A councillor, Mr Emmanuel Sokenu, representing Ward C, Badagry Local Government, on Tuesday donated a speedboat and 30 safety jackets to pupils from Gberefu Island, a riverine area in Badagry.
Sokenu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry that pupils from Gberefu Island were passing through hard times crossing the river to their different schools.
“This will make students from my community to get to their different schools in Badagry as we do not have any school in Gberefu Island.
“I was born and brought up in the Island and I know what students pass through crossing from the Island to Badagry to go to school.
“Most of the time you find pupils waiting for canoe to come and carry them. Some will not get to school until 11 or 12 in the afternoon.
“I said to myself that this situation cannot continue, I have to help my people, especially the pupils in Gberefu, on their problem of crossing the river.
“So, I contacted our honourable member in Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Layonde of my intention to build a speedboat for the students and he supported me.
“Today, it is the collaboration and efforts of the lawmaker and myself that led to building and donation of the speedboat and thirty safety jackets for pupils of the community,” he said.
Sokenu said that the boat would be conveying students from the community across the river to Badagry, and he had provided money to fuel the boat for a year.
The traditional leader of Gberefu Island, Chief Nojeem Sanni, the Numeton1, commended the councillor for donating the boat.
Sanni appealed to other sons of the Island to emulate the kind gestures of Sokenu, who had also empowered people from the community early in the year.
Alhaji Mutiu Oriade, a community leader in area said that no other councillor had done for them what Sokenu did.
He urged Sokenu to continue with the good work, as the people were watching him.
Seweka Avoseh, a student of Ansarudeen Secondary School, Oropo in Badagry, said that she was grateful to the councillor for providing speedboat for them.
“On behalf of all students of Gberefu Island, we are very happy and we pray to God to continue to bless our honorable.
“The boat will help us greatly and reduce our getting to schools late daily,” she said.
NAN reports that the speedboat was commissioned by the Baale of Gberefu Island with many sons and daughters of the area in attendance. (NAN)