Education is very important to Ruth Ebunlomo Olagunju, our honoree and the reason behind the foundation, and therefore it is only fitting that education is one of the areas of focus. In May 2016, the founder of Ebunlomo Olagunju Foundation, Isaac Olagunju, while visiting Igosun, Kwara State Nigeria scheduled times with some of the local schools to launch the Ebunlomo Scholarship program. He spent time talking to the children about education and envisioning them for the great things they can become and experience when they make their education a priority.

The schools visisted consisted of the Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Baptist L.G.E.A. School, Igosun High School, Igosun Government Secondary School and the Muslim Community L.G.E.A. School. Now, for those of you who don’t know, Isaac Olagunju is an ordained Christian minister. The only reason that is important is to help lay a backdrop for a story that stood out from his visit that we would like to share with you. None of Isaac’s purpose in the school visits were because of religious affiliation but instead because of the importance of education and the Ebunlomo Scholarship that will be available to ALL children no matter which school or religion they are affiliated with. After Isaac completed his challenge to the children at the Muslim Community L.G.E.A School, Ms. Musili Lawal , one of the teachers, approached him. She shook her head in amazement and said, “If you would have done what you did today for the Christian schools or the Baptist school, because of the church you are part of, the village would have praised you. But you came to the Muslim school and not only did you come to the school, you chose us first. Your actions have touched me.” Who would have thought one visit, one challenge would have made such an impact but it did.

Mrs. Lawal is currently a volunteer on the Implementation Committee. It’s a great story that love knows no bound. Isaac had a similar impact on the Muslim community when reached out to Igosun Central Mosque to the point that a five-member leadership team showed up at his residence the following day.