Posted by By Sina Babasola on
TONGUES are now wagging in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital over the destruction of not less than twenty sign boards of various secondary schools within the city by hoodlums allegedly acting on the directives of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state .
IBADAN - TONGUES are now wagging in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital over the destruction of not less than twenty sign boards of various secondary schools within the city by hoodlums allegedly acting on the directives of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state .
Consequently, the state Police command was said to have commenced investigation into the removal of the sign boards said to cost each of the school N20,000 to erect in all entrance of the public secondary schools in the state.
It was learnt that some hoodlums numbering about twenty in a PDP bus armed with cutlasses, guns and other dangerous weapons went round the schools to remove the sign post which was said to have the inscription of Governor Rashidi Ladoja's achievements in the reform of the education sector of the state particularly in the area of thirty pupils per class, promotion of teachers and the construction of six additional classroom preschools in the state.
An eyewitness Mr. Raimi Adeagbo while narrating how the sign boards were removed by the hoodlums said when he approached the hoodlums to question them on the rational behind the removal of the sign posts they pounced on him and tore his clothes to shreds while his wristwatch was also stolen by them.
"They came around 5pm about ten in number and said a chieftain of PDP (name withheld) sent them to uproot the signboards numbering about ten. When I confronted them they attacked me but the commercial drivers at Oke Ado area rescued me from them after they had dispossessed me of my wristwatch. I was only lucky that they did not steal my handset" said Adeagbo.
A visit round the affected schools showed that the sign boards made of iron were cut down and taken away to unknown destinations by the hoodlums. The chairman of Parents Teacher Association of one of the schools Prophet Paul Eboka said that the removal of the sign post was politically motivated adding that if not so there was no reason or any justification for its removal.
Some of the sign posts uprooted read thus: "Olubi Memorial Grammar School 1 is proud to be associated with the educational revolution of Governor Adewolu Ladoja's administration: 30 pupils per class; construction of six blocks of classrooms; supply of chairs and desks; distribution of notebooks to students; distribution of library books; renovation of blocks of classrooms and promotion and welfare of teachers."
The affected schools visited by this reporter include Ibadan Grammar School Molete, Olubi Memorial Grammar School Molete, Peoples Girls Grammar School Molete, Saint David Grammar School Molete, Anglican Grammar School Molete and Saint Lukes School Molete .
Some of the Principals who spoke with Vanguard on the issue said though the matter has been officially reported to the Local Inspector of Education (LIE) office but no official report has been made to the police station.
A senior police officer told Vanguard yesterday that the state police Commissioner had ordered that the matter should be properly investigated while the state Education Commissioner, Dr.Jelili Amoloye paid an unscheduled visit to the state House of assembly to formally report the destruction of the sign boards to the lawmakers for appropriate action.