It was an undiluted joy and jubilations at the Palace of Olota of Ota, Oba Abdulkabir Adeyemi Obalanlege when about 25 pupils from different Government Secondary Schools across Ado/Ota Local Government Area, received educational sponsorship letters from a non-governmental group known as OTA GRAVITY GROUP.
The schools were: Iganmode Grammar School, Ansarudeen College, Anglican Grammar School, Sango-Ota High School, and Lafenwa High School, Ota.
It was gathered that the group, Ota Gravity Group (OGG), also visited the Chief Imam of Ota, Sheik Buhari, who recently lost his house and other valuable properties to a fire incident and they pledged to be part of rebuilding efforts of the edifice. To this effect, architectural design and perimeter fencing have commenced to give the Chief Imam a befitting apartment.
It was further learnt that OGG has also pledged to support the Kabiyesi Olota’s pet project & initiative known as the Foundation for Economic and Development Initiative (FECODIN) with N1,000,000 as a contribution to the indigenous empowerment programme at the just concluded Iganmode Cultural Festival.
The two-in-one programme was used to officially introduced the group to the monarch and Ota council of chiefs.
It was gathered that the OGG obtained Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) forms, paid for the exam’s tutorials and vowed to grant all successful pupils scholarship throughout their university levels through the University Education Intervention Project (UEIP) established by the group for the purpose of sponsoring youths education in Ota, the ancient city of Aworiland.
The group, comprises of political office holders, business mogues and captain of industries.
Speaking at the event, the Group’s President, Aare Dele Bankole said the group’s primary objective is to contribute their quotas to the development of Ota, Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.
He said they are the people of like-minds, ready to contribute out of their treasure and talents to render humanitarian service to the less-privileged young ones in Aworiland through empowering them both on education and skills acquisitions.
Aare Dele Bankole further said sponsoring Ota Awori youths’ education would see to continually improve and prepare the indigenes’ competency to withstand & compete favourably among other communities in the state & Nigeria as a whole. Acquisition of higher education, he continued, would help reduce considerably the high level of marginalisation of Aworis from higher political and governments positions.
The President reiterated the group’s readiness to sponsor less-priviledged youths’ education throughout their choices of tertiary institutions. Stressing that the group would also partner Olota in all developmental programme or activities that would improve the living condition of Ota indigenes & residents in the community.
The Group’s Public Relations Officer, Hon Nurudeen Aina said the group fostered her core objective on youths’ education & empowerment to complement the government efforts of rebuilding deteriorating quality of education generally.
He said youths are the leaders of tomorrow and it will be highly impossible to become good leaders if they lack quality educational background. Appealing to the youths especially the beneficiaries to put more efforts in pursuing academic excellence at all times and the skies would not be a limit.
The Ogun State Head of Service, Mrs Amope Choker (Née Bankole) who was the special guest of honour at the event urged the youths especially the ladies to avoid unnecessary distraction including irresponsible sexual behavior, cultism and other vices that may impede their educational pursuits. She implored the beneficiaries to be study hard for the UMTE examinations, and other excel in the examinations, adding that, this would encourage the sponsorers to do more.
The Olota of Ota and other council of chiefs thanked the group for all these gestures and efforts of making life bearable for the less-privileged.
The Kabiyesi enjoined all Awori indigenes to always encourage others in the diaspora to come back home to participate in the development of Aworiland.
He appealed to the sons and daughters to dig deep in establishing social groups that will encourage the diasporas to come back home and contribute quota to the development of the ancient city of Aworis.
The Kabiyesi noted that the expectation of Ota in Council is to be seeing their sons and daughters in diaspora participating in all activities of the town, this will go a long way in the development of the city, he said.
The Monarch prayed that the Almighty God continue to favour all the group’s members, saying they’ve done wonderfully well and worthy of emulation.
He prayed that God will touch the hearts of wealthy people in Nigeria to participate in humanitarian services to support the downtrodden.
He said like a popular saying: “Think of what you can do for your country not what your country can do for you, all Aworis are expected to think how they can rebuild their community. We have every potential to lead and be the shinning light for others to emulate.
“We are next door Neighbour to Lagos State. We have so many educated elites from Ota. We are one of the most educated groups in Nigeria”, the Kabiyesi concluded.
Members of the group in attendance include the Chief Press Secretary to His Excellency, Governor Dapo Abiodun, Mr Kunle Somorin; Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to Ogun State Government, Hon Kola Salako; President of the association, Aare Dele Bankole, Hon Aina Akinpelu, former member of Ogun State House of Assembly; Mr Semiu Abiodun Adeniran, ACP Lateef Ahmed, Hon Segun Ojolowo Ojuko, Lady Folake Abiola, Oluwo Itoki of Ota Awori Land, Chief Ganiyu Dada Obanisiro; Seriki of Ota Land, High Chief Lanre Balogun and Chairman, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Hon Wasiu Lawal.
