The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos school

  • Lagos school gets educational materials

    Lagos school gets educational materials

    In commemoration of International Literacy Day 2024, Lagos Metropolitan Lions Club, in collaboration with Lagos Elite Lion Club and Ikeja Lions Club, have organised a three-in-one activity, including tree planting exercise, free medical check-up and distribution of educational materials to pupils.

    The event, held at Anifowose Primary School, Ikeja, Lagos, underscores the clubs’ commitment to eliminating barriers to education for children.

    Items including branded exercise books, bags, white cotton socks, teaching materials and stationeries for pupils were distributed. Also, medical check-up for teaching and non-teaching workers and tree planting exercise were carried out.

    Read Also: Niger Delta youths embark on solidarity walk for Tinubu

    The President, Lagos Metropolitan Lions Club, Lion Victor Aylor, said: “We are carrying out this back-to-school initiative in a bid help pupils with writing materials as they begin another academic year.

    “We did our needs assessment, and we discovered that Anifowose Primary School lacked educational support and some of the pupils had no writing materials and they lacked stationeries; so we decided to come and surprise them with educational items.

    “We are also planting trees to beautify the compound. Also, our medical team is on ground to check the health status of teachers and non-teaching workers.”

  • Group constructs 500 capacity hall in Lagos school

    The Chinese Youth Association in Lagos at the weekend, commenced the construction of a 500 capacity multipurpose hall at the Junior/Senior Model College, Ojo to encourage recreational, skills acquisition.

    The construction, the association said, was part of its corporate social responsibility, adding that it chose the project to support the state government’s developmental strides.

    A leader of the association, Kevin Ma, who laid the foundation stone said they were pleased to make the donation, noting the long standing relationship between China and Nigeria.

    He said: “We are so happy that we can provide Nigerian people jobs that can assist and make their lives better.

    “Building this hall is for the students to have more places for their activities. Usually in China and other places, there are many buildings for different activities outside learning. But we discovered that in Nigeria, there are hardly buildings in schools for recreational activities.

    “There are several students with various talents but there are no conducive halls or buildings for them to actualize it. So, that is what we are looking for. Learning is not only about acquiring knowledge, but talents also to shape their destinies.

    “Permit me to say that we have enjoyed cordial relationship with successive governments in the state especially the present one led by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. We are most grateful.

    “My appeal to the students is that they work hard. It is worthy of note that whatever we do to promote learning goes a long way to shape our future  and we are pleased to be part of such great feat.”

    Continuing, Ma passed a vote of confidence on the Nigeria Police, describing the service as friendly.

  • Boy wins Lagos school cooking competition

    Who could think that a meal of beans could win a cooking competition?

    It did. And even more impressive was that it was cooked by a boy.

    Mastar Ajodo Monday of Sasa Community High School, Sasa, Lagos, won the maiden cooking competition organised by the Lagos State Government Education District 1 with his palatable meal of beans, plantain and vegetable pottage last week.

    Monday beat five other finalists to emerge winner at the grand finale of the competition which had as theme: ‘Low cost meals for teenagers: promoting creativity, hygiene and wellness.”

    Donning their aprons and hats, the finalists – six pupils and six school food vendors – cooked various meals within 90 minutes at the event which held last week at the headquarters of the District in Agege, Lagos.

    In attendance were Tutor General/Permanent Secretary (TG/PS) of the District, Dr Yinka Ayandele; retired TG/PS, Mrs. Bimpe Giwa, other high-ranking stakeholders, principals, students and food vendors as well as members of the community.

    “We expect a cookery book to emerge after this exercise. That is how you make sure it does not end here with our tasting,” Mrs Giwa said while addressing participants at the event.

    And with professor of Home Economics at Michael Okpara University, Pat Mbah leading the judging panel, Ajodo Monday was declared winner in the student category, while the second position went to Olatunji Christiana of Vetland Senior Grammar School, Agege.

    In the school food vendor category, Mrs Olufunke Falaya of Iju Junior Grammar School Iju, won the first position with a meal of green plantain pottage to beat the five other food vendors.

