The battle line appears drawn between the Ekiti State government and the Catholic Church over tax imposed on pupils in schools owned by the Mission.
The Ayo Fayose-led administration has insisted that the N1,000 and N500 Development Levy imposed on pupils in private and public primary and secondary schools has come to stay.
The government maintained that mission schools will not be given preference treatment over other schools and that “no other body besides the Federal and state government has power to make policies concerning the operation of both private and public schools in the country.”
Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, had declared the intent of the church to file a court action to stop the imposition of the levy on pupils in its schools which he said are paying various taxes to government coffers.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Jide Egunjobi, who said this in a statement yesterday, claimed that seven schools owned by the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti State had already complied with the government policy by paying the development levy, dismissing the threat to sue the government by the Catholic Diocese.
He said: ”It is wrong for any organisation to claim that it has its own education policy that is different from that of the state and that no law empowers the government to impose education development levy on pupils of mission schools in Ekiti State.
”Christ The King Catholic College, Ire; St. Theresa‘s Catholic School, Ikole ;Ave Maria International College, Osun; St. Joseph‘s Nursery/Primary School, Ado; Immaculate Nursery/Primary School, Ilupeju; St. Philip Catholic Nursery/Primary School, Otun and St. Louis Nursery/Primary School, Ikere have all complied with the government directive on the development levy,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that mission schools owned by the Anglican Diocesan, Christ Apostolic Church, Apostolic Faith, Baptist Church, Deeper Life and Muslim Societies have paid the levy.
“It has become necessary that we correct the impression the press conference addressed by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, on the payment of Education Development Levy in Ekiti State was meant to create.
“In some states, crèche fee, back duty levy, entertainment or merriment levy and others levies are collected from schools and mission schools are not exempted.
“Whether or not mission schools should be treated differently does not even arise because other most of the mission schools in the State have paid the development levy. Even the Catholic Diocese that is threatening legal action, seven of its schools have paid.”
The Rotary Club of Omole-Golden under District 9110, Nigeria, on Wednesday last week, distributed school bags to about 200 pupils of Iju Station Primary School 2.
The initiative, according to the President of the Club, Mr. Idowu Adelogun, is a continuation of the Club’s investment on eradication of illiteracy and support of public school pupils in their quest for quality education.
He informed the guests at the event that the club also handed over a block of classrooms rehabilitated through contributions by members of the club to Ajuwon High School on Friday, April 8, 2016.
The club also carried out de-worming of over 400 pupils of Iju Primary School 1 and 2, as part of the interventions to ensure good health and well-being of the pupils.
The President also mentioned other interventions carried out by the club within the community to include provision of micro-credit facilities for 20 entrepreneurs and support for Polio eradication.
Members of the club also educated the pupils on the negative effect of sexual and drug abuses. The pupils were counselled on the need to report any cases of abuse and stay away from drugs.
The Headmistress of the School, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olabunmi Odedeyi expressed delight over the club’s gesture for the pupils of the school.
She stated that the pupils were also happy for receiving school bags which most of them lack.
The event was attended by members of the club, social mobilisation officials; the zone’s education officers from Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Area, teachers and community leaders.
Two pupils were on Friday flung out of their school bus at Costain roundabout, Iponri, in Lagos.
The pupils were said to have hit their heads on the road after being thrown out of the bus driven by the school proprietor, Mr Ekezie Augustine.
Seunfunmi Oseni (4) and Amira Otegbola (6) are lying critically ill at Brickfield Medical Clinic on 15, Ademuyiwa Road, Ebute Meta.
The Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has handed Angustine, who runs New Vine International School at Mushin, over to Iponri Divisional Traffic Officer (DTO) for prosecution.
According to Augustine, the 20 children were coming from the National Theatre, Iganmu when the door of the hired Danfo bus suddenly opened while negotiating the roundabout.
Oseni and Otegbola have been referred to a radiology on Ogunlana Drive in Surulere for brain scan before further treatment.
According to an official of the Brickfield Medical Centre, “the boy Seunfunmi sustained more injuries. There are lot of bruises on his head and leg. He has not walked since he was brought here. We fear he has injured his legs too. He is always folding it and he prefers to be carried.
The source added that the pupils were prevented from taken liquid because of the fear of internal injuries.
