Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada collaborates with Rotary Club Ibadan Bodija Estate to distribute over 10,000 textbooks, notebooks to schools in Nigeria

PATIENCE OGBO

The Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Ibadan Bodija estate has given a boost to basic education and literacy for secondary and primary school education in Nigeria as the two clubs distributed over 10,000 textbooks and notebooks to the Adelegan Memorial Primary School at Gbelekale Oja gbo and the St. Louis Grammar School Mokola Oke Itinu in Ibadan Oyo state Nigeria .

The distribution of the educational materials to the students which took place on Wednesday, February 21st at the schools’ premises was facilitated by the president of the Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada Mrs. Adejisola Atiba and the board of the club.

Mrs. Atiba who was present at the event with her team was supported by the President of the Rotary Club Ibadan Bodija Estate, Rotarian Olorunfemi Ayo, the secretary of the club Rotarian Patience Ogbo and other members of the club who were present in the schools to distribute the notebooks and textbooks to the students.

Mrs Atiba who is a banker by profession said she had her primary, secondary and University education in Nigeria before she relocated to Canada. She stated that she is advocating for more resources to be allocated to education as she believes that students have a better chance of succeeding in their academic pursuits and becoming who they want to be in life if they have books to read.

Mrs Atiba while speaking at the Adelegan Memorial Primary School said ‘’ Education means a lot to me and when I became the president of the Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada, I thought of what to do and I thought about my country Nigeria and what I need to do there. There are a lot of needs so I said what about we as a club provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ) textbooks to primary and secondary schools and I was able to present that idea to the board of the club. Everybody in the club is rooting for these children to become the best that they can be. I know that with education, people can become what they want to be. Rotary International has seven pillars and this is one of them. We need a lot of people in the sciences and technology fields because these are what drive the world’’.

Speaking on the importance of books in schools, Mrs. Atiba further said ‘’ When we send children to school without books to read or write, we are not sending them there for success. Because for them to be successful, they must read and write and they have a fighting chance to succeed and excel. We hope to sustain this initiative as we give mathematics and Integrated science textbooks to primary 5 pupils. When they leave that class, the students will leave the books behind for the next set of primary 5 at least for the next ten years, these books will be in use. We urge the government to do more though we know they cannot do it alone but that does not mean that the government should shank their responsibilities. The school here is in a very bad state, the government needs to do better. The community has to do its part and there are other Rotary clubs in Nigeria that need to also do their part. There are also schools we have been to that do not have toilets like we say a little drop of water will create an ocean’’.

Mrs. Atiba further added that the secondary school students got physics, chemistry and Biology textbooks for Senior Secondary School 2 students which they will leave behind when they leave the class .

While speaking Rotarian Ayo Olurunfemi the president of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Bodija Estate said the distribution of the textbooks and notebooks is in line with the Rotary Club’s international theme of creating hope in the world. He said ‘’ Rotary Club is an organization that is about fellowship and how we can improve quality of life. You can see the children and the environment. You can see how happy they are seeing us in their schools and they expressed that happiness. Rotary is about caring, it is about giving back to the society ‘’,

Reacting to the kind gesture of the Rotary club members, Mr. Salahudeen Adeleke the Headmaster of Adelegan Memorial Primary School expressed profound gratitude for the notebooks and textbooks. He said ‘’ This is a very good initiative by the Rotary club members. When we look at our environment, there is no doubt that we are facing economic challenges. The government is trying hard to do what it can do for the schools but it cannot do it alone. There is a need for people with affluence to look for the poor and help them contribute to the educational development of the societies at large. This gesture today is a morale booster and a huge encouragement to the children’’ .

At the St. Louis Grammar school, textbooks in Biology, Physics and Chemistry subjects as well as notebooks were distributed to SS 2 students. Mrs. Atiba expressed joy as she revealed that St. Louis Grammar School is her alma mater and as such, she is highly delighted to have returned to where she had her secondary school education to give back to the students and encourage them in their studies.

Dr. Oyeyemi Shadare the Principal of St. Louis Grammar School Senior expressed profound gratitude to Mrs. Atiba as she described her as a role model and a worthy ambassador of the school. She also applauded other Rotarians on behalf of the school.’’ I am highly grateful to Mrs. Adejisola Atiba who is a former student of this school and she chose to come back and give to her alma mater. This is an encouragement to the girls to also do well and remember to give back. I thank the Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada and the Rotary Club of Ibadan Bodija estate for the notebooks and textbooks’’.

Mr. Felix Odusanya the Assistant Governor of the Rotary Club Ibadan Bodija estate also expressed gratitude to Rotarian Atiba, the Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada for collaborating with the Rotary Club Ibadan Bodija estate for the distribution of the books. He said ‘’’ Let me appreciate the clubs for this project. As we all know, basic education and literacy are one of the mandates of the Rotary Club and to think of this at this time is indeed a good initiative. I congratulate the students for receiving these books as we all know that science textbooks are expensive. I urge them to make good use of the books. I appreciate the president of the Rotary Club of Milton Ontario Canada Mrs. Adejisola Atiba for pulling this through the board and also the president and members of the Rotary Club of Ibadan Bodija estate for the collaboration ‘’