Owotuga Foundation marks 17th remembrance with N204m education, empowerment investment

The Matthew Omodayo Owotuga Foundation has marked the 17th remembrance of its founder, Matthew Omodayo Owotuga, with the disbursement of N204 million towards education, entrepreneurship, and youth development.

As part of the commemoration, the foundation handed over a newly built 30-room student hostel—Bodunwa Elizabeth Omodayo Owotuga Hall—to the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State. The facility is expected to ease accommodation challenges and provide a safe and conducive environment for students.

A statement from the organisation said while speaking on the initiative, Chairman of the Foundation, Most Rev. Ap. Nelson Ogede, said the interventions reflect the late apostle’s enduring commitment to humanity and social impact.

“The total disbursement underscores our dedication to the principle of ‘Humanity First,’ which our father lived for,” he said.

A breakdown of the N204 million intervention shows that N186.7 million was allocated to entrepreneurial grants aimed at supporting small and medium-scale enterprises. The non-repayable grants are designed to stimulate local economies, expand businesses, and create employment opportunities.

In addition, N10.3 million was awarded as scholarships to indigent but high-performing students, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder access to higher education.

The foundation also invested N7 million in a regional football competition to promote youth engagement, sportsmanship, and talent discovery.

Mrs. Agnes Ehinmowo, a daughter of the late apostle, noted that the foundation continues to translate remembrance into measurable impact.

“We do not just remember him through ceremonies, but through lives transformed—students who now have accommodation, businesses revived, and young people empowered,” she said.

The foundation has sustained a track record of philanthropy over the years. In 2019, it donated an orphanage to Sacred Heart Hospital in Abeokuta, and in 2024, it funded a 300-seat lecture theatre at OAUSTECH.

The latest intervention reinforces the foundation’s focus on education, healthcare, and economic empowerment as key drivers of sustainable development in Nigeria.