Three teachers of the school were reported to be inside the bus.
PUPILS of Queensland Academy, Okota, Lagos last week enjoyed the rare privilege of meeting the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in his palace during a four-day excursion.
Proprietress of the school, Mrs. Adenike Okudor, said the excursion tagged: “Know your country”, was to help participants understand their cultural heritage.
The monarch, who encouraged them the pupils to study hard, also urged them to learn about their cultures and their parents’ home lands.
Oba Ogunwusi conducted them round his palace, showing them interesting things, including a mysterious well, which he said from history is regarded as the first wife of every man who eventually becomes the Ooni.
“This water is the wife of everybody who becomes Ooni in Ife. You can’t see her but I do. She is beautiful and nice. It is the wife of our great grandfather that turned into water after she was offended and we must respect her because we inherited her in the palace,” he said.
He advised school owners to include value for African culture in their curriculum, noting that civilisation started from Africa, and so African culture, which he described as ‘the richest in the world’ should not be neglected.
He said: “It is one of my plans to create awareness about our cultural heritage from primary to secondary school and even to the tertiary institutions.
“This is important because we are losing values and we must encourage our children to preserve it.
“We need to understand where we hail from and the culture we are practising very well. We also need to derive joy in African culture because development started here.
“There are proper documentations that show that development started from Africa. We need to preserve this heritage. I also want to encourage you to aggressively embark on domestic tourism for our children to know that we have good things in Africa.
“Children, If you are from Igbo land, make sure you understand Igbo culture, same with Hausa and Yoruba.
“I want you to understand that you are all Nigerians and we are one. We should be proud of our heritage. If we are proud of our continent, we won’t be regarded as second class citizens of the world.”
Earlier, a Director of the school, Mr. Segun Akinyelure, who spoke on behalf of Mrs Okudor, said the visit was to establish a relationship with the monarch especially in the area of agriculture.
He said the school chose Osun for excursion in the Southwest because it is one of the states certified by UNESCO for agricultural development and tourism in Nigeria.
“The school is also trying to help pupils know their culture and where they come from. Some of them have travelled far and wide but they don’t really understand their culture. They have gone on excursion to Europe and USA but this time around, we felt it is good for them to know their culture.
An SS 1 pupil, Favour Ifechukwu-Okafor, was awed by the cultural artefacts.
“The kabiyesi has demonstrated high level of understanding on how to encourage children.
“He taught us how to secure a prosperous and fulfilling future. The most amazing thing is that of the mysterious water he showed us. It is an unforgettable experience. When I get home, I will tell my parents, friends and family to ensure they also visit here for more enlightenment about our culture,” she said.
PUPILS of Queensland Academy, Okota, Lagos last week enjoyed the rare privilege of meeting the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi in his palace during a four-day excursion.
Proprietress of the school, Mrs. Adenike Okudor, said the excursion tagged: ‘Know your country’, was to help participants understand their cultural heritage.
For the pupils, the experience would linger in their memory for a long time.
The monarch, who encouraged them to study hard, also urged them to learn about their cultures and their parents’ home lands.
Oba Ogunwusi conducted them round his palace, showing them interesting things, including a mysterious well, which he said from history is regarded as the first wife of every man who eventually becomes the Ooni.
“This water is the wife of everybody who becomes Ooni in Ife. You can’t see her but I do see her. She is beautiful and nice. It is the wife of our great grandfather that turned out to be the water after she was offended and we must respect her because we inherited her in the palace,” he said.
He advised school owners to include value for African culture in their curriculum, noting that civilisation started from Africa, and so African culture, which he described as ‘the richest in the world’ should not be neglected.
Oba Ogunwusi, however, regretted that Africans are losing their values daily and challenged the youngsters to preserve them.
He said: “It is one of my plans to create awareness about our cultural heritage from primary to secondary school and even to the tertiary institutions.
“This is important because we are losing values and we must encourage our children to preserve it.
“We need to understand where we hail from and the culture we are practising very well. We also need to derive joy in African culture because development started here. Africa is the oldest continent in the world.
“There are proper documentation that shows that development started from Africa. We need to preserve this heritage. I also want to encourage you to aggressively embark on domestic tourism for our children to know that we have good things in Africa.
