Tim Akano Foundation Awards Scholarships to 100 OAU Students, 22 Undergraduates from Oluponna and Environs

In a powerful demonstration of commitment to education, community upliftment, and youth empowerment, the Tim Akano Foundation (TAF) has awarded scholarships and digital skill opportunities to a total of 122 students across Osun State and Obafemi Awolowo University in June 2025.

Driven by personal experience and a deep sense of responsibility to his roots, Mr. Tim Akano awarded scholarships to 22 outstanding undergraduates with first-class and second-class upper grades from Oluponna, Iwo, Ile Ogbo, Kuta, and Telemu community. The scholarship presentation took place on Sunday June 1st 2025, at Aipate Baptist Church, Iwo, as a beneficiary of community sacrifice, where men once contributed N10 and women contributed N5 in 1976 to establish Oluponna Community High School.

Mr. Akano emphasized how that singular act of community generosity changed the trajectory of his life, for good, forever. “That school gave me access to quality secondary education, If not for that collective sacrifice, I would have ended up as a trader, a hunter or a tailor. Indeed, I am a product of God and people’s generosity. That’s why I’m convinced that when we give people the opportunity to be properly educated, beyond the sky is their limit”

In recognition of his generosity and visionary leadership, the Federation of Ayedire Student Union consisting of students from Oluponna Iwo Ileogbo Kuta Telemu and environ presented him with an award of Excellence as Community Role Model.

In 2024. Also, the Tim Akano Foundation earlier adopted Baptist Day School, Oluponna, the primary school he attended and provided about 300 students with two Uniforms each, and exercise books. He also provided boreholes, toilets and fence for the school.The school will continue to benefit from Tim Akano Foundation for life.

As part of his continuous investment in community development, Mr. Akano also donated his entire May 2025 salary on charity to his community which includes but is not limited to the financial support to build a JAMB, CBT CENTER at Aipate Baptist Church. The goal is to solve a major challenge for young students who previously had to travel long distances, often under unsafe conditions to sit for their JAMB examinations in Ibadan or other far locations. With the JAMB CENTER under construction at Aipate Baptist Church, all school leavers writing JAMB in our community don’t have to travel outside of our community to write JAMB.

In his speech, Tim Akano challenged the students from Oluponna and its environ to work harder to change the narrative of the community from Agrarian to Technopreneurship. Tim Akano announced his desire to mentor at least 100 students from the community to greatness, reaching a height far higher than the one he has reached. A WhatsApp group tagged GREATER HEIGHTS has been created and sorely dedicated to mentoring Students from Oluponna and its environ.

Further advancing his mission to bridge the digital divide, the foundation also provided 100 students from the Department of International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University with scholarships to acquire practical skills in Digital Marketing. Upon completing their training, the students will be onboard immediately as Affiliate Marketers for New Horizons. This will allow them to earn commissions and begin generating income from their newly acquired skills.

This was part of his support to his alma mata, Obafemi Awololo university and department of international Relations, where he has adopted a total of ten former and current students as his children, providing them with a life-long sundry opportunities.

Furthermore, Mr Tim Akano participated as a Guest Speaker during the recently concluded DIPLOMATIC WEEK of IRS, OAU, and five years ago, Tim Akano donated about 1,300 of his used books and journals to the department for students use.

Through these multi-layered initiatives, the Tim Akano Foundation continues to demonstrate that true impact is measured not by words but by the lives touched and futures transformed.

Each time I remember the smallness, vulnerability and impermanence of human beings in this vastness, I feel humbled and want to quickly touch as many lives as I come in contact with before night comes”, says Akano.