FOSSU backs Makinde, applauds expanded bursary scheme
By Adewale Owoade
The Federation of Oyo State Students’ Unions (FOSSU) has commended the Oyo State Government for the timely disbursement of bursary awards to final-year students, describing the intervention as a critical investment in human capital development.
The National President of FOSSU, Ahmed Mufutau, gave the commendation during a press briefing at the Conference Centre, Ministry of Education, Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan.
Mufutau described education as a major driver of national development and stressed the need for student welfare to remain a priority of government.
He also congratulated teachers on the recent celebration of World Teachers’ Day.
He said FOSSU welcomed the decision of the state government to open the 2026 General Bursary Awards for final-year students of Oyo State origin in public higher institutions across Nigeria.
Mufutau particularly commended the inclusion of final-year students of Colleges of Education in the scheme, saying it would ensure that no sector of the state’s higher education system was marginalised.
According to him, final-year clinical students, as well as students of aeronautics and aviation, will receive N500,000 each, while university undergraduates will receive N200,000.
He added that Higher National Diploma (HND) students would receive N150,000, while final-year National Certificate in Education (NCE) students would receive N100,000.
“This tiered financial architecture proves that the administration is attentive to the contextual realities of modern education,” he said.
Mufutau said about 5,000 final-year students were expected to benefit from the 2026 bursary scheme, compared with about 2,600 beneficiaries recorded in the previous year.
He added that the bursary payment of N500,000 to Oyo indigenes in law school had been sustained for six consecutive years.
The FOSSU president expressed appreciation to Gov. Seyi Makinde for approving the expansion of the scheme and for his consistent support for students of Oyo State origin.
He urged eligible final-year students to register promptly once the official portal opened, warning them against unofficial links and unverified information.
“The registration will officially commence on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, and close on Nov. 1, 2026.
“Students are strongly encouraged to register promptly, prepare all required documents ahead of time, ensure absolute accuracy in the information supplied, and strictly avoid unofficial links or unverified information to protect themselves from fraudulent actors,” he said.
Mufutau also declared the union’s support for Makinde’s presidential ambition in 2027.
“For someone who has done so much as governor, he will definitely do better as president. As the No. 1 indigenous student in the state, and on behalf of all indigenous bodies in Oyo State, we hereby declare our support for the candidacy of Engr. Oluseyi Makinde as president in 2027.
“We shall mobilise to ensure victory come the January 2027 elections,” he said.
Corroborating the union’s position, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Hon. Victor Olojede, said Makinde’s governance model in Oyo would reset Nigeria if replicated at the national level.
Olojede listed the abolition of the N3,000 public secondary school fee, massive recruitment of teachers, distribution of learning materials and the return of out-of-school children to classrooms as some of the administration’s achievements in the education sector.
“No student would have a reason not to be in school. This government loves Nigerian students at all levels, and your support for Engineer Seyi Makinde will not be swept under the carpet.
“We believe strongly that if Governor Makinde becomes president, we are going to reset Nigeria. This government has proved that we can support students,” Olojede said. (NAN)