“Children, I want to beg you for a favour: make sure you understand the culture of your tribe very well.
“If you are from Igbo land, make sure you understand Igbo culture. If you are from Hausa, make sure you understand Hausa culture, and if you are Yoruba, make sure you learn Yoruba cultural heritage very well. That is who you are and what you should stand for.
“I want you to understand that you are all Nigerians and we are one. We should be proud of our heritage. If we are proud of our continent, we won’t be regarded as second class citizens of the world.”
Earlier, a Director of the school, Mr. Segun Akinyelure, who spoke on behalf of Mrs Okudor, said the visit was to establish a relationship with the monarch especially in the area of agriculture.
He said the school chose Osun for excursion in the Southwest because it is one of the states certified by UNESCO for agricultural development and tourism in Nigeria.
He said the school’s mission is to promote tourism and agriculture and inculcate self-reliance in the pupils early in life.
“The school is also trying to help the pupils know their culture and where they come from. Some of them have travelled far and wide but they don’t really understand their culture. They have gone on excursion to Europe and USA but this time around, we felt it is good for them to know their culture. We also want to know how we can partner with Kabiyesi in the area of agriculture.
An SS 1 pupil, Favour Ifechukwu-Okafor, was awed by the cultural artifacts.
“The kabiyesi has demonstrated high level of understanding on how to encourage children.
“He taught us how to secure a prosperous and fulfilling future. The most amazing thing is that of the mysterious water he showed us. It is an unforgettable experience. When I get home, I will tell my parents, friends and family to ensure they also visit here for more enlightenment about our culture,” she said.
Former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi has lifted the spirits of pupils of Crowther Memorial College, Umuikwu Anam, in Anambra West Local Government Area of the state. On a visit to the school, Mr Obi presented the authorities with N1m cheque, a gesture which excited the pupils and the school authorities.
The former governor did more than that. He also provided mentorship and leadership, asking the pupils to pray not just for themselves and their teachers, but also the state and the country.
Presenting the cheque to the school after inspecting their facilities, including a computer classroom and library, Obi said that the visit was in fulfillment of the promise to the proprietor of the school, Bishop Benry Okeke of the Anglican Diocese of Mbamili, that he would remain part of the progress of the school.
Obi commended the bishop for the positive ways through which he touches the lives of the people in that rural community and called on men of goodwill to assist him in any way possible.
“The last time I visited the school as governor, the building was just started. I am delighted that the school is completed. I urge Nigerians to assist you because you are indeed working for God through serving His people.
The Bishop who described Mr. Obi as a lover of the Diocese, called on other leaders to emulate his love for education and the manner he tirelessly work for the advancement of humanity.
Pupils of Doregos Private Academy set the mini-stadium of St Bernadette Primary School, Egbeda, Lagos, ablaze with their impressive performance during the school’s 15th biennial inter-house sports competition.
The competition featured various track and field events including March past, sprints and relay races which showcased the creativity and talents of the pupils. Parents were not left out as they also participated in a fruit race during which they picked various fruits on the field into baskets. The fastest fruit picker won.
After an exciting day in the sun, Doregos (Green) House won the competition with 15 gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals. Ogunsina (Yellow) House came second with 10 gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze; Wosilola (Purple) House was third with eight gold, eight silver and 10 bronze medals; while Abeke (Red) Housecame fourth with five gold, 10 silver and six bronze medals.
House prefect of Doregos House, Lanre Ogungbemi was happy his house won. He attributed it to hard work on the part of the pupils.
“I feel very happy because I have been praying and working for this success. We really worked hard. The last inter-house sports, Abeke won and we came second. But we were inspired to work hard,” he said.
Best Female Athlete in the competition, Akachi Osuji, won three medals. She said she was grateful for the sports platform, which helped her to discover her talent.
Founder of the school, Mrs Clementina Doregos, said in an interview that the pupils – both athletes and spectators benefited immensely from the sporting activity which promoted their physical and mental wellbeing.
“It promotes unity; it helps to see the whole body is physically okay; it helps the brain. Once the body is fit and the brain is alive, you are able to think and reason very well. That is the most important thing. It is not a matter of coming first,” she said.
