The Onimeko of Imeko, His Royal Majesty, Oba Benjamin Oyeditan Olanite (Akanku IV), has ascribed poor academic performance of students in Imeko/Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State to the marginalisation of the area in the distribution of resources for infrastructure and social amenities by both the state and Federal Government.

Oba Oyeditan, who said this in a brief chat with journalists in his house in Imeko at the weekend, added that “no government, federal or state, had considered Imeko for any educational institution, primary, secondary or tertiary. All the primary and secondary schools in Imeko are private/missionary-turned government schools.”

The monarch, while reacting to the comment of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, on the poor performances of students of the Imeko/Afon Local Government during the first Ogun State Education Summit, said: “Why won’t it be so? All the federal tertiary institutions in Ogun State are in Abeokuta, while the state owned ones are in the Ijebu area; nothing for us in this part. We are just neglected, abandoned. It is believed in many quarters that our indigenes are into car smuggling. But can we blame them? They are liable to subscribe to whatever is available to them.”

While describing the passion of the youths of the area for education as encouraging, Oba Oyeditan said dues to non availability of tertiary institutions in Imeko, some parents don’t know that there are other levels of learning after secondary school.

“My mother, for instance, asked me to learn a trade, having completed my secondary education, which she believed was the highest educational level one can attain,” Oba Oyeditan said.

The monarch, who lauded the heavy investment of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration in education in the state, implored the Governor to consider Imeko in his plans.

“It is a fact that Governor Amosun placed priority on education, thereby making it first out of its five cardinal programmes when assumed office in May 29, 2011, but Imeko is yet to benefit from the good plans of the working governor in education,” Oba Oyeditan submitted.

He enjoined Governor Amosun to make education conducive and encouraging for students in Imeko by improving on the state of infrastructure in primary and secondary schools in the area and by establishing a tertiary institution or a satellite campus of a tertiary institution in the area.

Oba Oyeditan also implored the Federal Government to consider establishment of a federal tertiary institution in Imeko. This, he said, will put the youths in the area at comparative advantage with their peers, not only in Nigeria, but also in the world, thereby making them contribute immensely to the development of the country.

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