Governor Abiodun Awards ₦91 Million in Scholarships In Memory Of Late Son, DJ Olu
The Gbemiga Abiodun Memorial Education Support Programme has awarded a total of ₦91,050,000 to 1,000 students across Ogun State’s primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions. This initiative, established by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his family, honors the memory of their late son, Gbemiga Abiodun, who passed away on October 7, 2017. Gbemiga, also known as DJ Olu, was the official DJ for popular musician Davido and was widely known in the entertainment industry.
In its second edition, held at Christ Apostolic Grammar School in Iperu-Remo, 159 students from nine tertiary institutions were awarded a total of ₦39,750,000, while ₦14,700,000 was distributed to 294 primary school pupils, and ₦36,600,000 to 366 secondary school students from Ikenne, Remo-North, and Sagamu Local Government Areas. Governor Abiodun described his late son as a creative, generous entrepreneur and announced the introduction of a new “Creative Students Category” in the programme to honor Gbemiga’s legacy in the creative industry.
Speaking at the ceremony, Abiodun vowed to expand the scholarship programme to other local government areas in the state and to increase the number of student beneficiaries. “We will continue to increase the number of student beneficiaries and expand this program from the three Remo Local Government Areas, where Gbemiga was from, to the other 17 local government areas of the state,” he said. The programme, which started in 2023 with around 600 beneficiaries, now supports 1,000 students.
Governor Abiodun reflected on how his family, though they lost a son, had gained thousands of children through this initiative. He expressed pride in continuing the programme, which embodies Gbemiga’s passion for generosity and support for the less privileged. The governor also revealed that the programme is funded from an endowment account and that, despite offers from friends, no external contributions had been accepted yet.
Rev’d Bola Oyeledun, the foundation’s coordinator, emphasized that the initiative is not only about providing financial aid but also about mentoring and supporting students throughout their educational journeys. The Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, and a consultant to the foundation, thanked the governor for establishing the scholarship in Gbemiga’s memory and encouraged students to excel in their studies.
A close friend of the late Gbemiga, Afolabi Seriki, spoke of his academic and professional excellence, while beneficiaries Yahaya Soliat, Adebanjo Goodluck, and Evelyn Falaye expressed gratitude on behalf of primary, secondary, and tertiary students. The event concluded with the presentation of cheques to heads of tertiary institutions and parents of pupils and students from primary and secondary schools.
