MKO Daughter Gives WAEC Scholarship to 100 Students, Establishes Education Fund in Honour of Late Father

By Oluwayemisi Oloyede

Derinsola Abiola, media entrepreneur, youth and gender advocate and daughter of the late icon of democracy, MKO Abiola, has provided scholarships to 100 students sitting for the upcoming WAEC exams in her native Ogun state.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Derinsola Abiola Foundation, which also announced the establishment of a fund to support diligent indigent students. The statement further revealed that the fund was inspired by the late business mogul and philanthropist, and was thus named after him. 

“We are pleased to announce the launch of the Moshood Abiola Education Fund. Named after Late Chief Moshood Abiola, the fund is targeted at diligent indigent students, much like MKO was in his formative years.”

The first set of beneficiaries were selected from public secondary schools in four local governments in the Ogun Central district.

“We have launched the fund by paying WAEC fees for 100 students drawn from across government-owned senior secondary schools in four (4) Local Government Areas in Ogun state, namely: Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Odeda and Obafemi Owode.”

In the statement, which she personally signed, Derinsola stated that the foundation’s guiding philosophy is that economic conditions should not prevent children from attaining their goals.

“At DERABIF, we strongly believe that our children's aspirations should not be limited by economic conditions. Education remains the most potent, honourable and sustainable way of breaking the cycle of poverty and we are committed to helping as many as we can in their quest to attain this”, she said.

She further called on well meaning individuals and organisations to assist those in need, and expressed her organisation’s commitment to supporting different groups.

“It is important that individuals and organisations complement government’s efforts by contributing their quota to easing the burdens of our people; we choose to do this through the Moshood Abiola Education Fund and others like the previously introduced Women’s Support Fund.”

It should be recalled that the Derinsola Abiola Foundation had, in November 2021, launched a support fund for women with business grants of N20,000 given to 110 beneficiaries.