The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has pledged his support to the various programmes of the old students of Oliveth Baptist High School, Oyo.
Oba Owoade made this known at the fund-raising ceremony organised by the Class of 1972–1976 in Ibadan at the weekend.
He lauded the efforts of the old students at giving back to their alma mater, adding that the running of schools should not be left in the hands of the government alone.
‘I want to appreciate you for the good works that you are doing by giving back to the school that made you who you are today.
‘You are building on the good legacies of the founding fathers and the various principals who had presided over the affairs of the school in the past.
‘I am assuring you of my support for every of your provrammes that are aimed of raising the standard of the education in the school.
On the concession of the school, Chief Wale Babalakin (SAN) stressed the need for the various sets to come together to achieve the laudable goal.
Speaking against the backdrop of the plan of the 1972 set to take over the management of the school, Babalakin said the running of the school should be left neither in the hands of the government nor of the Mission.
The Mission will be doing commerce with the running of the school. This will not augur well for its all rounds development.
Also, the President of the 1972–1976 set, Adeoye Mapederun, said at the unveiling of the renovated classrooms in Oyo that the association would complement the efforts of the government in returning the school to its old glory.
According to him, the proposed takeover is part of efforts to ensure better management and long-term development of the institution.
He said the 1972–1976 set would continue to mobilise resources for further projects as part of its commitment to improving the school’s facilities and learning environment.
On the newly renovated block of classrooms, Mapederun said they were in a state of disrepair before the intervention, with the block lacking a roof, windows and blackboards.
He explained that the set decided to renovate the three classrooms as its contribution towards restoring a conducive learning environment for students.
“We found that this particular block was totally in disrepair. There was no roof, no windows, no blackboard, nothing. So, we decided to start with these three classrooms to ensure that we brought them up to standard,” he said.
He added that the renovation included the installation of ceiling fans and the provision of other facilities to make the classrooms more comfortable for learning.
On the cost of the project, Mapederun said the expenditure was slightly below ₦10m, adding that the intervention was only the beginning of the set’s plans to support the school.
He disclosed that the old students had planned a fund-raising initiative to finance further interventions, noting that another classroom block on the school premises was also in a deplorable condition.
According to him, the condition of the adjoining block could make it the next target of the set’s renovation efforts.
Mapederun said the project was being undertaken in addition to the interventions of the national body of the old students’ association, stressing that members of the set were committed to contributing to the school’s development.
Explaining the motivation behind the intervention, he said the old students were giving back to the institution in appreciation of the quality of education and facilities available during their time at the school.
“When we came to this school about 50 years ago, everything was working. We had the best of education and the best environment. Everything you could talk about was in place,” he said.
He, however, lamented the difference between the condition of the school when they were students and its present state, arguing that government intervention alone could not adequately address the institution’s challenges.
Mapederun said old students needed to complement government efforts by investing in infrastructure and supporting other areas of need.