I will encourage government to fund vocational education -Engr. Peter Odesanmi Ojo
Engr. Peter Odesanmi Ojo, is the founder and Proprietor of Ogo Oluwa Schools, Emure-Ile in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. He spoke with Ayodele Ologunola, Publisher of The Focus Magazine about the school achievements and other issues. Excerpts.
As founder and Proprietor of Ogo Oluwa Schools, can you let us know how was the schools started?
The vision for the schools started like this. I didn’t have the opportunity of going to school on time being that my parents were poor. To cut the story short, I started doing menian work by following people to the farm. From there, I gathered some money to send myself to school and graduated . Before I graduated from the university, I can say it categorically that nobody bought me a biro.
After my graduation, I got a work, and I said that, let say if I don’t have the opportunity of going to school, I would just be rusting away in the village. From there, I make up my mind on what to do. I said, I will set up an orphanage home where I will be looking for those who don’t have no parents. I would gathered them, feed and begin to keep them, so, I can provide for their needs.
Those who can’t go to school, I will continue to sponsor them. Those who can learned work, I will teach them handwork as that will be my contributions to humanity before I die.
With all my thinking, I am yet to marry. Also with the plans, I don’t have money to start on time because I am was looking for where to get the money. During that period, my salary was about six hundred and seventy four naira. (#674.00), and my allowance is fourth naira (#40). I couldn’t buy land talkless of renting a room. I later said in my mind that if I gathered this people together, where do I put them? That was the question I first asked myself. I also said that where do I get orphanage? I proposed in myself that, I will go to the hospitals to interview people. Let say i am was able to get them, where do I put them to live? This was another question for me.
During all the plans, am just a thirty three years old. Let say I married, can my wife will be able to support me?
Before our marriage, I said I will me share my vision with my wife to be, as I can only married someone who have the same focused with me.
During our courtship, I told her my vision. If she refused to share the vision with me, its better for me to find my way. But she said, she didn’t have interest for orphanage and I asked her what did she had in mind? She said, she had a similar thing but not orphanage. What she has in mind is to set up a finance house where those people who didn’t have money or that are poor can come and get money as a palliative. I asked her, are you going to borrow them money? She said no. She just wanted to give them free. I told her no, Nigerian are dubious in nature. The richest people will wear rags to deceive you, so you will be thinking that they were poor. Our people’s were 419 and there is no way you will be able to know. But in the orphanage, you will know if their father or mother is died or alive so that you can easily traced them. It would be easy to get the correct information about them. I and her were on it for more than sixth month without resolution, and later we wedded.
One day, God told me, start the school for the poor people and be helping them. I told my wife and she said, let her pray. She pray on it and said it is fine. And the worse part of it is that, the two of us were not an educationalists.
I told God, I read mechanical engineering and my wife read civil engineering and the two of us were not in educational line. How are we going to start a school while the two of us were just a lecturer. We were not a teacher but just a lecturer likewise my wife, and we didn’t go through education line. I said we need to have a diploma in education so that we can have educational background. I told her, let us start and we started with three students whom we know that they were poor. We got them during our evangelism. One girl, two boys. I said come, and let us been teaching them for free. We look for a teacher, and got seven teachers for the three students in 1998.
We pay for the teacher’s by going to the farm and selling our property for us to pay their salaries.
By the end of the year, they were seven students. The second years, they became (40). And this became a problem for us. So the apartment i rented , I have to give it to them beacause it can no more contain them again. The one that brought student from Osun State just dropped him and left without providing any accommodation for him. So, this was how the boarding house started in my house that I rented with ten students.
They were living in one room and I and my wife were living in the other room. Eventually, the things turned into boarding house. When I can’t control the situation I have to buy land. That was how we started doing it by helping people. We started to go round the town looking for student . Any children we see that are not in the school during the school hours, we asked them why are they not in the school. When they tell us, we will asked them to take us to their parents house. As we got to their house, we talked to their parents to allow us to take care of them.
