Respite came to the destiny of Kamardeen Ridwan, a student of Ataoja Government High School Osogbo, the candidate with the best score in this year’s JAMB UMTE Examination from Osun state has the Honourable Representing Ife North state constituency in the state, Hon. Babatunde Olatunji adopted him and promised to sponsor his education.
Ridwan Kamardeen, who applied to study Medicine at the University of Ibadan scored 319 in the Joint Admission Matriculation Examination to lead other candidates who sat for the national examination in the state.
He is an indigent boy of 17 years of age and the first child in a family of five with the father a mason (bricklayer) and the mother a ‘fufu’ seller ( cassava flour seller).
When Ridwan was presented to the legislator by the school principal, Doctor Titi Adeagbo, one needs not be told that the student was poor as the aura of poverty manifested in his tattered uniform and severally repaired sandal.
The principal, Dr Titi Adeagbo who broke down in tears at what she described as a miracle narrated how she fasted to supplicate God to send a sponsor the way of the brilliant indigent boy.
According to her, Ridwan passed WAEC with 8 distinction at first attempt in SS2.
Ridwan was not the only student who benefited with Mr Olatunji’s visit to the school, as a female indigent girl in SS2, Miss Adeyemi Ifeoluwa also received scholarship to higher institution level.
The legislator’s visit to the school was to celebrate Leah Sharibu’s birthday and draw attention of young schools girls to the plight of Sharibu who has been in terrorist captivity of almost two years now.
In his address, Mr Olatunji expressed concern about brilliant but indigent young people who are spread across the length and breath of Nigeria, particularly the rural areas.
The legislator who represented Ife North Constituency observed that ” the solution to curing a deadly disease like cancer could lurk in Ridwan, but if not adopted for sponsorship, if such destiny is not rescued, then the rescue mission of a generation might just be wasted, and the whole society may continue to wallow in the pain of such disease”
He pointed out that resources deployed by affluent Nigerians on ceremonies could be converted to charity to better the lots of many people, rescue destinies and rescue Nigeria by extension.
