The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Offa

  • Tension in Federal Poly Offa over rectorship

    Tension in Federal Poly Offa over rectorship

    There is palpable tension on the two campuses of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Offa local government of Kwara state over delay in the appointment of rector.

    While the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) and other unions of the institutions are rooting for one of the three recommended candidates from the interview conducted on March 21st this year for the post of rector, a group that christened itself Concerned Group said the exercise lacked credibility.

    This unsavory situation has made ASUP members and entire polytechnic community to urge the federal government to announce the substantive rector of the institution without delay.

    Addressing reporters on the mini campus of the polytechnic, the institution chair person of ASUP, Dr Sola Adeniyi wondered why the federal government is foot-dragging in announcing the rector.

    Said he: “The question is what is the basis for the lethargy on the part of the federal government in announcing the rector. ASUP has spoken, NASU has spoken, SUG has spoken. All other voices are noises that federal government should in the interest of peace and industrial harmony at the polytechnic should stop listening to.

    “We wish to reiterate that the process produced the three recommended candidates from screening,  shortlisting and interview are credible; due processes were followed and the results are acceptable to us in the polytechnic.

    “The interview was conducted by chartered professional and experts; and chaired by the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education. The Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), two representatives of the Federal Character Commission, two democratically elected representatives of the academic board of the polytechnic and representatives of all other relevant agencies concerned were on the panel of the interview.

    “The interview panel has done a good job. As such the exercise has been variously described as credible, free and fair. One of the three recommended candidates has been acting in the capacity of rector since February since 2016, apart from her impressive credentials, she has been acting creditably well.

    “Federal Polytechnic Offa has been enjoying peace and witnessing since the past eight years and even presently.”

  • Offa unites for Saraki, Apc

    Offa unites for Saraki, Apc

    The people of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State have are backing the All Progressive Congress (APC) led by Senator Bukola Saraki. They described it as their party of choice in the general elections.

    The people declared their support for APC, during the party leader’s visit to the Olofa’s palace. They were led by the former governor and Chairman of Senate Committee on Ecology.

    Addressing the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, high chiefs of Offa and environs and community leaders at the palace, Saraki urged his audience to reflect on the state of the nation by assessing issues ranging from the economy, insecurity and youth unemployment.

    Saraki called on Nigerians to refrain from politics of personal interests, ethnic or religious affiliations urging the people not to make the mistake of voting for any PDP candidate in the general elections because the party has not done anything for the people of Kwara in the last six years of President Jonathan’s leadership. He alleged that the nation’s funds are being mismanaged by the ruling party without accountability.

    Saraki asked the audience to indicate, if indeed they were happy with the PDP government led by Dr.  Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said that the present administration has dwindled Federal allocation which has made it impossible for states to embark on major projects.

    Also speaking at the event, the Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed commended the people of Offa for being very supportive. Ahmed said in spite of daunting national challenges and falling federal allocation which has destabilized many states, Kwara has been lucky in managing its resources by paying workers’ salaries adequately and embarking on major projects, including the General Hospitals in Ilorin, Offa, Omu Aran, Share and Kaiama, which were constructed by his administration.

    Ahmed emphasized the need for all and sundry to vote for all APC candidates at national and state levels in order to rescue Nigeria from the falling state and reset the nation on the right path.

    Oba Gbadamosi decried the present state of the nation. He said: “Offa people are well informed, they are not naïve of the ongoing state of the nation. I want to assure you to put your mind at rest because Offa people are set for change and united for the APC. When you leave the palace and see the crowd awaiting you at the campaign ground, you will be certain that Offa people are for the APC” he said.

    After departing from Offa, Saraki also led the Kwara APC campaign team to Erin Ile and Ijagbo where the party was received by a large crowd. He assured Kwarans that more developments will be witnessed in Kwara if the APC wins at the presidential level.

    The event was witnessed by the Kwara deputy governor Elder Peter Kisira, Speaker Hon. Razak Atunwa, Hon. Rafiu Ibrahim among other government officials.

     

  • Offa unites for Saraki, Apc

    Offa unites for Saraki, Apc

    The people of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State have thrown their weight behind the All Progressive Congress (APC) led by Senator Bukola Saraki. They described it as their party of choice in the general elections.

