Edo State: Governor Godwin Obaseki wants to rebuild the Idia College for girls in Benina to a world-class standard. The Governor made this commitment in a meeting with the executives and members of the school’s alumni.
The school has recently celebrated their golden jubilee. The school has given to many successful and dedicated alumni, willing to take the responsibility to rebuild the school.
The Governor commended the alumni body for taking up the responsibility of joining the government to rebuild their alma mater. Additionally, he said, “We should not go for half measures. Let us build the kind of school that produced you.”
He added, “We are not doing anything new. We are just reenacting who we are.”
“I am passionate about Idia college. I believe in the dream of our late Governor and father, General Ogbemudia, and the emphasis on girl child education.” Claimed governor Obaseki.
Obaseki further said that they will need proper governance and management of the school to ensure the sustainability of its restoration.
According to him: “Institutions are about governance. You could build all the fancy stuff, but once there is no sense of ownership that drives governance, then we will go back to where we are coming from.”
He was happy to know that a group has accepted the responsibility of co-governing the school. “I now, as a Governor, have the sense that whatever we put in place now, somebody is going to be there to co-monitor with you.”
“I have made up my mind to rebuild Idia College before I leave.” Governor Godwin Obaseki made this announcement during his meeting with the Alumni. However, he acknowledged that rebuilding Idia College is not just about infrastructure.
It is more about the governance and management of the school, which cannot be left exclusively to the government. The governor has given his ministry the mandate and announced that they are ready to go.”
The Global President of the alumni body, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, appreciated the Governor for his reception. She also thanked him for assuring the alumni body that the school will be rebuilt to global standard.
She said: “Our dreams are tied with yours. Our dream is to have a school, where at the end of the day, the best girls across the region will have the opportunity to have a kind of education where the best minds are, and the top students will have the opportunity to be in the boarding school where they have all the facilities that they require.
“You are birthing another model school exactly 50 years after. That is definitely auspicious. So, the next 50 years begins next year. As you leave, you are handing over to us, to the government, and to Edo State, a girls’ school that is comparable to any school anywhere in the world.”