Image caption: Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye – burden of history on him
Where Igbo-Ora succeeded Ogbomoso suffered avoidable setback
Femi OGUNLANA
Early last decade Ogbomoso and Igbo-Ora both in Oyo state began a quest for location of a Nigerian Police Secondary School in their respective domains but today, that of Igbo-Ora is already graduating students because its quest succeeded while that of Ogbomoso is still a mirage. ogbomosoinsightonline.com looks at the dynamic.
A former head teacher of Nigerian Police Primary School Ogbomoso, Mr. Ademola Fasansi, was embroiled in a tiff with his chairman of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), Mr. Adekunle Akande, which prompted the latter travelling to the Nigerian Police Force Education Department in Abuja, to find out some things for himself. We won’t go into the details of the quarrel. But Akande’s trip yielded positive result which was not even part of his intention for going to Abuja. An officer in the Force Education told him in passing, “ah a police secondary school had been approved for your town since 1998 along with one in Akwa Ibom state.”
The police officer as proof dug out the approval letter which he showed Mr. Akande. That stirred the interest of Mr. Akande, who consequently returned home to meet relevant persons including late Chief Sunday Adewusi, the Asiwaju of Ogbomosoland, and who was one time Inspector General of Police.
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However, Fasasi also got wind of the approval through another channel and thought it could be diverted to Igbo-Ora, his hometown. He therefore informed his town’s people.
The Igbo-Ora people rallied to get things done but in Ogbomoso, the prospect was approached with lackadaisical attitude though some leaders showed passionate interest, not however enough to facilitate commencement of the school.
The NPF Force Education listed a number of conditions to get the schools established, the force was prepared to get both off the ground. The conditions included getting a permanent site 40 hectares (100 acres) or the option of finding a suitable temporary site.
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Ogbomoso top police officers were contacted including Commissioner of Police Dejo Oyelowo, who then headed the NPF Works Department. He put in great efforts. CP Oyelowo (now retired) worked with others to get things kick-started leading to renewed attention it got from the NPF Education.
In the home front people such as Pa Oyedokun, Pa Ajekigbe, Mama Oyelade and the Ogbomoso Parapo also rallied to get things done. All the efforts led to the securing of the permanent site at Odanbon.
“Through the efforts of our people in the NPF, project for the gate and part construction of the perimeter fence was awarded and executed at Odanbon.
The option of the temporary site was now explored since getting the cost of construction of the permanent site captured in the budget was another ball game. Necessary contacts were made but to no avail.
And so the option of temporary site came to the fore. The choice of a private secondary school in the city was first considered but (now late) Prof Aderinto of the then Nigeria Defence Academy pointed out it would not be approved for lack of adequate facilities.
After further consideration the decision was made concerning Ogbomoso Grammar School, which is the premier secondary school in the city.
The school was approached by Ogbomoso Parapo Worldwide, following which a formal request was made to the Oyo state ministry of education, science and technology. The ministry granted the approval. Then principal of OGS Mr. Ayo Isola was particularly enthusiastic about the prospect. “He quickly released some classroom blocks for the use of the police secondary school,” Mr. Akande recalled.
“However, there was a caveat. The police demanded the renovation of the facility and distinct demarcation fence in order to contain vulnerability of its school.
“In addition, the police requested Ogbomoso community to donate a building to the school at the permanent site as a sign of commitment.
“We ran around to get our people – politicians and the rich – to assist in executing any of the projects – rehabilitation of structures at OGS or fencing and at the permanent site.”
But no one volunteered to assist, Ogbomoso Insight learned.
Meanwhile, the situation at Igbo-Ora went on more smoothly. “The people of Igbo-Ora were more passionate, business-like; they mobilized swiftly, got a temporary site by getting a secondary school vacated and got it renovated. They got things done and the school got off the ground in earnest,” it was further learnt.
But the Ogbomoso “big men,” ogbomosoinsightonline.com was informed by another source, were non-chalant, “many of them looked at it as a small endeavour that it is not worth their time and effort.”
“They forgot small drops make huge oceans. What’s the secret of big thriving cities? It’s small small enterprises, small small institutions that make a city’s population to become enlarged. Such a police secondary school will attract direct and indirect jobs. 75% of salary of staff employed or drafted to the school will be spent in Ogbomoso. Consider the the fact that students will come from all over Nigeria and will also commit resources to the community.
”In addition, it will add to our prestige and enhance our standing. Those are part of the reasons we need to get it done. Even if it is just hundred indigenes that will get employment in the school, it is something, it will neither detract nor subtract from us, it will rather add value to us.”
So, it’s a task that must be done.
As it stands, getting the school to take off this year (at a temporary site, which is the quickest), is a task that should be facilitated. CP Dejo Oyelowo (rtd), it is understood, has been stirred to action on this matter. Some others are geared up too. But l want to state that getting the temporary site up is the important hurdle to cross. Next is pushing the development of the permanent site captured in the supplementary budget. Senator Yunus Akintunde representing Oyo Central senatorial district where the permanent site is, will be valuable in this wise, moreover when he is vice chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs and having proved he is a lover of education with his ongoing provision of school facilities within his constituency.
Also, Solomon Arase, chairman of the Police Service Commission, is aware of the existence of the Police Secondary School Ogbomoso, being the IGP when the school was launched in 2016. It is his baby that he will love to help nurture to life.
Indigenes who have the means and the influence need to rise to the occasion too, either by singlehandedly renovating buildings at the approved temporary site with the demarcation fence if that will work out or building new structures altogether at another section of the vast land of the school. Really, Ogbomoso Grammar School has lived up to expectation as mother of all secondary schools in Ogbomoso. Directly, three other schools sit conveniently on its land today – Owode Community Grammar School, Millennium Model Secondary School and School of Science; hosting another one (temporarily) will add to its importance and historical value.
Alternatively, the NNPC/Total facilitated storey building under construction in the school can be adopted.
Our numerous political office holders – elected and appointed – should take it as a challenge, through diversion of constituency funds or by pushing to get the school captured in the supplementary budget.
It is by what we do that we will be remembered.
May God raise financers who will assume this responsibility and commit their resources to the project or facilitate building projects for the purpose, like it happened in the buildup to the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Ogbomoso. Senator Ayo Adeseun took the lead and his effort received a boost when the late Soun Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III got other prominent indigenes to contribute their quotas leading to the formation of Ogbomosoland Consultative Council (OCC).
Two new Nigerian Police Secondary Schools were captured in 2024 budget for Odo-Otin and Ota in Osun and Ogun states respectively. It is ridiculous that the one approved as far back as 1998 is still captured in dormancy.
Looking forward to September 2024 for the commencement of the school with the pioneer intake!
