By: Manoah Kikekon
AGBARA, OGUN STATE – The Rotary Club of Agbara has delivered a transformative donation of desks and benches to two primary schools in the Ado-Odo area of Ogun State. The intervention, which provides 150 seating units, promises to rescue pupils from the discomfort of learning on bare floors and marks the first phase of a larger initiative to furnish 400 seats across the state.
The official handover ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, and was graced by the presence of a special guest, Rotarian Prince Henry Akinyele, the Rotary International District Governor for District 9111. His visit underscored the importance of the project and provided an opportunity to witness the club's community impact firsthand. The beneficiary schools are Idonyin Primary School, Ado-Odo, and Salvation Army Primary School, Idoye, via Igbesa.
In his address, District Governor Prince Henry Akinyele illuminated the core philosophy behind Rotary's actions. "I'm happy to be here to see what the Rotary Club has done here and what they still want to do," he stated. "Rotary Club is not a political party or a church. We're just a group of professionals, business people, and community leaders who have decided to give out of the little God has provided for us."
He emphasized that the initiative springs from a belief that government cannot shoulder every responsibility, and it is incumbent upon those with means to give back. "We know these kids are the future of tomorrow, who deserve to have a good education... None of our members has kids here, and that's what Rotary does."
The project was born from a direct assessment of the dire conditions in the schools. Rotarian Fati Odunayo Boluwatife, the club's President, explained the motivation. "We visited the two schools and saw that there were no chairs and benches. This was affecting school enrollment and, critically, affecting learning."
She expressed the club's resolve to make a difference, culminating in the delivery of the 150 seating units. "This will greatly enhance learning in the school. As we can see, the parents are happy, the teachers are happy, and the pupils are happy." She urged the community to safeguard the furniture and called on others to join in the spirit of giving.
While the desks and benches are a monumental relief, the Rotary Club of Agbara has discovered that the need runs even deeper. Rotarian Tope Ifebanjo, the Project Chair, revealed the shocking state of the infrastructure at Salvation Army Primary School, Idoye. "The two schools are government schools, and here in Idoye, they only have a block of three classrooms where different classes share the same room."
He highlighted a new problem uncovered after the donation: "We realized they don't have where to keep [the desks] because the classes don't have doors and windows." In response, the club has made an ambitious new promise: to fully renovate the building, including changing the roof and fixing windows and doors, with a completion deadline set for January.
The emotional impact of the donation was palpable from the school's administration. Mrs. Fadilat Kukoyi, the Head Teacher of Salvation Army Primary School, Idoye, could barely contain her joy. "I'm so happy because I never dreamt this would happen in the next six months," she shared.
She painted a vivid picture of the previous learning environment, where "students sat on the floor and put books in their hands to write," and due to limited space, "Primary Three and Four use one classroom, facing opposite directions." Even her own office lacked a proper chair, but her primary concern had always been her students' comfort. She profusely thanked the Rotary Club and used the opportunity to plead for further support from the government and other philanthropists.