Oyo State government on Tuesday joined the rest of the country in commemorating Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, with a call for national unity and renewed hope.
Speaking at the event held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, Governor Seyi Makinde, represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal, described the theme of the celebration, ‘Unity and Rebuilding’, as timely and necessary.
Lawal emphasised the need for Nigerians to remain united despite current economic and social challenges, stating that national cohesion is critical to progress.
“We rarely come together these days to celebrate Independence. We must emphasise unity among ourselves across ethnic nationalities. United we stand, divided we fall. We must remain united to move forward,” he said.
He also urged citizens not to lose hope in the country’s future.
“We must keep hope alive. We must not be despondent,” he added.
The event featured a quiz and debate competition among pupils and students from different educational zones across the state.
In the primary school category, Lawal Anjola (Ibadan Zone 2) came first, followed by Oladokun Christianah (Kajola Zone), and Joseph Tijesunimi (Ibarapa Zone) in second and third place, respectively.
At the secondary school level, Morenikeji Oluwadarasimi (Zone 3) emerged the winner, with Akinsola Teniola (Zone 1) and Raheem Mercy (Oyo Zone) taking second and third positions.
The celebration also featured a march past competition. In the primary school individual performance, Ayodele Samuel secured first place with 98 per cent. Saint James, Iyana Church, came second with 64 per cent, while Saint Anthony, Ejioku, took third place with 62 per cent.
Among secondary schools, Ibadan Boys’ High School came first with 86 per cent, Government College Ibadan placed second with 84 per cent, while Saint Anne’s School, Molete, and Queen’s School followed with 80 and 70 per cent, respectively.
Dignitaries at the event included top government officials, traditional rulers, education stakeholders, and members of the public.
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