    Thanking Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his intervention in education, Dr. Anyandele congratulated the winners as well as the participants.

    Speaking, chairman of the food committee, Mrs. Sade Alabi, said the committee which was formed in 2017 verified food vendors in the 99 schools in the district, carried out medical tests on them and organised seminars to enlighten them on preparing low cost balanced meals that are also hygienic.

    “In continuation of last year’s exercise and quest to enable our students learn how to prepare and eat low cost, balanced meals, this cooking competition is being organised today,” said Mrs Alabi who is also the principal of Vetland Senior Grammar School.

    The competition started at the zonal level with 220 students and food vendors from schools across Education District 1 between March 14 and 18 this year.

    Pix: Edu District 1 cook

    Dr Ayandele (middle) with Monday (fourth left) and other contestants at the event.

  • Indomie donates equipment to Lagos school

    Indomie donates equipment to Lagos school

    Mainland Senior High School, Jibowu, Lagos, has taken delivery of science laboratory equipment worth over N1m courtesy of Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of Indomie noodles.

    The donation is intended to complement government’s effort to enhance learning especially in Science and Technical Education, according to the firm’s public relations and events manager, Tope Ashiwaju.

    He said the donation was part of Dufil’s corporate social responsibility initiative tailored towards education and community development.

    “Our joy is to see the teachers fully utilise the laboratory equipment in imparting knowledge that will improve students’ performance in Science subjects, especially in their West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) exams,” he said.

    Ashiwaju added that the company has instituted a scholarship scheme for students with remarkable education achievement from secondary school certificate up to masters degree level. He advised beneficiaries to take advantage of this opportunity.

    “All I want is for the teachers to take full advantage of the opportunity by taking extra effort to teach the students to learn, stay focused and continue to dish out outstanding results, and the scholarship will be yours”. Ashiwaju explained.

    Representing Igbobi Community, the Onisabe of Igbobi Sabe, HRM Oba Owolabi Adeniyi, expressed appreciation of the community to the donor.

    He urged students to consolidate on the gesture by ensuring the community produces more successful personalities in the field of Science in the future.

    On her part, the Lagos State Director of Projects Education, District 4, Mrs Bolarinwa Folashade, who represented the Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary of the district, said with the nation, the school laboratory will be next to none in the district.

    The school Principal, Mr Ayodele Odupe, hoped the gesture would go a long way in changing the face of Science education in the school. He advised other corporate bodies to take after the donor, noting that government alone could not shoulder the responsibility of the education sector.

  • Rotary donates furniture to Lagos school

    Relief has come the way of Ifako Comprehensive Senior High School, Ifako-Gbagada, Lagos as Rotary Clubs from United States donated furniture to it.

    On the rationale behind the project, the Sergent at arms, Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA D5510,  Olaoluwa Olugbodi, said: “I went to a community school, (Ifako Comprehensive Senior High school) with the aim of donating writing materials to few students but to my greatest surprise I discovered that, according to the school scale of preference furniture is paramount to them.

    “This project is a collaboration among Rotary eClub of the Southwest USA D5510, Rotary Club of Centerville GA 6920 USA, Reno Rotary Club  USA D5190 and Sparks Rotary club D5190. As Rotary,  our contributions and support to our environment is very important because we know that government can’t do everything. Rotary Club deemed it fit to  equip 100 students of Ifako comprehensive senior high school with desks and benches to aid their learning ability. I believe that we make a life by what we give to our environment.’’

    The highlight of the events was the launch of the project by the District Governor for D9110, Nigeria, Patrick ikheola.

    The school Principal Mr James Akinto thanked the Rotary clubs for their generosity, adding that inadequate furniture was a major problem facing the school.

    He assured that the furniture would be used judiciously by the pupils.

  • Gunmen abduct three girls from Lagos school

    Gunmen abduct three girls from Lagos school

    Police vow to rescue victims

    Be calm, school advises shocked parents

    Three girls were yesterday abducted at a popular Lagos State secondary school in an operation that confounded security agents and the authorities.

    The abductors smashed part of the fence at Babington  Macaulay Junior Seminary (BMJS), Ikorodu, stormed the classrooms area and snatched the girls.

