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Match past at Okalete Secondary School sports meet.

Taking the match past salute.

By Chukwudi Abiandu

Worried by the terrible condition of the only secondary school in the town, Okalete Comprehensive Secondly School, Issele-Mkpitime, in Aniocha North local Government Area of Delta State, prominent community leaders and authorities of the school, on Saturday, May 11, 2019 called on the Delta State Government to urgently put effort in place to protect and secure the school by fencing it off from predatory dangers.

Chief Henry Ugbolue, foremost communication consultant and businessman based in Abuja,  made the call at the Annual Inter-House Athletics competition of the school.

He was responding to a request by the Principal of the school, Mrs. Idegwu Nkemdilim who called for help from the dignitaries including the Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Vincent Nwani, an old boy of the school, for assistance to overcome the challenges and meet the needs of the school.

Mrs Nkemdilim had said: “We are in dire need of staff and student seats, perimeter fencing of the school premises to check encroachment and maintain discipline in the school. Laboratory equipment to enhance science subjects, reactivating the solar energy source and most pressing, the refurbishing of the school bus to enhance movement of staffs and students. The school also needs a band set. The present band set is in a very bad shape that we had to hire one of this occasion.”

She continued: “Our special appeal goes to the Post Primary Education Board to post teachers to the school, especially in the sciences.”

The principal said the saving grace from the ordeal of acute shortage of teachers in the school has been the presence of youth corps members, who she commended very highly for being diligent in filling the gap of the lack of teachers in the school.

Not being able to come to terms with challenges faced by the school as enumerated by the principal, Chief Ugbolue promised to reach out to the relevant authorities in the State with a view to coming to the assistance of the school, which he noted remains the only secondary school in the community.

Chief Ugbolue who is the Ekwueme of Issele-Mkpitime, therefore called on the authorities  of the secondly School to liaise with the leadership of the town union and do a letter of appeal to the State Government, through the Honourable member representing Aniocha North State constituency, in the State House of Assembly, Hon. (Engr.) Emeka Nwaobi and the Aniocha/Oshimili Federal House of Representative-Elect, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu who he noted will soon be inaugurated, assuring that  something positive will come out of the correspondence.

He affirmed that Issele-Mkpitime has remained supportive, corporative and  loyal to the Government of Delta State.

He recalled that “During the just concluded general elections, we did our best for the government of Delta State and I believe that our very able representatives will help us when we cry out to them.”

Chief Ugbolue commended the principal for the humility and mild way she made her submissions and request for assistance for the school despite the huge security challenge she is facing.

“The Fulani herdsmen have become a threat to security in our schools,” he said and in obvious reference to the implications of all that the school principal requested for, Ugbolue said: “This is a disaster. I am embarrassed, but let me assure you that with our friends and representatives in government something good will come out from our gathering today.”

For the impressive march past by the students from the six houses, he  donated undisclosed amount to each of the  houses, each of the House masters, each of the Corps members serving in the school and  members of the Vigilante group that are helping out with security in the community.

Also responding to the request of the school’s Principal, the Chairman of the Occasion, Dr. Vincent Nwani, who is also the director of Advocacy and Research, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and industry, who was a student of the school from 1988-1994, and serving as the senior prefect, expressed gratitude to the school for producing a man like him.

On the sporting activity, Dr. Nwani said: “Sport i a great event. It is important, and besides that, it can give money, it gives fame and keeps one fit and healthy. It helps to mould the mind of the children as it engages their mind and take them away from social vices.”

Encouraging the students to study very well, Nwani lamented that even youth corps members are rejecting postings to the school because of its rural setting, and congratulated the principal for her effort despite the huge challenges and needs of the school.

He announced the donation of various gift items ranging from mathematical sets, with a promise to send for the use of teachers and none teaching staffs of the school GSM phones. Dr. Nwani presented to the senior prefect of the school, Miss Ogolime Uche, who emerged as the best student in SS2 class with an I-Pad .

For the Club De Acadas, Mr. Emmanuel who represented the President of the Club, announced on behalf of the club 300 pieces of exercise books for the students, and that the club would provide monthly allowances for the youth corps members taking English and mathematics subjects with a promise to buy a bus for the use of the vigilante for security of the town.