Olubadan inaugurates N50m vocational centre

File photo: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Ladoja, has commissioned an N50m vocational training centre rebuilt by the 1972–1976 set of Ibadan Boys’ High School to mark the 50th anniversary of their graduation from the institution.

Represented by the Are Ago Olubadan, Chief Olufemi Ogunwale, the monarch inaugurated the facility on Friday as part of the old students’ efforts to give back to their alma mater.

The project is expected to equip students with practical skills in phone maintenance and repair, fashion design and garment making, as well as solar installation and maintenance.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Anniversary Committee, Kunle Olujobi, explained that the idea of celebrating the set’s golden jubilee was conceived during its quarterly meeting in February 2025.

Olujobi stated that the set initially considered building a corps members’ lodge or purchasing a school bus before settling on the vocational training centre as its legacy project.

He noted that the project was completed despite financial constraints, adding that the building was in a dilapidated state prior to its reconstruction.

Olujobi urged the Oyo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education to support the facility with modern equipment and deploy qualified instructors to train the students.

Similarly, the Chairman of the 1972–1976 set, Adesanmi Popoola, stated that the group resolved to execute a landmark project when preparations for the golden jubilee commenced.

• JUST IN: Police confirm abduction of three workers at Oyo Institute
• Suspected fake Oyo fertility doctor nabbed
• NSDC-backed Oyo sugar factory enters test-running stage

Popoola noted that the set had executed three major interventions in the past, including the renovation of junior school classroom blocks and contributing to the interlocking tile project during the school’s 80th anniversary.

In his address, the Chairman of the Oyo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education, Adekola Ayoade, commended the old students for investing in their alma mater.

Ayoade observed that many graduates struggle with unemployment due to a lack of practical skills, stressing that vocational education provides vital opportunities for self-reliance.

He urged parents to encourage their children to acquire technical skills alongside conventional education to prepare them for future economic challenges.

Ayoade assured that the board would deploy instructors to support training programs at the newly commissioned centre.

Established in 1938, Ibadan Boys’ High School is one of the premier secondary institutions in Oyo State, with various old students’ associations regularly intervening through infrastructure renewal and vocational projects to supplement state government education funding.