By Stephen Ubanna
With barely one month after the Integration Art Palace and Tour Company, a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, promoted by one Bonny Botoku to enhance Collaboration between Nigeria and neighbouring Benin Republic to make the residents of the border Communities understand the role of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, under the cose watch of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, in Economic Development and National security to support their operations.
The positive impact of the close working relationship between the Interventionist Command and Botoku led Integration and Art Tour Company in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations that had led to the rain of Contraband seizures including Cartridges may have informed why the Command Leadership with the backing of the Customs Comptroller General have opened the door to work together with other NGOs operating within Ogun, home state of former President Olusegun Obasanjo .
This may have informed why the Ogun I, Customs Comptroller and his Management Team, did not hesitate in accommodating the proposal of Teach For Nigeria, another NGO, to provide educational support to 100 pupils from five different schools within Idiriko axis, a border Community between Nigeria and Benin, in Ipokia Local Government Area, LGA, of the south western Ogun state.
The NGO, which was said to have been promoted by the trio, Mr. Matthew Emmanuel, Mrs. Akanbi Olutoyosi and Mrs. Obot Anieebetabasi, according to informed source had approached Shuaibu Ahmadou Bello, a Customs Comptroller and Ogun I, Area Controller with their proposal with ‘’Cloth a Child’’ initiative for Financial support.
The Customs Comptroller. was said to have taken up the matter with his Management Team who threw their weight to it because of the gains from the Collaboration with the Botoku led the Integration Art Palace and Tour Company, as the Command has taken the anti-smuggling battle to the smugglers hideouts in the border Communities and making several sophisticated Contraband seizures that had surprised many including other security agencies in the state.
The Project which was said to have kicked off the ground with the identification of 20 pupils for urgent attention from five schools which includes Community Primary School, Igbo Adiguns, Community Primary School, Odan Aje, Ipokia LGA, School I & II,Idiroko and Ipokia Local Government School, Iklaje.
While explaining the rationale behind the Colth a Child initiative’’, the delegation, leed by one Mrs. Olutoyosi, may have won the heart of the Customs Area Controller and his Management Team when she stated that it was observed during learning process that some’’ pupils’school uniforms are tattered and are affecting their studies and interaction with other pupils in the school Psychologically. Other members of the delegation were said to have collaborated what Mrs. Olutoyosi had said and which may have shocked the officers.
Charles Ogunesan A Deputy comptroller , overseeing the Command’s Administration Unit, who was said to have received the 3-man team on behalf of the Area Controller , Comptroller Shuaibu, may have spoken the Custom Comptroller’s mind when he commended the cloth a child initiative , describing it as ‘’a laudable project’’ that should be supported to give the pupils a sense of belonging.
The Customs Deputy Comptroller noted that ‘’as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility , CSR, in its areas of Jurisdictions in the state, the Command has expanded the scope of the initiative by making the proposed pair of uniforms and socks making it a complete set. The Command was said to have also spent undisclosed amount of money, to buy writing materials for the pupils including books and stationery for the pupils. It was said to have also procured Chalks and whilte Board markers for the selected Primary schools, thus turning to modern schools, as obtained in the towns, cities and urban areas to teach the pupils.
A statement by Hameed Oloyede, a Chief Superintendent of Customs and the Command spokesperson disclosed that during the presentation of the complete set of uniforms to each of the 20 pupils from the five schools selected from the Idiroko axis, on Wednesday, March 18, 2024, DC. Ogunesan, had congratulated the beneficiaries of the ‘’cloth a child initiative ‘’, urging them to ensure that they make best use of the opportunity and pay more attention to their studies.
The Ogun I, Command, top officer, was said to have also urged the parents of the beneficiaries and those yet to benefit,’’ to reciprocate the Command’s gesture by taking their children’s educational progression seriously and look after their wellbeing keenly’’.
Describing children as great blessings from God, he said’’ parents must not take this for granted’’. He was said to have applauded the trio of Mrs. Olutoyosi, Mrs. Aniebetabasi and Emmanuel, for coming out with the initiative which had made a bold statement in the state.
Alhaja Oduntan Ireti, Secretary, Ipokia , Local Government Education Board, who was said to be visibly on ground to witness the epoch making events expected to go round other primary schools in the Border Communities in Yewa North and Imeko/Afon LGAs, which share border with the Republic of Bein, had highlighted roles played by teachers in impacting knowledge in learners.
She asserted that ‘’no one at the helms of Affairs or corridors of power that do not pass through the teacher before attaining their present positions has not started. An elated Ipokia LGA, Education Board Secretary, had congratulate the pupils who had benefited from the Customs gesture through the cloth a child initiative of an NGO, in the state , stating that it will go a long way in ‘’uplifting the learning condition of the privileged people and turning the people’s mind away from smuggling activities.
Bankole Joseph, an Education Officer, in the Ipokia LGA, who could not hide his feelings had given kudos to Ogun I, Customs Command for the kind gesture , urging it ‘’to sustain the already established synegy with the Education Board to give the primary school pupils a sense of belong in their respective communities.
He was said to have also extended his appreciations to the GO, that had championed’’ Cloth a Child Initiative’’, in favour of the primary schools pupils in Communities in Ipokia, Yewa North andImeko/Afon , pleading with them ‘’to sustain the tempo and not allow the dream to die’’.
Giving the Vote of Tanks, Ms. Hunesi Florence, a primary school pupil ,of Community Primary School, IGBO Adiguns, wa said to appreciated the OgunI, Command for supporting them with set of uniforms and writing materials, urging other Customs Commands, across the country , particular, in the Border states, to emulate the Ogun I, gesture.
Babatudende Ateh, a senior coach of the NGO, , who gave the closing remarks, disclosed that he was extremely overwhelmed with joy, realizing the huge success that had been recorded with the close a child initiative of the trios. Expressing his profound gratitude to Compt. Shuaibu and his Management Team, for their enormous support to the Ipokia LGA, which had made the cloth a child event a reality, he had congratulated the beneficiaries and those who had honoured their invitations to be at the auspicious occasion which will never cease in the state.
The joy in the heart of the parents of the beneficiaries knows no bound as they expressed their sincere appreciation to Compt. Shuaibu and the Customs Comptroller General,CG. Adeniyi, for providing the educational support to their Children in primary schools, in Ipokia LGA.
