- A Nigerian man who had his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Ibadan (UI) has rued a missed opportunity
- Lamenting, the UI graduate felt he would have had it different if the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had been in place when he was a student
- According to him, he combined his studies with menial jobs during his undergraduate program, and this posed a big challenge for him
Osho Taiwo Olusegun Horshman, a University of Ibadan graduate, has publicly shared his retrospective regret as he reacted to the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) provides interest-free loans to Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and upkeep and has disbursed over 242 billion naira to over 1.3 million students as of May.
Photo Credit: Osho Taiwo Olusegun Horshman, ui.edu.ng
Source: Facebook
According to NELFUND’s website, the Student Loan Initiative is a program established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to break financial barriers in higher education.
University of Ibadan graduate’s lamentation
Taiwo, in a Facebook post on May 10, lamented not being afforded the opportunity to benefit from NELFUND when he was a student, as he had to combine menial jobs with his studies, which was challenging for him and affected his grades.
According to Taiwo, he would have finished as one of the best graduating students if NELFUND had been in place during his time as a student.
Taiwo, who also had his master’s degree at UI, sent a message to those condemning NELFUND. He wrote:
“If I had the NELFUND LOAN opportunity while in University of Ibadan, may be I would be one of the best graduating students because combining menial jobs with studies was a very big challenge for me, but thank God I managed to finish with at least a reasonable grade but not too good for me. When I went back for Masters degree after I became a little bit comfortable, I was the second best graduating student in my department.
“So before you condemn this NELFUND LOAN from Federal Government, think about those who are benefiting from the process and those who could have benefited from it back then instead of dropping out of school. Only me know what I actually went through for that 5 years in the University but Alhamdulilah today.”
Photo Credit: Osho Taiwo Olusegun Horshman
Source: Facebook
See his Facebook post below:
NELFUND: UI graduate’s lamentation stirs reactions
Legit.ng has compiled some reactions to the UI graduate’s lamentation below:
Kolawole Oke said:
“NELFUND is d most visible and inclusive legacy project of d Tinubu administration.
“I can’t see how any incoming government can cancel it.”
Aloh Augunus said:
“You’re free to start another degree.
“There’s still much time for that, start another degree and fund it with NELFUND loan.
“The way some of you do present some things do make us to wonder whether education has truly impacted in your reasoning.
“Until you enroll into NELFUND loan, they’re things you won’t understand and when you got enrolled into it, you’ll realize that this NELFUND loan is just a created avenue for more looting, making education to be very unaffordable to both average and poor Nigerians.”
Peter Ope Shittu said:
“Egbon stop glorifying failure.
“Thank God there wasn’t NELFUND doing my post graduate days.
“Do you know how much was tuition fee before this administration and how much they’re paying now.
“When are we going to speak truth to authority?
“Supporting a political party or candidate should not make you blind to the misfortune they have brought to the country.”
Akeusola S Olakunle Bright said:
“It is true. Am a living witness to your story during undergraduate. Every weekend was for hustle.
“I thank God for your life.
“Kudos to PBAT for the initiative.”
Ifedolapo Esan said:
“I’m humbled with pains. That some people actually went through hustling through uncertainties and still studied while I never even knew such existed at the University of Ibadan. I’m humbled, I’m sorry for sometimes commonising people’s struggles, those were the days of ignorance. I genuinely thought everyone was been sponsored through school.”
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that NELFUND had reacted to the claim that it had suspended the student loan disbursement.
NELFUND beneficiaries back Tinubu with N10.7m donation
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund in Anambra had backed Tinubu’s re-election with a donation of N10.7 million.
The students highlighted the loan scheme’s role in improving access to higher education and easing financial pressures on young Nigerians.
According to PUNCH, during a presentation at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus, on Friday, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Council in Anambra State, Ifeanyichukwu Chukwuemeka, described the gesture as a mark of gratitude for Tinubu’s youth-focused policies.
Source: Legit.ng