Pine Valley High School: A facility built of vision now standing in the gap for Ogbomoso

Image caption: Aerial view of Pine Valley High School

Pine Valley High School: A facility built of vision now standing in the gap for Ogbomoso

Femi OGUNLANA

Pine Valley High School is a product of the fecund mind of an Emeritus Professor, Timothy Olagbemiro, and who has the most distinguished honour of being a Vice Chancellor Emeritus, having been Vice Chancellor of two prominent universities – Bowen University Iwo Osun state and Edwin Clark University Kaigbodo Delta state – for twenty unbroken years.

Professor Timothy Olagbemiro, scion of the late Chief David Olagbemiro family of Ogbomoso, conceived the idea of establishing a secondary school to nurture great minds, and went ahead to found the school with his wife.

The school took off after a beautiful, well-laid out campus was built at Egbeda in the outskirts of Ogbomoso, along old Ilorin road. Only few private secondary schools in the city can boast its state-of-the-art facilities, aesthetic layout, design and beauty, situated on a large expanse of land. It is complete with good hostels for male and female students and a well-built stadium with admirable seating tiers.

It became a choice school for parents and students. But due to a number of factors the school was put on hold. However, recent events have shown that the school has a higher purpose. God perhaps inspired its founding to serve a bigger vision.

Two top rate institutions are now set to commence from the facility – The Ogbomoso University (TOU) and Nigerian Academy for Cultural Studies (NACUS). TOU is an Ogbomoso people’s initiative aimed at having an indigenous private university owned by the indigenes. Great strides are being made to get it established. It is a bold attempt and many hurdles are already crossed towards its establishment. It’s envisioned to be a multi-campus institution across towns and cities in Ogbomosoland and it’s proposed to start at the Pine Valley High School moreover the chairman of the Ogbomoso Academics, the promoter of the university, Prof Olagbemiro, is the owner of the facility. From available information, the National University Commission (NUC) will soon visit for resource verification and assessment and Pine Valley is the major complex NUC is expected to visit.

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The commencement of NACUS also received a major boost Monday (October 13) as the Executive Secretary of the promoter of the institution, Nigerian Institute of Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, came visiting. He paid courtesy visit to the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III for a fruitful interaction. He announced Departments like Cultural Pharmacology and Cultural Technology as parts of the institution and did not make any disclosure nullifying the planned commencement this year. Otunba Ajiboye subsequently was taken on a tour of the site and facilities. He was impressed.

Two new institutions, one site for temporary take off! That is interesting! Unconfirmed reports have even suggested The Ogbomoso University’s promoters have considered outright purchase of Pine Valley High School.

A key member of the TOU committee who spoke unanimously with ogbomosoinsightonline.com Tuesday morning though expressed shock at the latest development. “However, how things turn out regarding the site will depend on the proprietor,” the committee member submitted.

Nonetheless, it’s a thing of joy that the city has a worthy facility for takeoff of such legacy institutions. It is commendation for the visionaries who founded the school. And when we consider that the Nigerian Police Secondary School Odanbon near Ogbomoso did not take off because a suitable temporary site could not be secured we will appreciate the opportunities Pine Valley afforded us. Oyo state government later approved Ogbomoso Grammar School as temporary site but the Police authorities demanded a renovation of the place; till today, the Police Secondary School could not see the light of the day.

Thus, we should laud the vision of Pine Valley, though failed to achieve its original intention but now it is ready to serve another worthy purpose.

Perhaps, other visionaries will rise, put structures like that on ground for lease or sale to promoters of higher institutions of learning. Real estate business is indeed a growing sector. Ogbomoso no doubt is in an era of growth and transition greater number of higher institutions of learning are bound to be attracted.

In the meantime, let the institutions come in droves.