    The people declared their support for APC during the party leader’s visit to the Olofa’s palace. They were led by the former governor and Chairman of Senate Committee on Ecology, Senator Saraki.

    Addressing the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, high chiefs of Offa and environs and community leaders at the palace, Saraki urged the audience to reflect on the current state of the nation by assessing issues ranging from the economy, insecurity, youth unemployment.

    Saraki called on Nigerians to refrain from politics of personal interests, ethnic or religious affiliations urging the people not to make the mistake of voting for any PDP candidate in the general elections because the party has not done anything for the people of Kwara in the last six years of President Jonathan’s leadership. He alleged that the nation’s funds are being mismanaged by the ruling party without accountability.

    Saraki asked the audience to indicate, if indeed they were happy with the PDP government led by Dr.  Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said that the present administration has dwindled Federal allocation which has made it impossible for states to embark on major projects.

    Also speaking at the event, the Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed commended the people of Offa for being very supportive. Ahmed said in spite of daunting national challenges and falling federal allocation which has destabilized many states, Kwara has been lucky in managing its resources by paying workers’ salaries adequately and embarking on major projects, including the General Hospitals in Ilorin, Offa, Omu Aran, Share and Kaiama, which were constructed by his administration.

    Ahmed emphasized the need for all and sundry to vote for all APC candidates at national and state levels in order to rescue Nigeria from the falling state and reset the nation on the right path.

    Oba Gbadamosi decried the present state of the nation. He said: “Offa people are well informed, they are not naïve of the ongoing state of the nation. I want to assure you to put your mind at rest because Offa people are set for change and united for the APC. When you leave the palace and see the crowd awaiting you at the campaign ground, you will be certain that Offa people are for the APC” he said.

    After departing from Offa, Saraki also led the Kwara APC campaign team to Erin Ile and Ijagbo where the party was received by a large crowd. He assured Kwarans that more developments will be witnessed in Kwara if the APC wins at the presidential level.

    The event was witnessed by the Kwara deputy governor Elder Peter Kisira, Speaker Hon. Razak Atunwa, Hon. Rafiu Ibrahim among other government officials.

     

  • Rumour causes stir at OFFA POLY

    There was pandemonium  last Friday at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) when reports got to the campus that policemen had killed two students.

    It was, however, confirmed that the students, who are in ND 1 Accounting, were injured and are in a hospital in Offa Government Reserved Area (GRA). The students’ names and numbers could not be ascertained at the press time.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the victims were on their way to the polytechnic’s permanent site in Ojoku in the wee hours when a commercial bus called “Korope” being chased by policemen hit the motorcyle they were riding. The students, according to witnesses, were flung into the bush.

    When report got to students on campus, activities were disrupted as they took to the streets in protest. The Students’ Union Government (SUG) officials made efforts to douse the tension but the students were adamant, demanding justice for their injured colleagues.

    Efforts by the Dean Students’ Affairs, Mr. L.A Adeyemi, to calm the angry students were futile. The Dean, in a statement, said: “This is to inform the entire student that the two students that sustained injuries during the accident that happened on their way to permanent site on Friday are alive and they are responding very well to treatment.

    “I also want to use this medium to clarify that no life was lost during or after the accident. Students are hereby enjoined to shun rumour and face their studies squarely and avoid any acts that can prolong the semester unnecessarily.”

    A police officer, who did not give his name, urged students to find out correct information about event before reacting.

    “This matter is as a result of misunderstanding between the police and students. The policemen did not kill anyone, they were just doing lawful job,” he said.

     

  • Court suspends proceedings in Offa

    Court suspends proceedings in Offa

    The Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, suspended yesterday all proceedings and applications on the Olofa of Offa stool.

    The appellate court had in July, last year, declared illegal the selection and installation of Anilelerin candidate, Mohammed Mufutau Gbadamosi, as the Olofa of Offa.

    Olugbense and Anilelerin are the two ruling houses in the ancient town.

    But the monarch immediately appealed the judgment at the Supreme Court and filed a motion at the Appeal Court for a stay of execution and injunction, pending the outcome of the apex court’s judgment.

    The Olugbense ruling house opposed the application and petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), expressing lack of confidence in the panel.

