I Was Meant To Learn Trade, Not To Go To School – Obateru Of Egbin Kingdom

Kunle Adelabu

A highly revered Lagos monarch, His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Dr.) Adeoriyomi Oluwasesan Abdul-Akeem Oyebo, Ademoyebo III, Obateru of Egbin Kingdom, has revealed that he appreciates the value of education despite the fact that he was not initially meant to go to school.

The classy Obateru, who established a free Nursery and Primary School in Egbin Kingdom last year to encourage learning and bring education closer to his people, disclosed to THE IMPACT that his parents only wanted him to learn trade, a directive that he obliged them but he later chose his own path to get education which he said has impacted on him greatly.

Oba Oyebo, who is also a professional artist, great entrepreneur and philanthropist of note with impressive records of philanthropic gestures which have touched many lives within and outside his kingdom, was conferred with a Degree Certificate of Doctor of Arts in Public Leadership, Peace and Community Leadership Honoris Causa of the European-American University, in August, 2014.

He made the disclosures during an exclusive interview with THE IMPACT.

The revered royal father also revealed that he would not stop his contributions towards education in his domain despite the Lagos State Government taking over the school.

“I know the value of education, though, I was not meant to go to school, but to learn a trade as instructed by my parents which I did. I followed suit with all that they required of me. However, I eventually found myself one way or the other at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and today, education has added a lot of value to my life and that is why I have been trying to make sure that I impact education in the life of our people”, Oba Oyebo said.

“That is why I am giving scholarship, but that is not enough. The scholarships that I am giving now are at the level of the primary school and about 500 pupils will benefit. Even with the government taking over, the premises that they are using still mine, as well as the desks, tables and books that they are using. And when the government takes over the school fully, I will still be making my contributions to the school.

“It is a continuous thing and I will continue to do it for the rest of my life. Education is knowledge and knowledge is power”, he declared.

“As long as I still live and I have my God Almighty behind me, I will always have Him anyway, my contributions are going to be a continuous exercise. The school that we established in 2021, was created free for everybody”, he added.

Obateru spoke about his humble beginning when he always assisted his grandparents to collect fishes from the boat, fetch firewood from farm and water every morning before going to school, adding that all that he is doing now are reflection of what he had experienced while growing up.

“All the things that I am doing are some of the things that I had passed through in life when I was much younger. When I was between the age of 5 and 12 years, I was living with my grandfather who had about three ventures. He was into fishery, kerosene and had a farm. In the morning before we go to school, we would assist him in bringing fishes from the boat and thereafter, fetch water from the Odoro stream before going to the farm to collect some things, probably firewood”, he said.

While explaining that a secondary was politically removed from his Kingdom years back to another place, he explained that his intervention in educational development in his Kingdom is aimed at providing education for his people whose means of livelihood have been taking away by the acquisition of vast lands for the establishment of the Egbin Thermal Station.

“Egbin used to have a secondary school on this land, a Community Secondary School which was moved politically to Ijede and it was renamed Luwasa High School”, Obateru said.

“There was no need for school fee, uniform, sandals and writing materials, we gave them all free to encourage them. This is because I noticed that majority of the children around here are not going to school, while those that are already in school are going through a lot of stress walking from Egbin to their schools, and the nearest schools, which are Ahmamadiyyah and CMS, are located outskirt Ijede, which is miles away. That alone is discouraging.

“More so, all the means of livelihood of the parents of those children have been taking away from them, so, the children do not have the opportunity of going to school. That was what informed the decision to make the school free at all levels. Even there is one meal a day for them.
“The teachers employed were being paid by God through me.

“The government has actually taken over the school that l established last year and they are continuing with the construction of the school. I give that glory to my Governor, Mr Babajide Olushola Sanwo – Olu. I give it to him and I am sure that before the end of this year, he will come around to commission the school and the new palace for my community”, Obateru revealed to THE IMPACT.

The royal father holds Higher National Diploma (HND) in Graphic Desig from the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, and has a second degree in Industrial Product Design.

He later proceeded to U.K. for a post graduate diploma in Applied Arts, at Glasgow College of Art, Glasgow, Scotland.

He is an Associate Registered Practitioner of Advertising (arpa), a Professional Membership of Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON).