In an unprecedented move, the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi has totally rehabilitated and revived Methodist Basic School, Agbeni, Ibadan, a school believed to be one of Late Obafemi Awolowo’s most cherished achievements.
After the renovation, Senator Akanbi, Monday, ended the tales of flooded classrooms, inadequate chairs and tables of pupils and staff of the school as he handed over renovated blocks of classrooms and school infrastructure to the management of the school.
The school, which was attended by the late Sage’s children is now wearing a totally new look.
Akanbi hinged the intervention on the need to preserve the heritage and investments of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in education among which Methodist school, Agbeni belongs.
He described Awolowo as an everlasting light, adding that it was expedient for all and sundry to support funding of education and revive dilapidating school infrastructure in view of lean resources available to government.
Beyond the need to attend to the pressing yearnings of the pupils, Akanbi said he was spurred to do the renovation by Awolowo’s son, Segun and Baba Ijo of Methodist Church, Chief Bode Akindele.
Speaking, Presbyter, Methodist Church, Reverend Ezekiel Akande, recalled that the school had gone dilapidated, had leaking roofs, broken windows, sandy floors and collapsed fence.
He noted that the poor condition of the school remained of concern to the church and community. He described Akanbi’s intervention as God send and liberating.
He supported calls that public office holders be mandated to ensure that their children and wards attend schools here in Nigeria, rather than abroad.
Chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran, who attended the school in 1945, saluted Akanbi’s intervention, tasking authorities of the school on maintenance.
Pointing to Chief Awolowo’s commitment to education, she expressed happiness that Awolowo’s works like Methodist school was not forsaken.
Oyediran especially lauded Akanbi for bridging religious divides in carrying out his projects.
In his comments, the Acting Executive Secretary, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr B. T. Ogunjimi, harped on the need for non-state actors to fund education to improve upon existing infrastructures.
He allayed fears of poor maintenance, noting that the School’s Governing Board is expected to live up to this responsibility.
In what she described as “open heavens”, Head Teacher, Methodist Basic School 2, Mrs Yerokun Anthonia, recalled that pupils had abandoned some classes owing to leaking roofs.
She praised Akanbi’s completion of the renovation within six weeks.
Some old students including Mr Babatunde Oyedokun, Mrs Orefuwa Ayanbadejo, Professor Boluwaji Ajayi noted that the building renovation was among ways of keeping alive Awolowo’s commitment to education.
Credit: tribuneonlineng.com
