ATAB Foundation Rolls Out Education, Entrepreneurship Empowerment For 150 Beneficiaries

150 beneficiaries have benefited from an educational and entrepreneurial empowerment programme powered by  Abdulrahman Toyin Abdulraheem Baoku (ATAB) Foundation.

The empowerment includes West African Examination Council (WAEC) scholarships, cash donations to petty traders and distribution of branded exercise books to pupils and students of public schools.

The colourful event was held at Abata Baba-Oyo, Anifowoshe, in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State.

In his remarks, the Founder of ATAB Foundation, Alhaji Abdulrahman Toyin Abdulraheem Baoku, said the initiative was borne out of the need to provide succour to the needy.

Alhaji Abdulraheem Baoku, who noted that his benevolence to the downtrodden is non-political, said the foundation has special focus on educational development and empowerment of petty traders.

He urged his peers to emulate the gesture and counselled beneficiaries to make judicious use of the cash and items disbursed to them.

In his lecture, an Ilorin-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Shafiyi Shuaib Alaiye, advocated for the establishment of Non-Governmental Organisations to complement government efforts in their immediate communities.

Speaking on the topic, “Impact of Non-Governmental Efforts In The Development of Education Sector,” Sheikh Alaiye observed that a huge number of brilliant children from less privileged backgrounds are hindered by poverty in pursuit of their education.

He expressed deep concern over the increasing wave of poverty in the society and eulogized the founder of ATAB Foundation for supporting the less privileged.

Also speaking on the topic, “Power of Education To Break The Circle Of Poverty,” Associate Professor Hamzah Abdulraheem of the Department of Languages, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, enumerated the importance of education in human existence.

Associate Professor Abdulraheem attributed the falling standard of education to chronic corruption bedeviling the nation and encouraged parents to bequeath sound education, vocational, digital and literary skills to their children and wards to reduce poverty to its lowest ebb.

Earlier, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Dasuki Al-Fulani, urged wealthy Nigerians to always deploy their resources to uplift the living standard of the less privileged.

Sheikh Soliu pointed out that anyone whose affluence is deployed to eradicate penury would continue to earn Allah’s favour.

He re-echoed the need for the wealthy to be merciful to fellow human beings through philanthropic gestures as exemplified by the Chairman of ATAB Foundation.

Reacting to the empowerment programme, the Director of Legal Services, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS), Shehu Magaji, cautioned beneficiaries against diverting the cash donations, urging them to use it for its intended purpose.