Kunle Adelabu
As part of their interventions in the educational development of Igbogbo, sons and daughters of the ancient Kingdom, in the United States of America, have donated furniture to three primary schools in the council.
The indigenes, who made their intervention under the aegis of Igbogbo in Diasporas USA, delivered 22 benches and chairs each to the first primary school in Igbogbo – Methodist Primary School, Igbogbo, as well as United African Methodist Church (Eleja) Primary School, and Anwar – Ul – Deen (AUD), Primary School.
On ground to hand over the donated furniture to school managers, teachers and the representatives of the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), were chieftains of the Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA) and Igbogbo Day Planning Committee and the representative of the Igbogbo in Diasporas, Mr Segun Omolaja.
Engr. Lateef Oduntan, General Secretary, IDEA, speaking at the event, said that donors are giving back to the society that nurtured them and also assisting the government providing facilities in schools.
“These are furniture donated by our sons and daughters in the United States of America (USA), as part of their support for us back home. They all passed through primary schools in Igbogbo, and are today remembering the schools and town that nurtured them by giving back and this is what I want you (pupils) too to remember as you are growing up and also have the determination to do something for your town”, he said.
“They are doing this because the government alone cannot do everything but as a community, group and individuals, we must support the government and that is what Igbogbo in Diasporas are doing.
“We have come here today to give you a set of new tables and chairs, courtesy of the Igbogbo Ambassadors. We implore you to be good students by facing your studies.
“From our end as a community development association, we have been putting resources together to rehabilitate some of the structures in these schools (including Methodist Primary School) that are begging for attention but which the government is not forthcoming about, though, they are still going to do it. We must support the education of our children”, Engr. Oduntan said.
Presenting the furniture to the schools, Mr Segun Omolaja said that Igbogbo residents in diasporas are donating the furniture to support education of the young ones.
“We decided to give back to our people at home and what we decided to give these set of chairs and tables to our students, so that your education can be made easier for you”, he said”.
“What we expect and need from you is to take care of these tables and chairs, so that you will not return to a situation of not having them again.
“I also want to thank the management of the schools for taking care of our students”, he added.
The Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, His Royal Majesty, Oba Semudeen Orimadegun Kasali, represented by the Iyalode of Igbogbo, Chief (Mrs) …. Ojikutu, thanked the members of the Igbogbo in Diasporas and charged the pupils in all the schools, to be serious with their studies.
Head teachers of various schools and representatives from the LGEA, also spoke during the presentations and thanked the donors for their gesture and asked the community not to abandon the schools to their fates.
Other dignitaries at the presented were Baales, Mr Babatunde Afuwape, chieftain of IDEA, Comrade Kazeem Ogunmuyiwa, President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), and Mr Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA), IDEA chieftain, among others.
