BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
EJIGBO Community in Osun State has called on the state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, to change the name of a High School named after Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
The administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola had named the school, built in Ejigbo community, Wole Soyinka Government High School in 2015.
But the Ejigbo community, through its traditional ruler, the Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyesosin, during the Governor’s family meeting organised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, held at Ejigbo Town Hall, on Sunday, demanded the removal of Soyinka’s name.
Oba Oyesosin urged the Governor to change the name of the school to that of the founder of Ejigbo, Akinjole.
The royal father said the school should be named Akinjole Government Secondary School.
The Ogiyan said the proposed change of the school’s name would not only give the people of Ejigbo a sense of belonging, but it would also serve as a reflection of respect accorded to the progenitor of the town.
He further maintained that Ejigbo Community would remain grateful to Oyetola for his remarkable performance, which had brought about tremendous progress and development to the area.
He said, “We sincerely appreciate and commend you over the various physical projects and infrastructural facilities you have considered for our communities as part of your efforts towards making life meaningful for the people of the state.
“Worthy of mentioning here is our road network which your Government has beefed up to facilitate easy transportation within and outside this Local Government. Indeed, the agonies we passed through some years back, journey from Ejigbo to Osogbo and other neighbouring places, have become a thing of past, courtesy of your love for Ejigbo Community.
“We cannot forget easily the renovation of our General Hospital and Primary Health Centres, rehabilitation of Ejigbo Fire Station, reconstruction of Sagan Bridge, tarring of Gbamoge/UNIOSUN road, rehabilitation of Ara Junction/ADS Grammar School road, among others.”
“We have never had it so good like this as a community. We commend your good intentions, reflecting on the hardwork you put in to make life better for us in the State of Osun,” he added.
He also charged the Governor not to grow weary but to strive harder and further lift the state to an enviable height, just as he called on the state helmsman to consider the community for more developmental projects.
In their separate remarks, the lawmaker representing Ejigbo State Constituency, Israel Adekunle; Special Adviser on Land and Physical Planning, Aleem Bakare and former national lawmaker, Bade Falade, eulogised the governor for his unique leadership style and managerial capacity.
