Mariam Akinloye
-Students, teachers commend lawmaker, partners
The three – term lawmaker representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, has continued with his light – up project in the Ikorodu Federal Constituency.
This time around, the project has been expanded to support education of students in his constituency, by distributing 1000 solar lamp to students across 20 secondary schools in Ikorodu Division.
The initiative, according to Mayor Muhydeen Sanwoola, Director – General, iCare Foundation which is the operational arm of Rep. Benson, was to light up beneficiaries’ homes, ensure that students do their assignments, build life – long study discipline, improve school performance, use clean energy and enjoy healthy environment.
Rep. Benson facilitated the distribution in partnership with SCI Altar Energy and Access Bank.
Other supporting partners are Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Rite Foods and Airtel.
THE IMPACT covered the distribution of the solar lamp at five secondary schools – 40 students benefitted at Maya Community Junior Grammar School , Ikorodu; 40 at Ifelodun Junior Grammar School, Oke Agbo, Imota; 60 students were presented with the solar lamps at the Gberigbe Community Senior Secondary school; 60 benefitted at the Community Senior Secondary School, Imota, and another 60 students at Isiu Senior Grammar School
Mrs Monsurat Odumbo, the leader of the iCare team to the five schools, implored the student beneficiaries to make good use of the lamps by using it to read for their WAEC, JAMB, NECO and other school examinations.
“The essence of distributing this solar lamps, especially to SS 3 students, is to aid their studies when there is no power supply. You can make use of the lamp at anytime and anywhere. Just put it on to light your books. This is not meant to be kept at home or for your parents to use for other things, but to aid your studies.
“The lamp will still continue to serve you even when you are admitted into universities”, she added.
Mrs Taju Amuda, Principal, Senior Grammar School, Gberigbe, Ikorodu LG, said that the support would go a long way in helping the students in their studies.
“It is really a great thing, and it will be advantageous to the students, because it will go a long way in assisting them in their studies when there is power outage. This is something that they can make use of”, she said.
“In fact, this lamp is coming at a time that they are writing their WAEC. On the day that they wrote their English Language examinations, a student told me that he had to go to a neighbour’s house where they are using generator to read, because they did not have power supply. The solar lamp would have been made use of if he had gotten it earlier. This will really go a long way for them.
“We thank Hon. Babajimi Benson for the great thing that he is doing. May God Almighty continue to help him and take him to greater heights”.
The Vice Principal, Imota Community Senior Grammar School, Mr Wasiu Ayinde, said that the lamp would encourage the students to read.
“It is a new development and innovation and we want to appreciate the donor for given our students these solar lamps. At a period when we are having epileptic power supply, this will encourage them to read their books at any time, especially in the evening and night time”, he said.
While appealing to the students to make good use of the lamps, Mr Ayinde pleaded with Rep. Benson to extend the courtesy to the teachers too.
Mr Olowoopejo A.J., Principal, Maya Community Junior Grammar School, Ikorodu, commended the lawmaker and added that the solar lamp would not only assist the benefitting students, but also light up their homes.
A beneficiary, Miss Abolaji Esther, from Imota Community Senior Grammar School, speaking with THE IMPACT, said:
“This will be very useful, especially for those living in Imota, because of our light issue and I really appreciate it. I say a very big thank you to those that facilitated the lamps, especially, Hon. Babajimi Benson”.
Another student of the Community Senior Grammar School,Imota, James Peter, said:
“This lamp that was given to us will help us a lot. We will use it to study at night. This will be a very good help to us, especially in our area where we have light issues. So, if we want to study and there is no light, this will help us”.
“Thank you SCI Altar Energy, thank you Hon. Babajimi Benson, thank you Access bank and thank you REA”.
Miss Odeyemi Opeyemi, a student of Maya Community Junior Grammar School, Ikorodu, was also full of appreciation to Hon. Benson and his partners, for the donation of solar lamps to students.
