Owo High School alumni urge Ondo State Government to intervene in persistent land encroachment by grabbers, threatening school development plans despite co
The Old Students Association of Owo High School has called on the Ondo State Government to intervene in what it described as the continued encroachment on the school’s land by suspected land grabbers.
During a visit to The PUNCH Place in Magboro, Ogun State, on May 20, leaders of the association alleged that there was a deliberate attempt by individuals to take over parts of the school’s land, thereby frustrating efforts by the alumni to improve infrastructure and learning facilities. Led by its national president, Foluso Falaye, the association claimed that several complaints and petitions to the state government had yielded little result, as the alleged encroachers continued their activities without restraint.
In a letter dated December 18, 2025, and addressed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa through the Commissioner, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, the association traced the history of the school and its land ownership. According to the letter jointly signed by Falaye and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Folagbade Alamudun, Owo High School was founded in January 1963 by the late Michael Adekunle Ajasin, former governor of old Ondo State.
The association noted that the school was established on a 25-hectare parcel of land and later became government-owned following the takeover of private secondary schools in 1974. It added that OHSOSA, which has over 8,000 members across Nigeria and abroad, decided to support the school after observing 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 its intervention plan, the alumni body said it carried out surveys and developed a master plan aimed at transforming the school. The plan, according to the association, includes renovating classrooms, constructing new buildings, providing modern toilets, improving laboratory and library facilities, introducing digital learning tools and providing additional teaching staff.
However, the group said those plans have been threatened by the increasing encroachment on the school’s land.
“In order to commence execution of this vision, the association observed that the school’s land meant for this development had been breached through various encroachments by illegal land grabbers,” the letter said. The association claimed that residential buildings, shops and places of worship had sprung up on portions of the school’s land despite previous government interventions. According to the group, investigations by the Ministries of Education and Lands, alongside the Office of the Surveyor-General, confirmed that the structures were illegal.
The ministries, the group said, ordered construction activities to stop and marked some buildings for demolition after the occupants failed to produce valid title documents. The association said it subsequently received government approval to construct a perimeter fence around the school in 2021 to secure the land.
“Following the commencement of the fence installation, the work was disrupted several times by illegal land grabbers who threatened to kill our workers. They also demolished parts of the fence already constructed,” the association stated. It further alleged that the encroachers used police officers and hoodlums to harass the school’s management and contractors.
“The claimants pursued a civil case through the courts, asserting ownership of the land. The matter went all the way to the Supreme Court, which ruled against their claims and reaffirmed the school’s ownership of the land,” the letter stated. The association described the continued occupation of the land despite the court judgment as a direct challenge to the rule of law.
“This continued defiance, in the face of a settled Supreme Court ruling, is not merely an act of trespass but a direct affront to the rule of law and the authority of the state,” it added. The group urged Governor Aiyedatiwa to order the removal of all illegal structures on the land and ensure the protection of the school’s property.
“We count on your good office to support the laudable initiatives started by the old students’ body and clear the entire area of all illegal structures, allowing our planned interventions to continue,” the association appealed. It added that preserving Owo High School was important to sustaining the legacy of the late Ajasin and ensuring future generations benefit from quality education.
When contacted on Tuesday, the Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Ajibefun, did not respond to calls placed to his telephone line. Uthman Salami Uthman, a Mass Communication graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has over six years experience in journalism. He reports crime to community-related news for Metro, business with a focus on the capital market and the oil and gas. All rights reserved.
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