'Corpers' Build Toilet, Borehole for Rural School
She is not a film star but she stole the show as she walked briskly to where the Master of Ceremony was waiting to be introduced. Strong willed beyond her tiny frame, this reporter wondered why she chose to stay in that remote, simple and plain corner of Ilorin metropolis.
The reason is simple. The vision of a sublime life has always haunted her soul and the gloomier the situation the more strongly the aspiration makes itself felt.
The opportunity presented itself when she was posted as a youth corps to the Ile-Apa Junior Secondary School, Ilorin East local government. Going round the school premises on her first day of resumption, what she saw irked her-the nauseating sight of human feaces all over the school premises.
Since then she never rested as she rolled up her sleeves and steadied her hands on the plough to rescue the situation. Such is the beginning of a journey that led to the commissioning of four rooms squat toilet undertaken by Ogirima Salamatu, a youth corps with state code number KW/12A/0640 and a bore hole water undertaken by her colleague, Okemme Moses .O. with state number KW/12A/2525.
The two projects commissioned last week were historic show stopper as two youth corps pull out all stops and stumps to publicize the little achievement with media houses like NTA, Kwara TV, Punch, Tribune, The Herald, Daily Trust in attendance.
The school lacked toilet and water implying that sanitation was the least in the school's order of priority with teachers and students often going to the bush to answer call of nature.
And the local government authority has not even deemed it fit to ameliorate the situation. The four toilets cost Ogirima N850,000 while the borehole cost Moses N900,000 to be installed.
How did the two source for fund for these projects? Listen to Ogirima Salamatu "I met with the principal and staff of Ile-Apa Junior Secondary School including the elders of the community at a meeting chaired by the Alangua of Ile-Apa, Alhaji Yusuf Salif and the Youth leader, Alhaji Adisa Jimoh.
"I enlightened them on the need for the school to have toilets within the school premises and after that I wrote a proposal having initially approached my local government Inspector who encouraged me to go ahead. Finally I wrote to the NYSC state coordinator through The Zonal Inspector, Ilorin Zone through the local government Inspector, Ilorin-East LGA and through the school principal.
"When the proposal was approved, I started sourcing for fund from the members of the public. The reason for my efforts at alleviating the problem is to let the school and the local government authorities know that having toilets within the school premises is more healthy and better than going to the bush to defecate".
For Moses, he said "The project we are about to commission today in this school is personal community development service to address the challenges facing the community and school.
"As you all know, major goal of the community development service for youth corpers is to leave the communities where they serve better than they met them. So, Salamatu and I thought it wise to construct toilet and drill borehole to address both the toilet and water problems facing the school.
"Let me tell you that the significance of water cannot be overemphasized. There is an adage that says he who gives water gives life. To my understanding, water answers or solves many life problems and we are even made to understand that water takes 70% of the necessity of life.
"Permit me to quote Famous Nigerian Afro Musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti who says water has no enemy in one of his popular track speaks it all. I hope this modest contribution would go a long way in relieving members of the community and staff and students of the school. I want to implore the community and school to try and maintain the project".
The school's principal, Mrs. Comfort Modupe Ajiboye in her remark said "It is my honour and privilege on behalf of the entire school and the community to welcome you to this occasion in which Okeme.O. Moses and Ogirima Salamt donated borehole and four V.I.P toilets.
"The choice of the school's premises as the construction and drilling site of the two projects is a challenge to the school and community to observe maintenance culture for the preservation of the project. I appreciate the working relationship and initiative of Moses .O. Okeme and Ogirima Salamat for their vision. I passionately appeal to the NYSC state coordinator to reward them by recommending them for automatic employment in the state".
Moses and Salamat graduated from the Kogi state University and Kogi state Polytechnic respectively.
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