Some will allowed while others rejected, even we were begging them to release their children for us. Some parents will support their children by paying fully, while some pay 50% of the school fees. We even beat the price down so that they can pay. All this was between 1998-1999.
By the year 2000, I started to think that the way the country is going, we have to be productive. We have to develop ourselves like other countries. We need to have people’s not only on academic but in vocational as unemployment is becoming so rampat. If people can used their hands and brains rather than depend on government, the rate of unemployment will reduced. I have to go back and pick my certificate, looking at it very well, I said there is no place where government write here that they will give me employment.
After all, government subsize education. In the University of Benin, what they were paying professors, erecting the structures in subsize shown that government is trying their best. Government is spending money on education and they don’t make gains on it. It is not compulsory for government after graduation that they should employed us as many were graduated every year.
It’s better for us to learn how to use our hands. So from the primary school in 1998-2005, I started to teach them how to do handwork.
During the western region, they teached us how to do handwork. We started to teach students on how to make brooms. I now returned them back to old western region era. We created the handwork, were students would come to the schools, make brooms and weaving baskets . Some of the parents started to complain about it. But through rigorous training, they know it. After seeing all the progress made from the primary, they said i should started secondary school. I refused but after more pressure, I started the secondary school.
In the secondary school, I taught them computer when computer was not popular then. From the primary school, you must know how to operate computer. When we now introduced the secondary schools, my product there were so expert in computer. Those who joined us from other schools don’t know about computer. I have to buy more computers. The person who supposed to repair computers and photocopy machines at times will not come on time. The students will go there, put their hands on the computers and spoil it, with the thinking that they were repairing it. The teachers would say i should stopped them, and I will say no. Let them continue. Before I will know, they will repair it.
Before the engineer comes, some of this things could have been repaired by our students. He will said who repairs it, I will tell him that its my students. This students will destroyed some and repair some and this now gave me an insight that this students can do something. I now buy old computers and asked them to scatter it. They will coupled some and some cannot be couple. But they were learning.
I now said let me teach them entrepreneurship. It’s then we introduced entrepreneurship to the schools.
So, it becomes compulsory that all students from JSS1 must learning two skills apart from academic. It was then we introduced, home economics, auto mechanics work, air conditioners and refrigerators, welding and fabrication, engineering/ craft practice, blocklaying and concrete work, plumbing and pipe fittings, auto electrical work, radio, TV, electrical work, electrical installation and maintenance work, animal husbandry, fisheries, art and craft, entrepreneurship skills and knitting works etc. All these are done on Friday.
We now say if they were going on academic alone, they may not know it. We now invited people outside that can praticalize it. The day they we wanted to do practical on automobile, I will invite my motor mechanic to come and teach them practical aspect. I told him, if you like , speaks Owo dialect or Yoruba language to students. You have to teach them with your hands here. We will interprete to those who doesn’t understand Owo dialect or the Yoruba. When the mechanic comes, I pay him #2000:00 per hour. We bought many vehicles engines both the old and new for their practical works. For the tailoring, we bought them machines they can used for their practical. We invited professional tailor to come and teach them practical and pay for their services.
Likewise, others vocational studies in the school have what they used for their practical. A student must have two vocational job with their academic. By the time they finished JSS1, they must have been okay. By the time they finish JSS3, they must have learnt four trades which they can now practilaze on their own. That was how it was started.
Then, I don’t know the value, but I know that if this people finished, when they were on their own they would not going to be a problem to the society.
Some of them that were not very good in academic, by the time they finished JSS3, we could have known those who would like to go to technical school. All the works done in my house were done by my students. If there is any errors, they will go back and do it. That was how the vision came to life and we have been doing it for the past twenty five years.
You celebrated the 25th anniversary of the school lastyear, can you let us know the achievements recorded so far?
During our twenty five years anniversary, I just felt that let us evaluate our journey so far, and that was the essence of the 25th anniversary.
We have been making the journey since the last years, and I said, let us look at the school achievements, looking at short coming, looking at gains, looking at the challenges and how we can overcome it in the next 25 years, and to see another improvement.
