‘Only someone with a ‘caring heart’ could only do this much. Governor Olusegun Mimiko does not just wear the cap of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he thinks like the late Sage. Mimiko’s glasses which resembles that of Awo indicates he has the vision of the undisputable pathfinder of the Yoruba nation’.
By Eni Olukotun
‘Wait a minute, you mean Governor Olusegun Mimiko did this’ that was my exclamation when I landed at one of the Ondo State Mega-Schools located in Oke-agbe. I could not believe what I saw- a well planned out school with beautiful landscape and modern teaching facilities. It was a marvelous scene to behold.
I never had intention of checking out any school when I arrived Oke-agbe, my hometown for the annual Eere Cultural Festival of the ancient Oge community of Oke-agbe. My town is the headquarters of the Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State.
I planned to briefly celebrate with my people and jet out to my base. However, curiosity prolonged my stay. I had seen pupils’ pick-up point sign-posts littered around the rustic town. I decided to stay back for a first-hand experience.
Penultimate Monday by 7:00 a.m I rushed to the centre of the town where the Pupils are expected to assemble for school bus. I saw children of farmers, market women and traders decked with bow tie and socks to match like those in the highbrow Lagos elitist elementary schools.
Pronto, the bus arrived at the pick-up point. With courtesy and tenderness, the bus attendant assisted the kids into the clean orange colour bus. I looked around again wondering if I was in another country. You mean, children of the poor and common people could be treated with such dignity, I pondered.
While still in shock, I reasoned since there is no free lunch anywhere in the world including Freetown, I wanted to find out the cost of such luxury. I went to the Mega-School to make enquiries. I got there around 7:20 a.m. From a far, the school cannot be mistaken, it stands out. I was flabbergasted by the aesthetics and buildings in the compound. The lawn of the landscape was well maintained. The ground of the school is interlock. The school’s assemble ground has a covering shielding the kids from scorching sun and rain.
I saw the computer laboratory where Pupils are expected to try their hands on the computers at least twice a week. No kid can learn in such environment and not look forward to school the next day. The Ondo kids are being prepared for the tasks and challenges of the modern time regardless of the circumstances of their births or socio-economic condition of their parents.
Here comes the masterstroke, I gathered from the school management that the total cost for enrollment including school uniform and other kits, Parents Teachers’ Association, PTA levy is about N5,000. Meanwhile, it was absolutely free before now.
Only someone with a ‘caring heart’ could only do this much. Governor Olusegun Mimiko does not just wear the cap of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he thinks like the late Sage. Mimiko’s glasses which resembles that of Awo indicates he has the vision of the undisputable pathfinder of the Yoruba nation.
Mimiko is a core Socialist just like the late Sage. Perhaps, his stint as a member of the Pan-African and Socialist Student Organisation, the “Wantu Wazuri” and the Nigerian Young Socialist Movement back then in his University years must have imbued in him the socialist traits.
Awolowo, in 1955, as Premier of Western Nigeria, set the Yoruba nation of the path of irreversible progress with the introduction of free and compulsory Primary education. Awolowo, like Mimiko knew that foundation was critical in human capital development.
Sixty years later the gains of the Awolowo’s vision are still with us. The unfettered access to free education in the Awo years resulted in the emergence of a virile nation that remains an envy of others.
I recalled in the maiden broadcast of Mimiko in 2009, he declared: “Your struggle will be my struggle, your joy will be my joy and your aspirations will be my aspirations. I will strive at all times to take decisions that will benefit the greatest number of our people. In all seasons, we will work for you‘.
I can attest that the Governor has stayed true to his pledge. Going by what I witnessed, indeed Mimiko shared in the peoples’ struggle and aspiration in Ondo State.
Eni Olukotun, a Journalist and Entrepreneur writes from Lagos via olukotun123@gmail.com
