For Engr. Tajudeen Adisa Olori, the completion and donation of a modern multi-million naira library to his alma mater, Ebenezer Grammar School, Iberekodo, Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State is a dream comes true.
The library features a 72-seater main reading room, a reference room with bookshelves as well as a librarian's office with an in built toilet facility. The complex facilities also include two units of toilets each for boys and girls as well as a new borehole for water supply for maintenance purposes.
The library's modern furniture is made from pressure treated Dry Mixed Wood. The donation adds to several philanthropic gestures of Olori to the school from where he graduated in 1983. These include fencing of the school, renovation of SS3 Class, building and donation of an administrative block for the junior school among several other kind gestures. Olori is currently the national President of Ebenezer Grammar School Abeokuta, Old Students Association.
During the handover ceremony on Friday, January 24, 2025, Olori, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers canvassed a strong synergy among educational stake holders in the state. He listed the critical stakeholders to include the state Ministry of Education, the Teaching Service Commission, Zonal Education Offices, Old Students bodies among others. To ensure quality education, safety and security of students, he charged the stakeholders to rise to their responsibilities.
Describing education as the best legacy, the 'Aranse Adeen of Egbaland' added that he had built the library for students' use in the school in order to support the Ogun State Government. According to him, a serene environment, adequately equipped library and adequate teaching staff are catalytic to producing brilliant, intelligent and excellent students anywhere in the world. The EGSAOSA President appreciated the state government in the area of provision of educational infrastructure and other laudable gestures particularly in the sector.
While welcoming the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science & Technology, (MOEST), Prof.Abayomi Arigbabu, who was represented, EGSAOSA President lamented inadequate teachers in the junior secondary school. He noted that at the beginning of the current academic session,13 teachers were posted out of the school but only three were replaced.
While yearning for experienced teachers to be posted to the school, the EGSAOSA President appealed to the Teaching Service Commission not to turn the school to retirement home for principals. "The turn over is getting high and we are worried about posting people with less than one year in service to be our administrators.
He continued: "the two principals we currently have are retiring at different times this year. Pls help us to stabilise the school", Olori prayed. The Principal of the EGSA Senior, Mr. Stephen B. Adebo described Olori as an ambassador of the school worthy of emulation by alumni members with his current and past remarkable contributions to the school's development.
To achieve their academic goals and personal development, Adebo urged both staff and students to maximise the utilisation of the library. One of the retired former principals of the school, Dr. (Mrs.) Abosede Babalola also extolled the virtues of Engr. Olori, recalling how he single-handedly renovated the SS.3 block as well as built the administrative block. "These singular actions of Engr. Olori positively turned around the story of EGSA, which hitherto were notorious for her students roaming around its neighbourhood.
The event was attended by the Permanent Secretary TESOM, Mrs. Mètutia Ogunremi, the Permanent Secretary, MOEST, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oloko, Ogun State ANCOPSS Presideent, Mr. Edward Adeniyi Adekoya and the Trade Union Congrress Chairman, Comrade Akeem Lasisi.
Others were the Chairman, Ogun State Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Dr. Felix Agbesanwa, EGSAOSA members, directors of MOEST, TESCOM, chairpersons of ANCOPSS, ZEO officers among several other personalities.