Boundary dispute: Oyo govt orders reopening of 23 schools

The Oyo State government has ordered the reopening of 23 schools in Atiba, Afijio, Oyo East and Oyo West local government areas of the state.

The Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal on Thursday, waded into the boundary crisis that culminated in a 10-year closure of the schools in the local government areas.

In a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Western Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan, to fashion out ways of resolving the age-long land dispute, Barr. Bayo Lawal, who doubles as the chairman of the State Boundary Committee, charged the chairmen of Atiba, Afijio, Oyo East and Oyo West LGA to ensure security and peace in their domains.

He warned that if there are any breaches of security, the chairmen will be held responsible.

The deputy governor equally stated that the Ministry of Education will oversee the schools, after reopening.

He added that the ministry will do whatever is required to put the children back to school.

He also enjoined the members of the Oyo state House of Assembly, representing the affected constituencies to work with community leaders, to ensure that children go back to school.

Lawal appreciated the president, Oyo Global Forum, a non-partisan group of professionals from the four LGAs that constitute the Oyo federal constituency, noting that their interest in the progress of the affected schools is commendable.

Lawal, who assured the stakeholders that the office of the Surveyor general would wade into the boundary dispute among the communities, appealed to the community leaders to adhere to the Oyo State Government’s verdict on the schools.

He said, “I appeal to you our elders and chairmen of the affected local governments to consider the future of these children. The primary reason this meeting is held is for the schools that were closed for 10 years to reopen immediately. That is the message from the governor himself.

“We have engaged all the stakeholders, community leaders, Honourable members, the chairmen of the various local governments, and we have agreed that schools must reopen in the interest of those children,” he said.

The affected schools include Community Basic School Obananko, Oyo; Community Basic School Laagbe, Oyo; Pinnock Memorial Bapt School Aba Epo Oluwatedo, Oyo; Baptist Basic School Oluwatedo, Oyo; St. Luke Anglican Bada Idiyalode, Oyo; L.A. Basic School Ago Oyo; Community Basic School Igbo Olose, Oyo in Oyo West LG.

Others are Community Basic School Adebimpe, Oyo; Community Basic School Obasere, Oyo; St. Thomas Anglican School Alabi Olorunda, Oyo; St. Michael RCM Apaara Village, Oyo; Methodist Primary School Ajagba, Oyo; Bapt Central School Oniyanrin, Oyo; Bapt Primary School Aguo, Oyo; ADS Primary School Baba Elesin, Oyo in Oyo East LG.

Also affected are L.A. School Lannite, Oyo; L.A. Primary School Gudugbu Orile, Oyo; L.A. Primary School Gudugbu, Oyo; ADS Primary School Aba Olori, Oyo; ADS Primary Abujakan, Oyo; L.A. Basic School Alagbon, Oyo and L.A. Basic School Imeleke, Oyo also in Oyo East LG.

The meeting was attended by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu; the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran; Chairmen of the four local governments; traditional leaders, among other stakeholders.