A block of three classrooms named after an illustrious son of Oyo town and Chairman of Yoruba Unity Forum, Archbishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu, was today inaugurated at Durbar Grammar School in Oyo.
The project was facilitated by Hon. (Prince) Akeem Adeyemi, member representing Oyo federal constituency in the House of Representatives.
Named Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu Block, the classrooms were inaugurated by Ladigbolu himself, who is also the Chairman of Oyo Metropolitan Development Association, alongside his wife, Afolake.
Speaking at the occasion, Adeyemi, who is a son of late Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III, justified the decision to name the block of classrooms after Ladigbolu, noting that there’s no other person alive who loves Oyo town more or had contributed more to its development than Archbishop Ladigbolu.
“You cannot be more Catholic than the Pope. Let it be on record that there is no other person anywhere today, with the exception of late Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi, who had done more for Oyo town than the person we’re celebrating today, Archbishop (Prince) Ayo Ladigbolu. This is a man who is living and breathing Oyo. There’s no single major development in Oyo, which does not bear his signature one way or another, Adeyemi affirmed.”
Adeyemi said that he does not subscribe to celebrating great men in death, hence, his decision to celebrate Ladigbolu in his lifetime by naming the project in his honour. He prayed that Ladigbolu would live to celebrate his 100th birthday in good health, while continuing to serve Oyo town.
In his remarks, Ladigbolu said it was a heartwarming coincidence that it is in his alma mater that a project has been named in his honour, having attended Durbar Modern School, which metamorphosed into Durbar Grammar School.
He described Adeyemi as a worthy representative of Oyo, who has endeared himself to both young and old through his numerous developmental projects in the four local government areas making up Oyo federal constituency.
“Prince Akeem Adeyemi has represented us well. I can count no less than 111 projects that I have personally joined him to inaugurate in the last eight years. He no longer needs to campaign from house to house to solicit for votes. There is no single household in Oyo where his impact is not felt today,” Ladigbolu stated.
Meanwhile, a nongovernmental organisation, Oyo Metro Suicide Prevention and Counselling Initiative, founded by Ladigbolu, will tomorrow, December 13, hold a one day training on suicide prevention for over 1,200 volunteer counsellors in Oyo town.
The training is being organised in collaboration with the Oyo Zonal Office of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).
According to a statement by the Programme Manager of the NGO, Prince Assan Adegbite, three participants, comprising vice principals, school counsellors and one volunteer teacher, will be drawn from each of the public secondary schools within the Oyo zone of TESCOM.
The training, which will be facilitated by the founder of the NGO, Archbishop Emeritus Ayo Ladigbolu, and other seasoned experts, will hold at the school hall of Ilora Grammar School, Oyo, the statement added.