KIA academy upholding Kunbi’s passion for underprivileged, says Afolabi

Management of KIA Lakeside Academy, a crèche, nursery, primary and secondary school in Abuja, has assured that the school will not deviate from its philosophies of providing access, quality and affordable education to the less privileged Nigerians.

Speaking during the official dedication and unveiling of the school, Chairman, Governing Council of the School, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi stated that the academy will not relent in its principles premised on giving hope and opportunity to the needy.

According to him, the school was established in memory of late Kunbi Irene Adebiyi (KIA), who lost her life in the unfortunate 2013 Dana air crash. “Kunbi was a prodigious child in whom the parents, friends, family members and well-wishers were well pleased. She was someone who cared for others, especially the less privileged. She graduated BSc in Economics and obtained a Master’s degree in Development Economics. She also had a Post-Graduate Diploma in Development Studies from the Harvard University”.

“In pursuit of her love to care for others, she established, quite early in life, a Non-Governmental Organisation through which she sponsored and provided succour to the less privileged persons in Nigeria and Ghana. Her major goal was to give them a chance to survive and grow to become their best in life. She spent most part of her time in the rural communities interacting with rural dwellers, in a bid to seek for avenues to uplift their lives and give them a chance to actualise their dreams, even in the face of their prevailing circumstances. She was like a shoulder for the poor to lean on. She did not like to see people suffer. So, all through her life, she fought to lift less privileged out of their poverty.

He continued, “This school is established in her memory. She will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all those she sought to give a wing to fly their dreams. The goal of this school is to continue from where Kunbi stopped. KIA Lakeside Academy is designed to give all Nigerians and every other people the opportunity to access quality and affordable education. Our goal is to offer world class education to all who are opportune to apply and gain admission here.”

He enjoined parents and guardians to seize the opportunity offered by academy to access quality education for their children and wards, adding “That is what Kunbi stands for.”

Commending the Proprietress, Mrs. Titilayo Adebiyi and her husband Prof. Dan Adebiyi for the establishment of the educational institution, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, Umar Gambo Jibrin, said, “Education is key to development. We encourage people and institutions to partner and collaborate with government in establishing great institutions like KIA Lakeside Academy that promotes development both for the individual and for the society.”