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A 91-year-old woman, Madam Roseline Ololo has given the Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, a seven-day ultimatum to ensure the return of Metropolitan College and
Isolo Secondary School to her, failing which she will permanently occupy the governor’s office.
Madam Ololo, in a statement by her counsel, Malcolm Omirhobo, threatened to permanently occupy the governor’s office until her demands are met.
Madam Ololo and her late husband, Chief Michael Ololo, had through their company, Akaix
West Africa Limited, established Metropolitan College in 1955 with the first batch of 19 students in Surulere area of Lagos.
West Africa Limited, established Metropolitan College in 1955 with the first batch of 19 students in Surulere area of Lagos.
For expansion purposes and to move away from the thickly populated residential area of Surulere, the owners acquired the present site at Ire-Akari, Isolo in 1966 and eventually moved there in 1974.
In 1976, through the Education (Private Secondary Institutions Special Provisions) Law, the Military Government of Lagos State took over 48 Private Secondary Schools from their owners, including Metropolitan College. In the process, Isolo Secondary School was carved out of Metropolitan College on the same expanse of land hosting the college.
However, in 2001, the administration of Bola Tinubu repealed the law and returned the said 48 private schools to their owners, but Metropolitan College was curiously not returned, a development that brought about a law suit.
In the suit, Akaix West Africa had sued the state government before the Lagos High Court to challenge the refusal of government to hand over the school to it.
The government, however, indicated willingness to amicable settle the dispute, a development which led to the matter being referred to the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse, LMDC, for arbitration.
At the arbital sitting, another trouble started due to insistence of the Lagos State Ministry of Education to retain the Isolo Secondary School.
Akaix West Africa had contended that the retention of part of the school was against government’s restructuring of the educational system of divesting and allowing the private sector to invest in the educational system so as to provide the conditions in which students can learn to the highest standard and prepare themselves to meet their future needs.