By Fisayo Akinduro

The Ondo State Government under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has approved the reopening of Isinigbo Community High School in Akure North Local Government area, 40 years after it was closed.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Engagement (Central), Oluwafemi Fadairo, confirmed the development while fielding questions from Weekend Hope.

He said the school was shut in 1983 without any clear reason and had remained closed despite efforts by concerned persons to make past administrations reopen it.

“In 1983, the school was closed for no reason. Successive governments made attempts to reopen it but were unsuccessful,” he said.

Fadairo explained that the matter was brought to the government’s attention during a community engagement visit to Isinigbo community in 2023.

“During our community engagement last year, the people of Isinigbo community appealed to us to help facilitate the reopening of the school. We assured them we would take up the issue. They also pledged their support during the general elections, which they fulfilled,” he said.

According to him, the recent approval followed a meeting with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa before his trip to Abuja.

“I went to see the Governor with the necessary documents and reminded him of our promise to the community. He approved the reopening because of his commitment to development at the grassroots,” Fadairo said.

He noted that although the premises had been used in recent years as a private school, there was no formal government involvement in staffing or infrastructure.

“Now, the school has full government approval. It is no longer a private arrangement. Teachers will be posted to the school and additional classrooms will be constructed,” he added.

Fadairo said the school, located in Ishinigbo community, would now function as a public secondary school under the Ondo State Ministry of Education.

Fadairo, who oversees community engagement in six local government areas, Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore, Idanre, Ondo East, and Ondo West, said the reopening of the school was a step towards fulfilling the government’s promise to extend development to all communities.

He added that the announcement of the approval was well received by the community, with residents expressing appreciation to the state government.

Also speaking, the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Adu Omotayo, the Asinigbo of Isinigbo, confirmed that the school was closed as one of the actions taken during the 1983 military intervention.

He said: “There was no crisis in the community when the school was closed.

“It was a decision taken during the military regime.

“My father once told me I would attend that school. But it never happened because of the closure.”