Your Excellency,
I write this open letter with a deep sense of concern, patriotism, and hope regarding the deplorable state of Okene Secondary School, Ukpogo, one of the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in Kogi State. This is not intended as criticism for its own sake, but as a sincere appeal to your conscience and commitment to educational development.
For generations, Okene Secondary School stood as a beacon of academic excellence, discipline, leadership, and character formation. The institution nurtured countless distinguished sons of Ebiraland and Nigeria who have excelled in academia, business, governance, the professions, the military, public service, and various spheres of human endeavour. Its alumni which i am of them remain living testimonies to the invaluable contributions the school has made to nation-building.
Sadly, what once stood as a symbol of pride has now deteriorated into a shadow of its glorious past. The crumbling classrooms, dilapidated infrastructure, neglected environment, and inadequate learning facilities paint a heartbreaking picture. Such a historic institution deserves far better than its current condition.
Your Excellency, the decline of this great institution is not merely the collapse of physical structures; it represents the gradual erosion of our educational heritage and the weakening of our human capital development. In an era where knowledge drives economic growth, technological advancement, and national competitiveness, allowing such a legacy institution to fade into extinction is a tragedy that posterity may find difficult to forgive.
Even more troubling is the reality that Kogi Central has occupied significant positions in the governance of our dear state for well over a decade. Yet, many public secondary schools within the district continue to deteriorate while little attention is given to their rehabilitation. This unfortunate situation raises serious questions about our collective commitment to preserving the educational foundations upon which our society was built.
History will judge every generation not only by the roads it constructed or the political offices it occupied, but also by the schools it preserved, the minds it nurtured, and the opportunities it created for future generations.
Your Excellency, another alarming dimension deserving urgent government intervention is the widespread encroachment on school lands across Kogi Central. Lands originally designated for academic expansion, sporting activities, agricultural education, and physical development have gradually been converted into residential buildings and other private uses. Consequently, many schools now lack adequate space for effective teaching, practical learning, recreation, and physical education.
A school without sufficient land cannot effectively fulfil its educational mandate. Education extends beyond classroom instruction; it encompasses sports, vocational training, environmental learning, agriculture, and character development. The continued loss of these institutional lands is steadily suffocating the future of our educational system.
The recovery and revitalization of Okene Secondary School should therefore serve as the beginning of a broader educational renaissance in Kogi State. Such an initiative would restore public confidence, inspire teachers and students, preserve our educational heritage, and reaffirm your administration’s commitment to investing in the future.
Your Excellency, this appeal is not solely about one school. It is about safeguarding the intellectual future of Kogi Central and the entire state. Every neglected classroom today may become a lost scientist, engineer, medical doctor, teacher, entrepreneur, or statesman tomorrow. The extinction of great schools inevitably creates dangerous knowledge gaps that weaken future leadership and reduce the quality of human capital available for national development.
I therefore respectfully appeal that your administration:
- Declare the rehabilitation of Okene Secondary School, Ukpogo, an educational priority.
- Conduct a comprehensive assessment of all public secondary schools across Kogi Central requiring urgent intervention.
- Recover all illegally encroached school lands through lawful means and protect them against future encroachment.
- Modernize the school’s infrastructure with classrooms, laboratories, libraries, ICT facilities, sporting grounds, and other essential learning facilities.
- Engage the school’s alumni, traditional institutions, community leaders, and development partners in rebuilding this historic institution.
Your Excellency, leadership is often remembered for the legacies it leaves behind. The restoration of Okene Secondary School will not merely renovate buildings; it will restore hope, preserve history, and secure the educational future of thousands of young people yet unborn.
May this appeal be received in the spirit of patriotism and collective responsibility in which it is written. Let history record that under your administration, one of Ebiraland’s greatest educational monuments was rescued from extinction and restored to its rightful place as a centre of excellence.
The children of today deserve quality schools. Posterity deserves a preserved heritage. Kogi State deserves nothing less.
May God continue to grant you wisdom, strength, and courage as you lead our dear state.
Yours faithfully,
Alhaji (Dr.) Onujagbe Nasir Audu
President,
Concerned Citizen and Advocate for Educational Development.
onujagbenasir@gmail.com
08033489395
