No fewer than 5,441 students have been shortlisted to benefit from the 2025/2026 Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (YAYI) Scholarship and Bursary Award following the completion of the selection process.
The Scholarship and Bursary Board, in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Secretary, Dapo Oke, disclosed that the successful candidates emerged from more than 12,000 applications received across Ogun State after a rigorous screening and evaluation exercise.
According to the Board, 1,735 students qualified for the scholarship category, while 3,706 others were shortlisted for the bursary award.
The Board revealed that a significant number of applications were disqualified after investigators uncovered widespread irregularities during the verification process.
Among the infractions identified were the submission of forged academic records, fake transcripts, unstamped examination results, counterfeit local government identification certificates, and other falsified documents. Applicants from sandwich and part-time programmes, as well as students attending private institutions outside the scope of the scheme, were also disqualified in line with the programme’s operational guidelines.
The statement noted that some applicants had already graduated from their institutions before applying, making them ineligible for the award.
“The Board discovered various irregularities and malpractices among applicants, including applications from sandwich/part-time students and students from private institutions not covered by the award’s operational regulations. A significant number of applicants also submitted fake documents, including forged academic records, unverified transcripts, results without institutional stamps, and fake local government identification certificates, leading to their disqualification,” the statement said.
The Board announced that all successful candidates would be invited to the official award ceremony on a date to be announced, while additional guidelines would be released to facilitate the disbursement process.
It congratulated the shortlisted beneficiaries and applauded Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (YAYI) for sustaining the scholarship and bursary initiative, which continues to provide vital financial support to thousands of students across Ogun State.
