When, about five years ago, some enlightened sons and daughters of Igbaye, an upwardly mobile community in Odo-Otin Local Government of Osun State, came together, the common item on their agenda was development of the bubbling town.
With development as the main reason for coming together, they arrived at the conclusion that, forming a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) would serve that purpose. And that gave birth to the association named Igbaye Development Vanguard (IDV), under the leadership of two interim Co-Conveners; Dr. Sunday Alayemi and Mr. Rafiu Adeoye Popoola Esqr.
According to the Interim Co-Conveners, membership of the non-religious and non-profitable group cuts across all professions and spread across the globe. They just decided to come together to give back to their community what the community had earlier given to them when they never asked for it. And the expose would not be complete if the involvement of the old students association of Igbaye Community High School (ICHS), across the world is not mentioned.
And since the formation of the NGO, it has been one day one developmental project.
The summary of some of their activities would suffice to buttress their efforts:
•Igbaye Community High School now wears a new look through renovation.
•Several Transformers refurbished, replaced or repaired.
•Old Post Office turned around to become modern.
•Court Hall sprang up to also serve as Town Hall.
•Extra hour Tutorial teaching for community high school students to help with their studies.
•Skill Acquisition Training to facilitate loan for them for small/ medium scale businesses.
•Pastor/Immam Peace&Unity Team established for inter religious activities.
•Health Centre for renovation.
•Marked sites for Modern Public Toilets, e-Library and Recreation Centre.
•Three major football fields were re-lined, re-grassed and reconstructed.
It worth mentioning that the Vanguard also takes it upon itself to recruit part-Time teachers to augment government’s efforts at seeing that all students in the town from primary to secondary school attain adequate academic standard of global standard.
Presently, the task before the Vanguard is renovation of the ICHS hall that is in dire need of being put into good shape befitting the school which has been renovated by the group and later assisted by the state government.
The Co-Conveners, Alayemi and Popoola, in a chat with our correspondent said, the move to come in to assist was born out of the belief that government cannot do everything for its citizen stressing the need for communal efforts from the community that aspires to be great.
The duo however commended members of the Vanguard home and abroad for their unrelenting efforts at seeing to the greatness of the town saying, their ceaseless contributions towards provision of modern text books, donations towards upgrading the Science Laboratory equipment, payment for GCE and JAMB forms, payment of stipends to the part time teachers and assistance being rendered towards indigent students.
In the final analysis, Alayemi and Popoola unanimously admitted that, “it is not over until it is properly over,” saying, “we will continue to play Oliver Twist ny asking for more always.”
They ended the interaction with our correspondent by beseeching the Almighty God to bless the members more and replenish their pockets for the developmental task ahead.
