Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adewale Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed optimism that the new Federal College of Education, Iwo, in Osun State, which is about to begin academic activities, will not only breed a new generation of teachers but also future leaders for the country.
In this interview, the monarch lauds President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the college, stressing that it would inspire further development in Osun.
How would you assess President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance in the context of his administration’s approval for and location of the Federal College of Education in Iwo?
As far as I am concerned, I see, like several other people, a people-oriented government of accountability and transparency in Buhari’s administration.
It is his compliance with the doctrine of democracy which means government of the people that inspired the approval, this year, of the college of education for us.
If it were in the days of impunity when government used to pay deaf ears to the masses’ yearning for their needs, my town would not have enjoyed the privilege.
During past administrations, nothing came to Iwo. No school, nothing, no federal, no state presence. There was a time Osun State University was created and government spread six campuses in different towns across the state. But despite that Iwo has the highest number of local government areas and the largest land mass in the whole of the state, no campus was given to us. But we remained patient. The Federal College of Education has come as a big compensation and better glory for Iwo Town.
What future does this glory hold for the Iwo Kingdom?
Wow! It has a great future for us. The college would announce Iwo to the world much more. This is because it shall have a significant enrollment because of its strategic location in view of the fact that Iwo is a town sitting between two state capitals – Osun and Oyo. Therefore, people coming to the school would be able to access Ibadan and Osogbo very easily.
Interestingly too, people would want to come to Iwo to visit me because, I, myself, am a tourist attraction. People would want to come to the Oluwo’s Palace and the school in a town where a modern king is living.
They would want to see the beauty of a typical Yoruba palace that has a blend of both traditional and modern palace where an elitist man is the monarch.
The college shall be a blessing to Iwo and the entire state because it will certainly spur further development socially, economically and educationally.
You fought tooth and nail for the approval and location of the school in Iwo. As the monarch of the town that now has a federal presence, what value do you hope to add to the college to demonstrate fulfilment of your dream?
I will make the programme more interesting for them, especially the students. I will always be encouraging them by giving them motivational talks that would broaden the horizon of their understanding of philosophies of life which would go a long way in helping them in life.
We would always help the school to grow and make it the best among colleges of education in this country.
This is because we place a high premium on the school. It is golden and it’s more than diamond. We will always make it shine. It will be a turn around for a greater Iwo Empire. It will be a very great turnaround even for the economy of the town and the entire state.
Most youths of the present generation prefer university to college of education and polytechnic. Do you think the new college of education will witness an appreciable enrolment for commencement of academic activities?
College of education is not only meant for graduates to become teachers. There are a lot of people that passed through college of education that did not end up as teachers but in other careers of their choice.
There are several course combinations in the school curriculum that qualify graduates for jobs outside the teaching profession. For example, those that study Political Science/Education, English/Education, Agric/Education, Economic Education and other double major courses can not be teachers perse, but also qualify for jobs in other fields through the courses that they combined with education.
Apart from that, some people have passion for teaching and want to be teachers.
Education programme is supposed to be rated first and best because it is used to train teachers who also raise leaders and professionals in different fields of knowledge.
Engineers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, architects, journalists, etc, are all produced by teachers.
The Federal College of Education, Iwo, is one of the greatest things that has happened to the education sector because it shall breed a new generation of teachers for this country. They are the ones that will take over from the present generation to breed future leaders too.
In the past, government used to offer bursary to college of education students as a lifeline, but nowadays, there is nothing like bursary apart from the fact that scholarship is difficult to come by. Do you think that government should reintroduce bursary to the college of education system?
I can still recall that in the ’70s and ’80s, there was bursary as you rightly said. Students enjoyed it till in the ’90s. It helped indigent students who got their dream education and are responsible citizens today. They have also bred several responsible citizens as teachers. But after some time, corruption swept the system off its feet. Several youths from less privileged homes have lost opportunity to go to school due to poverty and lack of bursary that would have ameliorated it. Politicians and military heads of state stole billions of naira meant for this country. That is why bursary has become a mere dream.
In any case, I believe that Buhari’s administration could restore it to boost chances of teacher education programme among the youths. This will help stimulate their interest in enrolling for the programme in the college of education. It will also help in training more teachers and avert shortage of manpower in the teaching industry.
There is a report that academic activities will commence at the college in October. To what extent is Iwo prepared for this?
We are well prepared. We already have a temporary site where academic activities can commence immediately and we have administrative and academic buildings.
A permanent site is also available to be developed. We have enough hectares of land for the purpose. We had been waiting for the college. We had been thirsty for it. Interestingly and joyfully, President Muhammadu Buhari quenched the thirst. It is like you are in a desert and need water and when you get it, you receive it with both hands like something more than gold. That is what the Federal College of Education means to Iwo. That is why we are ready to run with the school as promptly as possible.
What should be done for people to survive the post COVID-19 hardship?
The hardship might be tough because a lot of jobs have been lost and the economy has been seriously battered. The survival of people, especially the less privileged, requires a lot of sacrifice.
Those that are in the position to help others should be ready to make sacrifice. Let’s be our brothers’ keeper because government alone cannot do everything. People that Corona virus has stopped from going on pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem should be kind enough to use the money as palliative to the indigent. Government at all levels should also introduce a post COVID-19 Hardship Amelioration Foundation (HAF) to assist the less privileged people. There should be a fundraising by top government officials, politicians and prominent and well to do personalities to bankroll the charity programme and make life meaningful to the people.
For sustainability, a loan facility could be introduced into the foundation with low interest to empower beneficiaries for a means of livelihood.
What is your assessment of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s concern for the people of the state in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown hardship?
The governor has been very proactive right from the beginning of the hardship occasioned by the pandemic.
He donated thousands of bags of rice to the less privileged which got to them in all the local government areas. He has been doing a great job like magic. He has been fixing roads equipping health centres for qualitative health care delivery. He also pays staff salary on time. Almost everyday, he is in the news for one good thing or the other that he has done. The first lady is also his strong pillar in delivering people-oriented programmes. These people of progressive ideology under the aegis of the APC have passion to serve. Oyetola is a governor that has passion to serve.
You helped a lot of suffering masses in your town during the peak of the Corona virus pandemic by giving them palliatives. To what extent will you continue this gesture since the hardship has not abated?
I will continue the gesture because I also have passion to serve my people just like Governor Oyetola and President Muhammadu Buhari. Recently I ‘moved my palace’ to the doorsteps of an old woman in Iwo who can not even stand on her feet and needs help. I gave her palliatives, including cash. I demonstrated that compassion and humility to set an example for other leaders to follow.
I am not a king that would sit down in the palace, waiting for homage and royalties. I go out to look for a way to help my people the same way the country goes to IMF and World Bank to better the lives of the people as a father does for his children. I can’t watch my people go hungry and never do anything to help them. They are my passion and that is the essence of kingship and leadership.