Otunba Oluwadare Owolabi Extends Scholarship Outreach to More Ekiti Schools

Otunba Oluwadare Owolabi, popularly known as Irawo Owuro, on Tuesday continued the second day of his educational outreach under the Irawo Owuro Foundation, taking scholarship awards to more secondary schools across Ekiti State as the initiative gathered momentum.

The second phase of the programme covered Oye and Ikole Local Government Areas, where students and teachers at Omu Ijelu High School, St. Augustine Comprehensive High School, Oye, Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Ikole, and Odo Oro High School benefited from the foundation’s educational intervention.

The outreach followed Monday’s opening phase, during which the foundation visited schools in Iludun, Iye, Ido, Otun and Igbole, launching what Otunba Owolabi described as a long-term commitment to expanding educational opportunities for young people across the state.

During Tuesday’s visits, the foundation rewarded outstanding students with scholarships and recognised teachers who had distinguished themselves through dedication to academic excellence. The visits attracted parents, community leaders and traditional rulers, who applauded the initiative and described it as a meaningful investment in education.

Speaking at the various schools, Otunba Owolabi said his passion for supporting education had remained unchanged for more than three decades. He noted that the foundation was established to remove financial barriers confronting brilliant students and encourage them to remain focused on their studies.

He urged the beneficiaries to regard the awards as a responsibility to pursue excellence, uphold discipline and become worthy ambassadors of their communities.

An emotional highlight of the second day’s outreach came at Odo Oro High School, Mr Owolabi’s alma mater. Reflecting on his years as a student, he described the visit as a personal homecoming and credited the encouragement he received during his school days for shaping his journey. He also announced plans to expand the scholarship programme to more schools across Ekiti State.

The outreach concluded with a courtesy visit to the palace of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Barr.) Babatunde Adebayo Jemilehin, the Onise of Odo Oro Ekiti, who commended the initiative for promoting education and youth development.

With the completion of the two-day exercise, the Irawo Owuro Foundation has reached 10 secondary schools across Ekiti State and awarded 60 scholarships, committing millions of naira to support students with outstanding academic potential.

Community leaders, including the Olugbole of Igbole Ekiti, praised the intervention and encouraged beneficiaries to combine academic excellence with good character as they pursue their ambitions.