Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Old Students Association of Imala Community Grammar School(IMACOGOLD) in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State, has donated a block of six toilet facilities to its Alma mater to reduce open defecation among students and save them from activities of kidnapers in the community
The National President of IMACOGOLD, Mr Yemi Akintunde who disclosed this at the 45th year Anniversary of the school held at its premises on Saturday, said that the toilet project would keep the students hygienic and prevent them from running home during school hours under the pretence of going to defecate in the bush.
He said that apart from the toilet facilities, other projects, including tree planting and creation of Climate Club, presentation of computer and printer, renovation of Principal and Staff offices, the provision of accommodation, provision of sporting materials, purchase of 3-phase meter and offsetting of accumulated bills, among others were done for the school between 2021 and 2024.
The event featured the former Ogun State Assembly member for Ifo Constituency, Hon. Sikirulai Ogundele, as the Guest Speaker. He spoke on the theme, “School (Nigeria Education System) is A Scam: Metamorphosis, Reality and Rearmament”, emphasizing that school is not a scam as perceived by Nigerian youth, when compared to how developed countries run the system, saying corruption in Nigeria educational system is aiding the wrong notion in public space.
Akintunde said that the toilet facilities were first considered among other projects by members of the association because the cost of building classrooms and fencing the entire school was too high due to increasing price of cement and other building materials, insisting that the toilet project would not only prevent disease outbreak arising from open defecation, but also reduce kidnapping activities of students by Fulani herdsmen in the community.
On his part, the IMACOGOLD National President said, “When we came here after the old student was set up, we did a tour of the school and we discovered that the school did not have a fence, did not have a toilet, did not have water, and the wall of the classrooms all fallen. So, we didn’t not know where to start and we now said let us take care of security first. How did we tackle security, not by putting up a fence is a very big project due to the rising cost of cement and if we do the fencing, problem of toilet will still be there.
“So we now say let us do toilet but we must first provide portable water for the school and that will lead us to running the toilet. So members said no, we should go and renovate the class rooms, but we now conclude that it is people that are secure that will go to classrooms and if the students are going to the bush to defecate or urinate, they can use the advantage of lack of toilet to lie and then run home. This will reduce open defecation among the students.”
The Omola of Imala, Ọba Moses Adegboyega, who was represented by Deacon Olusegun Bankole, said that the toilet project would remove the fear of students being kidnapped by herdsmen and also make them practice proper hygiene in the use of the toilets, which put an end to open defecation as such limit their chances of running home under the pretence of going to defecate in the bush
“The construction of the toilet will surely reduce open defecation among the students, you know when the principal was speaking he said at times the students will go to the bush with the aim of pretending to go and defecate and from there they find their way home. Then the fear of kidnappers kidnapping any of the children is out of it.
“When you talked about hygiene, then you can now talk of the safety of the students. So, there will be no outbreak of diseases because of defecation inside the bushes. So, it is very good measure they have taken health wise then if you talk of pollution, when rain falls it can carry this faeces to distance areas but that one is avoided now.” the monarch stressed.
Head Of Service, Ogun State, Mr Kehinde Onasanya, who commissioned the toilet project lauded IMACOGOLD for keying into the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s plan to put an end to open defecation in the state by replicating it in schools to prevent the students from defecating in the bush.
Onasanya, who was represented by Permanent Secretary on Service Matter, Mr Dipo Ogunfowora, said that the toilet projects would prevent students from contracting diseases associated with open defecation, keep them clean and safe, stating that the project was a
selfless service to improving the well-being of current and future of the students.
He said, “Such impactful intervention are of course the tangible proof of your selfless commitment to improving the well-being of current and future students of this school, which also align seamlessly with the enduring efforts of Ogun State Government under the able leadership of Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State at elevating the standards of education and promoting sustainable development across the state.
“Ladies and Gentlemen the provision of Toilets in schools and the benefits they inevitably offer cannot be stressed enough. Adequate sanitation facilities are fundamental to creating a conducive learning environment, improving students help and curbing the spread of preventable diseases.
“This facility is not only representing a mark of human dignity but also serves as necessary infrastructure to promote proper hygienic practices among students. Recognizing the importance such initiative, the Ogun State Government has been relentlessly striving to create a safer and cleaner environment that promotes the wellbeing and improve living conditions of its citizens, “he stressed.
The Principal of the School, Mr Yusuf Adekunle, who thanked the Old Students for constructing the toilets said the gesture would prevent the students from using the bush as opportunity to run home during school hours, while appealing to the association to, as a matter of urgency, renovate the dilapidated structure of the science laboratory.
The President-elect, Mr Sunday Odebo, said that he and the new executive would improve on the achievements of the Yemi Akintunde-led executive and bring in more developmental projects that would make the learning environment in the school more conducive for the students.
Highlights of the event was the conferment of awards on 10 members of IMACOGOLD, including retired Navy Captain Tajudeen Osoba, Ven. Amos Gbeminiyi Adebayo CoN, America-based Mr. Fatai Adelani, Evangelist Deborah Soroye from the UK, Aremo Azeez Oladele of OLSEK Global Ventures, and Mr. Sunday Adeyemi of the Nigerian Television Authority, among others.
The students embarked on a rally to create awareness about the school.
