One on One with Executive Secretary, OdI-Olowu,
Oju-oye LCDA
Why are you coming up
with this initiative of giving out 250 free GCE forms?
People always have this negative notion about the people of Mushin;
they think that nothing good can come out of us. So, we actually introduced
this programme in other to get the best from our students. This came at the
time we are leaving most of our younger ones to social vices.
The idea is to have this culture of institutionalization that
you don’t need to know anybody before you get something from the government.
Once you merit it or once you’re qualified for it you don’t need to know the
chairman or the supervisor, or anybody working within the local government. So,
we are trying to promote meritocracy as against nepotism and favoritism.
How do you intend to
sustain this laudable start?
It is through our vision and we’ve discussed it with the
various strata of the community. They both into it, so I strongly believe even
when we leave office, anyone that comes up will definitely sustain it knowing
full well that it is a populace programme and a programme that will promote the
youth of the community and of course that will give us our rightful position
within the committee of the local council and the local council development
area.
It was brought to our
notice that there was one month training as build-up to today’s 3/8/15 test how
was it carried out?
No! It wasn’t one month training, I think as at today the
tutorial is about two months and we are not ending it with this programme. We
will continue the tutorial classes until after these GCE exams. The
significance of that is that unlike other people that normally recruit may be
undergraduates in 100 level or the young school leavers to takes people that
are preparing for SSCE. What we have decided to do is to partner with
established tutorial centers like De Pathfinders Educational Consult, Define
and so on and so forth.
Abolaji Adesola one of the participants of the test speaks
from Ilupeju Grammar school, Ilipeju, Lagos. We are for the test, it’s an
aptitude test. For those of us who had collected the form from the Executive
Secretary Hon. Olusola Ajala. So for us to write the test we first had to get
the form then that will actually signify that we are the people that are
actually qualified for the form.
How did you get to know about this?
I saw it on a banner here in Ilupeju so I asked my mum if
that is true. She asked me to give it a try and I gave it a try. After picking
the form I was given more information. The information was; our names, the
subjects we are offering etc. I know while I was in school I was offering eight
subjects so I had to fill in the eight subjects. I got the form, filled it and
returned it back to the person that gave me the form.
Was there are
financial commitment?
No! no! no! it’s absolutely free. I even thought they would
ask for some money or something but to my greatest surprise it was free.
My names are Aba Christopher; I’m here to write the test for
the 250 GCE forms to be given. I need this to enable me further my education.
Did you actually pay
for this?
No! We didn’t pay for this. Our health master got the form
for us. He loves children a lot and he decided to help us with this. Since we
don’t have that much money to pay for the form so he got it for us, he also
gathers us here to gather to have a lesson as build up to this test. The lesson
was also meant to prepare us for the future. And most importantly prepare us
for the main GCE that is coming up for those of us that will get the GCE forms.
So that when we do this we can perform better and once that is done we not just
have the GCE forms but will certainly perform well in the GCE exams.
How do you feel?
I feel good since I’m not paying for it. Secondly, the money
that is paid is already taken care of by the Executive Secretary, Hon. Razaq Olusola
Ajala. Who happens to be like our father and we sincerely appreciates this.
Looking at a crowd like this you would understand what must have been put in
place to cater for us all.
What is your chance
of being among the lucky 250 candidates to pick up the form?
I believe I will be among these lucky once because we’ve
been lectured like I said earlier and that has prepared us for today. We also
have other activities that have shaped us for today.
What do you have to
say to those that organized this?
I appreciate then for what they’ve done and I know it’s not
an easy thing to put forward. Looking at this massive crowd 250 qualified
candidates will be picked and given the form. I pray that God will also help
the organizers in the same way as they care for the less privilege in the
society. I really appreciate them for that.
