02: AYFF Supports Over 2,500 Ijesa Students With WAEC Fees, Bursaries

The Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi Foundation (AYFF) has supported more than 2,500 students from public secondary schools across the six Local Government Areas of Ijesaland through the payment of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) fees and bursaries.

The intervention is one of the milestones documented in the 10 Years of Service: Compendium of Impact and Integrity in Ijesaland, reflecting the decade-long development activities associated with Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi, the Asiwaju of Ijesaland.

Beyond providing financial relief to parents and guardians, the programme was designed to encourage academic excellence, support human-capital development and create a platform for stakeholders to engage on the future of education in Ijesaland.

FOUNDATION BEGINS EDUCATION INTERVENTION

The Foundation, originally known as the Olayinka Fasuyi Foundation, was established as a family-owned philanthropic organisation to support development initiatives in Ijesaland. Following the installation of Asiwaju and Yeye Asiwaju, it was rebranded as the Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi Foundation.

According to the compendium, the Foundation adopted a people-centred and non-political approach, with education becoming its first major area of intervention.

One of its early programmes was the Teachers’ Support Programme, through which qualified teachers provided additional lessons in core examination subjects to final-year students in selected public secondary schools. Participating teachers reportedly received monthly stipends for two years.

The programme demonstrated that the Foundation's educational intervention was not limited to paying examination fees but also sought to strengthen students’ academic preparation.

WAEC BURSARY SCHEME

The WAEC Fees Bursary Award Scheme was subsequently introduced, initially targeting the top five students in each public secondary school across Ijesaland.

The first edition, held in 2017, benefited 100 students and attracted traditional rulers, school principals, parents and community leaders.

The 2018 second edition, chaired by former University of Lagos Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, benefited 200 students.

In 2020, the fourth edition, chaired by former University of Ibadan Vice Chancellor, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, 350 students benefited.

The number of beneficiaries continued to grow in subsequent editions, with the programme eventually supporting more than 2,500 students across Ijesaland.

TRADITIONAL RULERS AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

A distinctive feature of the programme was the participation of traditional rulers in the annual award ceremonies.

The late His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, consistently graced the occasions alongside other Traditional Rulers from across Ijesaland. Their participation gave the programme a strong community dimension, as royal fathers joined in recognising and celebrating academic achievement among young people from their communities.

The ceremonies also brought together students, parents, school authorities, community leaders and other stakeholders, making the programme more than a financial intervention.

Students from different parts of Ijesaland were able to meet one another, while stakeholders had opportunities to interact around issues concerning education, student welfare and academic development.

TAKING THE PROGRAMME TO THE SCHOOLS

As insecurity, particularly kidnapping threats, began to emerge in Ijesaland, the organisers adjusted the format of subsequent editions.

Rather than bringing large numbers of students together at a central venue, the presentation of WAEC support was taken directly to the individual schools. The adjustment was intended to minimise students’ exposure to security risks while ensuring that the educational assistance continued.

This adaptation reflected an effort to sustain the programme while responding to changing circumstances within the communities it served.

MORE THAN WAEC FEES

VIDEO: CLICK 👆 ON THE IMAGE TO WATCH: Words of Appreciation from Beneficiaries of AYFF’s Educational Intervention

Principals of beneficiary schools, parents of beneficiary students and some of the students themselves share heartfelt words of appreciation for AYFF and its impactful educational intervention.

The AYFF intervention served several purposes. At the immediate level, it helped reduce the financial burden of WAEC fees on parents and guardians. At the student level, it recognised academic performance and encouraged excellence.

At the community level, the programme created opportunities for traditional rulers, schools, parents and other stakeholders to participate in an education-focused initiative spanning the six LGAs of Ijesaland.

Its evolution—from the initial 100 beneficiaries in 2017, through subsequent editions including 200 beneficiaries in 2018 and 350 in 2020, to more than 2,500 beneficiaries to date—illustrates the expansion and continuity of the intervention.

The programme therefore stands as a documented milestone in the Foundation’s contribution to education and human-capital development in Ijesaland.

It also reflects the five leadership principles highlighted in the compendium: leadership by example, vision, integrity, transparency and accountability—principles expressed through sustained educational support, adaptation to changing circumstances and measurable beneficiary outcomes.

What began as assistance with WAEC fees ultimately became a broader platform for encouraging academic excellence, supporting families, engaging traditional institutions and investing in the future generation of Ijesaland.