    The kidnapped girls – Timilehin Olisa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo – are Senior Secondary two (SS2) pupils. They were preparing for a test when their abductors struck.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers  also attempted to take away an SS2 boy but failed because his classmates fought back.

    The Nation gathered that the unnamed boy identified one of the gunmen as a bricklayer working in the school.

    It was gathered that the criminals entered the school from the rear after breaking the perimeter fence.

    They were also said to have all pretended to be bricklayers to have access to the classrooms at that time of the night.

    The students were having their “prep” at about 9:30pm when the armed men suddenly showed up, threatening to shoot anyone of them who moved.

    They were said to have taken the girls from their class, shooting as they fled.

    It was learnt that when the criminals got to the end of Holiness Road inside the school premises, they pulled off the girls’ clothes  and left the fabrics there.

    It could not be ascertained if they gave them a new set of clothing.

    The Nation overheard a student telling her father that the armed men were about 10.

    “They were about 10 in number and they were well armed. We were having prep when it happened. Ordinarily, the bricklayers should not have access to this part of the compound at night, but we really do not know what happened and also we did not see the Mobile policemen who are usually around here, she said, adding:

    “Please, take me home with you, I have not heard so much gunshots before. It was very scary. They took three seniors with them and we also heard that they wanted to take a senior boy but he resisted and his friends fought back as well. He was the one who said he saw a bricklayer working for the school.

    “The bricklayers have their quarters far from here. So, they should not have any business around here in the night.”

    At the time The Nation visited the school, security agents from the police, the Army and the Navy were there.

    The police have tightened security in Ikorodu, with patrol teams at all the bus stops leading to the school.

    The school sent a message to parents, saying: “Dear beloved parents, the unfortunate incident reported is under control and the three parents have been contacted. Please continue to pray with and we assure you that all will be well. Kindly keep calm, your children are safe.”

    Three Rapid Response Squad  (RRS) helicopters have also been deployed to survey the creeks and neighbouring bushes for a possible location of the hoodlums and their hostages.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone Two, Mr. Bala Hassan, who was also at the school, assured the parents that the girls would be rescued.

    Hassan, who said the Ogun State Police Command had been contacted and all routes into that state secured, disclosed that the security forces were closing in on the criminals.

    “The police and other security agencies have not slept since this thing happened last night. The Lagos State Police Commissioner (Fatai Owoseni), his deputy and also the Commanders of sister agencies all slept here.

    “We are here to assure the parents that security forces are doing everything possible to ensure the girls are rescued and returned unhurt. We are also assuring that the ongoing operation in this area shall continue.

    “The CP has given the school authorities advice on how to beef up security around here. So far, we have gotten good information on the criminals and I can tell you that everything is on course.

    “The deployments already made will not be changed and Ogun Police Command has also been alerted to properly secure all entries and exits. We are assuring the parents and school authorities that the girls will soon be back,” he said.

    Second attack in two weeks

    It was gathered that the attack was the second in the last  two weeks.

    The Nation learnt that the first one was carried out a day to the school’s Inter-house Sports Competition. Monday’s came a day to the sale of the school’s entrance form.

    Most of the frightened parents who stormed the school, demanding to see their wards, said they heard of the incident from the news.

    While some of the parents remained adamant on taking their children home, despite assurances from the police and school authorities; others said the attacks as acts of sabotage from people envious of the school.

    A parent, Mrs Biola Ategbole, said she believed the school is Nigeria’s best, adding that she will not take her child away.

    She insisted that the kidnap must be sabotage, adding that the school has urged them to pray for the safety of the abducted girls.

    “We were not called. I heard and came like other parents. So, they asked us to see our children and spoke to us and told us to pray for the kidnapped girls. My son has been here for three years now, but I haven’t heard of anything like this before. I believe some people wanted to sabotage the school since it was to commence the sale of its entrance form today (Tuesday).”

    Another parent, Tenuola Oyenuga, told reporters that she initially heard there was a fight in the school and on getting there she discovered it was kidnapping.

