How Opay’s scholarship helped me achieve my academic dreams—Ayuba Bello shares his story.

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

A scholarship from OPay, a financial institution, has transformed the life of Ayuba Bello, a student at Ahmadu Bello University, by providing him with the opportunity to pursue his academic dreams while sparing his family’s land.

According to OPay, the scholarship program is designed to change lives by providing students with the resources they need to thrive academically and personally. The program covers tuition fees and provides additional support to help students succeed.

“For Ayuba, becoming a student at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was more than academic progress—it was the fulfillment of a cherished childhood dream,” OPay said in a statement. “However, like many gifted young Nigerians, Ayuba’s dream was on the verge of being botched by a challenge beyond his control: the lack of financial resources to fund his education.”

Ayuba, 27, is one of ten children born into a family of subsistence farmers. Last year, he almost dropped out of school due to financial challenges, and his family was forced to consider selling their land, their primary source of livelihood.

Thankfully, OPay’s timely intervention through the scholarship program saved the family’s land. Ayuba expressed his gratitude, saying, “I didn’t want any of my siblings to say that it was because of my education that the family land was sold. I am happy that OPay came to the rescue just in time. Selling the family land would have made me feel guilty for years.”

The impact of the scholarship has gone beyond Ayuba’s education, as his family’s livelihood has been preserved. His father said, “With the harvest from our land last year, we were able to sell enough produce to cover other family needs. OPay’s scholarship didn’t just help Ayuba; it helped our entire family.”

According to a 2021 report by Statista, 41% of students in upper secondary educational levels are out of school due to a lack of funds. With the increased inflation in the country, the current cost of education is almost twice the cost of five years ago. OPay’s scholarship program has become a lifeline for families like Ayuba’s, ensuring that financial hardships do not stand in the way of education.

Executive Director, OPay Board & Chief Commercial Officer, Elizabeth Wang, commented, “Ayuba Bello’s story is a powerful example of how access to education can transform lives. OPay has been driving transformative initiatives, with education leading the way. Our goal is to ensure that no talented student has to sacrifice their dreams or their family’s livelihood because of financial constraints.”

Ayuba, who is studying political science, is already thinking of ways to give back to his community. “I want to use my knowledge to improve farming techniques in my community. This scholarship isn’t just an opportunity for me; it’s a chance to uplift others,” he said.

Please don’t forget to “allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.