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School in spotlight after student reported principal to Gov
Adebayo Waheed and AKIN DURODOLA
Adebayo Waheed and AKIN DURODOLA write on how a 14-year-old Senior Secondary School Student (SSS) attracted government attention to his school by reporting his principal to the state governor and the consequent effect on the school.
The student, who Nigerian Tribune gathered was a product of a private school in the state capital, felt that things were not working as expected in the public school, and decided to take the matter up with the state government. The boy, since his “unscheduled” visit to the governor’s office has been nicknamed “Omo Akala,” that is, Akala’s child, by some of his friends. Also, since the visit, the school’s image has changed while efforts are now geared toward instilling discipline in the students and their teachers. He had, among other things, alleged that the school principal was not in control, an indication that indiscipline among the students and the teachers was so rampant. He accused the students of loitering during the school hours, that the principal had failed to comply with the state government directive on 30 students per class, and shortage of benches and chairs, which made students sit in fours and, in some cases, bare floor However, there had been mixed reactions to the student’s action. While some people believed that the boy might end up being another Gani Fawehinmi and Wole Soyinka, others believed that his action was not good enough as it could affect the principal and the teachers. Others thought he was sponsored. However, Nigerian Tribune investigation revealed that there was gross indiscipline among the teachers and students and since the boy, coming from a private school could not stomach the act, he decided to pay an unscheduled visit to Governor Akala in his office. Some of the residents of Orita Aperin and students who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune commended the student for his bravery. They alleged that before the incident, the school was one of the most indisciplined schools in the area. They accused the students of gross misconduct and indiscipline while all efforts by the teachers to correct them failed to yield any positive result. Some of the students who spoke under the condition of anonymity exonerated their principal from the allegations levelled against him by the student. They however confirmed that there were shortage of benches and chairs for them.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the school, though very clean, lacked good toilet system while the walls of the most of the classrooms had been turned to blackboard. It was further learnt that nobody sponsored the boy especially when the residents in the area had nothing against the principal. A telephone operator, Kunle, who claimed that he knows the boy, said that the boy was so clever that whenever he came to make phone calls, he would not allow anybody to see the number. He told the Nigerian Tribune Abdul Lateef was there to phone the governor on the day the state commissioner visited the school. According to him, the boy who informed the governor of the commissioner’s visit, told him (governor) that none of the teachers or the principal had taken any action against him. An SSS III student also told the Nigerian Tribune that the boy was so clever that he hardly disclosed his action and deeds among his classmates. “The boy may be right but at the same time, our principal has been doing his best to instill discipline in the students,” she said. It was as a result of the student’s allegation that the Commissioner for Education, Professor Nureni Olawore, had to visit the school during which the school principal denied all allegations levelled against him. Apart from denying the allegation, the Nigerian Tribune learnt that he accused Abdul Lateef of being a truant and stubborn boy. He told the commissioner at a closed door meeting that the boy was a rascal who took delight in disrupting the peace of the class.” He added that because of his behaviour, Lateef had had series of punishments in the past. When contacted, the school principal, who claimed that as a civil servant, he was not competent to speak on the matter, said he was not ready to condemn his employer or expose the boy. He directed the Nigerian Tribune to the state Ministry of Education for further comments on the matter. The commissioner had, during his unscheduled visit to the school, admonished the principal to see all the students as his children and that he should ensure discipline in the school. The father of the boy, Alhaji Waheed Alade, who is a Director Produce Service at the Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, disagreed with his son’s principal, saying that his son was always gentle at home. All other efforts to get Alhaji Alade’s reaction proved abortive as he said he did not want to comment on the matter, “it is strictly a family affair, which I don’t want to make public,” he maintained. Pressed further to speak on the boy’s courage and the insinuation that he must have been sent by some people, he said “I don’t know where he picked that courage from. I don’t like what happened, he did not come to my office when he visited the governor’s office.” His refusal to speak on the matter, Nigerian Tribune gathered, must have been as a result of several calls he was said to have received since last week Thursday when the boy displayed the courage to meet the governor.” A relative of the father met in his office confirmed that the publicity was too much for the little boy, saying that she had come to discuss the matter with his father. “We don’t want anything bad to happen to our boy. That’s what I have come to discuss with my brother that he should not discuss with anybody on the matter,” the woman, who refused to give her name, stressed. When reminded that his son may be another Gani Fawehinmi or Adam Oshiomhole, Mr Alade retorted: “This angle you are looking at it may be different from the angle other people are looking at it. Please I don’t want to talk about it.” The way and manner the boy was being treated by the teachers and students, the Nigerian Tribune learnt, might not be unconnected with the warning the commissioner handed down during his visit that he (Lateef) should not be victimised as his action might go a long way to bring fortunes to the school and revitalise the education system in the state. There is no doubt that the boy’s action has started yielding positive result for the students and the school. This is because during the Nigerian Tribune visit to the school, no visitor was allowed into the school premises, while the students were not allowed to roam about the corridors as was in the past. In fact, the students were not allowed outside the school premises during the long break, a situation which the Nigerian Tribune gathered was alien. It was further learnt that nobody sent the boy to do what he did. Those who know him claimed that he (Lateef) has always behaved differently and in most cases has no apology for taking any action. One of his friends told Nigerian Tribune that there was a time he had to arrest his father for allegedly beating his mother. As a result, his father was made to sign an undertaking not to beat his mother. The father however denied this. As a result of his action, it was learnt that while the school has become another Mecca and especially for government officials, both students and teachers now see him as an hero. People now adore him, while students always follow him after the school hours. Who knows? Abdul Lateef might be another radical activist in the making. |
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