Obe opens new primary school Dec

By Olushola Okewole

A new chapter in the history of public schools in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) will be made in December this year when the chairman, Hon. Monsurudeen Bello Obe will formally commission the newest primary school.

The school, which is located on January 27/Peter Agah Street, will, for the first time since 1960, provide opportunity for parents in Ilamoshe area a choice between public and private schools for their children.

There are over 15  private primary and secondary schools in Ilamoshe area leaving parents with two alternatives of either enrolling their children in private schools at high fees or sending them to public schools in far-away Fadu or Oke-Afa wards.

Worst hit are parents with meagre means who want their children to school near their homes and had to struggle to keep up with the unaffordable fees of private schools.

On the campaign to be voted as the local council chairman, Obe had promised the residents of Ilamoshe that he would build a public school that their children would be proud to attend.

He kept his promise in the first 100 days in office by laying the foundation for the school and assured that the project would be completed in 12 months.

When ECHONEWS visited the 12-classroom block last week, the workers were at work.

The project contractor, Engr. Raji Mohammed told our correspondent that the school which is a storey building with 12 classrooms, four toilets, staff offices and a kitchen is at the roofing stage, promising that, in few weeks, they would put finishing touch to it after the structures would have been plastered and tiled for beautification.

He said there has not been major challenge on the job except the so called land grabbers (omo onile) who sometimes came around to demand money.

Speaking on the quality of the project, Mohammed said the foundation was laid with strong irons and concrete to have a solid structure, knowing the land is swampy which needs such strong foundation to have a solid building.

The council chairman, in a chat with ECHONEWS, noted that the project was a fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people of the area who had complained of dearth of primary public school.

“During our campaign, the people of Ilamoshe lamented that there was no school in their vicinity, they made it one of their demands as their children have to go very far away to attend schools.

“This is one of the promises we made for a primary school for the people in that axis of Ejigbo so as to benefit them and for the children not have to travel miles before getting to school as all the already established primary schools are far from that community.”

However, the council boss was not sure of delivery of the project in December, disclosing that there was paucity of fund to complete other vital works not included in the design for the contractor and which must be done before the school could be used.

He said: “Our target date is December but there are other external works that are not part of what the contractor is currently handling.

The school fencing particularly the perimeter fencing almost opposite the bridge inward Ejigbo for the safety of the pupils is very key, it has to be a concrete barrier that could prevent vehicles from running across the pupils there. That one is still there I have not worked on that.

“Inside the school compound, the field is there. The contractor will finish the school as contained in the design by December. The December date is very feasible provided we have extra fund on our own to do the other works, especially the perimeter fencing and other external works.

“For the community, the project is a dream fulfilled.”

Expressing joy over the project, the chairman of January 27 Community Development Association (CDA), Mr. Emmanuel Egbeniyin, commended the council chairman for giving the community a school to the benefit of all.

He said: “The school is a dream come true, the whole community is in appreciation to the council chairman. The land has once been given to a health school before and nothing was done on it though the then council chairman, Hon. Kehinde Bamigbetan fought for it to be delivered.

“We thank the council chairman for fulfilling his promise on the school. The step the chairman took is a gigantic one as Ilamoshe has no public school at all, just private schools with huge school fees which only the well-to-do can really afford.

“The school will ease lots of problem especially for people who struggle to pay for the huge fees.”