A cleric, Rt. Rev. Dapo Asaju, has urged Nigerians to break religious barriers and work together with one another to elect good leaders, come 2023.
Asaju, who is the Bishop Theologian of Anglican Church of Nigeria and former Vice-Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, stated this at the 90th anniversary of Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the anniversary thanksgiving, organised by the school’s Old Boys’ Association (ICOBA), Ibadan branch, was held at All Saints’ Church, Ibadan.
NAN also reports that the cleric, who spoke on the topic: ”Producing Leaders: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” said that that to make Nigeria great again, the population of young Nigerians must be exploited.
“We should all break our religious barriers and work together for the growth and development of Nigeria.
“Young people can even come together and form a political party. Let us all form a congress to solve the problems of Nigeria,” he said.
The clergy called for the enthronement of peace and an end to violence and insecurity in the country.
“When we have peace, we can then re-engineer our military to tackle insurgency and banditry. If we are united, we will be able to ensure that we have a better government,” Asaju said.
In his address, Chairman of ICOBA, Ibadan branch, Chief Olatokunbo Ajasin, said that the school had, over the years, produced great leaders and captains of industry.
While stating that the youth were the future world leaders, Ajasin said that they should, therefore, be exposed to the kind of education that would improve their characters and knowledge.
“That is the kind of education that we got in Igbobi College. Nigeria is in desperate need of leaders who will assiduously for the growth and development of the country,” he said.
Ajasin appealed to government to ensure proper funding of education, especially public schools, adding that teachers too should be well-remunerated in order to boost their morale.
He stated that a total sum of N800 million had been invested in the school by ICOBA in the last 10 years, saying that it had started yielding result.
”This year, the school attained 100 per cent pass rate in WAEC and a number of students scored multiple As in their various subjects,” he said.
In his address, National President of ICOBA, Mr Olumuyiwa Kinoshi, represented by Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, expressed appreciation to the old boys residing in Europe and North America for their significant contributions to the school.
Aside the visible transformation of the infrastructural facilities, he said that the school had attained the desired height in education standard.
“Igbobi College students have posted dramatic improvements in their recent Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) results, the best in the last 20 years,” Kinoshi said.
NAN reports that Olaoluwa Abu, a student of the school, was presented with an award as the overall best student.
