I-Heroes members, Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, Special Adviser on Rural Development and Local Government and some staff of Jamaitul Islamiyyah Primary School, in a group photograph at the commissioning event.
Story by Onyekachi Joshua Otolepo and Asisat Fatunb
Staff and pupils of Jamaitul Islamiyyah Primary School, lkorodu, on Friday, November 25, 2023, heaved a sigh of relief from the water problem facing the school, as lkorodu Heroes (l-Heroes), a non- profitable and non-governmental group, commissioned a borehole water system rehabilitated in the school.
The borehole, which was donated to the school by the family of Alhaji Isiaq Olukayode Oyenuga, has not been functioning for many years before the intervention of the l-Heroes.
Members of I-Heroes, Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, Special Adviser on Rural Development and Local Government, staff and pupils of Jamaitul Islamiyyah Primary School, poised with the refurbished borehole shortly after its commissioning.
The rehabilitation of the borehole was part of the group’s initiative aimed at giving back to the society by providing water in schools across lkorodu division.
Last year, the group embarked on similar project at Mowo-Nla PrimarySchool, lkorodu, which was commissioned by the former Chairman of the lkorodu-Oga Development Association, Otunba Ganiu Abiru.
At the commissioning event, the President of the I-Heroes, Mr Olashile Majolagbe and several members of the group, were given a warm welcome by the school head-teacher and the pupils.
Also in attendance at the event were the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Rural Development and Local Government, Dr Nurudeen Agbaje who performed the official commissioning of the project, and the Executive Secretary of the Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), lkorodu, Mr Afolabi Amusa, who was represented by Mr Oluwasegun Omobunmi, among others.
While commissioning the refurbished borehole, Dr Agbaje, on behalf of the state government, commended the members of I-Heroes, for committing themselves to community service, stating that their gesture aligned with the state government’s efforts.
“Thank you guys, and nice meeting you. I don’t know that you have invested so much in terms of giving back to the society. This is part of the social services through which one can give back to the society, especially in a place where one resides”, he said.
“This is very commendable and on behalf of the Lagos State Government, I really appreciate you. Government alone cannot do it all, and this is an assistant towards what we are doing in the government. This is part of the collaboration that we want. Thanks to you and I will even love to be one of you”.
While charging them to continue with the interventions, Dr Agbaje also told members of the I-Heroes that the government will be willing to partner with them on any major project.
“This is a non – profit making venture in which the group is giving back to the society. This is part of a community development efforts that falls under our jurisdiction”, he said.
“You can write the government for assistance whenever that you have any project that your capacity cannot carry since you have been doing it before”.
Mr Oluwaseun Shokunbi, a former President of the club, addressing the special Adviser on Rural Development, said that the club has been intervening in providing support for schools as part of their corporate social responsibility.
“Members of the club are indigenes of Ikorodu that have been growing inside Ikorodu, and also giving back over the time. This water project is the most recent of our intervention, and we decided that your humble self should do the commissioning being the Special Adviser on Rural Development, for the use of the school”, he said.
“We have been identifying schools that require our intervention and before now, we have done other things like distributing bedspread to the General Hospitals in the Division.
“We have also distributed exercise books to some primary school pupils around Ikorodu and also did some things for the special school at Ebute –Ipakodo. We have been doing this since 2009 when the club was formed”, he added.
Another former President, Mr Seun Elesho, said that the intention of the club is to intervene by providing water in five schools.
“We handed over the second completed water system to Jamaitul Islammiyyah Primary School, Ikorodu. Our intention is to embark on water projects in 5 schools within the division”.
“A big appreciation to the Special Adviser to Mr Governor on Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. (Dr.) Nurudeen Agbaje, who did us the honour of commissioning the water project today.
“Two down, three more to go. You can nominate a public school within Ikorodu Division to benefit from our water a school project”, he said.
Meanwhile, in an interview with Oriwu Sun, the I-Heroes President, Mr Olashile Majolagbe, said that the primary objectives of the club are giving back to the society and enhancing the development of lkorodu division as a whole.
He explained that as a way of achieving these objectives, members of the club resolved to embark on a project tagged, ‘Water in school project’, to provide needed succour for schools in lkorodu, that are lacking water, stating that water is a necessity for daily existence.
Majolagbe said that the club sought the approval of the LGEA and the school’s head teacher before embarking on the project.
He added that the water project of the club, which is targeted at schools in lkorodu division, started during the tenure of his predecessor and was initiated to ensure that no school in the division lacks water.
Corroborating the president’s statements, Mr Seun Shokunbi, who is the pioneer president of I-Heroes, said that the water project took off in 2019/2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to assist in the provision of water in schools that are in need of it.
He said that though they had embarked on several other projects such as distribution of exercise books to primary school pupils and donation of several bedsheets to hospitals in lkorodu, the club is not basically philanthropic in nature, but rather more concern in ensuring that lkorodu attains its rightful position in the scheme of things in Lagos State.
The representative of the lkorodu LGEA Executive Secretary, Mr Oluwasegun Omobunmi, in his brief remarks, commended members of the I-Heroes for their exemplary gesture in repairing the borehole water system at Jamaitul primary school.
He disclosed that the Education Secretary is currently compiling a list of challenges facing primary schools in lkorodu division, and will be sent to the the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), for urgent actions.
Also, the Head-teacher of Jamaitul Primary School, Mrs Ogunnusi C.M, appreciated I-Heroes for deeming it fit to come to the aid of the school and rehabilitate the borehole.
She explained that the borehole had not been functioning before she was posted to the school, due to the stolen of the pumping machine, and expressed confidence that the intervention by the I-Heroes will bring a lot of relief to both the staff and pupils.
Mrs Ogunnusi also thanked the Chairman of the lkorodu Local government, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, for the ongoing construction of the school fence.
She, however, said that the school is still being faced by other challenges, particularly insecurity which, according to her, allows hoodlums to have unrestricted access into the school premises to harass the staff and pupils, and lack of electricity which said that might not enable them to effectively put the rehabilitated borehole into use, as the school does not have a generator.
The head teacher further stated that the school needs toilets, computer systems, white marker boards and renovation of the classrooms among others, while she appealed to government, organisations and well meaning individuals for unrgent intervention.
Other members of I-Heroes present at the commissioning event were – Hon. Biodun Olowosago, Mr Sunday Oshin and Mr Kamal Balogun among others.