    Face – off between school employees and reporters

    Some employees of the school decided to vent their anger on reporters who were trying take pictures.

    The attack started as a verbal assault after a male employee suspected to be a security guard, warned journalists to stop taking pictures of some students who were outside.

    He was told that the target was not the students but an inconsolable woman who was said to be the mother of one of the victims.

    This disclosure further angered the guard, who demanded that the tools of the reporters be seized.

    The woman, dressed in a green Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) tee shirt and a black skirt who was sobbing, suddenly joined the mob, screaming that journalists be sent out of the premises.

    For about 15 minutes, the situation was tense – until some senior officials of the school brokered peace.

  • Vodacom takes internet connectivity to Lagos school

    Vodacom Busines Nigeria has stepped in to  provide WiFi services for students and teachers in classrooms, laboratories, workshops and staff offices. The firm also sponsored a 250KVA powered generator to help keep the school connected during power outages. The firm donated the facility to the Federal Science and Technology College, Yaba, to help improve the productivity of the teachers and students of the school.

    Speaking on the occasion, its Managing Director, Guy Clarke said: “Internet penetration in Nigeria is still low, especially in public schools. With the Power to You Project, we aim to bridge the digital divide that exists in communities and schools without access to ICT. It’s for this reason that we’re proud to be able to provide this connectivity to The Federal Science and Technology College, Yaba.”

    Responding, the school’s Principal, Chris Ugorji said: “The vision of the college is to provide the scientific and technical skills, required to produce self-reliant young men and women, ready for tertiary institution and the ICT industry. The sponsorship of high-speed internet access and power generator by Vodacom guarantees this vision and we are happy to be beneficiaries of this project.”

    The Vodacom Power to You Project supports public and private schools in the country by ensuring that students and teachers have access to ICT and new telecommunication technologies.

    The power of the internet is invaluable and connectivity has the potential to transform education and accelerate economic growth in Nigeria.

  • Lagos School of History: An exploratory discourse – 4

    Lagos School of History: An exploratory discourse – 4

    The Lagos School has taken off where the Ibadan School stopped. The Lagos School assumes that there is no point discussing whether Africa has a history or not but rather of the usefulness of historical scholarship. In straining to be relevant, the Lagos School exposes itself to critics who feel that many of the published articles from the Lagos School’s exponents read like political science and economics rather than history. There is a suggestion that topics being researched into are too current and that the dust of history should be allowed to settle before any meaningful research can be conducted. It is the old question of whether historians should give a hundred years or 50 years between them and their subjects of enquiry. This antiquarian approach to historical writing has been brushed aside by the Lagos School that feels that unless historians adapt to change, the academic discipline of history may die a natural death because young people will not be interested in studying the past for the past’s sake without relevance to the present. The utility value of history will therefore be called into question. The shift from the traditional concern of historians to question of functionality has even led to the nomenclatural change of the Department of History to the Department of History and Strategic Studies. The debate of what to call the department was a lively debate in the 1990s and there were different formulations such as History and Diplomatic Studies, History and Cultural Studies, History and International Relations and History and Strategic Studies.

    The choice of History and Strategic Studies was arrived at so as to avoid conflict and involve history in territorial dispute with political science over international relations. In spite of this, the subject of international relations has become a lively area of research of the Lagos School. International Relations broadly defined to mean interstate economic relations, defence studies, boundaries, cultural and diplomatic history. This nomenclatural and academic orientation of the Lagos School has led to a revival of interest in the study of history as a foundation for understanding the problems of modern times. This shift of emphasis has not gone unnoticed in many parts of the country even though this shift of emphasis began in Lagos State University but in terms of development and application University of Lagos takes the Victor Ludorum in the game of intellectual competition among Nigerian’s departments of history. The Ibadan University’s Department of History and its sister departments in Obafemi Awolowo University and Ahmadu Bello have refused to rebrand their departments and have continued their resistance to this new paradigm shift in the academic study of history.

