the initiator of the project for her contributions to the educational development, not only in Offa, but also in Kwara State as a whole, adding that the first set of students presented for WASCE examination at Chief Adesiyan College in Offa scored 100 per cent.

A member of the Adesiyun family, Professor Adeyinka Adesiyun of University of Ilorin, thanked individuals and groups for identifying with the foundation's programmes and activities.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, Emmanuel Ajayi thanked the foundation for its gesture and called on others to emulate the donor family.