By Olayemi Olomolaye.
The Olufaki of Ifaki Ekiti, Oba John Adegbenro Falore has enjoined Nigerian students to take their studies seriously for them to become great in future.
The Olufaki made the call at the inauguration of a four-block classrooms constructed by indigene of the town, Paramount Chief (Mrs Bolanle Owolabi Eyemuju of Ifaki-Ekiti in collaboration with Obinrinle of Ifaki Ekiti.
Oba Falore commended them for their concern in making education relevant in the town, adding” let all our people contribute too, to the development of our education”. Olufaki added that, in spite of high cost of building materials, Eyemuju and the obinrinles were able to build the modern four classroom to boost learning environment of the School.
He therefore, called on good spirited people in the country to support the community’s education development as government alone cannot develop education.
Also, the Paramount Chief (Mrs) Bolanle Owolabi ,the Eyemuju of Ifaki Ekiti, handling -over the four classrooms on behalf of Obinrinle of Ifaki, urged women to have more children as limiting child bearing to one or two are affecting the number of students enrollments in schools and to always ensure that they contribute their best for the development of their community, adding that, “gone are the days when women engaged themselves in dining and wining. Paramount Chief Mrs Owolabi, charged the management of the school to use the project for the purpose it was meant for as efforts are also in top gear to build vocational center where women will be trained on various skills to be self reliance .
She then thanked the obinrinles of Ifaki Ekiti and other notable indigenes of Ifaki Ekiti for their contributions towards women emancipation in the town.
In his welcome address, the principal of lfaki Grammar School Mr Jacob Omodara expressed delight at the philanthropic gestures of Eyemuju and other obinrinles for coming to the aid of the school when the school was in urgent need of more classrooms and office accommodation, saying”, project was like a dream the way it was executed”.
Mr omodara thanked God for using Eyemuju and other obirinles of Ifaki for the execution of the project and prayed that their labour will not be in vain, promising that the students will make the best use of the project.
Also speaking at the occasion, the President of Ifaki Grammar School Old Students Association (IGSOSA), Pastor Oladimeji Adelugba commended Chief Mrs Bolanle Owolabi the Eyemuju of Ifaki and the entire ifaki womenfolk for deeming it fit to embark on the project and prayed God to bless them abundantly.
Pastor Adelugba stated further that since women had executed such a project at this period, that the men should see it as a great challenge, that they too should brace up to do double of that.
He called on the Government to return the school to boarding system as the president lamented that the government, most especially the Ministry of Education had not done enough despite that the school belongs to government as the school project had always been included in the state annual budget, but yet nothing was done .
In her own contribution, on behalf of the State Ministry of Education and the Special Adviser on Education ,Hon (Mrs) Adebimpe Aderiye, the Area Education officer for Ido/osi local Government , Mrs Olusola Olatunbosun commended the Paramount Chief (Mrs) Owolabi, Eyemuju and other Obinrinles for the successful completion of the building and for contribution towards the upliftment of Education of their youths.
Among other problems facing the school are lack of fence, classrooms, access road among others. Mrs Olatunbosun promised to deliver their messages to the State government as she also called for more collaborations with the government to succeed.
Also speaking, the National President of Ifaki Progressive Union, Sir Kehinde Ogundana and the Coordinator of the project, Chief Sunday Okanlawon thanked the Paramount Chief, Mrs Bolanle Owolabi, the Eyemuju of Ifaki and the other obinrinles for their sacrifice in making the project a reality .
He said lack of conducive learning atmosphere was as a result the old site of the School taking over by Ekiti State Government for the then University of Sciences and Technology, the old Ifaki Grammar School which was built by Ifaki people in 1957 was relocated by State Governments to a new site in 2018 without adequate provision for the taking off of the School proper.
The two community Leaders called on all well meaning sons and daughters as well as old Students of the School to come to the aid of the school as the existing structures are in deplorable condition.
The Olufaki was accompanied by his wife, ,Olori Falore, High Chief Babatunji Olaiya, the Olokun of Ifaki, High Chief Ayodejj Ajayi, the Olulogbe of Ilogbe Quarters, the Chief Imam of Centre Mosque, Ifaki, Alhaji Jimoh Basiri among others.
Earlier, the Paramount Chief (Mrs) Bolanle Owolabi the Eyemuju of Ifaki and other Obinrinles had donated food and clothing materials to about 500 widows at Ifaki Ekiti, prayers from both christians and muslims Clerics were held for widows and health talks were also made during this year 2022 ODUN OBINRINLE held in front of Eyemuju Palace, Ifaki Ekiti with the widows.
This year’s Odun Obinrimles was rounded off with thanksgiving at St. Michael’s Church, Ifaki Ekiti, where the Vicar in charge of the Church, Ven. Samuel Oyedele rejoiced and Congratulated the Womenfolk for the successful celebration of this year Odun Obinrinles.
