Sanwo-Olu Appoints Grassroots Politician, Others as Special Advisers

•Increases bursary, scholarship grants

Segun James

Governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appointed a young and prominent grassroots politician from Surulere and three former student leaders in state-owned tertiary institutions as Special Advisers.

This came as the governor announced an increase in the bursary allowance for students of Lagos origin to N60,000 and scholarship grant from N200,000 to N225,000 for both indigene and non-indigenes of the state as well as the poor.

However, the appointees were Adeola Adewunmi, Eniola Opeyemi, Kayode Samuel, and Giwa Moor.

The governor announced the appointment yesterday at an interactive  session with the students’ union leaders and stakeholders in the state held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium with the theme: “Students as Strategic Partners in the Governance Process: Challenges and Prospects for the Youth Development.”

Sanwo-Olu included the students in the appointment following the request by the Lagos Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS),  Lekan Alimi, who said there was a need for the student union to have representatives in government, who would interface between the government and the students.

Sanwo-Olu told the students they  were ‘important stakeholders in the governance of Lagos State’ and urged them to believe in themselves, adding that the country expected so much from them.

“The country is about you and believes in you. You have to believe in yourselves too,” he admonished them.

Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule, said the interactive session was  a further demonstration of Sanwo-Olu’s  administration’s commitment to quality tertiary education and youth development.”

The Lead Speaker, former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Professor Lanre Fagbohun, urged government to be sincere adding that, “where there is sincere governance, students are always supportive.”

Fagnohun further urged government to always make room for consultation with the students adding that students need constant thorough support.

Alimi, while speaking on behalf of the students, said the union had gone beyond the era of protests and promised to work with the government.

“We are in the era of participation in governance,” he said.