Date: 2017-09-04

As part of efforts to shift attention from white collar jobs to self-empowerment and employment, Third-Estate, a non-political group of professionals, has decided to sponsor the training of carefully selected young graduates to acquire skills in Information Technology (IT).

President of the organisation, Mr. Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, stated this in his address at their 19th Annual Dinner held recently at Kwara Hotels, Ilorin.

According to him, the initiative is to make these selected indigenes of Ilorin Emirate self-employed upon completion of the programme and to also become potential employers of labour in the ever developing IT market.

"The Third-Estate, is a non-political group of professionals from the Emirate who came together 24 years ago, with the desire to promote the heritage and contribute to the growth and development of Ilorin and its environ in particular and Kwara State in general," he said.

He added that the new Executive members at their maiden meeting resolved to consolidate on the already articulated and laudable projects of the immediate past Executive Committee, which include award of scholarship to indigent students of the emirate, provision of bore – hole water to needy communities amongst others, apart from provision of free medical check-up and attendant basic drugs for needy communities.

He further said that the organisation intends to create a data base for eminent personalities of the emirate both living and dead who have distinguished themselves in their various careers and professions.

"It is a case of writing the success stories of our distinguished and eminent citizens for posterity and placing it on the world stage. It has been observed that because of the modest nature of the average indigene of the emirate, most of our achievers do not put pen to paper for posterity and by this inaction, upcoming generations may miss out on the great feats and landmark achievements of these heroes of our beloved emirate," he said.

Meanwhile, the Guest Speaker at the occasion and Director, Test Administration at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dr. Yusuf Lawal, has recommended the implementation of 60:40 percent Science: Arts ratio, improved teaching and learning of Science at the Junior Secondary School level, and provision of scholarship/bursary for Science Students in order to redirect the minds of Kwara indigenes seeking admission to tertiary institutions for their penchant for arts and social science courses.

Lawal noted that admission Statistics by faculty within the review period of three years from 2013 to 2015 indicated that candidates from Kwara State have shown preference for faculty of Social Sciences more than any other faculty with a total application of 62,361 representing 34.73% of the applications.

According to him, out of a total application figure of 179,203, Kwara State indigenes, 130,043 candidates showed preference for the catchment institutions. University of Ilorin has the highest number of application of one hundred and six thousand, two hundred and nineteen (106,219) representing 81.6%.

It was followed by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with 6,072 applications, Federal University of Technology Minna and Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto followed in that order. In the past three years 2013-2015 a record of 174,244 applications were received from 16 Local Government Areas of the state. The applications dropped from 60,439 in 2013 to 59,248 in 2014 and dropped further to 54,557 in 2015.

He said within the review period, Ifelodun Local Government Area has the highest number of application. It was 10,153 in 2013, 10,167 in 2014 and 9,406 in 2015, closely followed by Ilorin West and Irepodun in that order.

In contrast to the drop recorded in the number of applications, the number of admitted candidates increased from 13,811 in 2013 to 13,450 in 2014 and 14,342 in 2015.

He noted that the records of admission also followed the same pattern in the Local Government Areas, similar to that of application with Ifelodun Local Government Area leading the other two Local Government Areas (Ilorin West and Irepodun LGA). While Pategi LGA has the lowest of applications and admissions of less than two percentage.