The Alumni members in diaspora of the Altar Servers’ Association (ASA) SS Peter & Paul Pro-Cathedral, Lagere, Ile-Ife, have awarded cash scholarship worth of 150,000 Naira - Altar Servers’ Foundation Scholarship Award (ASFSA), to one of the active Altar Servers of the Parish, Paul Busari on Sunday 17 August 2025 - having met all requirements for this year. ASFSA which started in 2024 is one of the two categories of awards under the Altar Severs’ Foundation (ASF) founded in year 2022 by a group of five (5) alumni members: Olalekan Ogunsakin, Eseoghene Ayisire, Ademola Michael Adejumo, Olanrewaju Kizito Makinde, and Anthony Yomi Oladejo, resident outside Nigeria while reserving the right of the founding Board Members of ASF. 

According to the team, membership to ASF is limited only to ASA alumni outside Nigeria. The foundation claimed to have expended approximately One Million Naira in 2023, to conduct her activities, fulfill her mission, and provide support to the parish. Though the mission was implemented by five persons; Francis Onakpoma, Patrick Famoriyo, and Felix Korode joined the foundation is 2024.

With the addition of new members, part of its missions is to encourage dedication and commitment of currently serving members of the association through various incentives like: appreciation awards, scholarship awards, and other initiatives - including additional support to the parish. Promotion of educational excellence among serving members who have demonstrated service and spirituality to the Church and association remains one of its key focus.

While the governing council of the foundation takes into consideration suggestions from the executives of the mother associations and that of other eminent stakeholders, all decisions relating to the foundation rest squarely with the founding board members.  

Notification about the awards starts each year on 26 December, application opens in January, and recipients will be awarded in the Spring of the following year, with awards of scholarship incentives to two (2) deserving secondary school students at 75,000 Naira each, making a total of 150,000 Naira; and two (2) university students at 150,000 Naira each, making a total of 300,000 Naira.

The Altar Servers’ Foundation Appreciation Award (ASFAA) which started in December 2022 is the second category of ASF with a disbursement of 10,000 Naira each to five (5) different members from five (5) different families, making a total of N50,000 according to Prof Olalekan Ogunsakin and Mr Emmanuel Ibitara on behalf of ASF. 

They disclosed that the awards have been ongoing since 2022 on every 26 December, during the annual St. Stephen’s Patron Saint’s Day celebration. While the higher institution segment of the ASFSA was meant to service two serving members of the Altar Servers each year, only one Altar Server was awarded this time. Mr Ibitara disclosed that only Paul Busari was awarded this year because others took the gesture with levity. 

According to him, they neither applied nor meet the conditions. The award winner Busari, blessed God for the great things He has done. According to him, “sincerely speaking I didn’t expect it, but the Lord is good. I really want to appreciate those in charge of the scholarship, they’ve done very well and I pray that God almighty will continue to provide for them and keep blessing them. From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you.” He was presented with the certificate of award which is to be signed and scanned to the board members for disbursement according to Mr Ibitara.

Each of the award category does not come so easy, it requires several conditions to be fulfilled. Ogunsakin however added that the foundation is envisioned to continue yearly as a perpetual Trust.