The Lagos Gentry Forum has inaugurated a support initiative aimed at assisting indigent senior secondary school students across Lagos State. The program begins with N700,000 allocated to procure NECO and JAMB forms for students from six selected schools, providing them with access to national examinations and higher education opportunities.
The convener of the forum, Mrs Bosede Adeniyi, explained that the initiative reflects the organization’s commitment to education, health, and good governance, adding that it marks the start of sustained interventions to promote inclusive development, civic responsibility, and democratic participation in the state.
Beneficiary schools include Euba Senior Secondary School, Oduduwa Senior Secondary School, and Gbaja Girls Senior High School, among others. Adeniyi highlighted that the scholarships will directly help students obtain National Examinations Council (NECO) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms, removing financial barriers that often limit academic progress.
At the flag-off event held at the Medical Centre Staff Club, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Seye Oladejo, Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesperson, delivered a keynote lecture titled “The Imperatives for Mass Participation in a Nascent Democracy: The Nigerian Experience.” Oladejo stressed the importance of active citizen engagement beyond periodic elections, noting that sustainable democracy relies on broad participation rather than decisions made solely by elites.
He identified voter apathy, distrust in institutions, socio-economic challenges, and limited civic education as key barriers to mass participation, and emphasised the critical role of youth involvement in ensuring accountable governance. “The price of democracy is eternal participation. Nigeria’s democratic destiny will be determined not by the ambition of a few, but by the engagement of many,” Oladejo said.
Adeniyi also drew attention to low voter turnout in the Medical Area, including students and staff, proposing that polling units be deployed to institutional campuses to improve participation during elections. She further outlined plans to expand the forum’s activities in the future, including counselling services for students, reinforcing the forum’s commitment to holistic youth development.
This program positions the Lagos Gentry Forum as a key player in enhancing educational access, promoting civic engagement, and empowering the next generation of Nigerians.
