The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources in Oyo State, Hon Kehinde Ayoola has revealed the major reason why the present Seyi Makinde government in the state is investing heavily on the Education sector.
Ayoola made the revelation while delivering a talk at the 2019 Annual General meeting of the 1977-1982 class of old students of Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan held at the Development Support Center, Iyaganku, in the same city on Saturday, October 19, 2019.
The commissioner, who is also a former Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly clearly submitted that it is the belief of Makinde’s government that if the rate of illiteracy can be drastically reduced, all other sectors of the economy will be revitalized and become more vibrant.
His words “For example, as the man entrusted to run the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, I have data to prove that areas and communities where we have environmental challenges most are those occupied largely by uneducated people.
“If our people learn to obey environmental sanitation laws, their well being and health statuses will improve. Some of our people still do not believe in providing toilets where they live. This sounds unbelievable, but we encounter this kind of problem frequently in zones where we have illiterates.
“Moreover, His Excellency knows that if our youths are educated, they will become more useful to the society.”
While speaking on the free education policy of the present administration in the state, Ayoola made it known that the present percentage allocated to the education sector in the budget for next year will be pushed up in subsequent years to come.
Said Ayoola “Engineer Makinde is a progressive minded administrator. He is focused too. He tells us every time that if late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and late Chief Bola Ige could functionally implement free education policy, God will help him to do the same.
“The present administration in the state believes education should be made to be compulsory at the basic level. That is why the burden is being taken off poor parents and guardians.”
Ayoola specifically said Makinde’s government is out to make education functional giving the example of the First Technical University, Ibadan which he described as an institution that was designed to “take the gown to meet the town thereby making education to be meaningful by adding value to lives and the society directly”.
He congratulated the 1982 class of LAGSOBA for remaining focused and maintaining the spirit of ‘brothers’ keepers’.
Afterwards, another lecture on Entrepreneurship was delivered by Mr Adeniyi Adetoro, the Business Development Service Coordinator, African Leadership Forum (ALF), Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Samonda, Ibadan.
In his welcome address, the chairman of ‘82 set’s Board of Trustees who is also the Vice Chancellor of the First Technical University, Ibadan urged his classmates to maintain the spirit of brotherliness and continue to contribute meaningfully to the promotion of things that have to do with Lagelu Grammar School.
“We must do everything in our power to ensure that the school regains its former glory. We will do our best to contribute to the fencing of Lagelu Grammar School. The central leadership of the school should work with the present administration being led by Engineer Seyi Makinde”, he said.
The set’s Chairman, Mr Sunday Amoo, while welcoming others prayed for long life for all members while thanking God for making the set ‘a star set’ at Lagelu Grammar School.
At the AGM, a new executive was inaugurated. It saw Sunday Amoo being returned as Chairman, Dipo Fagbamila was returned as General Secretary, Kolawole Amole and Olayinka Agboola were returned too as Social Secretary and Publicity Secretary respectively.
Others included Felix Ogundairo who is now the Financial Secretary, Tunde Labiyi became the Treasurer while Bayo Akinwunmi and Bolanle Adeyemi got returned as Auditor and Chief Whip respectively.
Packaged by Motunrayo Adebisi
