Member, Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Canada, Mr Adebola Ajimotokan, has honoured teachers from his primary school in Agege as a way of appreciating the education he got at that level.
Ajimotokan, who attended African Church Central Primary School, Oniwaya, Agege, in the 50s, rewarded four teachers from the school and the Agege Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) with N50,000 each through his foundation, the Adebola Ajimotokan Foundation.
The recipients were: Mrs Florence Raheem (Head Teacher of honour); Mrs Abiola Adetokunbo (Yoruba teacher of honour); Mr Lawal Olanrewaju (Arabic teacher of honour) and Mr Olamilekan Majiyagbe (Education Secretary, Agege LGEA).
Ajimotokan said his teachers’ investments paid off and proved that good could come out of the area. He pledged to sustain the awards annually and encourage others in the Diaspora to do same in their locality.
“I am doing this to give back to my primary school teachers. They gave me good education right from my primary school till what I am today. I had a very good primary education from here in the 50s. People believed most of us from Agege could not become something, that nothing good can come out of Agege. In Canada, we appreciate primary school teachers more than high school teachers or lecturers,” he said.
Appreciating the award, Mrs Raheem, Acting Head Teacher of the African Church Central Primary School, Oniwaya, described the gesture as rare and one that would motivate her to give her best.
“He has given us the encouragement to move forward and to wax stronger and give love to these children so that in a few years to come, we may count how many hoodlums are still remaining out there,” she said.
On his part, Majiyagbe praised Ajimotokan for contributing to teachers’ welfare, which he said was rare.
“It is very uncommon to see private individuals appreciating teachers. It is usually the government that recognises teachers; private individuals and organisations usually remember the pupils. But for him to travel all the way from Canada to do this is rare and commendable,” he said.
Majiyagbe called the donor’s attention to the plight of a teacher who suffered a handicap because of an accident that left her limping and unable to stand for long, urging him to help the woman. He said she had remained dedicated to duty despite her pains and disability.
“Tomorrow is my birthday. I want you to do something for her on my behalf. We all cannot go abroad but those of you abroad can bring the goodness down to us,” he said.
Replying, Ajimotokan pledged to provide the woman with a mobility bike to aid her movement as well as drugs.
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