Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE, chieftains of the Initiative with Royal fathers in Ikorodu Division and eminent personalities in group photograph with beneficiaries of the maiden IDPIL/GTE Scholarship and Bursary schemes after presentation of cheques at the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo on Saturday, September 10, 2022.
In the mid-90s, the lkorodu educational system, which used to be sound and of great quality, started witnessing gradual decline, but the adverse effects did not start showing until the beginning of the new century, when cultism and cult activities prevailed in the town, to the extent that it was extended to the primary and schools across the division.
That was the situation that the Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, was battling with since late 90s, until recently when things started taking a new turn. The unfortunate and sorry state that Ikorodu found itself is not only peculiar to the division, as other parts of Lagos State, are also experiencing same.
Prior to the decadence, especially in the 1980s, there was a saner society where young ones were encouraged to go to school while they imbibed discipline that enabled them behaved appropriately in the school and in the larger society. These are the years of the legendary, foremost teacher, disciplinarian and educationist, late Alhaji Solaja Alagago, and few others who administered educational system of the Division, at that period with passion and professionalism.
It was also the era of outstanding council administration by an astute manager, Chief Ayodele Awolesi as the Chairman of the Ikorodu Local Government. Before him were other committed administrators who equally contributed immensely to the lkorodu educational system.
In addition, it was the period that debate, quiz and inter-schools sporting and social activities prevailed and youths were engaged positively.
It was an era of Alogba scholarship which cut across the Division. It was a pride and honour for those privileged to receive it in those days.
Also, it was the period of super, astute and feared but loved Principals like Prince Adegbola Amusa of Ikorodu Grammar School and later Oriwu College, Ikorodu and Sheikh Alhaji Yahaya Oshoala at United High School, Ikorodu, Shamsideen High School and Government College, Ikorodu among others.
Furthermore, it was a period when Prize Giving Day for academic excellence and acknowledgement of social and cultural heights, were in vogue.
Suddenly, all that went away, and it was lull in our schools. Academics nosedived, cultural and social engagements were completely forgotten, while thuggery and cultism took over. Parents became complacent and careless about the affairs of their children and wards, and more pathetic was the fact that the society slept off as economic challenges faced every one. Thus, attention was shifted as people were more concerned about their individual survival while family and the society were left to stray and degenerated.
There was dearth of scholarship and bursary awards during this period as both state and local governments completely neglected the educational system. There was no regeneration of facilities no updating of the curriculum and no employment of teachers, and whenever teachers were to be recruited, those that have no business with teaching were drafted into the system.
School facilities, thus, deteriorated while population expanded without corresponding improvement on educational infrastructures. The few schools available were unable to accommodate the ever-increasing population of school children as more people trooped into lkorodu leading to development of new sites without provision for educational facilities to cater for them. Thus, people in the newly developed sites that craved for educational journeyed miles to add to the population of the existing schools whose facilities were further stretched and deteriorated.
During this period, the local government failed woefully in supporting education. Councils failed to add any structure or provide any facility in primary schools which are under their purview, thus, the extent of decadence that we witnessed in the recent past, until the recent intervention.
To worsen the already worsened situation, succeesive Council administrations also failed to give students in higher institutions scholarship and bursary, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). There were cases where students protested against them over payment of stipends that they were giving as bursary and when they were eventually forced to pay the N5000 or N10, 000 to about 50 students, they turned it into political jamboree.
Ikorodu students in higher institutions, under the aegis of the National Association of Ikorodu Division Students (NAIDS), had to lock council gates in some instances to force the unwilling chairmen to give assurances regarding the payment of the so called bursary.
However, the recent revival of interventions by individuals, groups and corporate bodies, has brought back hope in the educational system. The turnaround, which started with the revival of school alumni associations, like the Oriwu College Old Students’ Association of Nigeria (OCOSAN), the alumni association of the premier college in Ikorodu Division (now Oriwu Senior and Junior Model Colleges), Ipakodo Grammar School, Ikorodu Grammar School among others, brought about development of new structures and rehabilitation of the existing ones. The prize giving day was also reintroduced by the old students. Most of the libraries in schools which were filled with outdated and in some cases, fewer books, came alive as different sets donated books in various schools.
The Best Brain Contest initiative of the Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade and the award of excellence by the Ikorodu Division Resources Development Group (IDRDG) and also recently, Mathematics competition are interventions that have also impacted greatly on the divisional education system.
