Oyo State has reopened 23 schools that were closed due to a land dispute
The Oyo State government has reopened a total of 23 schools in Atiba, Afijio, Oyo East, and Oyo West local government areas that had been closed for a decade due to a land dispute.
Dotun Oyelade, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, made this announcement in a statement on Thursday. The resolution of the boundary dispute between communities led to the reopening of these schools, with the decision made during a stakeholders' meeting at the Western Hall in Ibadan. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, who also serves as the Chairman of the state's Boundary Dispute Committee.
Lawal urged all stakeholders in the impacted communities to embrace peace, cautioning that the government would not tolerate any actions that might disturb the peace of these areas. He also encouraged the legislators representing the affected communities to collaborate with traditional rulers and other essential stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the dispute.
"I urge you, our elders and chairmen of the affected local governments, to prioritize the future of these children. The main purpose of this meeting is to ensure the immediate reopening of schools that have been closed for 10 years. That is the directive from the governor himself."
"We have engaged all stakeholders, including community leaders, honorable members, and the chairmen of various local governments. It has been unanimously agreed that schools must reopen in the best interest of these children," he stated.
Some of the affected schools include Community Basic School Obananko, Oyo; Community Basic School Laagbe, Oyo; Pinnock Memorial Bapt School Aba Epo Oluwatedo, Oyo; Bapt Basic School Oluwatedo, Oyo; St. Luke Anglican Bada Idiyalode, Oyo; L.A. Basic School Ago Oyo; Community Basic School Igbo Olose, Oyo in Oyo West LG.
Others are Community Basic School Adebimpe, Oyo; Community Basic School Obasere, Oyo; St. Thomas Anglican School Alabi Olorunda, Oyo; St. Michael RCM Apaara Village, Oyo; Methodist Primary School Ajagba, Oyo; Bapt Central School Oniyanrin, Oyo; Bapt Primary School Aguo, Oyo; ADS Primary School Baba Elesin, Oyo in Oyo East LG.
Also impacted were L.A. School Lannite, Oyo; L.A. Primary School Gudugbu Orile, Oyo; L.A. Primary School Gudugbu, Oyo; ADS Primary School Aba Olori, Oyo; ADS Primary Abujakan, Oyo; L.A. Basic School Alagbon, Oyo, and L.A. Basic School Imeleke, Oyo, all within Oyo East LG.
In 2023, the state government initiated a program aimed at addressing the issue of out-of-school children. The program targeted the enrollment of 1.5 million out-of-school children, following the successful return of students to classrooms under the BESDA initiative between 2017 and 2022.
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