    This warranted the setting up of a new panel of justices headed by A.G. Mshelia. Members include Justices A. Jauro and R.N. Pemu.

    During the first sitting of the new panel of justices on Tuesday, the lead counsel to the Olugbense ruling house, John Bayeshea, represented by Toyin Oladipo, told the court that they had filed a notice of “pendency of motion before the Supreme Court”.

    He said: “The motion is essentially to stay all the proceedings in the Court of Appeal and remove the appending applications from the Appeal Court to the Supreme Court.”

    The notice is titled: “Notice of pendency of an application before the Supreme Court.”

    But the lead counsel to the kingmakers and Gbadamosi, Yusuf Ali (SAN) and Lawal Rabana (SAN), told the court of their preliminary objection to the notice, citing Order 7 (1) of the Appeal Court.

    A unanimous judgment prepared by Justice Jauro and presented by Justice Pemu said the applicants’ “pendency of motion before the Supreme Court” is not an application necessitating compliance with Order 7 (1) of the Appeal Court.

    She said: “This court is a court of law and equity. This court hereby puts on hold all applications and proceedings before it, pending the determination of all applications before the Supreme Court.”

  • Seven policemen, three others killed in Offa

    Seven policemen, three others killed in Offa

    •Stray bullets kill two in Ilorin

    The police in Kwara State yesterday said 10 people died in the robbery at Offa, Offa Local Government Area.

    A breakdown of the casualty figure showed that seven of the victims were police officers and three civilians.

    Thirty robbery suspects last Thursday attacked four banks and the divisional police station, Owode.

    Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the Commissioner of Police, Agboola Oshodi-Glover, said: “The injured are in the hospital.

    “This is not the first time there will be robbery in the country or any part of the world, we must continue to work together and see that we prevent a recurrence.

    “ We have set up a new Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit in Offa and Omu-Aran areas.

    “We have deployed two patrol teams of ‘Operation Harmony’ there.

    “We also increased the number of mobile policemen in that area.

    “But we want to appeal to the people not to be discouraged. They must rise up with us.

    “We are all Nigerians; we must fight crime together. Even though those people came with arms, God is with us.

    “We will continue to strategise and the people should assist us to demobilise criminals.

    “The people in Offa and Omu-Aran should help. Offa people are mighty men of war they should please help us. We will also fight with them.”

    Oshodi-Glover added: “The command sympathises with the families of the deceased.

    “The command wishes to assure the people that the police will not rest, until this gang is brought to book.

    “The command assures the people that their safety is guaranteed.

    “I also want to appeal to our banks that the police will continue to work with them.

    In Ilorin, police stray bullet has killed two persons.

    It was gathered that about 11:40am yesterday, a police patrol van was chasing a car at Oja-Oba, but the driver did not stop.

    The police officers reportedly shot at him, but the bullets were said to have hit the victims.

    The deceased were said to be cleaners at the Ilorin Central Mosque.

    One of them was a resident of Idi-Ape, while the other was strolling on the mosque walkway.

    The incident was said to have occurred in front of a bank.

    An eyewitness said: “The bank management ordered the closure of its gates but I was lucky to escape.

    “But outside the bank, I saw one cleaner lying inside the mosque and his colleagues were weeping.

    “Another one was killed on the walkway. The area was deserted. The officers inside the patrol van disappeared.”

    The Command’s spokesperson, Femi Fabode, said: “I heard that there was shooting but I am yet to get the details.

    “Before the day runs out, I should be able to give you the details.”

  • ‘PDP can never win in Offa’

    Pro-democracy activist and Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) Mr. Ayo Opadokun spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on the local government election crisis in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) complained that KWSIEC did not announce the authentic result of the local government election in Offa council. What is your reaction?

    We knew, ahead of time, that what happened was going to happen. It was predictable because the power menders and grabbers, who are governing Kwara State in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have no regards for democracy, its value and culture. They are carrying on in their usual ways – repressive, intolerant of opposing views and have made sufficient efforts to trample on the fundamental rights of our people. So, the verdict of the election, was totally in agreement with expectation, that the so called election was conducted for them to totally sack the only opposing party in the local government in Kwara State.

    What they did in Offa, at that election, has an historical dimension. It is historical in the crisis between Offa and Ilorin.

