Stakeholders have stressed the importance of equitable education to national development, declaring that inclusivity must remain central to government and private sector interventions in education and health.
The stakeholders made this call on Wednesday at One Nation“Equitable Education, the Seed of National Development” held at the NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Olabomi explained that the Initiative focuses on health, education, and social inclusion. He added that People With Disabilities (PWDs) are deliberately carried along in all of its programs.
“All we are doing at One House Development Initiative, we do inclusively,” Olabomi said. “We focus on special needs schools, integrated schools, smart model schools, and their health. In fact, PWDs even gave us a slogan that says: ‘There is nothing for us without us.’ This means if you want to provide them solutions, they must be the orchestrators of those solutions, so they are not given what they do not need.”
Highlighting the role of education in nation-building, Olabomi noted that no society can make meaningful progress without prioritizing learning. “For any nation to make the best choices, the people must be educated. Education should reach everyone, starting from nursery to junior secondary school (JSS3), which is the peak of basic education. We put up this program to track progress and ensure we are not retrogressing,” he said.
He disclosed that 18 participants made contributions during the deliberation, with major commitments from stakeholders. One of such commitments, he said, came from the Chairman of the House Committee on Innovation, Science and Technology, Hon. Adewunmi Adeyemi, who promised to ensure strict enforcement of laws protecting minors from abuse. Olabomi added that One House Development was also working with Barrister Kayode Totiloye, Director of Citizens’ Law and Mediation at the Osun State Ministry of Justice, to strengthen legal processes.
Hon. Adewunmi Adeyemi, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, in his remarks, condemned the rising cases of rape and defilement of minors, describing them as crimes against humanity.
He said, “The issue of minors being raped and defiled, as raised by Citizen Lola Way, is unacceptable,” Adeyemi declared.
“I admonish our people to speak up. If there is any such case, the Assembly can be approached, and I can be the voice to raise it. Anyone caught violating the Disability Law already passed in Osun should also be brought to justice. We need to test this law and ensure it works for our people.”
Adeyemi further addressed issues around teacher recruitment and the ongoing local government dispute, urging that the matter be resolved in the interest of the people. He praised the government for sustaining grassroots salary payments despite financial pressures. On digital access, he clarified that the recently launched Imole Wi-Fi was designed for public benefit.
“The Wi-Fi is for public use, and you have the choice to use it or not. Concerns about using NIN as a password should not be seen as a security threat. That is information the government should already have about you as a citizen,” he added.
The event wass attended by dignitaries including the Acting Permanent Secretary of Teaching Service Commission, Mrs Oluwatosin Farotimi, the Executive Secretary of SUBEB, Mr Yahaya Adekunle Bakare, JONAPWD Chairman, Stephen Oluwafemi, the Chairman of the Blind Association of Nigeria, Osun State Chapter; as well as students with disabilities.
Advertisement
