Ibraheem Alli
At an early age, I was so used to my father. Unlike many who are their mothers' disciples, mine was my father, even till now. His industriousness attracted me to him, most. He will expose his good days at Iwo Grammar School. Unlike today when students are using school bags, he narrated his ordeal of trekking with a book basket on his head from Ileogbo to Iwo every weekend. To balance his report, he equally exposed the sumptuous free meals and boarding facilities he enjoyed when he proceeded to Baptist College for Teachers' training. According to him "As one of the school prefects at the Baptist College, I have my own farm in the school premises. Being a product of a farmer, we were further fully exposed to practical side of agriculture. I learnt basket weaving in school. We ate free meals. Two students will eat a whole, full chicken"
All these expository remarks left me pessimistic on the likely revitalization of Nigeria's education. I almost lost hope, one of the reasons I appealed to my father to enroll us in private School. I almost blame coming at such a generation. I doubted inventing such a golden session of the season again until 4 years ago when a private senior secondary school offering free tuition, free feeding and free boarding sprang up in Ileogbo, the headquarters of Ayedire Local Government, Osun State.
The school is designed primarily for the less privileged with special talents in sports.
Lanreleke Sports Academy was established in 2021 by a philanthropist, Managing Director of Peculiar Ultimate Concern Ltd, as one of his company's social responsibility functions. LSA is co-educational, fully residential and specialist senior secondary school, which was founded in 2021. The school graduated its first set of 60 students called "Peculiar Class 2024" after spending three years in the School"
The well equipped school with ultra modern structures and international stadium hosting Nigeria professional leagues is a fast growing academic institution with sports excellence combined. These projections are excellently achieved as manifested in the products of the school. As of today, the school has a population of about 245 students. Most of the students have represented the state and the country at both national and international game competition. Adeleke Fawas, a student of LSA is currently in Algeria representing Nigeria in the FIFA under 15 TDS(Talent Development Scheme).
The school projections have been officially regimented into three phases. According to the school proprietor, Engr. Adeleke, at the 2nd graduation/prize presentation ceremony of the "Ultimate Class 2025" "The projection is in three phases. The first phase is sports which we have convincingly achieved for sustenance. The next phase is vocation while the third is entertainment"
"We are moving to the 2nd phase now which is vocation. The students will concentrate on two skills acquisition, major in one and minor in the second"
"We are putting up our workshops. Very soon, we will equip it with modern tools. We will appreciate the students and parents usual support and cooperation"
"We specially appreciate the Arubiewe Foundation under the distinguished leadership of Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, for providing university scholarship opportunities for the graduating students of LSA. The gesture will, in no small measure, bridge the gap of financial challenge between secondary and tertiary educations"
“The graduating students have been well tutored and trained in the area of sports and academy, as they also wrote their WAEC and NECO exams"
”It will interest Nigerians, that some of them will be travelling to Europe for trials, local clubs signing, scholarships to America, and Europe, and some will further their education in Nigerian Universities.”