Old Students of Owo High School Seek Help Over Land Issues

The Old Students Association of Owo High School has asked the Ondo State Government to step in over what they call ongoing encroachment on the school’s land by suspected land grabbers.

During a visit to The PUNCH Place in Magboro, Ogun State, on May 20, association leaders claimed that some individuals are trying to take over parts of the school’s land. They said this is blocking their efforts to improve the school’s facilities and infrastructure.

Led by its national president, Foluso Falaye, the association said that many complaints and petitions to the state government have not produced results. They said the encroachers continue their activities without fear.

In a letter dated December 18, 2025, and sent to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa through the Commissioner of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, the association detailed the history of the school and its land ownership.

The letter, signed by Falaye and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Folagbade Alamudun, stated 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 was built on a 25-hectare piece of land and later became government-owned when private secondary schools were taken over in 1974.

OHSOSA, which has over 8,000 members in Nigeria and abroad, decided to support the school after seeing the decline 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 stated.

As part of their intervention plan, the alumni group said they conducted surveys and created a master plan to transform the school.

The plan includes renovating classrooms, building new structures, providing modern toilets, improving laboratory and library facilities, introducing digital learning tools, and hiring more teachers.

But the group said these plans are threatened by the rising encroachment on the school’s land.

“To start this vision, the association found that the school’s land for development has been breached by illegal land grabbers,” the letter said.

The association claimed that homes, shops, and places of worship have appeared on parts of the school’s land despite earlier government actions.

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

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

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

But they alleged that the project faced many disruptions.

“After starting the fence installation, the work was interrupted several times by illegal land grabbers who threatened to kill our workers. They also destroyed parts of the fence already built,” the association stated.

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

The alumni group also said that the ownership dispute had been settled by the courts.

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

The association described the ongoing occupation of the land, despite the court ruling, as a direct challenge to the rule of law.

“This continued occupation, despite a Supreme Court ruling, is not just trespass but a challenge to the rule of law and state authority,” it added.

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

“We count on your office to support the initiatives of the old students and clear the area of all illegal structures so our plans can go ahead,” the association appealed.

They also said that keeping Owo High School intact is key to honoring the legacy of the late Ajasin and ensuring future generations receive quality education.

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

As of the time this report was filed, he had not replied to a text message sent to him.