Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has given back to the primary and secondary schools she attended saying the gesture was to contribute to the fulfillment of the dreams and aspirations of the young minds.
There was excitement among pupils of Baptist Day Nursery/Primary School, Irona, Ado Ekiti and students of Baptist Comprehensive High School, Ilawe Road, Ado Ekiti on Friday as they were gifted schoolbags, exercise books, mathematical sets and sanitary pads ( for the girls) by the First Lady.
The Governor’s wife served as the Senior/Head Girl for the 1987 set of Baptist Comprehensive High School Ado Ekiti.
Dr. Oyebanji recognized and exchanged banters with her classmates who were around to witness the occasion.
Distributing the school materials to the beneficiaries, Dr. Oyebanji explained that her gesture was not merely an act of charity but a reaffirmation of her commitment to education and the future of the children.
While noting that all the children have purpose to fulfill in life, Dr. Oyebanji passionately prayed that God would help them to succeed in life and become great in life.
Dr. Oyebanji expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of her two alma mater, reiterating her readiness to always support educational initiatives that uplift the communities.
“Education is the bedrock of societal development, and it is essential that every child has access to quality learning resources. By providing these materials we are contributing to the dreams and aspirations of these young minds, empowering them to reach their fullest potential,” she said
The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi, used the occasion to announce three key projects that have just been approved for the primary school that produced the First Lady.
The projects are three blocks of classrooms, a modern toilet and a borehole to ease the challenge of water scarcity for teachers and pupils.
The announcement of the projects thrilled the teachers and pupils.
The Headmistress of Baptist Day Nursery Primary School, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Obisesan, said it was symbolic for the First Lady to come back to her old school to give educational empowerment to the pupils.
The pupils treated the First Lady and the guests to cultural performance to the delight of guests and the parents who were delighted with the gifts presented to their wards.
Also, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye, promised that the ministry would construct a new block of laboratory while the ICT Centre would be furnished through a special intervention initiative.
She urged the SS3 students to read very hard and pass their School Certificate Examination in flying colours as the state government has paid a total sum of N549 million as West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for them all.
The Principal, Mr. Afolabi Ologunleko, commended the First Lady “for her sense of history, humility and readiness to give back to an institution that helped in laying the foundation for her life’s attainment.
He added: “We recognize the novelty and uniqueness of this occasion and we all appreciate the passion and social commitment that promted Her Excellency to visit us.
“The First Lady’s love for her alma mater is a reflection of her love for the betterment of education in Ekiti generally; and it also reflects the vision of the current administration to revive the fervour of the education sector.”
The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Chairman, Mr. Lawrence Ogundipe, urged the state government to construct a fence round the school in order to enhance the security of teachers and students.
Other government officials who attended the ceremony in the two schools are the Deputy Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bolaji Olagbaju; Commissioner of Education, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye; SUBEB boss, Prof. Akinwumi; Senior Special Assistants, Permanent Secretaries among others.