In her remarks, the school’s administrator, Mrs Olufunmi Ogunsi, also underscored the importance of sports in achieving youth empowerment.
“Organising sporting events such as this, is providing avenues for identifying talents for greater development and growth, as excellence in sports has become a veritable pathway to youth empowerment, achievements, fame and prosperity,” she said.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) is seeking to shore up the number of its members by inspiring pupils to take up accountancy and going all the way to becoming chartered accountants.
According to the ICAN chairman of Minna District, Mr. Victor Onoche, the current number of chartered accountants in the country which has risen to 40,000 is not enough to cope with the population of the economy as the volume of work has become too much for them to handle.
Addressing students drawn from various schools in Niger South Senatorial District in ICAN’s Catch Them Young Programme at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Onoche said that the institution wants to get the young ones to join the profession for the benefit of the economy.
“There is no business in this world, both in the public and private sector that can go on without the participation or contribution of an accountant. Every business collects and disburse money, so we need accountants to help. We are not talking about just an accountant but professionally qualified accountants.”
He said that the idea of the Catch Them Young Programme is to sensitize the young ones especially at the secondary school level in order to join the accountancy profession generally and ICAN in particular and to promote a platform for socio-academic interaction among various secondary school students.
Onoche said that currently, the institution has not less than 150,000 registered students at various stages of the qualifying professional examinations.
He however said that the accountancy profession is a disciplined profession that is not for lazy people with doubtful characters while highlighting various qualities a professional accountant must have to play his roles efficiently and effectively.
He then gave the students an insight into what the accountancy profession entails and the benefits of becoming an ICAN certified chartered accountants adding that it is open to students in any discipline.
A paper presentation on ‘The Roadmap to Becoming a Chartered Accountant’ and Motivational talks were given to the students while the students were given the floor to ask questions about ICAN and accountancy.
Secondary schools from Kateregi, Agaie, Bida, Edati, Enagi, Lapai, Lemu, Badegi, Kutigi and Lemu in Niger South Senatorial District attended the programme.
If the pupils of Ago Owu Primary School on Market Lane, Shogunle, a Lagos suburb, are to make a list of their favourite morning duties, it is most unlikely that packing human faeces would be one of them. That, however, is a duty they have had to perform on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, they do not start lessons until the authorities are sure that they have packed all the faeces generated by hoodlums who have turned the school into their colony.
The hoodlums either defecate directly on the floor of the classrooms or wrap their faeces in nylons and drop them in the pupils’ lockers, making the environment messy and unhygienic for learning. Hence, every day, the pupils have to endure ridding the classrooms of feaces, sachets of local herbal gin, used condoms and sundry items the hoodlums abandon in their classrooms.
Since they forced their ways into the premises of the affected schools more than a decade ago, the hoodlums have refused to vacate them in spite of periodic raids carried out by the police. Apart from defecating in the classrooms, they have also vandalised them as well as the store, toilets, fence and furniture, among other items.
The environment, both outside and inside the school was a repulsive sight when our correspondent visited on January 12, 2016.
Opposite the school gate, a shack houses auto mechanics and a block industry while a heap of firewood lay close to its derelict gate. On the left fringe of the school’s entrance lay a hole in the perimeter fence, which offers more than a glimpse of what the school compound looks like from the outside. The scene bears tell tale signs of abandonment, unhygienic learning environment and decrepit state of infrastructure in the school established on October 3, 1980.
Inside the school premises, foul odour oozed out of a block of classrooms close to the left wing of the perimeter fence. Right inside the decrepit classrooms, disused nylons, plastic bottles and human faeces and other unseemly items competed for space. The classrooms, built in 2009 by the immediate past administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola, have become deplorable in the wake of its vandalisation by hoodlums.
There were gaping holes in the roofs of the vandalised classrooms. Many of the furniture, including the desks and tables belonging to students and teachers, are not spared by the hoodlums, a situation that leaves the pupils with inadequate furniture for sitting or writing.
The roofs of some of the classrooms were said to have been brought down by hoodlums during a fight recently.
It was gathered that once the 35-year-old school, which shares the same compound with Folaranmi Primary School, closes at 2 pm, the hoodlums take over its premises,. They defecate in the classrooms and other places they choose and also hide their belongings, including clothes, shoes, marijuana and weapons, there.
