Lagos Lawmaker, Saka Fafunmi Gives 450 Youths Free ICT Training

In a bid to further rid the society of youthful restlessness and all forms of hooliganism, a lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi has extended free computer training to about 450 youths in Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency 1, which he is representing.

The youthful lawmaker, who was proud to say that over 300 students, who started the training in January, 2014, have graduated, emphasized that it was better to expose the youth to such trainings so that they could be useful to themselves now and in the nearest future.

According to him, “The programme started in my other constituency office at No. 306, Iju Road in 2009, and it has produced over 1,500 students from Ifako/Ijaiye. We later left the place to this better place, you might see this as one of those political gatherings, but it is not so, it is my humble way of helping the youths of this area.

“You have to abide by our terms and conditions or else, you would not get the certificates, the training is not only for graduates of secondary schools, it is also meant for graduates of higher institutions of learning. Age is not a barrier as a 63-year-old man was part of the January set; you have to keep learning until the last moment. We have 30 computers and all of them are enough, we have instructors that come for each of the classes, and this has transformed the lives of the youths in the area, it has been keeping them busy.

“You should be a master of your own heart. It is one of those programmes that would help you in life. Education is an equalizer, it would place the rich and the poor at par, without education, most of us would not be where we are today. You must ask questions until you understand what you are being taught. The programme is for three months, but the last set spent five months because I do not want to graduate half baked graduates.
“I usually give the graduates a task to perform before they graduate. It is not a place to come and play, even if you play a bit, your primary motive is to learn as the future leaders. It is meant for you to develop yourself and get a good job. We usually give out gifts at the end of the programme,” he said.

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Hon. Fafunmi, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation (Local), urged the over 400 matriculating students to acquire a skill that can take them through life, and advised them to use the computer to their advantage, but with a warning that they must not damage the systems.

He said that each of the students would be given a task on how to move Ifako/Ijaiye Local Government forward.
“We can ask you to get a data of the entire houses in Ifako/Ijaiye since the LG Secretariat might not have such a data. We have so many things that can be done with computer. The systems are not meant for internet fraud, I want you to know that such is not even popular anymore. There would be three shifts divided into morning, afternoon and evening sessions because you are about 420 students from the local government and even beyond.

“When you start the programme, all of you would be coming, but some would run away, if you must start, make sure you complete it. I have a large number of people from Ifako/Ijaiye, so I would be coming around to see you regularly. Make sure you come regularly, and we would still discuss other issues,” he said.

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Going down memory lane, Hon. Fafunmi told the cheering students that he was not different from any of them as he was from a humble background, adding that he started primary school at Local Authority Primary School, Agege and that he used to trek from his house in the area to the place as it was then the only primary school around.
He revealed that this continued until 1979, when ex-governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande built more primary schools, which was when he changed to Oke-Ira Primary School, and then went to Oke-Ira Secondary School later.

The politician said that he did his first degree at the University of Ilorin, but that he is now running a law programme at the University of Lagos.

“When I was growing up, I saw the need to plant a seed in the minds of young people, I had to trek from here to LA Primary School, Agege, which was why I now bought two buses to convey students and pupils free of charge to and fro school. There is a dichotomy between the rich and the poor, the rich are taken in buses to schools, while the poor trek to school. While, I was growing up in Ifako/Ijaiye, there was no house, where you would not see a university graduate, but it is not so now because people are looking for short cut to success.

“For me to take people away from these vices, I had to create opportunity for them to learn computer as we are in the computer age. The easiest way to learn is through computer, and if people cannot afford to buy one at home, why can’t we provide it for them to learn it free of charge in a conducive atmosphere.

“Look at those that are learning fashion designing at our center, am I training them so that they could sew my clothes, the answer is no. but I am impacting into their lives, I am sowing a seed into their lives. One of you would still represent the local government someday and with the seed I am sowing in you, you would do the same thing I am doing now, when you get there. I have come to make a change, which is why you are seeing changes here,” he said.

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Fafunmi berated the Federal Government, who he said is not mindful of the need of the people, and emphasized that they must use the budget in a way that would bring development to the people.

Some of the graduating students, who spoke at the ceremony, thanked Hon. Fafunmi for the gesture, while the President of the Muslim Community in Ifako/Ijaiye, Alhaji Adbudltolib Orire Oyedeji said that what Hon. Dayo Saka Fafunmi is doing was what Chief Obafemi Awolowo did in those days in the Western Region.

“Fafunmi wants to impact wealth in the young ones so that they can be of good use to their family members in the future. He is also helping some students to and fro their schools through free transportation as he did not want them to go through what he went through by trekking to school. I want those in the state houses of assembly, Senate and Federal House of Reps to emulate him,” he stated.

Present at the ceremony, which held at the lawmaker’s constituency office in Oyemekun Bus Stop in the area, were a royal father, Onifako of Ifako/Ijaiye, Oba Taofeek Fatusi Obawole, politicians/political leaders, market men and women, youths, students and residents of the area.

courtesy Oladipupo Awojobi

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