An alumnus of the Faculty of Education, Boluwatife Olatunji Paul (Hon. BOP), on Thursday, April 23, 2026, sponsored a free bus ride initiative for students to ease the burden of the university’s ongoing transport challenge. This initiative was meant to transport Education students from the campus gate to the Faculty from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and back from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Students React
Adeola, a student from the Science and Technology Education (STE) department, says that ‘transportation on campus has really been stressful, especially for off-campus students. But thanks to the Faculty of Education for this free bus ride initiative. It saved me transport fare and stress.’
Another student, Sawyer Mercy, from the Department of Educational Management (DEM), disclosed that her transportation cost was reduced by almost half. ‘Normally, I spend one thousand naira on transportation, but today I spent six hundred naira. Thanks to Hon.BOP for the initiative of the free bus ride. This initiative shows that the alumnus values the faculty, and also enjoyed his stay while he was a student.’
Deborah, who is from the Arts and Social Science Education Department (ASE), expressed her appreciation for what she described as a generous gesture meant to relieve students from transport stress. ‘Thanks to Hon. BOP for being a good person, and also, I thank him for the support.’
Sponsor Explains Motivation
While speaking with an InFocus correspondent, Hon. BOP revealed that what inspired this sponsorship was a commitment to giving back to communities. He explained, ‘As my birthday approaches this month, I had reached out to Daniel, the current faculty president. We had mapped out a series of impactful programmes, but for different reasons, most of them had to be rescheduled to a later date. This free transportation initiative came as a timely alternative, something immediate and practical we could do to still reach students and make a difference now.’
As a student who had also experienced a transport crisis like the ongoing one in his second year, he expressed that he understood the experience and would not wish anyone to go through it. ‘Watching students move with ease and seeing the smiles it brings gives a kind of quiet satisfaction. It reminds me that sometimes the simplest gestures can mean the most. I feel grateful for the opportunity to be part of something that genuinely makes life a little easier for others.’
He added, ‘At the core of it, I want to provide relief, even if it’s just for a few days. But beyond that, I hope it sends a message that giving back doesn’t always have to wait for perfect conditions. There’s always something you can do, right where you are. If this inspires even one more person to support students in their own way, then the impact goes far beyond today.’
Also, he admonished the school management and the Students’ Union executives to prioritise the real, everyday needs of students. He added that leadership goes beyond policies, and is mainly about empathy and responsiveness.
Faculty President Speaks on Scope
In an interview with InFocus, the Faculty president, Kumapayi Daniel, mentioned that the free bus ride was solely for students from the Faculty of Education because it is an effort driven within the faculty. However, other faculties are not excluded, as the intervention could be expanded in the future.
According to Kumapayi, the idea came from observing the daily challenges students face, especially transportation costs and accessibility. ‘Many students struggle to attend classes consistently due to financial constraints. So, we thought about a practical solution that could ease that burden, and the concept of a free ride system emerged as a way to directly support students’ academic engagement.’ However, he noted that the initiative would only run for some days, unless the faculty gets external support.
Additionally, Kumapayi encouraged the university and transport management to see this as a collaborative opportunity, as supporting projects like this could significantly improve student welfare and academic performance. He emphasised that while student-led interventions are important, they should complement, not replace, institutional respondibility. ‘Leadership is about service, and where possible, we should take proactive steps to improve the student experience,’ he remarked.