    If you see them doing what they are doing today, it is still a continuation of the struggle of quite a long time ago. We suspected that they were going to rig.

    So, we advised the progressives, who are in control of the 99 per cent of our people, who will vote against them any day, not to allow it subsists. The PDP can never win in Offa. So, that election was to be used in subjugating Offa, they wanted to ensure that the only local government that was being governed by the progressives was taken over and converted into their local pigeon hole. Unfortunately, the characters cannot understand that the global community today has enough technological apparatus, not only to record events as they are happening, even on video and not only on voice but to capture whatever has taken place accurately.

    From all intelligence reports that I have gathered, the progressives ensured that the people came out to vote, monitored and recorded it. They did the right thing by ensuring that votes were recorded and the electoral officers signed at the various polling units. And they gave copies to the agents of the parties, so at the end of the day before five o’clock everything had been completed. But then the electoral officer, who ought to have made the pronouncement, absconded.

    A councillorship candidate from the PDP said he did not win the election in his ward. Is this enough proof?

    It is the same thing I am talking about. Today, a lot of funny things we used to do like falsifying figures and writing whatever results we feel like and asking you to go to court or tribunals will be extremely difficult now. The media covered it; the APC had over 11,000 votes out of the 12 wards, while the PDP had 4,000 plus votes. How can you now announce the loser as the winner. I am confident that the people will go to court and present the accurate report, but I must let you know that, I am speaking to you from three different perspectives of what I represent. I am speaking in my capacity as the conveners of the Coalition of Electoral Reform (CODER); the main objective of CODER is to ensure that every vote counts, every vote did not count in Offa Local Government. I am speaking also as a political activist, who has devoted a greater portion of my adulthood, working for the entrenchment of the freedom of everybody.

    I am also speaking to you as a proud son of Offa; my father was the Ojomo of Offa for 25 years. He died in 2000. My people are not in the habit of surrendering to despotic offers and allurement. You will always have Judases in any community. You will always have characters, who can sell out, but they are in minority. So, I am totally disturbed that in this century, that people can still go this way. It is not funny because, I listened to some of their rationalisation. They say PDP people won in some local governments in Lagos State and they were not given, so why should their own be different?

    They have a point but I do remind them that they have not provided any conclusive evidence to prove the point they are making. In this case of Offa, I am confidend, that the people will provide concrete evidence, to prove that PDP, unreasonably rigged the election and did not win. They should not, under any illusion, imagine that they can get away with it as they have done in the past. It has been the nature of the power menders in Kwara State to falsify election results. I am confident that having regards to the information we now have and the way Offa people have reacted, I know that the APC people will want to use all legal and constitutional means to get their rights, that have been trampled upon by these elements, who are undemocratic and intolerant of opposing views. I must say that time is running out against them and they better watch it.

    Can it be said APC is not popular, going by the declaration of KWSIEC?

    I don’t think we should assess the party with this election, why? Against everything, the Justice Mohammadu Uwais Electoral Reform recommended, that the sitting executive, should not appoint the electoral umpire, whether at the state or national level, it has not been heeded. What this amounts to is that, one of the contestants appointed the electoral umpire. Surely, he is very likely going to be favoured during the elections. Therefore, how can you expect genuine result, how do you expect that an opposing political party, that wants power can defeat the person who appoints the umpire? The Justice Uwais panel said the executive in office should not appoint the electoral empire. So, from day one, you can predict what will happen. That cannot be a sensible yardstick to measure the capacity of any of the political parties. If all the political parties are taken on the same pedestal and then they could not win, then you can adjudge them from this position. Now, one of the contestants has appointed the judge. Will you appoint somebody that is not favourable to you? That is the issue. It has been on the pages of newspapers, the people they normally appoint to oversee the state electoral offices are card carrying members of the ruling parties.

    But this is obtained in all the states…

    I am saying, as the convener of CODER, that it is wrong in the first place. It will not help our electoral system in organising a free and fair election. The recommendation of CODER is the total acceptance of the recommendation of the Justice Uwais electoral reform, which states that no sitting executive should appoint the electoral commission, which is the umpire. And that the National Judicial Council (NJC), should be the body that invites the applicants, who want to be in offices, to apply.

