Residents of Orisunmibare Community in Oluyole Local Government (ward 10), Ibadan,Oyo state has appealed to the state governor, ‘Seyi Makinde to ,as a matter of urgency, address the decay in school and road infrastructure in the community.
The Community, through the Orisunmibare Development Forum (ODF), on Thursday issued an urgent call to the State governor, imploring immediate action on the deplorable state of roads and dilapidated schools infrastructure in their community as residents endure the devastating effects.
Orisunmibare, home to the oldest primary school in the community, Ebenezer Primary School, has seen its educational infrastructure crumbled, with two classroom blocks completely destroyed and the remaining one in dire condition, leaving over 120 pupils in a precarious learning environment.
Similarly, the group pointed out that another school in the community, Orisunmibare Community Grammar School, located at Pako village, faces challenges, with only one block of six classrooms and no library or laboratory facilities, and low number of teachers raising concerns about the quality of education for its students.
The forum’s Coordinator, Ayo Akinyemi, pointed out that the poor condition of the roads in the community further exacerbates the problem, making it difficult for both students and teachers to access the schools.
In a urgent call to action addressed to Governor Makinde, the group passionately appealed for the prioritisation of Orisunmibare’s critical needs, emphasising the importance of allocating funds to repair and maintain the community’s deteriorating roads and educational facilities.
The OCDF emphasised that these issues not only affect the students’ ability to learn but also posed safety risks to residents.
The Coordinator said: “I am writing to express my profound concern regarding the dire state of two public schools in the Orisunmibare community; Ebenezer Primary School and Orisunmibare
Community High School.”
“This historic school, Ebenezer Primary School, established as the first in the community, currently
faces critical disrepair. With only one building remaining functional, the educational environment falls short of the standards necessary for proper student’s development.”
“This condition poses a significant threat to the well-being and learning potential of future generations entrusted to this institution.”
“Similarly, Orisunmibare Community High School, located at Pako village within the community, despite being established over 25 years ago, remains severely limited in its capacity. The entire student body currently shares a single building.”
“This lack of adequate space hinders the school’s ability to provide a comprehensive and effective education. The aforementioned conditions
are unacceptable and demand immediate attention. We, the Orisunmibare community, strongly urge your administration to allocate the necessary resources to address these critical issues,” he pleaded.
In the same vein, Akinyemi noted that Orisunmibare community has consistently demonstrated its unwavering support for the government, notably by hosting the Senator Rashidi Ladoja GRA project, adding: “We firmly believe that quality education serves as the cornerstone of our community’s development and the state as a whole.”
“We implore you to prioritise the education of our children by taking decisive action to address the dire situation of these schools,” he said.
Akinyemi further noted that the dilapidated roads of Orisunbare, have been a plight well-known to the community’s residents, which he said, have long been in desperate need of repair and maintenance.
He stated that years of neglect have transformed what was once a functional network of transportation into a hazardous patchwork of potholes, erosion, and crumbling infrastructure.
The forum’s Coordinator maintained that as a result, the community’s ability to thrive has been severely hampered, with the sorry state of the roads impacting access to vital services, such as healthcare and education.
He added that the condition of the roads has made commuting a daily struggle for residents, contributing to vehicle damage, increased travel times, and heightened safety risks.
“Our roads are virtually impassable, turning daily commutes into a nightmare for our residents. The potholes and crevices are damaging our vehicles and creating dangerous driving conditions. Something must be done to address this situation before it becomes a full-blown disaster.”
Meanwhile, as the situation in Orisunmibare continues to deteriorate, the OCDF is optimistic that their pleas will be heard, and the government will take prompt action to address the community’s pressing needs.