“Hoodlums have virtually turned learning here into a nightmare for the teachers and pupils, and the police have not been able to dislodge them,” lamented a source in the school, who pleaded not to be named.
Learning with tears
Most times, the pupils have to shut their windows to avoid inhaling the offensive odour from some of the abandoned classrooms littered with human faeces. Besides, the hoodlums, it was gathered, usually barge into the classrooms while lessons were on to remove some of the items they had hidden there, while the panicky pupils and their teachers look helpless. The water and toilet facility, as well as the school’s library, have also been vandalised.
A female teacher, who did not want her name in print for fear of retribution, said: ”The school is everything a good school should not be. The hoodlums have been using the school as home for many years now. They destroyed many things here until former Governor Raji Fashola built new classrooms and provided water and new furniture in 2009.
The source added: “The hoodlums usually loiter around the premises waiting for us to depart after school hours. And because we are now using hard padlocks to shut the toilets, they would defecate, wrap their faeces in nylons and drop them inside the desks. In the morning, the unsuspecting pupils would dip their hands in the faeces kept in their desks.
“Whenever they could not find tissue paper to clean up after defecating, they would tear the foam of the cushion chairs for that purpose. The hoodlums enter the premises of the school through the broken fence and sometimes jump in through the wall separating the school from a market.”
Pupils in one of the classrooms with the vandalised ceiling in Community Primary School, Ewu Tuntun
Some pupils, who shared their pathetic story with our correspondent, confirmed that hoodlums constitute nuisance to the school.
A primary four pupil, who identified himself simply as Olumide, said: “Some people come to defecate in our classrooms and drop faeces there every day. They hide faeces in our desks and under the chairs. We usually pack the rubbish every morning before starting our lesson, but they won’t cease from coming to do their rubbish here.”
One of the class teachers, who spoke in confidence, confirmed that the hoodlums usually wrap the faeces inside polythene bags and drop them on the floor or inside the desks.
He said: “They wrap the faeces and drop them inside the desks and at times excrete on the floor of the classrooms. The pupils are made to clear the faeces before the commencement of lesson every day.
“They’ll break into some of the offices and vandalise books and furniture. They also hide marijuana in the ceilings of the classrooms. The police have not been able to apprehend the hoodlums because wrong persons are usually arrested whenever the police raid this area.”
Our correspondent observed that some of the vandalised classrooms have been abandoned, while others with windows cannot be shut because they have been broken by the vagabonds.
Another source, who asked not to be named, said: “To stave off further intrusion, some of the doors to the classrooms were fortified with iron and burglar proofs, but the hoodlums would still destroy the windows through which they gain access to the classrooms. They would bathe, wash their clothes and spread them on the furniture within and outside the buildings. Only recently, they (hoodlums) broke into the office of the head teacher and looted it.”
Bad influence
The school’s buildings provide a shade for the hoodlums to sell illicit items such as marijuana and other stimulants. It was learnt that marijuana is usually hidden in the ceilings of the classrooms. It was learnt that the hoodlums and their customers usually converged on the school premises at 4 pm to transact business (sale of hard drugs) and would revel in it till late in the night.
A female teacher, who did not want her name in print, confided in our correspondent that the hoodlums were able to influence one of the pupils a few years ago by asking the innocent boy to watch over marijuana and weapons hidden in the ceilings of his classroom. It was learnt that the boy in question has since taken to hard drugs and now works as bus conductor.
She said: “There was a primary four pupil whose parents live in the neighbourhood. The boy was the one serving as courier for the hoodlums by helping them to hide and bring out hard drugs hidden in the classrooms.
“The boy was caught and reported to his parents, who tried in vain to rein their son. At a point, the boy’s mother told us that she was helpless as her son had become recalcitrant.
“I taught the boy when he was in primary four. But it is sad that today he smokes marijuana and works as a bus conductor in Oshodi (Lagos). I have sighted him several times at the Oshodi Motor Park, and I was not happy on each occasion.”
The school’s head teacher, Mrs. Vivour Ayobola, declined comment when our correspondent approached her. She said she had no authority to talk to journalists as a civil servant.
She said: “As a civil servant, I am not permitted by civil service rule to speak on a matter like this.”
