A University of Ibadan (UI) graduate who earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees at the institution has expressed regret over a missed opportunity. The graduate lamented that his academic journey would have been significantly different if the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had been available during his time as a student.
Challenges of Combining Work and Study
According to the graduate, he had to combine his studies with menial jobs throughout his undergraduate program. This posed a major challenge and negatively affected his academic performance. He believes that with NELFUND support, he could have been among the top graduating students.
Osho Taiwo Olusegun Horshman, a UI graduate, publicly shared his retrospective regret in response to the NELFUND initiative. The Nigeria Education Loan Fund provides interest-free loans to Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and upkeep. As of May, NELFUND has disbursed over 242 billion naira to more than 1.3 million students.
NELFUND's Mission
According to NELFUND's website, the Student Loan Initiative is a program established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to break financial barriers in higher education. It aims to ensure that no student is forced to drop out due to financial constraints.
Graduate's Lamentation
In a Facebook post on May 10, Taiwo lamented not having the opportunity to benefit from NELFUND when he was a student. He stated that combining menial jobs with his studies was extremely challenging and affected his grades. He noted that if NELFUND had been available, he would have finished as one of the best graduating students.
Taiwo, who also completed his master's degree at UI, sent a message to those condemning NELFUND. He wrote: "If I had the NELFUND LOAN opportunity while in University of Ibadan, maybe I would be one of the best graduating students because combining menial jobs with studies was a very big challenge for me, but thank God I managed to finish with at least a reasonable grade but not too good for me. When I went back for Masters degree after I became a little bit comfortable, I was the second best graduating student in my department."
He added: "So before you condemn this NELFUND LOAN from Federal Government, think about those who are benefiting from the process and those who could have benefited from it back then instead of dropping out of school. Only me know what I actually went through for that 5 years in the University but Alhamdulilah today."
Public Reactions
The UI graduate's lamentation stirred various reactions on social media. Kolawole Oke commented: "NELFUND is the most visible and inclusive legacy project of the Tinubu administration. I can't see how any incoming government can cancel it."
Aloh Augunus expressed skepticism, saying: "You're free to start another degree. There's still much time for that, start another degree and fund it with NELFUND loan. The way some of you present things make us wonder whether education has truly impacted your reasoning. Until you enroll into NELFUND loan, there are things you won't understand. When you get enrolled, you'll realize that this NELFUND loan is just a created avenue for more looting, making education unaffordable for average and poor Nigerians."
Peter Ope Shittu criticized the graduate: "Egbon stop glorifying failure. Thank God there wasn't NELFUND during my post graduate days. Do you know how much tuition was before this administration and how much they're paying now? When are we going to speak truth to authority? Supporting a political party or candidate should not make you blind to the misfortune they have brought to the country."
Akeusola S Olakunle Bright supported the graduate: "It is true. I am a living witness to your story during undergraduate. Every weekend was for hustle. I thank God for your life. Kudos to PBAT for the initiative."
Ifedolapo Esan expressed empathy: "I'm humbled with pains. That some people actually went through hustling through uncertainties and still studied while I never even knew such existed at the University of Ibadan. I'm humbled, I'm sorry for sometimes commonising people's struggles. Those were the days of ignorance. I genuinely thought everyone was being sponsored through school."
Related Developments
In a related story, NELFUND had reacted to claims that it suspended student loan disbursement. Additionally, beneficiaries of NELFUND in Anambra backed President Tinubu's re-election with a donation of N10.7 million. The students highlighted the loan scheme's role in improving access to higher education and easing financial pressures. During a presentation at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Council in Anambra State, Ifeanyichukwu Chukwuemeka, described the gesture as a mark of gratitude for Tinubu's youth-focused policies.
