Skill trade acquisition to enhance personal future at St. Michael Skill Trade College…..Lagos tasks youths on technical knowledge

…As trade College matriculates 31 students at Ajido Badagry LG

The Lagos State Government has urged youths in the state to lay more emphasis on vocational training schools to acquire skills.

Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olajide, a Director in the office of Special Adviser on Education Lagos, gave the advice during the 1st Scholarship Induction and Matriculation Ceremony of St. Michael Skill Trade College in Ajido, Badagry LG, Lagos State.

Olajide, who is also the Head of Department, Dispersion and Monitoring Department, Lagos State Ministry of Education, said one would still come back to the vocational school to learn and relearn according to the THEMES Agenda of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Director said the College was unique due to the quality of facilities with practical hands on training equipment, the environment and their lecturers.

“I have gone to Epe, Ikorodu and many areas in Lagos and I have not seen a College like St. Michael Skill Trade College, Ajido in Badagry. With the facilities on ground, the owner of the College should be collecting between N300,000 and N400,000 to train a student but the tuition is too small.

“If we have this opportunity and we are not able to use it, it is like a wasted knowledge and efforts. I am imploring the people of Badagry Local Government, Lagos State and Nigerians at large not to allow this opportunity to go untapped”, she said.

Olajide said the College was registered with the Lagos State Ministry of Education as a Polytechnic, adding that it would be producing Higher National Diploma (HND) holders in future, and currently accredited to conduct Federal Ministry of Labour’s Trade Tests Grade 3, 2 and 1.

“The College has given us challenge by taking our youths out of the streets, so I want to thank the President and Chief Executive Officer for partnering with LASG in efforts to bring out the best in our youths by taking them off the streets into the college for skills trade acquisition to enhance their future”.

“On behalf of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Special Adviser on Education in Lagos State, Barrister Philip Tokunbo Wahab, we thank the CEO for a job well done,” she said.

Mrs. Sewede Pot-Balogun, the Supervisor for Education, Badagry Local Government said the college was an opportunity for parents looking for admission in skill acquisition for their children.

According to Pot-Balogun, instead of roaming about the streets, constituting nuisance to the society, this is an opportunity for them to acquire skills in order to be independent in future.

She urged the management of the college to reach out to people in Badagry LG and its environs to make use of the opportunity to acquire useful skills in the College.

“The college is a great opportunity for our youths and students at home to acquire technical skills”.

“We need to encourage our youths to come and acquire more technical knowledge here because it will help the stranded youths to pick up a carrier in future,” she said.

Mr Samson Apata, the Chairman, Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) said the college was additional strength to Ajido community in Badagry LG.

Apata said that the institution was the beginning of new things to come to the community.

He said that he had made arrangement with the CEO of the college to make tourism part of their course.

The Royal father of the day, Aholu Saheed Adamson, the Aholu of Ajido community, urged the students of the institution to make use of the opportunity provided to their advantages.

HRM Saheed Adamson commended Chief Engr. Michael Sonayon Kunnuji (The Gagbo Menu Toyon of Ajido Kingdom) for establishing the college in his domain.

Lawyer A.O.S. Hodonu, a renounced Barrister, who is also a son of Ajido Badagry LG, also admonished the youths to take seriously skill trade acquisitions as the opportunity is right at their doorstep.

He sighted many examples of university graduates who after graduation find it difficult to secure a white-collar job, and therefore went back to Technical College to acquire skills and today are CEOs of their own companies.

Mr. Young Amie (A Chemical Engineer), a childhood friend of the CEO of the college, urged Nigerians to emulate the founder of the college.

According to him, if Nigerians could behave like Chief Engr. Michael Sonayon Kunnuji, The Gagbo Menu Toyon of Ajido Kingdom, the country will be a better place for each one to live. “This is just giving back to the society the way he can.

“To the students at the institute, it is not the certificate that is important, it is the skills they acquire here,” he said.

Mr. Success Jome, an electrical engineering student in the college urged students who are currently at home due to ASUU strike to take the advantage of strike to come and learn a skill in the college.

According to him, knowledge acquired in the college will be of great assistance when they are back in school.

He said within two months that he gained admission to the college, he can handle domestic wiring perfectly.

In his address, Chief Engr. Michael Sonayon Kunnuji, the President and CEO, said the college was a vision birthed from the dream of giving back to his community.

According to Chief Engr. Michael Sonayon Kunnuji, this is for the development of our youths and young adults in Ajido, Badagry LG, Lagos State, and the entire country Nigeria.

Chief Engr. Michael Sonayon Kunnuji, was represented at the occasion by Mrs Senami Theodora Oke, the daughter of the soil, Gbenovi Aiko dynasty in Ajido Kingdom.

“It is our mission and vision to see that the basic skills trade that guarantees the future and the development of our youths and young adults are made available to them.

“We hope that our community and its environs experience modern development as experienced all over the world.

“The College Program has been designed to give exposure to students through her well-rounded curriculum which includes both classroom and practical (hands-on) sessions.

“We are operating in a safe and effective learning environment that enables every trainee to reach his or her greatest potential through ample opportunities and entrepreneurial skills needed to excel,” he said

The CEO appreciated the Aholu of Ajido kingdom, Aholu Saheed Adamson, Oba Abraham Ogabi, the Ajagun of Imeke kingdom and Aholu Dale Whedakoh of Idale kingdom for their unflinching support and presence during the matriculation ceremony.

He commended the representative of Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olajide, and the entire Ajido community.

“Our appreciation also goes to every other personality here present at this eventful ceremony.

We also acknowledge the international affiliations from both USA and Canada to the college.

“Long live Gagbo Menu Toyon of Ajido Kingdom, Long live Ajido Kingdom, Long live Badagry Local Govt, Long live Lagos State, Long live Nigeria, Long live Canada and Long live United State of America,” he said.

Thirty one students from different courses of the College matriculated, while 16 of them were awarded scholarships by the CEO of the College in the memories of Late Pa. Edward Durojola Kunnuji, Mrs. Suru Comfort Kunnuji, Isaac Ogunbiyi Kunnuji (Gagbo Menu Toyon 1 of Ajido Kingdom), Emmanuel Dapo Kunnuji (Gagbo Menu Toyon 3 of Ajido Kingdom), sponsored by Chief Engr. Michael Sonayon Kunnuji (Gagbo Menu Toyon 5 of Ajido Kingdom).

For a better society