Ayobola and some non-teaching members of the school’s staff prevented our correspondent from taking photographs of the vandalised buildings. A few of the photographs used here had been taken before the head teacher was approached for comment.
An official of the Oshodi/Isolo Local Education Authority, who craved anonymity, said the presence of the hoodlums poses a great danger to the pupils and teachers in the school. He said he had personally carried out a raid on the school a few years ago during which he seized heaps of marijuana from the hoodlums.
The official added: “There is need to remove the hoodlums from the school because their continued siege to the school portends danger for pupils and teachers.
“The hoodlums have laid siege to the school for more than 10 years now. I once routed the hoodlums from the school during an afternoon raid a few years ago and seized several trays of marijuana from them. The marijuana confiscated was handed over to a nearby police division, but the hoodlums returned to terrify pupils and teachers.”
A resident, Mrs. Omolayo Adejumo, said fears that the pupils could be molested or influenced by hoodlums had made many parents in the area not to enroll their children in the school. She said: “Let me be honest with you, many of the parents in the neighbourhood don’t like enrolling their children in the school because the hoodlums are usually seen loitering around the premises even during school hours.
“The hoodlums smoke marijuana and take alcohol in the school premises and teachers cannot challenge them for fear of being beaten up. In that kind of situation, do you think it is advisable to enroll one’s children there? The environment is not just conducive for learning.”
The ugly spectacles at Ago Owu Primary School also applies at Mafoluku school complex, also in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, where learning and teaching have become nightmares for pupils and teachers. The school complex, which accommodates Community Primary School, Ewu Tuntun; State Primary School, Ewu Tuntun and Mafoluku Primary School bleeds from the activities of hoodlums who have made the schools a haven.
A visitor to the school is confronted by dilapidated buildings, broken fence and refuse that litter the premises.
At the point of entry from Bode Onifade Street, where the schools are located, stands a dilapidated classroom block. The block, which accommodates primary one and two pupils of Mafoluku Primary School, is a sorry sight unfit for learning. The roofs are shattered and the ceilings are broken. The windows can no longer be closed, having been allegedly destroyed by hoodlums.
It was learnt that the roofs were broken in an attempt by the hoodlums to gain access after the doors to the classrooms were locked. At the moment, gaping holes are everywhere in the classrooms.
On the left fringe of the complex, a decrepit classroom block belonging to Community Primary School, stares a visitor in the face. The building was said to have been abandoned after it was also vandalised by the hoodlums.
A new building constructed by the school- based management committee of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government is far from giving succour to the distraught pupils. The new building sited at the back of the vandalised classrooms is without ceiling to insulate the classrooms from the heat produced by scorching sun. The male pupils usually pull off their shirts when the heat descends, while the female ones run outside in search of air.
“The building was provided by the school-based management committee after the other classroom block was vandalised. The committee decided to build a new classroom block to alleviate the suffering of teachers and students, but there is no ceiling in the classrooms, hence, pupils run outside to escape heat whenever the sun is at its peak.” said a teacher in the school who declined identity.
Like their counterparts in Ago Owu Primary School, the vagabonds also defecate and drop faeces inside the pupils’ lockers in the three schools.
A number of the classrooms are left with gaping holes in their roofs and ceilings after they were allegedly destroyed by hoodlums.
As a result, the floors of the classrooms are usually water-logged whenever it rains while pupils scamper for safety in the corners of their classrooms. The floors of the affected classrooms have been destroyed without any hope of repair in sight.
The toilets and water facilities in the schools are not spared. The hoodlums have broken the sewage pipes connected to the toilet, causing faeces to spill from the bust pipes at the back of the toilet.
A classroom block at State Primary School is also vandalised by hoodlums. The roof of the block overlooking a staff room has been destroyed, exposing the pupils to environmental hazards.
Before the Yuletide break in December last year, the hoodlums were said to have destroyed a borehole machine and pipes that carried water to a surface tank that serves the three schools. It was gathered that the borehole was fixed a few days ago by the head teachers of the three schools.
A source within the schools told our correspondent that “the hoodlums have been recalcitrant to the extent that they are not deterred by constant raids carried out by the police.”
