Joy Anyim
The joy of residents of Takwa-Bay community in Victoria Island, Lagos, knew no limit, when the Nigerian Army came to their aid, giving them free medical care and donated stationeries to three schools in the community.
The medical and educational intervention, spearheaded by the 81 Division of the Nigeria Army, was part of activities lined up for Operation Crocodile Smile IV.
According to the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Olu Irefin, the event, which held on Thursday was part of the efforts to improve the civil-military relation.
Three schools, Government Senior Secondary School, Government Junior Secondary School, and Epiphany Anglican Primary School, all in Takwa-Bay, benefited from the donation of stationeries.
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The Army Division whose Area of Opertaion Comprises Lagos and Ogun State, offered free medical care and drugs to over 1000 residents of the community.
Irefin started that the exercise was held in Lagos and Ogun states concurrently. the Area of Responsibility of the Division.
Appreciating the uncommon gesture by the NA, the principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Ayodeji Oluwalola, a Director of Education, said the intervention by the NA was timely.
He further urged the Army to do more for the community, especially the school, by providing them with security. This, he said, was important because the school was not fenced, hence hoodlums easily access the school compound to attack students.
According to him, more classroom blocks are needed as well as other facilities that will make learning and teaching a pleasure to both students and teachers.
“I have been here for six years now. The school was handed over to the government in 2012. It was a Corporate Social Responsibility by Julius Berger. We have 150 students in the senior school. The facility is not adequate because we are getting more students. What we had then can’t accomodate the number of students now. It is also inconvenient for the teachers because the inadequacy of structures also affects teachers coming here to teach. We want the government to build staff quarters to accommodate teachers posted here.
“Then if you look at the environment, it is not fenced, no gate and that makes it porous for anyone to come into the school at any time unannounced. We want the school to be fenced and gated. What the Army has done is what I believe they should do, because they should be responsible to the civilian.
“It is a good thing and I want to believe they can do more. It will be our joy if the Army can also help us in securing the school. For instance, a few days back, some hoodlums came into the school to attack one of our students here, and that was not the first time. So, if we have the presence of the Army around the school, that will keep them at bay, “ he said.
Similarly, the headmaster of Epiphany Anglican Primary School, Gbagbo, Takwa-Bay, Odebode Olabisi, also called on the government to come to the rescue of the school.
While appreciating the Army for finding the school worthy of such gifts, Olabisi said the school was in need of teachers and proper structures.
“We have 366 students with only three government-employed teachers. The rest were gotten from the community through the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), effort.”
On his part, the Commander 81 Division Medical Services, Col. Oludare Oni, said blood pressure checks, malaria test, blood sugar test, eye examination, among other services were provided for free.
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Oni disclosed that some critical cases were also seen in the course of the medical outreach and referred to the Division’s hospital.
He said, “ We have been able to reach out to over 800 community members, women, men, children, young and old. The response has been very encouraging. We did malaria parasite test, voluntary counseling centre, random blood sugar and others. Cases we found to be in the class of those we cannot handle here, we gave them our address and an appointment. They will be taken care of for free.
“Eye examination, free eyeglasses, hygiene talks, nutrition talks, free insecticide-treated nets, were other benefits. We have plans to help equip the primary health care centre with drugs and other equipment, we will liaise with the hospital head to ensure that the drugs we will give them, are utilised for the people and not diverted. “
A beneficiary of the medical outreach, Elizabeth Anthony, a 55-year-old woman, said: “They checked my blood pressure, gave me drugs for free. I am very happy because before now I used to go to the hospital and buy drugs there.”
Elizabeth did not come alone, as her 72-year-old mother, Mary Anthony, also benefited from the gesture. She thanked the Nigerian Army for the gesture and pleaded with the Army to do more for the community.
