What was meant to be a joyful back-to-school intervention by Senator Jide Ipinsagba has sparked mixed reactions across Ondo North Senatorial District, as students and parents expressed both gratitude and disappointment over the initiative.
On Thursday, hundreds of pupils from selected secondary schools in Owo and Ose Local Government Areas trooped to the Auditorium of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, where Senator Ipinsagba, who represents Ondo North at the National Assembly, distributed school bags, books, and other academic materials.
The lawmaker said the programme, tagged Back to School Education Support Initiatives, was borne out of his passion for education and youth development. According to him, four other local government areas had earlier benefited, making the intervention a district-wide initiative aimed at easing parents’ burden at resumption.
“The idea is to relieve parents of schoolchildren and serve as palliatives to reduce the tension associated with school resumption. I will continue to support government policy on education and back Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s move to reshape the education sector in Ondo State,” Ipinsagba said.
The initiative drew commendations from party leaders and school administrators. The Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Owo Local Government, Alhaji Kamaru Yakubu, described it as timely, while a school administrator, Mr Oluseye Ogunbodede, urged students to make judicious use of the textbooks, which are now transferable under new government guidelines.
Some beneficiaries, including Ekundayo Remilekun, Afolayan Dolapo, and Oloye Eunice, expressed joy and pledged to maximise the materials for their academic growth.
Students’ Leaders Reject Programme
However, the programme has attracted sharp criticism from the Council of Ondo North Indigenous Presidents (CONIP), an umbrella body of student leaders across the six local government areas in the senatorial district.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Ajibuwa Imoleayo Emmanuel, and other student leaders, the group disassociated itself from the programme, describing it as a “dark event” and alleging that the distribution lacked transparency.
The students claimed they were never consulted or officially informed of the initiative and insisted that many of the beneficiaries presented were “unknown” within their constituencies.
The statement read in part:
“No formal communication was extended to any known student bodies or leadership across Ondo North. The due process of engagement with students, which is standard practice for programmes of this nature, was completely ignored. Upon verification, the beneficiaries paraded as students are largely unknown to us and do not represent our constituency.”
The students accused the senator of failing to justify the over ₦90 million reportedly allocated for student empowerment in the district, stressing the need for accountability, inclusivity, and transparency in handling youth-focused programmes.
A District Divided
While parents, pupils, and political allies hailed Senator Ipinsagba for his gesture, student leaders across Ondo North have openly questioned its credibility.
The controversy has left the district divided between visible beneficiaries of the materials and those who believe the empowerment scheme fell short of expectations.
Observers say the development may shape public perception of Ipinsagba’s representation, especially among the youth constituency, which remains a critical force in Ondo North politics.
