A one-storey building with ten classrooms has collapsed at Agbado District Comprehensive High School in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
It was gathered that the building collapsed after a heavy downpour on Saturday.
The structure, our correspondent, learnt was donated by Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello while she was representing Ogun Central between 2007 and 2011.
The building was said to be one of her constituency projects.
Locals said pupils and teachers might have been affected if the structure had collapsed during school hours.
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A resident of the community, Kolawole Adelani described the collapse as “a long-overdue catastrophe waiting to happen”.
Adelani said, “The building has stood there for more than fifteen years, plagued with structural issues. Everyone feared that such a tragedy was imminent. Thankfully, no lives were lost”.
The President of the Agbado District Old Students’ Association (ADCHSOSA), Ganiyu Olowu, also said the building collapse was a disaster foreseen.
“During the early afternoon rain, a long stretch of multiple classroom one-storey building collapsed at our alma mater, Agbado District Comprehensive High School in Oke Aro”, Olowu said.
He said the alumni association had repeatedly alerted the state Ministry of Education about the deteriorating condition of the building and the potential danger it posed to students.
“As stakeholders working with the state government to ensure holistic education across the state, we drew the attention of the former Commissioner to the alarming state of the building.
“We were assured that a team would be sent to inspect the site. While they did visit, no action has been taken on this massive classroom project initiated by Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello many years ago. As we speak, there are parts of the collapsed building that can cause more havoc if students were around”, he added.
He also lamented the state of infrastructure within the school premises.
“Many infrastructures in the school have deteriorated to an appalling level, reflecting a system plagued by negligence and a lack of prioritization of students’ safety and welfare,” he said.
