The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has pledged support for educational programmes and infrastructure development in schools across Oyo town as old students of Olivet Baptist High School intensify efforts to restore the institution’s former glory.
The monarch gave the assurance on Sunday during a fundraising ceremony and thanksgiving service organised by the school’s 1972–1976 set to mark its 50th anniversary. The event was held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Owoade commended the alumni for investing in their alma mater, describing their contributions as a continuation of the legacy established by the school’s founders and former principals.
He assured the association of his support for initiatives aimed at improving educational standards and pledged to support similar programmes in other schools across Oyo town.
The monarch also stressed that responsibility for improving schools should not rest exclusively on the government, highlighting the role of former students and other stakeholders in strengthening educational infrastructure.
The pledge comes as the Olivet Baptist High School alumni pursue interventions to address deteriorating facilities and improve the learning environment for current students.
Alumni spend nearly ₦10m on classroom renovation
President of the 1972–1976 set, Adeoye Mapederun, disclosed that the association had spent slightly below ₦10m to renovate a block containing three classrooms at the school in Oyo.
According to him, the classrooms were in a state of disrepair before the intervention, with damaged or missing roofing, windows and blackboards.
Mapederun said the renovation was intended to restore the facilities to an acceptable standard and provide students with a more conducive environment for learning.
He added that the project included installing ceiling fans and providing other basic facilities to improve classroom conditions.
The alumni president described the renovation as the beginning of a broader programme of interventions, disclosing that another classroom block on the premises also required attention.
He said the 1972–1976 set planned to mobilise additional funds for further projects while working alongside the school’s national old students’ association.
Mapederun explained that the decision to invest in the school was motivated by the quality of education and facilities members enjoyed when they attended the institution about five decades ago.
He lamented the deterioration of the school’s infrastructure over the years, arguing that government intervention alone might not adequately address its challenges.
Olivet Baptist High School, also known as Olivet Heights, was established in 1945 through the efforts of the American Southern Baptist Mission. The institution has a long history in Oyo and has produced graduates who have served in various professional and public leadership positions.
Babalakin backs collaborative school management
Also speaking at the event, Chief Wale Babalakin called for greater cooperation among different sets of old students to achieve the school’s development objectives.
He was commenting on the 1972–1976 set’s proposal for alumni involvement in the institution’s administration, arguing that its future should not be determined exclusively by the government or the Baptist Mission.
Babalakin expressed concern that running the institution primarily as a commercial venture could undermine its wider educational and developmental objectives.
His position reflects longstanding debates over the management of mission-founded schools in Nigeria, including calls by Olivet alumni for greater involvement by the institution’s original owners and former students.
In 2015, former students of Olivet Baptist High School called on the Oyo State Government to return the institution to its original owners, arguing that a change in management could help restore its facilities and educational standards.
Mapederun said the proposed management arrangement remained dependent on the association’s ability to mobilise sufficient resources to sustain the school.
The development places renewed attention on the role of alumni associations in supporting public education, particularly where ageing infrastructure requires substantial investment.
While the Alaafin’s pledge offers support for the initiative, the proposed expansion of alumni involvement will depend on funding, cooperation among stakeholders and the arrangements eventually agreed upon for the school’s administration.
