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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Oyo State Government has ordered the reopening of 23 schools in Atiba, Afijio, Oyo East and Oyo West Local gGovernment Areas of the state.
The 23 schools have been closed for 10 years over boundary dispute between the four local governments.
A statement signed by the Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade on Thursday, said the deputy governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal, has waded into the boundary crisis that led to a 10-year closure of the schools in the local governments.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan, the deputy governor, who is also the chairman of the State Boundary Committee, charged the chairmen of the affected local governments to ensure security and peace in their domains.
The deputy governor, who noted that the Ministry of Education will oversee the schools after reopening, said the chairmen will be held responsible for any breach of security.
He also urged members of the House of Assembly, representing the affected constituencies to work with community leaders, to ensure that children go back to school.
Lawal expressed appreciation to the president, Oyo Global Forum, a non-partisan group of professionals from the four local governments that constitute the Oyo federal constituency, noting that their interest in the progress of the affected schools are commendable.
He assured the stakeholders that the Office of the Surveyor General will wade into the boundary dispute among the communities.
“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 was 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, lawmakers, 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 Baptist School, Aba Epo, Oluwatedo, Oyo; Baptist Basic School, Oluwatedo, Oyo; St. Luke Anglican School, Bada Idiyalode, Oyo; L.A. Basic School, Ago, Oyo; Community Basic School Igbo Olose, Oyo.
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; Baptist Central School, Oniyanrin, Oyo; Baptist Primary School, Aguo, Oyo; ADS Primary School, Baba Elesin.
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.
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 others.