Sometimes in October 2018, some elites in Igbaye, Odo-Otin Local Government, Osun State, formed a group, Igbaye Development Vanguard (IDV), for the growth of their community. They strive to give back to their community what the community had given to them.
Two interim conveners of the ADV, Dr. Sunday Alayemi and Mr. Rafiu Adeoye Popoola, disclosed: “The main objective of our coming together is, among other things, to rekindle the lost glory and interpersonal lovely relationship among ourselves. Our immediate areas of concentration will be renovation of our joint public properties like schools, health centres, Town Hall, public utilities like toilets and Post Office.
“Beside the renovation of a few dilapidated facilities in the town, building of new ones like e-library, recreation centres and eventsw halls is also in the pipeline. Renovation of Igbaye Community High School (ICHS), jointly financed by the vanguard members and old students of the school, is already in progress. After its completion, announcement will be made following which school affairs including its maintenance would be delegated to old students and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), while the vanguard will face other projects.
“The cost of putting the block of classrooms is about N5m jointly contributed by the vanguard members, old students of the school and some eminent indigenes of Igbaye all of whom were not taxed, but encouraged to key into the project because of its importance to the community and humanity at large.
“We are currently in the process of arranging chairs and tables before handing the classes over to the school authorities for use. The project was commenced October last year and completed early January this year.
“We are delighted that the state government was very impressed and commended the efforts of our community. The renovation of the remaining classrooms has been taken over by the government. We understand the project has been approved and awarded to a contractor.”
They appealed to government to come on board promptly “as the students can’t wait to continue their studies in a conducive environment. We are anxiously waiting for the government to fulfill its promise.”