We now planned for the 25th anniversary. We asked people’s to comment on what they have been seeing in the schools. Some of our products saw it on, online and they responded. Some of them didn’t know themselves. I don’t even recognise them again. People like Engr. Awosusi, they started to introduce themselves to me that they left in so- so years. We asked from them what are they’re doing? they tell us. How do they come about of what they are doing? They said they learned it from the schools . Some of them are graduate. And after graduating, they find out that there is no work for them to do, they continued to practice the vocational training they learned when they are in the school.
The old students that came for the anniversary promised to erect structure for the alumni to mark their own building. We now started to check all that we have been produced from the schools, and what they were doing, we now know that they have all well established.
We also look at the number of students who have passed out from the schools each year’s in JSS.
But in SS we have problems due to the rigorous of the WAEC, we don’t allowed them to practice vocational studies. It was limited to JSS3. The SS students wants but we said no due to finance.
During our 25th anniversary, its our students that produced all we ate and used, which includes bread,meat, anointing oil, perfume, five alive, meat pie, balm, etc. They also rearing goats, snails, grasscutters, fish, etc.
During the anniversary, I killed their goats for them to eat. What they were using in the schools, they were the ones that produced it and the schools enjoyed it.
They sold their products at 50% for the schools staff while 100% for the outsiders. Although, it cost me money because I was the one who sponsored it.
What are the challenges encountered?
Some of the parents didn’t buying tools and overall uniforms for their children for practical. Some of the parents were saying they don’t send their children to come and learnt mechanic or repair fridge. This are some of the challenges facing.
During the 25th anniversary we sat down to discuss the way forward. The first day was for the parents. The second day for the proprietors of the schools, so that each of this schools would be able to see.
During the 25th anniversary, the parents that came to our exhibitions saw what on ground and interview the producers, seen that it’s their children that benefits from it later resolved that as from the academic season, they will buy tools for their children. The Alumni also said that if not for the skills they have acquired from the schools,they could not have become what they have becomes today in the society.
Some have graduated from the university, no work. Its what they learned in the secondary school here, they were now used to survive. Some of the old students advertised their products during the 25th anniversary in the schools banner. The clothes that will use during the anniversary, was produced by one of our old student, likewise the banners.
The 25th anniversary opened the eyes of both the parents, teachers and the community. The impact on me now is that, it now encourage me to do more. I wanted to be discourage when I don’t see the results, but in the 25th anniversary, the encouragement is much appreciated. Seen my products in the last 25th year made me to be fulfilled. I can now see that I did not waste my time and money. When I see my products and productivity, I was happy.
With what we seen during the anniversary, we have introduced it into the SS classes. Our products that have left for year’s came back to testify and it encourages us. The 25th anniversary had allowed us to get a feedback from those who have left the schools.
With what you have been said and we see, can you say you have been fulfilled?
Yes, I am fulfilled . I saw that my labour day and night is not in vains. During my speech at the anniversary, I told the whole audience that I can now see the reason that when I started the schools, I don’t think it’s going to be like this. I’m happier. If today God says that my life is off from this earth, I am going back to my God with happy mind and I have achieved something. I can now thank Him for allowing me to follow His way. When the people that came for the anniversary were commending me, I was crying. It was a cry of joy. I saw some of my products who have become big men in the society, telling me where they are. Some of them have, have a big company in Lagos, Ibadan, even outside the country. When they were saying all this, I couldn’t believe it. Its like a dream comes to fulfillment. Actually I know the schools going to be expanded but I don’t think it will happen during my life time. I don’t think it will happened during the shortest time of twenty five years. I am was thinking of thousand years before reaping the fruits. Some of my products are outside the country doing fine in their chosen career. They promised to come next time when we will be doing another anniversary. All this makes me to be happy.
Let say government invite you today to come and advise them on the vocational education in our schools, what would you say?
I will encouraged government to spend whatever they can spend on vocational education. This is the only way out of unemployment in the country. The only problem is that government does not follow policy they made. They have good policy but it was not followed. That was the reason we don’t move forward in technology. What we are doing in our schools, government can do it. There was a time government bought machines for all the secondary schools across the country but no implementation. We have policy but no implementation. We have qualified teachers/mentors or experts that can help Nigeria, but they will not implement it Government cannot leave there office, but they pump money. But those that was supposed to implement the policy will not. They would embezzled the whole money.
