Kunle Adelabu with Tawo Kudirat Oluwatoyin (Student Trainee)
The RHODA Youth Centre, a youth developing and training institution and the Local Government Education Authority, (LGEA) in Ikorodu, have agreed to strategic partnership and collaboration in training and empowering students and youths in Ikorodu for the future.
The agreement was reached when the RHODA team, led by Asiwaju Rotimi Erogbogbo, paid a courtesy call on the Education Secretary (LGEA), Alhaji Taiwo Odumbo, at the weekend at the LGEA Secretariat, Methodist/Oga Primary School compound, Allison Street, Ikorodu.
Speaking during the visit, Asiwaju Erogbogbo informed his host about the initiatives by the RHODA in training youths over the years aimed at developing skilled and competent young men that can compete with their counterparts anywhere.
He listed scholarship for underprivileged, etiquette training, tailoring, hairdressing, cinematography, and music among others as programmes taught, and efforts geared towards nurturing a generation of responsible, self-reliant individuals who can contribute meaningfully to societal transformation by the centre.
Asiwaju Erogbogbo, seeking collaboration with the LGEA Secretary whom he described as an active young man who has made his marks everywhere he goes, especially at the Lagos State University (LASU) International School, emphasized the importance of tapping into Ikorodu’s vibrant young population.
He specifically called for the engagement of pupils during breaks with skills, mentorship and other extra – curricula activities away from the rigorous academic exercise, as means of preventing them from falling preys to social vices and the attitude of getting rich quickly at all cost.
“We have plans to have chess program, financial and collaboration, where we can engage them on monitoring their spending and saving skills among others.
“What they are taught in class are okay, but during their break, we will allow them choose what they want and it is on their choice that they will be engaged.
“We know you that you have started something in this regard, but we will work with you. So, let us know when and where we can come in and we will be waiting to hear from you”.
He cited inspiring stories of two young graduates of the centre – one who funded her education through wireworks (jewelry making), and the other that is working with the international music act and juju musician, King Sunny Ade, as some of the testaments to the power of skill education.
The Education Secretary commended the RHODA’s initiative, while singling out Asiwaju Erogbogbo for his impacts on Ikorodu over the years as civil servant, RHODA Centre initiator, Chairman of the defunct Ikorodu Division Alliance and most recently, Chairman, Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS).
He described the visit and initiative as timely and also aligned with his advocacy for the revival of the affective and psychomotor domains of education.
“My vision is this revival and the Head of Sections have keyed into it. Rhoda Youth Centre has come to bring this to reality. We welcome this holistic agenda; scholarship, training, and etiquette, and we deeply appreciate it”, Odumbo said.
“Sir, we have a vision which tallies with yours, and we are ready partner with you. I will continue to engage our children in cognitive, but I want to do more of affective and psychomotor, and while I was thinking of how to achieve that objective, you came around.
“Sincerely, I never knew you’re coming for such a purpose because we have equally started engaging with some people like the number one chess player in Nigeria. We have started discussing with him and some other people in that regard. We are also in talk with the number 3 scrabble player in Nigeria, who is a friend of mine and we have started discussing.
“There are also other psychomotor activities that we plan to engage our pupils in. We must engage our people even in sports.
“I am also in talk with a friend who is an Assistant State Director with the NDLEA on how to engage our young ones”, Alhaji Odumbo added.
Joining the LGEA Education Secretary to receive the Rhoda team, were Head of Administration, Mr Bamgbelu Adeoye, Head of Social Mobilization Section, Mrs Adebisi Sarah Abolarinwa and the Special Adviser on Media to the Education Secretary, Mr Olorunjedalo Taopheeq.
