Ogundoyin Donates Newly Built Secondary School To Temidire Community To Mark 39th Birthday
••••As Makinde Commends Speaker’s Commitment To Grassroots Education
•By OYENIYI AWOJOODU
IBADAN — THE Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has marked his 39th birthday with the donation of a newly constructed and fully furnished secondary school to Temidire Community in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The school, described as the first secondary school in the community of a cluster of about 46 villages was officially commissioned on Tuesday, ending decades of limited access to post-primary education for residents.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Ogundoyin said the project fulfilled a promise he made during his 2023 electioneering campaign after residents lamented the absence of a secondary school in the area.
“This is both historic and deeply personal for me. It is a case of promise made, promise kept,” he said.
Ending Years of Hardship
Before the establishment of the school, pupils graduating from the community’s two private and eight public primary schools were compelled to travel approximately 30 minutes by motorcycle to Eruwa township or cross into neighbouring Ogun State to access secondary education.
Community leaders and teachers noted that the situation contributed to absenteeism, lateness, school dropouts and exposure to safety risks. Many students reportedly abandoned further education for farming and informal engagements due to the daily stress and financial burden of transportation.
The newly commissioned facility comprises two blocks of well-ventilated classrooms, administrative offices including a principal’s office and staff rooms, modern toilet facilities with running water, and a motorised borehole to serve the school.
The classrooms are fully furnished to ensure immediate commencement of academic activities.
Ogundoyin confirmed that the school would begin full academic operations in September 2026.
“With this commissioning and handover, our children no longer need to endure long and risky journeys in search of education. This school has put an end to that suffering,” he stated.
The event also featured the distribution of school bags, textbooks and writing materials to prospective pupils in preparation for the first academic session.
The state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, represented by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Olayiwola Olusegun, commended the Speaker for what he described as leadership by example.
He reiterated that investment in education remains the most rewarding commitment any government or individual can make, stressing that resources committed to human capital development are never wasted.
Makinde highlighted ongoing reforms by his administration, including recruitment of teachers, free textbooks for public school students, distribution of free WASSCE past questions to SS3 students in public and private schools, digital learning initiatives and continuous teacher training programmes.
According to him, these interventions have started yielding results, with Oyo State ranking among top-performing states in recent national examinations and meeting key UNESCO benchmarks, including budgetary allocation to education and improved student-teacher ratios.
He urged the Temidire community to safeguard the new facility against vandalism and ensure proper maintenance, while reaffirming the state government’s zero tolerance for examination malpractice.
The Commissioner added that the Ministry of Education would officially receive the community’s proposed name for the school and promptly approve it ahead of resumption in September 2026.
In their separate remarks, the community leaders lauded the kind gesture of the Speaker.
A teacher in the community, who spoke anonymously, described the project as a landmark achievement and milestone in local development.
The teacher recounted the daily struggles of students who often waited for hours at bus stops to secure transport to Eruwa, missing critical morning classes such as English and Mathematics. Some students reportedly returned home as late as 6 p.m., discouraging consistent attendance.
“With this school now in place, students can attend classes regularly, improve their communication skills and strengthen their performance in core subjects,” the teacher said.
Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Hon. Femi Fowokanmi, noted that the long-term impact of the school would surpass any form of direct financial empowerment.
“If the Speaker gave each student one million naira, it would not make the kind of lasting impact this school will give,” he said.
Also speaking, Chief Olatunji Adio, the Otun Olori of Temidire Community, expressed gratitude to the Speaker, lamenting that previous appeals to successive administrations over the past 20 years for a secondary school yielded no result.
Highlights of the ceremony included the cutting of the Speaker’s birthday cake, official handover of the school to the Commissioner for Education on behalf of the state government, and presentation of school bags, textbooks and teaching materials to students and staff.
Members of the 10th Oyo State Assembly, top management staff of the Assembly led by Mrs. Adenike-Muraina Akinola, PDP state executives and traditional leaders were present at the event.