    In recent times, and in order to remain alive, and be in tandem with current developments in the Lagos School, the University of Ibadan’s Department of History now seem to have embraced the historical modernity and currency of the Lagos School. The Department of History in Ibadan seems now to have left the Ibadan School of History whose task seems to be over after blazing the trail of the Nigerian nationalist historiography for which the Ibadan School can justly be proud of. Either because there is a dearth of topics on the distant past of Nigeria and Africa, students in Ibadan are now almost at a convergence with their counterparts in Lagos in their research offerings. Recent theses completed in Ibadan illustrate this point. These include; Adesina O.A. Gender Relations in Ikaleland of South Western Nigeria in Historical Perspective (2010), Afolabi A. Taxation and Revolts among the Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria 1900-1970 (2010), Ugboajah P.K.N. Juvenile Delinquency and Its Control in Colonial Lagos 1861-1995 (2010), Attah N.E. The Dynamics of Peasant Oil Palm Production in Igalaland 1900-1995 (2010), Ehimore M.O. A Socio-Economic History of the Ilaje of Southwestern Nigeria 1500-1900 (2010), Erinosho T.O. Nigeria and ECOMOG Peace-Keeping Operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone 1984-2004 (2010), Nwaka J.C. The Catholic Church and Conflict Management During the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970 (2011), Ugbogu M. Management of Public Enterprises in the Western Region of Nigeria 1946-1966 (2013), Muojama O.G. Nigerian Cocoa Exports and Global Capitalism 1914-1960 (2013), Nwaokoro T.T. Women Education and Social Changes in Ondo Southwestern Nigeria 1875-2008 (2013), Oparah O.M. The Nigerian Civil War and the Adaptive Diversity of Biafra’s Research and Production Group 1967-1970 (2014), Alo L.K. Legal Regulations of Chieftaincy Disputes in Yorubaland 1939-1960 (2014). Theses in view include; Achoba F. A History of the Igala People 1100-1900, Oluyitan J.A. History of Colonial Medical and Health Services in Ibadan 1900-1960, Muritala M.O. Urban Livelihood in Lagos 1861-1990, Ajayi A. Change and Adaptation in the Commercial Sector of Osun Division Western Nigeria 1900-1960, Oladejo M. Ibadan Market Women and Politics 1900-1995, Ajayi D.O. A History of the Nigerian Bar Association 1960-2010, Adeyeri J.O. British Imperialism and Socio-Political Transformation of Akokoland 1987-1960, Sanni H.A. Origin and Development of Eastern District of Lagos 1850-1972, Animashaun B.O. A History of the Idejo Political Institution in Lagos up to 2000.

    It is now obvious that the Ibadan University’s history department has definitely borrowed a leaf from their sister department of history of the University of Lagos in embracing relevance and applied history.

    The Lagos School must of course take care in not radically departing from its roots in historical scholarship and fall victim to what is new and fashionable. This warning is particularly apt in the area of biographies which is an area in which the University of Lagos department of history has blazed the trail and has continued to attract invitation by the worthy and unworthy Nigerians who want themselves celebrated in books. There is of course nothing wrong in scholarly biographies. Great historians like A.J.P. Taylor and Allan Bullock wrote great biographies during their time of pre-eminence in the historical firmament in England.

    Some may argue that what the Lagos School has done is not new and that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka when it was established offered combined honours courses in history and archaeology and that the twining of history with a related discipline at least in Nigeria is not new and certainly is not new in the Anglo-Saxon world and that it is even coming back in different versions in universities in America where history and conflict/peace studies, history and development studies, history and political science, history and philosophy are becoming quite fashionable. The criticism that young historians in those days levied against the Ibadan School of History about not being concerned with social and economic interpretations and about not being ideologically driven may not be relevant in the case of the Lagos School. In any case socialism which became fashionable in the 1960s and 1970s are on the wane following the collapse of the Soviet Union and communism generally. Nevertheless, the Lagos School must like Ibadan School embrace multi-disciplinary approach, and must ensure analytical rigour, without sacrificing what is central to the school which is relevance and intellectual adaptation. The breadth and scope of historical research in the department of history at the University of Lagos, takes on board issues of social, political and economic importance in the country. The crop of younger professors such as Ayo Olukoju, Bayo Lawal, Yomi Akinyeye, Taiwo Akinyele and Funke Adeboye are breaking into fields such as medical history, history of commerce and industry, sub ethnic nationalism, defence studies, international relations, women and gender studies with direct importance to the problems of development. Younger lecturers such as Omon Osiki has just returned with a doctorate from China and should put the department on the global map of Afro-Chinese studies which will become more and more relevant in the future predicted to see China emerge the greatest force in global economy.

