Kunle Adelabu
-To build 300 – bed hostel for Oriwu College
Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, former Minister of Works, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Former Minister of Works and Chairman, Ikorodu Division Resources Development Group (IDRDG), Sen. Adeseye Kingsley Ogunlewe, has revealed the group’s plans for the Ikorodu Division educational plans for the next 10 years which is to produce 50, 000 students with STEM knowledge.
Ogunlewe, who was also a former Pro – Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, stated that the Division is in dire need of students with STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, to develop Ikorodu as a city.
Recall that an associate Professor of Sociology with the University of Lagos, Kunnuji, in a recent article published with the title, ‘As Ikorodu Becomes Nigeria’s 12th Largest City’, stated that Ikorodu has over 1 million populace with several challenges that needed to be managed.
The former Minister who also unveiled his own plans to build a 300 – bed hostel facility in his former school, Oriwu College, Ikorodu (now Oriwu Senior and Junior Model Colleges) spoke at the schools’ 2021/22 Prize Giving Day/Recognition ceremony held at the College hall on Wednesday, September 21, 2022.
“We have paid for the subscription for a year and we shall be paying it forever. So, you have no excuse again not to pass 100%, unless you are lazy and if you are not, you have to work hard because, this is a stage that you must get the best out of yourselves because of the future which will be too competitive for lazy people in Nigeria”, he said.
“In Ikorodu Division alone, we have 30 secondary schools with 10, 000 participating in WAEC every year and if we have 60% pass every year, that is 7000 going into the tertiary institutions, where will you be? Are you going to be part of the best students or the worst?”, he asked rhetorically while addressing students of Oriwu Senior and Junior Model Colleges, Ikorodu, at the event.
“We are not training you to be among the worst people, but to be best and out of this 10, 000 (writing WAEC) every year, because we needed the manpower to develop Ikorodu which is now a city for the future.
“We are planning very seriously with all your Principals in the senior schools and I have been advised to also include the junior school Principals too, in the area of STEM education – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics”, Sen. Ogunlewe revealed.
“That is our focus and we want to have 50, 000 graduates in these areas in the next 10 years and it is possible for us to achieve, hence, you must be part of this future. You must take advantage of all the facilities available to you”, he charged the students.
While further charging the students, Sen. Ogunlewe stated that he would ensure that the school which has produced best school administrator in Nigeria and also emerged as best school in the country in the last 7 years, would benefit more in the educational plans.
“I am speaking as an old student, Chairman, Ikorodu Division Resources Development and as the Chairman, Ikorodu Town Hall Board, in telling you about our programme for the future. Whatever that we want to do, I am placing Oriwu College at the most important level of those programmes”, he assured.
In his capacity, Sen. Ogunlewe revealed his plan to build a 300 – bed girls hostel.
“On personal level, I am building a 300 – bed girls hostel for this school. There is no substitute to boarding system of education. When you are in the boarding house, you will have peers that you can emulate and teach you”, he said.
