Ask the people of Epe, Lagos Island, Surulere, Ota, Daura and even Otueke in Bayelsa and they will tell you why towns, tribes, communities and even nations pray and battle for their own people to occupy positions of authority and influence.
Governor Ambode has lifted Epe as Tinubu did to Lagos Island and Fashola to Surulere. Obasanjo made Ota an international meeting place while President Buhari and Jonathan made their home towns of Daura and Otueke respectively to be nationally and globally recognized. These leaders sowed into their homes to make them known and important.
So did the Publisher of Oriwu Sun, Alhaji (Chief) Monzor Kolawole Dawodu Olowosago do to his Federal Low Cost Housing Estate Community on Thursday, December 7, 2017, when Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State commissioned a modern block of three standard classrooms, office and toilet facilities the Publisher built and donated to Estate Primary School located in the same community his newspaper, Oriwu Sun is situated.
This small primary school, hidden inside the Eastern end of the Federal Low Cost Housing Estate along Itoikin – Ijebu Ode road in Ikorodu, suddenly came alive and into limelight when the Headteacher of the Estate school and some of his officials fulfilled a biblical injunction to seek, to ask, and to knock for God to answer. Their public primary school, with a population of about 600 had deteriorated badly in terms of infrastructure. Their school buildings had decayed to such extent that a pig house was even better. They had no toilet; nothing to suggest they were in a state of excellence in Lagos.
They had been so agitated and provoked that the school Head teacher, Mrs. Bolarinwa decided to seek help. They had approached some people in the Estate community and outside it for help but got none. Then, the spirit of God led them to the Publisher of Oriwu Sun, Chief Monzor, who had once served as the Chairman of the Estate Community Development Association. This journalist, whose philanthropy has grown from the social, cultural to religious and educational spheres was approached by the determined school teachers. They got a sympathetic ear to listen to their request and their plight.
Chief Monzor, who had sponsored several people to Haj, was instrumental to the building of the first NASFAT mosque in Ikorodu at Akasolori and built a mini worship center within that mosque early this year 2017. The same philanthropic journalist had built a nursery/primary school for the same NASFAT few years ago. He has helped to establish many people such as caterers, event planners, etc., in jobs and other social/economic ventures while supporting cultural and traditional institutes in his Ikorodu community.
He had followed the delegation from Estate Primary School to see things for himself last year, 2016. What he saw not only shocked him but provoked him to action. Hence, he did not promise to repair the damaged structures but offered to build a brand new block of classrooms with toilets and offices. He went a step further and brought in the Governor of Lagos State Ambode, his personal friend, to commence a mighty school block of thirteen/fourteen (13/40) classrooms with other facilities. The storey building project is moving close to roofing stage.
This single member of the Estate community used his contacts, his good office as a journalist to attract dignitaries and a huge crowd of important personalities to Estate Primary School on that December 7, 2017 as the Governor came to commission the block donated by Chief Monzor. Preparation for this great day had started nearly six (6) months ago when the structure was completed in July, but the Publisher of Oriwu Sun was away to Makkah for the Haj. As soon as he came back in September, he stated pushing for the commissioning.
Trust this journalist, who would have made a sound politician but who has continually resisted the urge to join politics. He knows the art of lobbying and uses his pen healthfully to seek for solutions.
He wrote the Governor at different times, wrote his deputy, Dr. (Mrs.) Idiat Adebule and pressed different buttons to get the Governor to accept the invitation to formally open the building. After one postponement on Thursday, November 30, 2017, he got the Governor’s accent for December 7, 2017. Then, he set to work to arrange with SUBEB the details, including the program and other logistics. Afterwards, Monzor went into a massive personal contact with his friends and associates to grace the occasion.
The plaque was ready; so also other arrangements – catering, event canopies, public address system, decoration, co-ordination with the school authorities, PTA and CDA officials. Within 72 hours of the Governor’s confirmation, the stage was almost set for the event. At the Corporate Headquarters of Oriwu Sun, a ten minute walk from the Estate were also on top gear to host visitors, some of whom had called at the office before going to the venue while others came after the commissioning. As letters were being typed and distributed, speeches and scripts for new edition and sale of Oga Day edition were going on simultaneously in the usual madhouse syndrome of newspaper organization.
A man of good taste, Monzor did not spare any details in making sure that the beautiful block of classroom had Oriwu Sun touch in colour (red)… featuring wall tiles and classic floor tiles, superb grindings in the roofing with text coat painting and other facilities. The Publisher, who with his staff and the construction/fillings workers had been meticulous in the final packing that day to supervise other arrangements three hours ahead of the start of the ceremony. Oriwu Sun official vehicles shuttled between their offices and the primary school to supply the needs of the day. By 10:30a.m, visitors had already started arriving in good numbers.
Monzor cannot stage a small event because he has a large followership in friends and associates; not when his social circles, his family’s strength, his religious ’empire’, his contacts in the corridors of power and elsewhere were there. A stream of exotic cars rolled into the premises of Estate Primary School that day for the event that had a precise timeline. As the new block donated by Monzor brizzled, so did work was frantically going on in the giant building Ambode’s State Government was constructing. Both structures face each other. So, all the guest beheld the two buildings, which had face lifted this ‘hidden’ primary school. By the time the other State Government project is completed, Estate Primary School would surely break forth.
The formal commissioning started by 12noon. By then, the Governor’s representative, the Special Adviser on Civic Education, Mr. Kehinde Joseph, and the SUBEB Chairman were already seated; ditto the full crowd of guests, school children, community members, etc. This writer could not help but feel happy with the side comments by some of the guests, who wished this community could have three of Monzor’s type that would make Federal Low Cost Estate a real Government Reserved Area. They complimented the remarks of some school children from Estate Primary School, who saw Monzor at the Estate Mosque and came after Jumat service to thank him for building a school for them.
Readers can now see why people strive to have their own men and women to be in power, so they can attract development to their areas. Monzor is not in power at the Local, State or Federal level but his contacts and his influence are bringing dividends of democracy, not only to Low Cost Estate but to Ikorodu.