In yet another instance of madness, one of the hoodlums was said to have robbed a female teacher during school hours. It was gathered that the teacher was teaching in front of the class when a hoodlum removed the bag she placed on a seat and ran away. A non-teaching member of staff, who craved anonymity, recalled the incident, saying: “It was like a scene from the movies about six months ago when a female teacher was dispossessed of her bag containing money and other valuables. The teacher moved to the entrance of the class to attend to a pupil when a young man barged into the classroom through the window and stole the bag.
“All the efforts made to apprehend him were in vain. Some of the mechanics nearby, however, succeeded in apprehending the hoodlum a few days later but the money and phones kept in the bag had been removed.”
Our correspondent observed that several parts of the school’s fence had collapsed. Sources within the school said the collapsed walls were caused by the hoodlums who wanted to have easy access into the premises.
A woman, who identified herself as the head teacher of one of the schools, accosted our correspondent and warned him to leave the premises, saying: “Journalists are not permitted to take photographs or report anything about the school.” The woman and two members of the non-teaching staff of the school led our correspondent out of the school complex and warned him never to return.
Witnessing a convergence
The day was just winding up when our correspondent arrived at Market Lane, Shogunle penultimate Tuesday to witness the convergence of hoodlums on Ago Owu Primary School. To stave off suspicion, he made friends with two male workers of a block making company in front of the school. One of the workers introduced our correspondent as his ‘very good friend’ to a stoutly built owner of a nearby mechanic workshop who offered him a stool to sit under the shed that served as the workshop.
By 4.30 pm, the hoodlums started arriving in trickles. One of them called ‘Ciro’, led two others into the school premises through a large hole on the school fence and headed straight to an abandoned toilet near the fence. Ciro, a stocky youth of average height who wore a yellow short sleeved shirt on a pair of blue jeans, dropped a black nylon bag inside the toilet and changed into a brown T-shirt. About 20 minutes later, he emerged from the decrepit building with a small brown bag hanging across his body.
“Wa gb’oja sinu tray (spread the marijuana in a tray),” Ciro yelled at one of his aides in a guttural voice before leading them into one of the two classroom blocks where they spent about 40 minutes. At exactly 5.35 pm, eight other hoodlums entered and exchanged banter with Ciro and his aides before settling down for a marijuana smoking and drinking spree right at the centre of the compound.
Others soon joined and a cacophony erupted from the excited hoodlums. Some of the names they bear include ‘Shakur’; Tiri’; Agaba; Gbade; Timo and Elele.
Desks and tables removed from the classrooms were brought into the open space with marijuana and herbal drinks placed on them as money changed hands between Ciro’s aides and their customers.
As the smoking and boozing session continued, some other hoodlums dashed in and out of the compound, while others went into the classrooms for unknown reasons. A few others stood near the locked school gate smoking marijuana and consuming sachets of local herbal gin.
By 7.15 pm when our correspondent left the place, more and more hoodlums were still trooping into the school.
On Wednesday January 20, 20916, our correspondent visited Mafoluku Primary School, State Primary School, Ewu Tuntun and Community Primary School, Ewu Tuntun , which all share the same compound on Bode Onifade Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi. By the time he arrived the school at 5.30 pm, a horde of hoodlums had gathered there, smoking marijuana and consuming liquor. They were seen jumping from one classroom to another with different brands of herbal gins in their hands.
The Nation’s correspondent, who pretended that he needed some marijuana, was introduced by a youth in the area to another tall, light-complexioned youth called ‘Onile’, who brought out wraps of marijuana from a black nylon bag for a fee.
Iso, Tebati, Ogbos and Iskilu are some of the names the hoodlums addressed themselves with.
The hoodlums, who included young girls, were about 40 in number, and they moved from one end of the expansive school complex to another. A fight later ensued between two of the hoodlums over an undisclosed amount of money collected from a local musician during a street party held in the area a few days earlier. The resultant physical combat was later settled when ‘Onile’ asked the warring parties to leave the premises or risk being embarrassed.
Onile said: “E maa ba business je funmi o. Tee ba le maintain, e kuro nibi or else maa jeju yin (don’t spoil my business for me. Move out of this place, if you cannot behave yourselves or I embarrass you).”
