Ogun alumni decries land grabbers takeover of school

The National President of Ijebu Muslim College Old Students Association, Ijebu Ode, Mr Olawale Salami, has raised the alarm over the activities of the land grabbers who have taken over the school’s land reserved for farming activities and further development.

Salami said that the lack of perimeter fencing of the school had exposed the school to security breaches, urging a quick intervention from Ogun State government to arrest the ugly trend.

The National president spoke recently during the annual reunion of the old students of the school as well as the commissioning of a block of six classrooms and a coding, robotics and drone operation training centre donated by the old students.

Salami said, “We wish to appeal to the Ogun State Government to come to our rescue to stop the regular security breaches and encroachment of the school land by reconstructing the collapsed fence in front of the school and building a wall fence at the back of the school where we have a large unoccupied space, which we plan to use for farming activities. The unoccupied land is being encroached upon by the land grabbers.”

He urged the government to set up an alumni partnership board, which would help to strengthen the cooperation between government and alumni associations in tackling myriads of challenges plaguing the education sector in the state.

Salami stated, “As stakeholders in the education sector in Ogun State, the old students and other alumni associations in the state will continue to partner with the government in the quest for positive advancement of secondary schools in the state.

“We are willing to continue to serve as partners in progress and work together with the government to achieve the needed improvements, knowing fully well that the government cannot do it alone.”

Also, the Commissioner for Education, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, lauded the alumni association for deeming it fit to ally with the government by investing in the future of young minds in the school.

Arigbabu commended the old students for donating a block of six classrooms renovated and equipped with tables and chairs by 1973/77 set as well as the coding, robotics and drone operation training centre donated by a former President of the alumni association, Olalekan Ajia.

He explained that those projects would go a long way to help the students to achieve their academic goals.

He appreciated the association for being partners in progress with Abiodun, who was determined to revamp the education sector.

The commissioner urged other old students to go back to their former schools and see what they could do to complement the efforts of the state government in making the much-expected difference in providing qualitative education for the residents of the state.