OROGUN – The Ovara Orogun Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State has commended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter – day Saints for the renovation of two blocks of nine classrooms with a toilet and provision of fifty sitting desk and tables for Omo Secondary School.
Speaking on Behalf of the community during the commissioning ceremony of the renovated School blocks, Prince Umudo Peter thanked the church for this great job they are embarking upon across the country.
He said initially when the project commenced, the community did not show interest and despite the frustrations the contractor faced from some members of the community, the Church still forged ahead and today the community now has a beautiful school and conducive learning environment for the children, courtesy the LDS Charities an arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“We are grateful to the church for this kind gesture and we still need more of your efforts towards making the school great” he noted.
The principal of the school, Mrs. Chojare Patience in her remarks said the renovation of the classrooms, toilet for staff and students, and provision of classroom desks and chairs have improved the standard of the school and the community at large.
“The generous support by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter – day Saints now makes it possible for our school to exist and stand amongst others and makes it a great place to learn”.
“When I came last year, this place was a bush with the School buildings all dilapidated. But today we now have beautiful buildings in the school, which serves four communities,” she noted.
While appealing to other churches, non-governmental organizations and the government to come to the assistance of the school, the principal disclosed that now that they have toilet courtesy of the LDS Charities they will need a water borehole to supply water to the school as well as electricity.
“We want to appeal also for the fencing of the school which is very porous because people are encroaching into the premises. We have computers but no electricity,” she added.
The President of Warri Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter –day Saints, Sylvain Amakpassa who commissioned the blocks of classrooms disclosed that there is no way you can invite someone unto Jesus Christ when the person is not knowledgeable and the stomach is not filled.
According to him, “Somebody must know something and when you tell the person look, I want you to do this, the person should be knowledgeable enough to be able to teach that person. There is no way you can teach the person effectively without the person being a little bit educated.
“Based on this, the church said that it is very important for this kind of project to take place in this kind of community.”
In his words, “It is education that will give the kind of knowledge to know how to go about your family economy, the community economy, the state and country’s economy. If you are not educated, then you will just be doing things the way you see things. It becomes imperative that our children must acquire education and for us to fulfill this we can’t get this done without a conducive environment where they are going to get this education.
We need enabling environment for the students to be able to learn. We have seen situations when students are in their classroom and they are sitting without a desk, on the bare floor not even plastered to learn.
“The church has decided to enter the communities to carry out this kind of projects that will enable our children and generations after. Our tomorrow depends on the way and manner we handle the generation after us. Their education is key that we must ensure that we have an enabling environment for the children to learn, we must ensure that the personnel that are teaching them are qualified enough to teach this children.
“It is then we can now say our future, the future of our communities, the future of our state, the country and Africa is safe and in sure hands” he added.
He told the community leaders, youth groups and students that God knows everyone by their name and what they stand in need at every given time.
“God was fully aware that these our great children will live in this environment that we are today to enable them to learn effectively and that is why the former principal, the vice principal and all who worked with them were all inspired to work in unity to make the request to ensure that LDS Charities renovate this School.
While advising that they ensure the protection of the project for subsequent request to be granted, the President, Warri stake noted that they all have the responsibility to protect the school.
The Site Manager, LDS Charities, Mr. Austine Mordi who represented the Welfare Manager Mr. Chidi Ibeakuzie also enjoined the students to concentrate on their studies to make life better in the future.
He also advised the youths in the communities to live responsible life styles and make the best of what they have.
