Kunle Adelabu
Three years after the Obateru of Egbin Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Akeem Adeoriyomi Oyebo, in Ijede Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, initiated the first public primary school which is free in every sense, the revered monarch has introduced a free secondary school to encourage children in his Kingdom, to have access to education.
The school, Egbin Kingdom Junior Grammar School, will formally commence operations on September 18, 2023, for the 2023/24 academic session, when the first set of students are expected to resume.
The flag – off of the school would bring secondary school back to Egbin Kingdom, several years after the old one was, according to the Obateru, politically moved away from the town to Ijede, which is today known as Luwasa High School.
The establishment of the school is also part of the monarch’s efforts to bring about mass literacy in his kingdom and address the challenges of parents’ inability to sponsor their children’s education due the distance of schools from Egbin.
THE IMPACT gathered that students of the school will be temporarily accommodated in the monarch’s property close to the imposing and architectural masterpiece Obateru palace near the Lagoon and the Egbin Thermal Station, which housed the Nursery and Primary Schools before they are moved to the permanent site along the Ijede – Egbin Road, which is also donated by the monarch.
Speaking with Oba Oyebo, he assured our reporter that the school will be free in every sense, as the students will be provided with free uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, sandals, bags and other educational equipment to aid their studies.
The royal father also said that a permanent site will be ready for the junior school within a year.
Recalled that the revered royal father initiated the only public nursery and primary school in his Kingdom, about three years ago and was totally free before it was taken over by the government.
Uniforms, exercise books, textbooks, sandals, writing materials and other facilities were provided for about 400 pupils that were admitted into various classes of the Egbin Kingdom Nursery and Primary School which started from Oba Oyebo’s building, before the monarch also secured a property where he constructed a permanent structure for the use of the school.
