Carpenter’s Son Emerges Lagos One-Day Governor

 

A 15-year-old Master Edun Olabanji of Army Children’s Senior Secondary School, Onigbongbo, yesterday, assumed office as Lagos State “One-Day Governor” at Alausa, Ikeja.Meantime, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, reiterated his administration’s commitment to continue to give priority attention to the education sector, saying students from the state public schools are now academic champions winning national competition awards.Fashola said this when he received Olabanji, accompanied by his parents, who came first in the competition, initiated in 2001 by New Era Foundation under the leadership of Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Fashola vacated his seat for the young Olabanji, whose father is a carpenter and mother, a refuse truck driver with Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), to preside over Lagos State Executive Council meeting at the Exco Chamber with his Deputy Opeyemi Blessing of Keme Balogun College at Igbogbo, Ikorodu and Macaulay Elijah Ayodele of Ojota Senior Secondary School.He said the traditional thing prevalent in the country with a change of government would have been to quickly do away with the idea, saying he retained the One‑Day Governor initiative of his predecessor because of its positive impacts in the lives of the students who participate in the competitions.

According to him, “the seed that has been sown will germinate in ways we cannot contemplate, seeds of career choice decisions whether to serve in public sector or private sector.“One thing that we need to point out is that the state’s public education system is producing excellent results. This is in spite of its challenges. Of the 14,000 schools in the state, it is only about 2,000 that belongs to the government.“But those 2,000 schools are the ones that are providing free education where free textbooks are given, where tuition is free, where children participate in different clubs, climate change clubs, farmer’s club, Energy club and Be Road Friendly Club. This happens at no cost to the children.“It is not only one day governor that we celebrate. We celebrate Master David, a national champion in Physics in the NNPC science competition tested against other students in Nigeria.”

He said story of the success of the children from the state educational system has spurred them to remain focussed, saying other potentials will mature in the fullness of time.Fashola explained that the state education system thrives on diversity, saying the education process is merit driven, ethnic, religious and gender blind but simply developing younger generation for a greater tomorrow.The governor stressed that his administration had ensured that no child desirous of having education had been left behind, saying that explains why the one day governor, whose father is a carpenter and mother, a refuse truck driver with Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), could emerge the winner of the competition.

 Source:Vanguard