In a bid to a secured, peaceful and better society with opportunity for young people to acquire the necessary skills and technical know-how which will enable them to contribute meaningfully to the regeneration of not only themselves but the community, Sagamu, Remo, Ogun State and the country as a whole, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remo Land, HRM Alayeluwa Oba (Dr) Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, CFR, BL, LLM, FCA, FBR, in conjunction with Batoro Community, the Royal Initiative for the Development of Sagamu Community (RIDSCo) and Nigeria Police Force commissioned today the newly established and well furnished Police Secondary School, Oke-Ibu, Batoro area of Sagamu Local Government, Ogun State.
Giving his welcome address at the official handing-over of the school, Olootu Omoba M.O. Oyedele, welcomed His Royal Majesty Akarigbo, the Ogun Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, prominent Royal Fathers, Chiefs and the general public to the event, held today Monday, 19th December, 2022, at the institution’s premises in Oke Ibu, Batoro, Sagamu, Ogun State. He narrated the processes the community went through before the great project was accomplished. He described the project which is laudable as the second of such in the South West of Nigeria after that of Akure in Ondo state. He narrated how Batoro community approached RIDSCo for their support and how the donor-companies was contacted after the consent of HRM Akarigbo. He mentioned and thanked Lafarge Africa Plc, Transit Gas Nigeria Ltd and Olam Industries Limited for coming to the aid of the community by reconstructing the 3 Blocks of 14 large classrooms, 2 blocks of toilets with 4 unit toilets each, drilling of a borehole complete with a riser and generating set, construction of Sentry Platform, Gate House, Football Field and Athletic track, power supply and installation of ceiling fans in all the classrooms, provision of 280 iron dual lockers, grading of the road, etc.
He further solicited for more support as the school which is proposed to be a boarding school with provisions for all boarding facilities requires more attention which include but not limited to provision of a School Bus for Students, Hostel Buildings for students (Boys and Girls), Commandant/Staff Quarters, Dinning Hall, Standard Science Laboratory, Metal File Cabinets, Sets of Desktop and Laptop Computers with Printers, Solar Lightning (40 nos) and CCTV camera, as well as other school equipments.
He specifically requested for assistance from well to do in community to urgently provide a School Bus fir the school to start operation in January 2023 as being projected. He concluded by thanking the retired DIG Babatunde Ogunyanwo for his selfless efforts both in kind and cash which could not be quantified.
Following suit, CP Lanre Bankole assured the community of the total support of the Nigeria Police Force to the School. He described the construction having visited the premises before, as the 8th wonders of the world. He said a Commandant has already been posted and equally resumed duty while other staff would be posted in the coming weeks to start preparation for the next academic session to produce world class leaders.
In his royal remarks, the Alado of Ado, Sagamu, Oba Tijani Amisu Oshokowu commended the Akarigbo, RIDSco, Batoro Community, the donor-companies and the Police Force, for coming together to build a world class school for the betterment of the society and for students, to learn in a conducive environment for the benefit of humanity. He also appeal to the Police Commissioner to consider the indigenes of the community at the time of employment of workers to the school.
“Improving the quality of education and moving education forward is everyone’s responsibility, describing the facility as an effort towards making Sagamu one of the communities with the best Police Secondary School in the country, Engr Edward Alabi reiterated his company’s continual support to the development of the community, as their Corporate Social Responsibility to the community. While speaking on behalf of Lafarge Africa Plc, he also appreciated RIDSCo for their partnership and collaboration that has led to many developmental projects across the length and breath of Sagamu Local Government.
Speaking on behalf of the entire Batoro Community, Apostle Okunoren, extends the appreciation of Batoro people to His Royal Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi for his royal support. He also used the medium to felicitates the Akarigbo on his 60th birthday and 5th Coronation Anniversary. He also thanked RIDSCo, the Nigeria Police and the Lowa Ibu of Batoro, Oba Sulaimon Adekunle Odeyemi, for their immense contributions in making this great project a reality. He re-echoed Kabiyesi Alado in appealing to the Police Commissioner to employ indigenes of the community for the school, noting that education is the collective responsibility of everybody and by bringing resources together it would help sustain the community and enhance national cohesion and development. He told the guests that Hon Oriyomi Adewunmi Onanuga popularly known as Ijaya representing Remo Federal Constituency in Abuja has promised to install the 40 Solar Lights in the school before the year runs out.
The Secretary of Remo Growth and Development Foundation, Mr Wole Awe, who stood in for the Chairman, Otunba Tunji Lawal-Solarin expresses his joy and the pledge of the Chairman of RemoGDF to send his contribution for further projects.
Speaking from the Royal Throne, the Akarigbo and the Paramount Ruler of Remo Land, HRM Alayeluwa Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi, CFR, appreciates all the congregregation for their presence despite the tight schedules. His Royal Majesty, also commended the RIDSCo, the companies, Nigeria Police, the Lowa Ibu of Batoro and the people of Batoro community at large for their prolific gesture in making the well meaningful project turns a dream comes to reality. “The joy in having a Police school in our community can never be overemphasized, having the Police Secondary School in Batoro Community, Sagamu, it’s a big deal and a large opportunity for us. It is with this am congratulating the Kabiyesi, the Lowa Ibu of Batoro, His Royal Highness Oba Sulaimon Adekunle Odeyemi and the entire indigenes and residents of Batoro Community, as well as Sagamu and Remo at large, on this laudable developmental project”, Akarigbo said.
His Royal Majesty also personally promised to construct both the Boys and Girls Hostel Buildings for school while promising to mobilize his friends for the school bus to ease transportation of the students.
He assured the people that as the Paramount Ruler of Remo Land, he would continue to support and welcome all well meaningful developmental projects that will adds value and promote the growth of Remo Land.
In closing remarks, the Lowa Ibu of Batoro, Oba Odeyemi, hails the ruggedness and sterling contributions of the Akarigbo towards the development of Remo Land, as well as his sterling performances in making the project becomes a reality. He appreciated RIDSCo and their partners, the Commissioner of Police, Area Commander, Divisional Police Officers present, the entire Nigeria Police Force, as well as his Chiefs, Batoro Community Development Council and all indigenes of the community for making themselves available to assist the project.
Genesis Media House witnessed the official handing over of the school by HRM Akarigbo to the Commissioner of Police with a charge to ensure that the newly commissioned well equipped School is adequately managed.
Also present at the commissioning event were, Ogun State House of Assembly Deputy Leader and lawmaker representing Sagamu Constituency 1 at the Ogun State House Of Assembly, Hon. Segun Shitta, the Secretary to the Sagamu Local Government, Hon. Onalaja, Mr Victor Soile, Otunba Lamidi Odulawa, RIDSco Admin Manager, Lukman Banjoko, the Sagamu NYCN Coordinator, Com. Oluwole Aduroja, SYA President, Com Olusegun Sikiru, SDA President, Hon Adeyiga T. Awoyemi, SDA Secretary, Com Adekunle Bello and a host of others.
