The Egba Economic Summit (EES) has applauded Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, representing Ogun Central Senatorial District, for his consistent advocacy against the growing menace of out-of-school children in Ogun State, describing his effort as a “powerful bridge between Egba heritage and its future.”
Speaking on Monday during a capacity-building workshop for traditional rulers in Ogun State held in Abeokuta, the President of EES, Mr. Yinka Coker, emphasized the significance of Senator Salisu’s educational support initiatives.
“We are particularly proud to be associated with a programme like this,” Coker said. “It speaks to the soul of our community—a fusion of our past with the promise of our future. When our traditional institutions are carried along in building human capital, society as a whole wins.”
Coker further praised the focus on traditional rulers, describing their influence as pivotal to the campaign for educational reform.
“As custodians of our values and influencers of our communities, our royal fathers have a unique and powerful role to play in championing education. When they speak, the people listen. When they act, the people follow,” he remarked.
Senator Salisu, while addressing the gathering, explained that the workshop was part of a broader initiative to combat the drop in school enrolment and reposition education as a critical tool for development.
“Enrolment in schools is dwindling. We cannot sit back and watch our future fade,” the Senator lamented. “That’s why I am involving our traditional rulers to lead this campaign from the grassroots.”
He further shared that education has always been his personal ladder to success, hence his unwavering commitment to empowering young people through academic opportunities.
“Education is the foundation of my journey. I want my time in office to be remembered for using my own life as proof of what education can do,” Salisu affirmed. “Beyond advocacy, I’ve made direct interventions—distributing textbooks, bags, laptops, and sponsoring over 1,000 JAMB candidates annually, in addition to covering WAEC and NECO fees.”
He stressed the importance of collaboration with stakeholders to sustain educational reform.
“This is not a one-man crusade. I know I must carry along those who wield influence in our communities—our traditional rulers, parents, and teachers—to win this war against ignorance,” he said.
Also delivering a keynote lecture, Professor Olajumoke Familoni identified poverty and misplaced societal values as root causes of the out-of-school crisis.
Speaking on the topic “Resolving the Declining Education Standards in Egbaland: The Role of Traditional Rulers in Reviving the Omoluabi Culture,” Prof. Familoni blamed financial constraints, peer pressure, and the influence of internet fraud (Yahoo Yahoo) for making education seem irrelevant to the younger generation.
“Many Gen Z youths believe education is a scam,” she observed. “With 10.5 million children aged 5 to 14 out of school, we’re facing a crisis.”
She urged traditional rulers to organize town hall meetings and lead community-based solutions.
“Women should be encouraged to form cooperatives to support children’s education. We must build a support system—town hall engagements, local accountability systems, and vocational skills incubators—to help our children reclaim their future,” she recommended.
Declaring the workshop open, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, charged traditional rulers to live as moral role models and community educators.
“Any monarch who refuses to promote morality and shun social vices should go on exile,” the Alake declared. “We must all return to our communities and ensure that every out-of-school child is returned to the classroom. That is our sacred duty.”