  • Gathering cloud in Offa

    Gathering cloud in Offa

    •Kwara electoral commission has questions to answer

    The political logjam in Offa local government council of Kwara State, following the August 31 elections has called attention once again to the danger that poll manipulation poses to growth and development. Since the results were announced on September 1, protests have rocked the state, as the aggrieved parties have mobilised their supporters, calling for an upturn of the outcome as announced by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC. Chairman of the commission, Dr. Uthman Ajidagba, announced that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Abdulwaheed Olanipekun polled 35,937 votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Saheed Popoola’s 20,161. PDP’s candidates in the 12 wards in the council were equally declared winners.

    While the PDP and its candidates promptly accepted the result as authentic and thanked the electorate for reposing confidence in them, Popoola and his supporters rejected it as fraudulent, false and unacceptable. Since then, there have been fears that Offa, a town prone to violent response to such development, could erupt again. The opposition APC said the figures credited to the two parties were false as the actual votes were far less than those declared by Dr. Ajidagba.

    This could have passed for one of those ridiculous moments when politicians merely trade blames and insults but for the twist added by Kamarudeen Olalekan who claimed to have been declared winner of the councillorship election in the South West ward. Olalekan said his conscience would not allow him accept the unearned victory as the APC candidate won convincingly. This is unusual.

    Even though the PDP has disowned Olalekan who was described as a hired agent of the APC, having allegedly defected to the ACN in 2011, the development has further called to question the role that the KWASIEC played in the conduct of the election. Is the commission an impartial arbiter? Did Dr. Ajidagba and his team perform the role assigned them by the constitution without fear or favour?

    The antecedents of the commission cannot inspire confidence in anyone. The Justice Ibrahim Yusuf-led appeal tribunal that sat on the petition on the conduct of the 2011 election said of the commission: “The manner the commission handled the election was worrisome. It did a shoddy job. The two local government elections of October 30, 2010 and January 12, 2011 were conducted in violation of the state’s Electoral Law as amended.”

    On August 31, elections were conducted and the candidates list is being disputed. This is a show of shame and demonstration of incompetence on the part of the electoral commission that has kept funereal silence despite the loud protests. This is a replay of the 2011 senatorial election in Anambra State where the PDP went to the polls without the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) knowing the valid candidates of the party. It was left for the courts to sort out.

    Victors in electoral contests are quick to challenge losers to take their cases to the tribunals, knowing that they would have been sworn in and would thus enjoy the advantage of incumbency during the pendency of the matter. The issues to be resolved in the Offa rerun dispute are not just legal, but political, moral and sociological. Questions being asked the electoral commission are: Whose name was on the candidates list for the Shawo South West Ward released before the election? Whose name was on the official results list announced and published by the commission? Were the results authenticated by agents of both parties in the 12 wards?

    And, for the PDP, how did it sweep the polls in a council known to be the stronghold of the opposition at a time that the ruling party is in disarray?

    Unfortunately, having declared the results with the beneficiaries sworn in, the electoral commission is likely to hide behind legal technicalities in claiming that only a validly constituted tribunal could look into grievances. The commission and parties should note that confidence in the electoral process is the only antidote to breakdown of law and order. If the electorate is made to believe that justice is unavailable, voters may resort to self help; which is dangerous.

  • Protests rock Kwara over Offa rerun results

    Protests rock Kwara over Offa rerun results

    There were massive protests yesterday in Kwara State following the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Abdulwaheed Olanipekun, as the winner of the last Saturday’s Offa Local Government rerun.

    The protesters, who poured onto the major streets of Offa, the headquarters of the local government area, and Ilorin, the state capital, demanded the official results of the election.

    The protests in Ilorin were led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, including former chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state, Comrade Sola Iji; the Campaign Director of the ACN governorship candidate in 2011, Dr Sa’ad Omoya; Otunba Iyiola Oyedepo; Mohammed Dele Belgore’s running mate, Joshua Adeyinka and Rev. Bunmi Olusona.

    The peaceful rally began at 10am at the former Congress for Progressive Change’s (CPC)’s office on Offa Road.

    The protestors marched through the road via Flower Garden to the late General Abdulkarim Adisa Street in the GRA. They came out at the popular Fate Road before berthing at the KWSIEC headquarters on the road.

