Speeches

Handing Over Of Block Of Classrooms And Other Facilities At Birch Freeman High School

Nov 29, 2011 - My first contact with this premises was sometime in September 1973, when I resumed as a starry eyed 10 (Ten) year old to start secondary school education in Form 1. Almost too quickly, 5 (Five) years rolled by and it was time to leave in June 1978.

But in spite of the inevitable departures, I had met a lot of good people, made lifelong friends many of whom I still keep today.

I was also privileged to have met great teachers; humanists, who were absolutely committed to the development of young people and enriching the human capital of this country.

Mister, later Reverend T. A. Ojo, was Principal, Mr. Olayeye was Vice Principal, so was Mr. Babarinde who taught Literature and spoke English like it was his mother tongue.

Mrs. Sodipo enriched my knowledge of the world with her teachings of history, Mrs. Akinola taught me to know and fear God through Bible Knowledge, Miss Essien, now Mrs. Danner was motherly and caring while Mr. Akinsanya never could change my apathy for Mathematics, but we all loved the way he dressed.

Baba Oloye, that was how we all knew and addressed him, was our school grounds-man, who kept the lawns green and manicured and taught me to love green and respect nature.

The school blocks and buildings were largely made of concrete foundation and wooden walls except the dining hall, the Principal's block which contained the science laboratories and the new block behind it that later became the Seniors block.

This was where I was made. My character was formed here. I learnt leadership and punctuality here as a school prefect.

They were all very fond memories and I treasured them dearly until I came here sometime in 2007 after assuming office as Governor of Lagos State.

I remember that Sunday afternoon, I was driving here with an inner excitement, eager to show my aides my classroom and hopefully my seat.

Nothing could prepare me for what I met.

Not only had the classroom blocks made of wood walls disappeared, the dining room, the Principal's block and the Seniors Block were shadows of themselves. My treasured memories were shattered. A shocking and painful reality had supplanted it.

It seemed that everything that I could point to as references of who I was had evaporated. All of it almost, except for one thing, the Old Boys. Some were my classmates, some my juniors and some my seniors.

Even in that broken environment, their presence was a huge comfort. There was still a past, made by boys who had become men, who refused to surrender their dream.

It is them to whom the credit for this building must go. They kept hope alive. They lived the motto of the school. They were trained for duty and for God. And in serving God, they promote the fortunes of the present generation so that we can achieve the torch passing moment of today.

So it comes to be, that with the inspiration of dedicated Old boys and a concertion of efforts, Government is driven to act in areas of compelling need such as infrastructure.

Although our work here is not finished, because there are still drainage issues to resolve, and it will require us to recover every inch of land that belonged to this school, let me use this opportunity to notify all squatters or occupiers of land that belong to Birch Freeman High School, that the trespass ends today and your relocation must start henceforth as I intend, working with the Old Boys Association, to reclaim and return back to the school every inch of land that used to belong to her.

To the glory of God, it is my honour to hand over this classroom block of 21 (Twenty One) classrooms, with a capacity for 1050 (One Hundred and Fifty) students, a Hall with a capacity for 450 (Four Hundred and Fifty) Students, modern Principal's Office and teachers' offices and ICT Laboratory

No honour can be too much as a gesture of appreciation for the men and women who led us as boys here. Accordingly this block will be dedicated to the memory and honour of Rev. T. A. Ojo and will be so named, in honour of our Principal.

Thank you for your attention.

Eko o ni baje o!

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Governor of Lagos State