Member, representing Ikorodu Constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Gbolahan Ogunleye, popularly known as OGA has stated that his recent education intervention programme for 100 students across Ikorodu Constituency 1 was aimed at teaching students how to fish, rather than give them fish.
Ogunleye made this known on Wednesday, 24th August while addressing beneficiaries and their parents at the Maiden Edition of his Free GCE Form distribution exercise at his Constituency Office located along NBC Road, Ipakodo.
Addressing the gathering, Ogunleye stated that, ‘we are not providing you food, but we are teaching you how to fish. We are giving you GCE forms for you to be studious enough to pass all your subjects and we guarantee from now on to monitor your progress’.
The State Lawmakers added that, ‘During Bola Tinubu’s regime in Lagos State, WAEC forms were given our free and not as an intervention as I’m doing today. This is one of the reasons I loved him so much and when I have the opportunity, I would let the Governor know that WAEC forms should be given freely to students in Lagos State’.
Speaking further, he said ‘When you give out free GCE forms, Healthcare Interventions etc, you relieve parents of financial burdens. I hope, by God’s grace that in the next few weeks, we would be here to give out free health Insurance to Women and some indigents through the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme (LASHMA), where you pay a little and get access to a wide range of hospitals. They have already co-opted hospitals that would be involved across Ikorodu Constituency 1. This would be coming soon’, he promised.
‘Ogunleye further counseled the 100 students who are beneficiaries of the exercise that, contrary to trending narratives, ‘School no be scam’.
People who make money via scam, do not have happiness or derive joy in the money they have made. I advise you to read your books, pass your exams and you would be one of those needed in Canada, United Kingdom and other foreign countries’.
‘Study hard for your free GCE forms, become notable lawyers and doctors etc and Nigerians abroad would be forced to come back home and not to “Ja pa”. Read, make your parents happy’, he concluded.
Commending Ogunleye’s education intervention initiative, the Executive Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Hon Wasiu Adeshina who also graced the event noted that, making education intervention his first major programme since he was elected into office shows the level of importance that the lawmaker attached to Education.
‘That this intervention programme is the first event to be hosted by our Honourable Member shows that he is committed to educational development, not only in Ikorodu, but in Lagos State as a whole. We all know that education is the bedrock of every society, it is the gateway for development. I want to thank our Honourable for this laudable programme’, he stated.
‘To the students, I want to charge you all to face your studies and read very well as the only way to appreciate the Honourable is to have distinctions in all your subjects. This is very possible.
“Readers are Leaders”; you have to read very well to come out in flying colours’, he added.
Earlier in his speech, the Director-general of the OGA Campaign Foundation, Mr Kehinde Ayanbadejo stressed the need for the beneficiaries to pass their exams in flying colours, assuring them that Hon Ogunleye has plans to further provide mentoring support and even scholarships to outstanding ones among them.
One of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of the 99 others commended Ogunleye for supporting their education, through the Free GCE distribution exercise, noting that not every parent can afford to buy the form for their wards. She prayed to God to continue to uplift him.
Similarly, some parents who spoke at the event publicly appreciated the lawmaker’s gesture and support, while praying that God will replenish his purse.