As at 8.15 pm when our correspondent left the area, misguided youths were still trooping in and out of the school complex, fouling the air with smoke from marijuana.
A resident, Mrs Peace Ibezim, said the hoodlums were in the habit of causing panic in the community as they often engage in free for all.
She said: “We live in fear in this community as a result of the presence of hoodlums. They would converge on the school complex in hundreds to smoke marijuana, drink alcohol and even rape girls.
“Most times they engage in free for all and take their fights to the streets, causing panicky residents to scamper into safety. They use some of the dangerous weapons which they keep inside the school complex whenever they confront one another.”
Experts have urged the state government to take immediate action towards curbing the conversion of school premises into dens of hoodlums with the attendant destruction of educational facilities and buildings.
A retired school principal, Mr Edwin Kolapo, urged the authorities to engage community leaders in a bid to keep the hoodlums at bay. Kolapo said: “There is no way hoodlums who have occupied a school complex for a very long time can easily be dislodged. My advice to the Local Government Education Authority and the state Ministry of Education is to include community leaders in their plan.
“Most of these boys are known to landlords in the community and they can easily be tracked down and prevented from escaping before the arrival of security agents, with the assistance of the community leaders.”
A community leader in Mafoluku area of Oshodi, Elder James Adedoyin, said there was need for the state government to provide adequate security for schools.
Describing the development as unfortunate during a telephone conversation, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Olabisi Ariyo, said government was already addressing the matter.
“The problem with education development in the state is that people are not helping government at all. Otherwise, I don’t see any reason why hoodlums should jump into public schools. In some schools, they broke down the fence and it is sad that people are destroying facilities put in place with tax payers’ money. That is why we have decided to stop the use of public schools to host social functions or parties to prevent hoodlums from gaining access.”
She said the state government would engage security agencies to assist in protecting public schools from vandals.
“We are also embarking on massive fencing of our schools and discussing with relevant security agencies to have the schools secured. Only recently, we carried out a raid on some schools in some parts of Lagos with the help of the police and we succeeded in chasing out hoodlums out of the affected schools. At the moment, men of the Neighbourhood Watch are being deployed to ensure protection of schools and facilities.”
Efforts made by our correspondent to reach the spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mrs. Dolapo Badmos, on her mobile phone yielded no result. She also had not responded to a text message forwarded to her mobile phone at press time.
The founder of Mission to Save Sight Africa Foundation (MTSSAF), Dr. Oluwafunke Ani has called for the provision of free eye screening services for pupils in public schools in Nigeria.
Ani made the at the Gala Evening and Dinner in the Dark organised by Mission to Save Sight Africa Foundation held recently at Planet One Lagos.
The programme brought together medical practitioners, the visually-impaired persons, film producers, talks, awards, eating in the dark and launch of a communication behavioural change film called “Avoidable Blunders.”
According to her, there is an estimated 1.4 bilion blind children worldwide, one million of which live in Asia and 300, 000 in Africa. This number will reduce considerably if there is early detection and management of visual impairment.
She said children aged between 0 and 16 years constitute 45 per cent of the total population of 160 million and if truly they are the future hope of Nigeria, their health status should be of utmost importance to all.
She also noted that 325 million people are visually impaired, and 39.8 million people are blind worldwide, a child goes blind every minute in our world, 80 per cent of blind cases is avoidable and 90 per cent of all visually-impaired worldwide live in developing countries, one of which is Nigeria.
She stated that vision screening is an efficient and cost-effective method of identifying children with visual impairment or eye conditions that can lead to visual impairment. It enables referrals to be made to appropriate eye care professionals for further evaluation and treatment of serious eye problems, saying such facility would be beneficial to all.
She noted that unlike adults, children with visual problems often do not know that the way they see the world is not the way everyone else sees it; as such they are unlikely to complain about it.
Continuing, she said: “Their complaints may not be taken seriously by their parents who may feel that the child is pretending, as they may not want to spend much money on an eye test ‘in vain.’”
Ani, who is an ophthalmologist, added that most parents that send their wards to public schools are economically disadvantaged and so may not be able to pay for eye tests, which to them may seem a luxury.
“The benefits of early identification of visual problem are far-reaching, as childhood visual impairment can have a significant developmental, social and emotional impact,” she said.