In our schools here, the students we have in academic are performing wonderfully in their examination. The minimum every year is five distinctions. When I look at my teachers, the teachers in public schools were qualified like my teachers. But their students don’t normally passed very well. Why? No adequate monitoring. But in our schools, we monitor our teachers, monitor our students and implement whatever we put on ground like this entrepreneurship.
On Friday i will be here, mummy would be here to monitor our students. We are on the neck of the supervisors, our teachers and our experts that we brought from outside. The student that doing well academically in which I told you on the course of this interview, that I will training him to university level free as way to encourage others. We encourage our teachers that doing well. We gives them prize. Financially, we supported them. We sponsored them to further their studies. We have gave one of our teachers a vehicle not because I am was rich. We do it to encourage others. We buy them land. I became poor so that they can be rich. Not to say we have the money but we do it to encourage them. The student that do well in WAEC examination, after the schools, I gives him or her scholarship to the University level throughout the study. If you are best student in academic also best student in entrepreneurship, we give free education throughout their duration in the university. If you finish in SS3 but you’re not good in academic but very sound in entrepreneurship. I send such person to the place where he can learned work and make sure I paid for his training.
And after graduation, I will buy the tools to be use. Government must do something to encourage those that implement government policy.
The schools that are very productive, government must promote the leadership there. Give them structures and conducive environment. My security is eating three times in a day. House teachers, free meals and I gave them free accommodation to encourage them. Nobody wants to do something when there is no encouragement. Do not looking after the gains. It’s a sacrifice. If you look at the schools now, you can’t see any students outside. Teachers are working, staff are dedicated to their duty. If you get here you may thinking we are in holiday. No, we are not. I put smiles on their faces. Whatever they wanted to do i help them. Reward those that are transparent, reward hardworking and fight corruption. Punished the offenders. Here we don’t promote whoever that is not serious. I promote those that were serious. When there is reward for hardworking, diligence and honest, people would perform. That is what I can advise the government.
What is your word of advice for the students and the parents of the schools?
Although, I have taken them to excursion and they have seen a lot of things. I now let them know that all what they have seen were brought from abroad . If we Nigerian can produce something in Nigeria, we wiil not be a slave to this people. Our people that goes to other country were the ones used to produce all the products that been brought back with high price into the country. It’s pain me . You are the people they will use, so stay here in Nigeria and produce something and let the white people come and buy from us. They should believe they can do it. I like, I can? Nigeria can do it. Let Ogo Oluwa Schools be the first school in Nigeria to break the record, so they can know that Nigeria can do it. This place is a circle. We are going to show it in Nigeria, here we do something and we want to start it in Ondo State. Here in Ondo State, we want to showcase our products to governor , show it to the federal government, that a schools in corner is doing wonders, and if a local schools can do it, it will be an eyes openers to the government.
The parents should not look at the financial aspects. Presently, we don’t have money and I am becoming old. I am begging the parents now because I have spent all my resources on the schools. I don’t have a plot of land of my own in my town. I have spent all my life resources on the schools. I want parents to support me. They should buy tools for their children. We have equipments and facilities in the schools. I have spent all my money on the students for them to be better off in the future. I need their support financially so the schools will continue to make waves in the entrepreneurship and academic. The little money for the entrepreneurship, let them pay . They have seen it by themselves. I have shown the example, let them join me.
I also appeal to government to come to our aids. We need finance but let them encourage us. The tax we are paying is too high. In the schools, many of them don’t pay. I am the one that bear the burden. We’re not making money here. If there is any where they can help us, let them do it. We are the one producing the gari we eat in the schools likewise the yam. I gives out one thousand tubers of yam every term. We needs government assistance in the area they can help us. It may be finance, structures, encouragement, seminars or whatever they can do for us. We’re ready and we will welcome them.
