Bisi Akande, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at the University of Ibadan (UI), has pledged to donate his allowances to support science scholarships for deserving students.
In a memorandum addressed to Ganiyu Saliu, the university’s registrar and secretary to the governing council, Akande expressed that his appointment is a national call to service, for which he does not intend to receive any personal remuneration.
“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,” Akande stated.
He emphasised that any allowances due to him should be redirected to benefit students studying mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology.
“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 in applying any payments that 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,” he explained.
Akande further suggested that these funds should be used to cover essential expenses such as accommodation and other officially approved fees charged by the university.
“I expect the benefit to be in the 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,” he added.
To ensure the smooth administration of this initiative, Akande recommended involving the Dean of Student Affairs or another academic officer in selecting eligible students.
He also assured that, in the event his allowances were terminated, the Adebisi Akande Foundation, which is already established for similar purposes, would step in to cover any shortfall.
“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 that would augment any shortfall arising from any such commitments incurred from the awards,” he noted.
The memorandum was also copied to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Adebisi Akande Foundation to facilitate coordination with the university for the effective implementation of this directive.
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