The Old Students Association of Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure, has unveiled plans to construct an ultra-modern skills acquisition centre to equip students with entrepreneurship and vocational skills.
The Global President of the Oyemekun Alumni Association, Dr. Niyi Ijogun, made the announcement at a press conference marking the school’s 72nd anniversary. He revealed that a hall within the school premises would be dedicated to the initiative, ensuring students gain hands-on experience in various trades.
“We are going to have a dedicated building within the school’s premises that we are going to call the Entrepreneurship Building, where students from JSS3 will start to have one or two, or even more, skills that they are going to develop,” Ijogun stated.
Emphasizing his commitment to the project, he added, “I must also let you know that I am a member of the Construction Industries Skills Acquisition Board of Nigeria. So I have a particular interest to ensure that what we preach at the federal level, we also have it in this great school.
“This school is going to be a model, and you can underline that. It is going to be a model for others to copy, because we want our products to be self-reliant and internationally valuable.
“We have a lot in our plans to ensure that any product that passes out of this school has a robust education and values that cannot be jettisoned,” he affirmed.
Ijogun disclosed that the association, with a strong network of over 42,000 old students, is fully committed to supporting the project.
“We are building on the values that Oyemekun is known for and teaches. The school has produced over 42,000 students who are excelling in various fields, including traditional rulers such as the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, and the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye.
“Our products spread across the globe; they are professors of note and successful politicians. They are ready to assist us in fulfilling the dream of the founding fathers.
“With the strength and motivation of over 42,000 alumni members, we are ready to let you know that the transformation has just begun,” he declared.
Ijogun also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to enhancing the school’s infrastructure and providing learning incentives.
“Our benchmark is not schools in Nigeria but schools in the U.K., schools in Australia, and we want to have students who can beat their chest when they want to present themselves for IELTS, for instance.
“So, our theater of operation is at the global level, not just within the state or at the national level,” he added.
With this initiative, the Oyemekun Alumni Association is poised to transform the school into a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation, preparing students for self-sufficiency and global competitiveness.