    Heavily armed riot policemen, with their Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), kept watch at the gate.

    The inscriptions on some of the placards read: “We want out to collect our mandate”; “We demand justice”; “Yoo le koko lote yi”(It would be difficult this time); “Ajidagba is playing with death”; “All we are saying, give us our mandate”; “Ajidagba, ole, Barawo, thief”.

    Addressing reporters, Comrade Iji said the protestors were at the KWSIEC headquarters to reject the results.

    He said: “If you have been following events of Saturday till yesterday and this morning, you will discover that the local government election, which was held in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday, the results were not announced at the polling units. The results were collated at all the 12 wards. We approached the local government collation centres, where we expected that the results collated at the wards would be collated for final announcement of the winner of the election.

    “Unfortunately, the Returning Officer, who is the Local Government Electoral Officer of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC), just disappeared. He absconded. We waited there till about 10pm before the materials were moved to the headquarters of KWSIEC in Ilorin that night.

    “We met with the Chairman of KWSIEC, Dr Uthman Ajidagba; he feigned ignorance. He said he didn’t know where the electoral officer was and some of his junior officers. We met with the chairman and about three or four other officers of the commission. They promised that the result would be announced. They said we should return on Sunday morning by 10am. But surprisingly, by around 5am, we started hearing from Kwara Radio the same KWSIEC chairman announcing the false results.

    “It was not in his place to announce any result. The results ought to be announced at the point where the collation ought to have been concluded, which is the local government headquarters of KWSIEC. So, for him to assume illegally the responsibility of the Returning Officer for the election in a local government is not acceptable.

    “We have rejected the results because he knew they were not the results of the election conducted in Offa on Saturday. So, we are here to register our protest, to tell the world that KWSIEC has started on a journey it cannot foretell because our party, the APC, will not accept it.”

    A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, tweeted yesterday: “The APC won the election in Offa (on Saturday). Sadly, it has been announced that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won. If this happens in the 2015 election, Nigeria will burn.”

    The tweet has since provoked widespread comments, with some hailing the politician’s “patriotic” tweet and others cautioning against violence.

    Prominent twitter handles from Kwara, led by @kwhistleblower and @fynebony, have dubbed the Offa rerun fiasco as Ajidagbagate, named after the KWSIEC chairman, Dr Uthman Ajidagba.

    A group, Kwara New Initiatives, said Kwara State, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to prevail on the state government to correct the electoral heist..

    In a statement, the group’s Coordinator, Mr. Atolagbe Ayansola said: “The Radio Kwara announcement of the fake results is delusional, criminal and out of tune with democratic norms and civility.”

     

  • Private poly opens in Offa

    IN September, the first private polytechnic in Northern Nigeria, Graceland Polytechnic, will come on board, its proprietress Mrs Ayodele Oyeleke has said.

    Addressing the 10 graduating pupils of Oyeleke Memorial College Offa, Mrs Oyeleke said this year’s set of graduands will be the last to graduate from the present site as the institution will be converted to a private polytechnic following an approval from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the regulatory body for polytechnics.

    She added that existing pupils of the full boarding school will be moved to a facility in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) Offa which, would henceforth be the new abode of the college.

    Mrs Oyeleke, who said she would also be the proprietress of the new institution, thanked parents and workers for supporting the college in the 2012/2013 academic session. She charged the graduating pupils to be well behaved, godly and good ambassadors of their alma mater.

    The guest speaker, Prof Abimbola Adesanoye advised parents to give Sex Education to children to reduce the menace of H.I.V/Aids and unwanted pregnancy. He urged parents not to shy away from this subject as ignorance on the part of many school children has been claiming their lives.

    Adesanoye also advised the parents to visit the school regularly so they can contribute significantly to the academic progress of their wards.

    “They must not leave their responsibilities for the school to perform,” he said.

    Adesanoye also said since the upbringing of the children is a shared responsibility, the government, parents, teachers, churches and peer-groups all have important roles to play in the training of the children.

    According to him, It is also important for government to fund education properly and pay teachers promptly and adequately. He urged teachers to be committed to their duty, show deep interest in the academic progress of the children, and update their knowledge constantly.