MOK Foundation Sponsors 1,000 Indigent Students for Free JAMB in Kwara
By Kaosara Olayemi Oladimeji
The Muhydeen Okunlola Kayode, MOK Foundation has sponsored no fewer than 1,000 brilliant but indigent students across Kwara State for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME registration.
The initiative was flagged off on Thursday at the foundation’s office in Offa, marking a major expansion of its education intervention programme.
The MOK foundation, which began the scheme with 200 beneficiaries in 2024 and increased it to 400 in 2025, more than doubled the number this year in response to growing economic challenges faced by families in the state.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the foundation, Saheed Lawal Temitope, said the organisation was a non-governmental and non-partisan body committed to humanitarian service, irrespective of religion or political affiliation.
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He explained that the JAMB scholarship was part of the foundation’s broader education intervention programme, noting that the steady increase in beneficiaries reflected its commitment to supporting access to education.
“When people see acts of kindness, they often dismiss them as politically motivated. But even if that were the case, one must earn the trust of the people through years of consistent sacrifice. We started small, and by God’s grace, it has grown,” he said.
Temitope added that the foundation’s impact went beyond payment of examination fees, stressing that it was focused on producing academically outstanding students.
He recalled that in the first edition of the programme, one of the beneficiaries emerged among the five best candidates in Kwara State with a score of 343, while over 20 beneficiaries in the 2025 edition scored above 300 and are currently studying courses such as Medicine and Engineering in Nigerian universities.
To further encourage excellence, he announced that the top 10 scorers among the 1,000 beneficiaries in the 2026 UTME would receive special rewards and additional educational support.
He also disclosed that the foundation would sponsor free JAMB coaching programmes on radio stations across Kwara State to aid candidates’ preparation for the examination.
According to him, the radio lessons would be handled by Aderemi Oladepo Abdulwakel, a renowned educator known for teaching Mathematics and Physics in the Yoruba language to promote wider understanding.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, Oyun Local Government Area, Alhaji Kazeem Kadiri, urged the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity.
“MOK can register you, but MOK will not read for you. You must justify this investment so that other well-meaning individuals will be encouraged to give,” he said.
On his part, Oladepo, who is also the Director of Yoruba in Mathematics, advised the students to focus on courses aligned with their abilities and avoid negative peer influence.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Ambali Zainab Omotayo said financial constraints had almost ended her dream of higher education before the intervention of the foundation.
Other beneficiaries, including Salaudeen Nimotallahi from Ansaru Islam, Ilorin, Abdulwasiu Abubakar of Offa Grammar School and Idris Taoheed Alhaji of Ansarudeen Islamic High School, Epe, expressed gratitude to the foundation, describing the gesture as timely and commendable.
