Old Students of Owo High School Ask Ondo Government for Help Against Land Grabbing

The Old Students Association of Owo High School is asking the Ondo State Government to step in as suspected land grabbers continue to invade the school’s land.

During a visit to The PUNCH Place in Magboro, Ogun State, on May 20, association leaders said there is a clear attempt by some individuals to take over parts of the school’s land. This is making it hard for the alumni to improve the school’s facilities and infrastructure.

Led by its national president, Foluso Falaye, the association claimed that many complaints and petitions to the state government have not led to any action. The alleged encroachers keep going about their activities without fear.

In a letter dated December 18, 2025, addressed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa through the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, the group shared the history of the school and its land ownership.

The letter, signed by Falaye and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Folagbade Alamudun, states that Owo High School was founded in January 1963 by the late Michael Adekunle Ajasin, who was the former governor of old Ondo State.

The association mentioned that the school started on a 25-hectare land and became government-owned in 1974 after the government took over private secondary schools.

OHSOSA, which has over 8,000 members in Nigeria and abroad, decided to support the school after seeing the drop in infrastructure and educational standards in public schools.

“The association believes that the task of restoring the glory of our educational system should not be left in the hands of government alone,” the letter said.

To help the school, the alumni group has carried out surveys and created a master plan to transform the school.

This plan includes renovating classrooms, building new structures, providing modern toilets, improving laboratories and libraries, introducing digital learning tools, and hiring more teachers.

However, the group said these plans are at risk because of ongoing land encroachment.

“In order to begin this vision, the association found that the school’s land meant for development has been breached by various illegal encroachments,” the letter stated.

The association reported that residential buildings, shops, and places of worship have appeared on parts of the school’s land, despite past government interventions.

According to them, investigations by the Ministries of Education and Lands, along with the Office of the Surveyor-General, confirmed that these structures are illegal.

The ministries ordered construction to stop and marked some buildings for demolition when the occupants could not show valid title documents.

The association got government approval in 2021 to build a perimeter fence around the school to secure the land.

But they said that the project faced many disruptions. “After starting the fence installation, illegal land grabbers threatened to kill our workers and demolished parts of the fence we had already built,” the association stated.

They also claimed that the encroachers have used police officers and hoodlums to intimidate the school’s management and contractors.

The alumni group pointed out that a court has already settled the ownership issue.

“The claimants took the case to court, claiming ownership of the land. The matter went to the Supreme Court, which ruled against their claims and confirmed the school’s ownership of the land,” the letter stated.

The group called the continued occupation of the land after the court ruling a direct challenge to the law.

“This defiance, despite a settled Supreme Court ruling, is not just trespassing but a serious challenge to the rule of law and the authority of the state,” they added.

The association urged Governor Aiyedatiwa to remove all illegal structures on the land and protect the school’s property.

“We count on your support to help the good initiatives started by the old students’ body and clear the area of illegal structures so our planned projects can proceed,” the association appealed.

They emphasized that keeping Owo High School intact is important for honoring the legacy of the late Ajasin and ensuring future generations get quality education.

When contacted on Tuesday, the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Ajibefun, did not respond to calls made to his phone.

He had also not replied to a text message sent to him by the time this report was filed.