  • School re-opens after poisonous gas scare

    The Lagos State Government has re-opened Ogba Junior Grammar School, Ogba, near Lagos, three weeks after its closure, following a poisonous emission that pervaded the school that left 13 students unconscious.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the school on Thursday, reports that academic activities were in top gear with students and teachers busy in classrooms.

    NAN observed that atmosphere at the school was calm with teachers busy teaching students.

    A source at the school, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NAN that the school re-opened on March 24.

    The source said that JSS 3 students resumed on March 24 while other students resumed on March 26.

    The source assured that everything was under control at the school and that the State Government and safety agencies were working round the clock to identify the source of the emission.

    NAN learnt that some officials of the Lagos State Safety and Emergency Protection Agency (LASEPA) were in the school from March 24 to March 25, to excavate some particles for their investigation.

    The source said that a block of classrooms which housed JSS 3 students and the principal’s office had been abandoned and that the students were moved to another block meant for JSS 1 and 2 students.

    According to the source, the school currently houses only JSS 3 students, while other students have been relocated to Ogba Primary School, pending the end of investigation.

    “The LASEPA officials were here; they did not disclose the nature of the particle exhumed from the school.

    “All the students are back in school; they are all happy and we are preparing them for their examinations next week.

    “We are fighting a situation we cannot see with our eyes, it is beyond us so we are praying to God to continue to protect us.

    “We want the State Government to help us identify the source of the emission, which is likely to be emanating from a nearby shopping complex which has about 109 shops.

    “The direction of the emission is where our JSS3 students and principal’s office is, it is strange because the incident happened when our students were in class,’’ the source said.

    The source commended the relentless efforts of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, LASEPA, Lagos State Safety Commission, LASEMA and other agencies for their determination to solve the problem.

    The source urged parents and the general public to help the government to identify the source of the emission and to sanction where necessary.

    NAN report that 13 students of the school collapsed on March 6, after inhaling an unidentified poisonous fume, discharged from one of the cottage factories at the Ogba Shopping Arcade.

    The school was temporarily shut down on March 7 by the authorities to allow for an investigation.

    NAN reports that the incident came four months after 25 students of the same school collapsed on Nov. 1, 2013 after inhaling an unidentified chemical.

  • Meadow Hall adopts Lagos school

    Meadow Hall adopts Lagos school

    TO complement government’s efforts in raising the standard of public schools in Lagos, Meadow Hall, Lekki through its Meadow Hall Foundation, has adopted Ilasan Primary School, Lekki through the School Adoption Programme (SAP).

    Speaking at the adoption of the school, Meadow Hall Director, Mrs Kehinde Nwani, said SAP is an initiative aimed at supporting government’s efforts to improve the standard of education in public schools.

    According to Nwani, the Foundation will assist the teaching-learning process of the adopted school. The first phase of the programme, Nwani said, began with the distribution of exercise books, stationery, teaching aids, instructional resources, and training of teachers in the school by Meadow Hall education consultants and posting of teachers who will explore 21st century learning strategies in the classroom.

    She called on the private sector to join hands with the government to enhance the education of children in public

    schools.

    Nwani said: “We must remember that all our children whether in private or public schools are expected to meet up with the demands of the 21st Century market place and be equipped with the relevant skills to do so effectively”.

    “It is important to focus on the Nigerian child who is the future of the nation whether they are in private or public schools,” she added.

    The Head Teacher of Ilasan Primary School, Mrs Agnes Ifeyemi, praised the Meadow’s initiative, noting that both staff and pupils are excited to work with Meadow Hall.

    The council’s Education Secretary Mr Lukman Taiwo, while also expressing gratitude, encouraged other organisations to emulate Meadow Hall.