Press Releases

“It Is Possible To Deliver Quality Education In Nigeria”, Says Fashola

Feb 18, 2010 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Thursday said the possibility of delivering quality Education in Nigeria is very potent insisting that all the resources needed to achieve this are within the country.

Governor Fashola, who spoke during a visit to the Saint Saviour’s Schools in Ebute Metta said with all hands on deck, it is possible to deliver the quality of Education the nation will be proud of.

The Governor, who made a strong point for Education in the country declared, “We have done it before. All my education was in this country. I believe that the resources, the skills and the energy that is necessary to produce first class Education in this country is within this country”.

Governor Fashola again paid glowing tribute to the missions for their “continued investment in Education in Lagos State and Nigeria, adding that his administration remains a willing partner of all missions.

“We share the responsibility to truly deliver the best of Education because it is the greatest asset. It is only Education that can give you skills and it is with skills that you can be truly independent”, Governor Fashola said, adding, “Our commitment, as a Government, to Education remains unflinching”.

The Governor thanked the Board of Management of Saint Saviour’s Schools for it’s offer to donate chairs and desks to public schools in the State as part of events marking the school’s 60th Anniversary expressing delight that the support would help the Government to achieve its objective that by the end of this year, no child in the State’s public schools will sit on the floor without desk or bench.

According to the Governor, production of desks and chairs for both pupils and teachers has started and the first batch has already been delivered while the Government is currently expecting the delivery of another batch of 60, 000 desks and benches in the next few weeks.

Addressing the pupils earlier on Leadership, Governor Fashola whose visit was in response to an invitation extended to him by the school’s Head Boy, Master Eniola Olajunwo, said the greatest asset of a leader is moral authority which, according to him, is achieved through integrity or ability to do what one says.

“A leader must have character which involves such things as courage. Courage does not mean being brave or strong. It means having grace to continue with dignity even when it seems unachievable. Eniola made you a promise even when he didn’t know how to reach me. But because he didn’t want to deceive you, he started working quietly. He must have taken a gamble, but he took it because he wanted to keep a promise. That is integrity”, the Governor pointed out.

According to the Governor, “A leader is the one expected to find a way when there doesn’t seem to be a way. People like Eniola found a way to get to me because he made a promise to you and you all were expecting him to find a way and he found one and that is why he is a leader”, the Governor said.

A leader, he also said, is expected to share and to take responsibility, not only for himself but for everybody. He is also expected to do the right things at all time, making sacrifices by giving the little that he has and thinking of himself last.

Commending Eniola for showing leadership, the Governor declared, “One of the things that Eniola must gain from you today is moral respect; that of making a promise and keeping it. He may succeed in some places and may fail in others, but you will all be united in one common thought that Eniola makes a promise and he keeps it. That becomes his moral authority”.

The Governor thanked the teachers and authorities of the school as well as the parents for the opportunities they afford the pupils to achieve their potentials. He also thanked the parents of Eniola for helping him achieve his objective of fulfilling his promise to his colleagues.

In his welcome remarks, the Head Boy, Eniola Olajuwon thanked Governor Fashola for accepting to honour his invitation which, according to him, was his election promise to pupils of the school.

He recalled that when he made the promise, he was not certain how to go about it so he had to consult his mother who then sent an e-mail to the Governor in November last year.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Board of management of the school, Mr. Tom Ogboi described Governor Fashola as a loving, responsive and caring leader, adding that his response to the invitation of a small boy like Eniola, has demonstrated his commitment to the interest of children in the State.

“No wonder that by your leadership role and performance in providing dividends of democracy, you stand out as a role model. We believe this would be evident as you interact with our children and hope you would leave a lasting positive impression on them”, he said.

He announced that as part of the school’s celebration of its Diamond Jubillee, the Board will be supporting Lagos State public schools in its locality by donating school tables and chairs adding that the Board has contacted the Local Government and expects the furniture to be ready by the end of next month.

The Head Teacher, Mrs. Annette Carter, praised the Governor for the visit saying his accepting to honour an invitation from a small boy was the highest demonstration of humility.

She also commended the Governor for his Education policies which, according to her, has raised the standard of Education, especially, in Public Schools in the State adding that by his commitment to Child Education the Governor is building the foundation for the future leadership in Lagos State and Nigeria.

Also in attendance at the event were the members of the Board of Management of the school, parents of Eniola Olajuwon and other top government functionaries. The Governor later visited the school’s laboratory where he watched a laboratory test by the school’s Class Prefect, Miss Chidinma Emuchay.