An alumnus of Ibadan Grammar School, Mr. Jide Ogungbadero, in conjunction with Urban Books and Technology, USA, yesterday urged students, particularly those in secondary schools, to be studious, to eradicate negative thoughts that could lead them to banditry, hooliganism, kidnapping, yahoo-yahoo, among others.
He said book reading would assist them to develop intellectually, adding that education remained the only weapon for nation building.
Speaking in Ibadan at the 2nd Annual Spelling Bee Competition to commemorate his 71st birthday, Ogungbadero, represented by the former Lagos chairman of the alumni association, Mr. Akeem Suara, said education was the weapon Nigerians needed to develop the nation.
He said the purpose of the competition was to reawake educational standard and develop reading culture among students.
“Six winners will emerge today, three from the junior school, while the remaining three will come from the senior school. The winner of the senior class will become the principal of the school for one day. Cash prize and other educational items will be given to the winner.”
The Vice-President of the alumni association, Gafar Ojetola, lamented that curricula in schools “have become obsolete, as they do not meet up with global standard. There should be rejigging of the syllabus.”
He said the government should invest more in education “because no nation can be great beyond its standard of education.”
The Principal of Ibadan Grammar School, Gbenga Oladejo, said the programme was borne out of Ogungbadero’s passion towards educational development of students.