.also commissions Agro food hub in his Day-2 visit
By Our Reporter
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated the modernised Tolu Schools Complex, sited on 11.73 hectares of land in Ajegunle, as part of the mega projects commissioned by him in his second day visit to Lagos, his home state.
A comprehensive regeneration and upgrade of Tolu Schools Complex in Ajegunle, a densely populated Lagos suburb, by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is reminiscent of a rebirth of education in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
The cluster of 36 public schools got its facilities rehabilitated in an infrastructure renewal programme supervised by the Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPS).
President Tinubu commissioned the school complex along with Maracana Stadium, comprising 19 mini-football pitches built side by side close to the complex.
Besides, the president virtually commissioned the Fresh Food Hub built by Governor Sanwo-Olu's administration in Abijo, Ajah area of Eti Osa.
The iconic projects were unveiled by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who represented President Tinubu at the event, which also had in attendance the Minister for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Josephine Piyo; members of the National Assembly, among others.
It was a moment of uncontrolled excitement for pupils of the 36 schools in the complex, who trooped out, clad in their respective uniforms to welcome Sanwo-Olu and Akpabio.
Tinubu said the scale of regeneration of Tolu Schools Complex by the Sanwo-Olu government, was "exceptional and remarkable," stressing that the intervention reflected the vision, planning and commitment of the governor to improve the lives of young citizens.
The president said the accomplishment demonstrated what could be achieved with bold and focused leadership, commending Sanwo-Olu and his team for delivering a project that would serve tens of thousands of students within a school environment.
"The remarkable scale and significance of Tolu Schools Complex regeneration is truly exceptional. The successful upgrade of such a large and complex educational facility is highly commendable.
"This reflects the vision, planning and very clear commitment to improving the lives of our young citizens. Sanwo-Olu and his team deserve commendation for delivering a project of this magnitude and for demonstrating what is possible when leadership is bold and focused.
"We must continue to invest in education, not just as a social service but as driver of economic growth and national development. When we equip our children with knowledge and skills, we prepare them to contribute meaningfully to society and compete in a changing world.
"This is an investment in the strength and progress of not just our state but the country. No nation can rise above the quality of its human capital. When we give our young people access to quality education, the right skills and supportive environment, we are preparing them not just for today, but for the future we all desire," he stated.
President disclosed that he had through his administration’s Renewed Hope agenda designed programmes that would ensure every child had access to quality care learning and equipped with practical skills to compete and thrive in the emerging modern economy.
According to President Tinubu, by strengthening human capital development, a society would build a workforce capable of driving innovation, creating jobs and sustaining national growth, saying that education policies must focus on boosting capacity and ensuring schools produce thinkers, problem solvers and innovators that would drive the nation’s economy forward.
"Projects like these show what is possible when leadership is focused and deliberate. This is how we turn opportunities to progress, potential into prosperity for all Nigerians. Lagos is leading in this direction,” the president said.
Tinubu, while unveiling the Mid-Level Fresh Food Hub in Abijo in virtual commissioning, said the food sustainability intervention delivered by Governor Sanwo-Olu was in alignment with his administration’s aggressive agricultural production programmes.
He said the facility would simplify the complex logistical process that entails transporting of farm produce to the market for consumption.
On Tolu Schools Complex, Sanwo-Olu said it represented a beacon of hope and a message of reassurance to children living in Ajegunle, pointing out that the mega school project showed the government did not neglect them.
The governor said the story of Tolu Schools Complex started in 1981 during the Mass Education Policy of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande administration to provide accessible education in Ajegunle.
He said the government reclaimed land from the Lagos lagoon to build the complex, which started two pioneer schools, namely Unity and Olodi Apapa Secondary Schools.
According to him, the complex was expanded by the successive military administrations, after which a major milestone was recorded during the administration of the then Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who added Bola Ige Millennium Secondary School.
This was just as he recalled that the schools complex’s condition deteriorated due to a growing pupil population, sadly noting that the classrooms originally designed for 35 students were crammed with over 100 pupils, while the perimeter fencing was damaged by floodwater.
He said following this, his administration initiated a regeneration project for the complex, adding that this involved giving all 36 schools in the cluster a complete infrastructural makeover.
"We took a clear and deliberate decision to regenerate this historic complex completely and courageously. What we are commissioning today is not a facelift or a cosmetic intervention. It is a full re-imagination of what public education should look like in a modern African city.
"We have transformed the Tolu Schools Complex into the largest integrated educational community in West Africa, providing a complete educational ladder from foundation to the threshold of higher learning.
"To tackle overcrowding and create a more conducive learning environment, we have delivered 12 new classroom blocks, each containing 18 classrooms.
"In addition, 24 existing school buildings have been comprehensively rehabilitated, restoring them into safe, habitable and inspiring spaces for teaching and learning," Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
"We also built a four-storey vocational and skills acquisition centre with dedicated workshops designed to bridge the gap between academic instruction and practical competence," Governor Sanwo-Olu said, adding that the Tolu Schools Complex was also equipped with central science laboratories and ICT Complex that can accommodate 200 pupils at a time.
Sanwo-Olu renamed the Maracana Stadium, comprising 19 mini-football pitches, after President Tinubu for his consistent championing of youth and sports development.
Speaking on the 23,000sq metre Abijo Mid-Level Agro Food hub, the governor said it was designed to create a sustainable food distribution network along the Eti Osa corridor.
"This facility, with its modern storage infrastructure, trading floors, and logistics systems, will decentralise access to fresh produce beyond our traditional markets, bringing affordable, quality food closer to families across the Lekki-Ajah axis and beyond. It is a critical piece of our food security architecture," he said.
Education Minister, Alausa, said massive regeneration of Tolu Schools Complex stood as a powerful testament to the vision of a committed leadership in Lagos, noting that the accomplishment reflected what could be possible when leadership was purposeful, intentional and people-centric.
The achievement, he said, was in furtherance of President Tinubu’s visionary leadership and his commitment to quality education through the Renewed Hope agenda.
"The commissioning of Tolu Schools Complex is a landmark achievement in our collective pursuit of educational excellence. This is an unveiling of a bold statement and declaration that Nigeria is investing decisively in the future of its children," Alausa said.
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