Campus News

9 UNILORIN students, others win N5m TEC-ASBE empowerment grants

Not fewer than nine students of the University of Ilorin have won the 2024 Technical and Entrepreneurship Centre (TEC)-African Support Bureau for Entrepreneurship (ASBE) University of Ilorin Students Empowerment Prize (USEP).

The students, who competed in various skills alongside students from other ASBE affiliated institutions, won various grants to improve their skills and enhance their production. Skills such as spoken words, music, innovation idea, search engine optimisation, website design, voice artistry, and plantain chips production, among others were showcased by the students.

In a chat with UNILORIN Bulletin, the International Coordinator of the University of Ilorin TEC-ASBE, Prof. Foluke E. Sola-Ojo, said that a total sum of N5,000,000 was shared to winners under USEP according to the prize categories won by students of the University and four other ASBE affiliated institutions.

Prof. Sola-Ojo appreciated the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, and his management team for their support for the programme. She also thanked Meristem Securities Limited as well as individual donors that supported the programme. She promised that TEC-ASBE team will continue to support the students through coaching and mentoring for better opportunities in the future.

In separate interviews on their experiences and what they used the first tranche of the grant for, the student beneficiaries appreciated the University management and TEC-ASBE initiator; especially the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, for the opportunity given to them and promised not to disappoint.

Miss Olowa Dorcas, a 300 level student of Agriculture and a plantain chip producer, who came first in the Scale up competition and won a sum of N1 million, said that she never knew she could make it, as the process of selection was rigorous and very demanding.

“I started with firewood to fry plantain, and now I am a proud owner of gas cooker and its accessories. I thank God and UNILORIN TEC-ASBE organisers for taking me out of the low class to higher one. It will help me to get more customers and supply timely. I will also have opportunity to train more plantain chips producers, and the grant will also assist me to use the proceeds to support my mummy”, she said.

Also, in her remarks, Miss Mercy Adebayo, a 300-level student of the Department of Microbiology, who took the 2nd runner-up position in the Talent Hunt category and also won N100,000, said, “This grant has really helped me. My involvement in the competition has changed my mind set. My hope is that with the grant, I shall gain more and see myself at a bigger place in the future”, she added.

Two Musical Artists students, Folorunsho Moyosoreoluwa Arinola, a 400 level student of Science Education, and Oloto Abdulhafeed Eniola, a 300 level student, of Science Education who jointly won the sum of N500,000 in the Talent Hunt category, disclosed that since their stage performances during the competitions, they have received several invitation for stage performances in other events within the University and outside.”

Ariseloye Micheal Oreofe, a 300 level student of the Faculty of Agriculture, who won the sum of N250,000 as the 1st runner up of Talent Hunt category, said that TEC/ASBE has really given him the courage and hope to continue. He expressed the belief that it is just the beginning of his success story as a musical artist.

Pelumi Barnabas, a 300 level student of the Department of Criminology and Security Studies, won the sum of N750,000 for his innovative ideas on Campus Securities; Abdurahman, a 300 level student of Pharmacy, won N500,000 for his search engine optimisation and website design; while Akorede Yaseerah, a 300 level student of Veterinary Medicine won the sum of N100,000 as consolation prize for her voice artistry.

The winners encouraged other students to keep trying their God’s given talents and not to lose hope in their dreams. They said, “For us TEC-ASBE has really tried to bring us out and put us on National radar, and we shall continue from here to go places with the UNILORIN TEC-ASBE as the bridge and supporter of our success stories.”

Among those that witnessed the event were the Director of the TEC, Prof. Usman Adebimpe Raheem, represented by Mr Tolulope Afuye and the Centre’s Secretary, Mr Abdulkareem Idris Olawoyin.