Collapsed school: ‘No compromise on building plan’

Chijioke Ezeali

DIRECTOR, Excel College, Ejigbo, Lagos, Dr. Bamidele Oke has debunked insinuations that the collapse of the school building was caused by alterations to the original structural plan.

A wing of the three-storey building housing the school collapsed on September 19, this year, resulting in the demolition of the entire structure on the order of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“All the insinuations that the collapsed wing of the building was added to the original plan after the school was built were absolute falsehood. There is no truth whatsoever in it.

Speaking with The Nation, Oke, a practising Medical Doctor, said: ‘Since the incident happened, agencies of the state government are working to unravel its cause and we are also waiting for the full report.

“We have presented all documents that the government asked from us, including the structural plans and other things, so that it can correct the impression that it was after the school had been built that another one was added to it.

“The building was designed like that and it was built as such. So, we are waiting for their report.

“The integrity test on our annex building has been done by the state government. So, I think the governments’ due process is being followed. And we know that we did not compromise in any way on this issue.”

Oke was cautious over suggestions that bomb blasts were possible cause of the collapse.

“Over the years there have been a lot of speculations. There are people that have said so much about the different bomb blasts in some parts of Lagos, close to the location of the school. We, too, want to know,” he said.

He hoped for the government’s support in getting the learning ground back to its functional best.

“We just hope the government will support us to rise again,” he said.