Ogun Monarch, Residents Seek Establishment of Customs Training School in Domain

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The traditional ruler of a border town in Ogun State, Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Alabi Olanite, and residents of the town have appealed to the federal government to establish a training school for the Nigeria Customs Service in the border town in view of the historical significance of the town as a frontier community.

The appeal was made at a press conference organized to mark the 2026 annual Imeko Festival held at Imeko Conference Hall, as part of activities marking Imeko Day.

At the event, community leaders including, Professor Anthony Asiwaju, Dr. Dele Ogunsiji, Chief Mary Ogunjobi, former Commissioner for Women Affairs in the state, and other eminent Imeko indigenes joined the royal father to raise concerns over the educational challenges confronting residents of the border community.

Oba Olanite called on the federal government to take advantage of Imeko’s strategic location and historical connection with Nigeria’s frontier administration by establishing a training institution for the Nigeria Customs Service in the town.

He said Imeko had played an important role in Nigeria’s border administration dating back to the colonial era, arguing that its historical and geographical position made it suitable for a specialised training institution.

He said, “I think the government should consider establishing a training school for either the Customs Service or Immigration Service here.

“Everything about the frontier in Nigeria started here. That is why we are pursuing a school and institution like the National Institute for Border Studies, which is there to assist Nigeria.”

He further disclosed that the community was willing to support the establishment of a federal institution in the town, including by making land and other necessary assistance available.

Also speaking, Professor Anthony Asiwaju appealed to government at all levels to give proper attention to communities located along Nigeria’s international borders, particularly in the areas of education, security, economic development and infrastructure.

Professor Asiwaju also called on the Border Communities Development Agency to increase its interventions in Imeko, saying residents were yet to sufficiently feel the impact of the agency established to promote development in border communities.

Speaking on the theme for the celebration, “Preserving Our Heritage: Fostering Love, Unity and an Empowered Future,” tagged ‘Imeko Agbinrekoti Festival’ the speaker said Imeko’s historical role in frontier administration should be reflected in the scale of government investment in the town.

The former House of Representative member for Imeko and Yewa North Federal Constituency, Dr. Dele Ogunsiji commended Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola for sponsoring a bill seeking the establishment of a Federal College of Frontier and Border Studies in Imeko.

He appealed to the National Assembly and Federal Government to support the initiative, expressing hope that the proposed institution would further strengthen education and capacity development in the border region.

He said education remained the foundation for sustainable development, stressing that the challenges facing Imeko could not be addressed without deliberate investment in human capital.

The Chairman, Central Planning Committee ‘Agbinrekoti Festival’ Otunba Anthony Adewale Ajibode while highlighting the importance of the festival said the celebration will bring together residents, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to celebrate the town’s cultural heritage and discuss its development.

He said the festival is also intended to promote unity, community development and renewed commitment to the advancement of Imeko.

The speakers commended the Ogun State Government for its intervention in addressing the shortage of teachers in schools in the area.

Oba Olanite recalled the education summit organised by the administration of former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, saying the situation of education in Imeko was highlighted as a serious concern.

According to the monarch, the community was described at the summit as being “at the bottom of the ladder” in terms of educational development, with the shortage of teachers and inadequate educational facilities posing a major challenge to the people.

He said the situation had become so critical that some schools in the area were being managed by only a handful of teachers, with teachers having to handle multiple responsibilities and subjects.

He however commended the administration of the incumbent governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for responding to the concerns raised by the community by deploying additional teachers to schools in the area.

“Thank God for the present administration. When we were complaining about teachers, some schools had only two teachers on their staff. The principal, vice-principal and teachers for virtually all the subjects were being handled by just two people.

“It was when we began to speak out that, thank God, the Ogun State Government, under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun, and the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, ensured that teachers were sent here,” he said.

Oba Olanite said the intervention had demonstrated the importance of sustained government attention to the educational needs of border communities, but stressed that more needed to be done to close the development gap.

He appealed to both the Federal and Ogun State governments to intensify investment in education, healthcare, roads and other critical infrastructure in Imeko.

He also linked the educational challenges in the community to the broader development needs of border settlements, arguing that neglecting such areas could have wider implications for national development and security.

Otunba Ajibode who was represented by the Secretary of the planning Committee, Dr. Tunde Aninkan, said the annual celebration provided an opportunity not only to showcase Imeko’s cultural heritage but also to draw government attention to the developmental challenges confronting the border town.

He therefore urged the Federal and Ogun State governments to sustain interventions in education while expanding investments in infrastructure, healthcare, security and economic opportunities for residents.

He maintained that greater development of Imeko would benefit not only its residents but also contribute to the broader security and economic interests of Nigeria, given the town’s location along the country’s international frontier.