Also, schools in Ikorodu also found their rhythm back as committed Principals and teachers attempted to instill discipline and bring back the lost glory of yesteryears. This paid off with outstanding performances in district, state, regional and national competitions. Through this, attention was brought back on our schools, and there were more intervention by the state government in the areas of infrastructure developments and engaging activities, especially for some outstanding schools in Ikorodu Division like Oriwu College, Ikorodu, Reri Community Grammar School, Oreta, Keme Balogun Grammar School and Lagos State Civil Service Model College, lgbogbo.
The re – introduction of model education system also played a very significant role in the revival of sound education in Ikorodu. This explains why schools like Oriwu Junior and Senior Model Colleges, Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Lagos State Model College, Igbokuta, among few others, have continue to make giant strides.
Ikorodu recorded giant stride with the likes of Alhaja Abiodun Serifat Ogunniyi, former Principal of Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, emerging as Best Principal in the country after achieving same feat at state and regional level. Oriwu College also emerged as best school in the country.
Mrs Elusakin added to the glorious period as she emerged best teacher in the Division, District, State and national level. So also was Mr Odenike Rasheed Abolanle who was outstanding at Divisional, District, and State levels.
There was also interventions through facilitation of school rehabilitations by representatives of Ikorodu, especially by Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, Rep. Babajimi Benson and Sen. Tokunbo Abiru, as well as the impact of Sen. Gbenga Ashafa. The three federal lawmakers also facilitated many new blocks of classrooms and other facilities in various schools across the lkorodu division.
Furthermore, individuals like His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr) Akeem Oyebo, the Obateru of Egbin and his Oloris, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, former Commissioner for Agriculture, Lagos State, Chief Yemi Lawal, the Bobamulero of lkorodu Kingdom, Dr. Junaid Solebo, a UK based Medical Doctor and Alhaji Monzor Oowoshago, Publisher, Oriwu Sun, have also made laudable contributions by building blocks of classrooms and also providing necessary educational facilities in them for use of students. In this regard, the Obateru’s intervention of establishing a Tuition free Nursery and Primary Schools in his kingdom standout. The interventions from the Lagos State Government in building new schools has also improved in recent times and also little efforts have also been recorded from the Local Government Authorities in the Division.
The impacts of Community Development Associations (CDAs) across the Ikorodu Division, especially Agodo Alara, Agbede, Lajo among others in creating new schools and providing facilities have also been massive.
There have also been massive interventions by individuals, associations and groups, through bursary and scholarship awards which are meaningful and sustaining. In this regard, the Ijede Development Foundation (IDF) deserves kudos for its bursary and scholarship interventions which has been existing for many years unknown to many, especially outside Ijede LCDA. The scheme has impacted on many residents who enjoyed the awards all through their programmes and today are proud professionals in their various fields.
Other associations that have been making great efforts in the regards of scholarship and bursary awards are Ikorodu- Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Ikorodu Division Resources Development Group (IDRDG), Kaoli Olatunji Olusanya Educational Foundation, Prof. Kunle Ade Wahab Educational Foundation and Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE (IDPIL/GTE), a new body under the Chairmanship of High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, the Odofin of lkorodu Kingdom.
The IDPIL has indeed taken scholarship and bursary awards to another level within a short period of its emergence and the tremendous impact has become a reference point.
Also, among those providing succour for the educational sector in lkorodu division at individual level are His Royal Majesty, Oba & Olori Kabir Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Senator representing the Lagos East, Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru (Wahab and Kaos Memorial Foundation which he named after his parents) among few others.
Most of these scholarship awards are not one – off thing, but schemes that will sustain the scholars throughout their programmes provided that they sustain their Cumulative Grade Percentage Aggregate (CGPA). These schemes challenge students to stay on track and if possible, improve and continue to get reward for their excellence.
Through these schemes and other interventions, the community has taken back ownership of education and developing its human resources for its own future development.
These interventions have changed the downward trend of educational system in Ikorodu and refocus it on a more enduring, impactful and sustaining path which would benefits not only the individual students, but also the Ikorodu Division, Lagos and the country at large.
While appreciating donors and appealing for sustenance of their respective laudable inputs, it is also very imperative that other well – meaning residents, groups and the government whose responsibility is to manage the educational system, should intervene more and provide more infrastructures and educational supports.
While it is also worthy to note that the media and whistle blowers have done greatly in exposing the ills in schools, especially the collapsed infrastructures, they must, however, sustain their surveillance in this regard so that public attentions can consistently be brought to the rot in the educational system in the division, for further interventions and development.
