Aggrieved parents today prevented members of the King’s College Old Boys Association from entering the school premises in Lagos amid growing controversy over the federal government’s decision to concession the institution to the association.
The parents, who gathered at the main gate of the college, formed a human barricade and refused to allow the old boys into the premises despite the presence of policemen led by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Tijani Fatai, reports Vanguard.
Members of the Old Boys Association, led by its President, Kassim Imam Ibrahim, had planned to brief journalists on the controversy surrounding the concession of the college.
Despite several appeals by the police, the parents declined to open the gate, forcing Ibrahim to address the media in a rowdy atmosphere outside the school.
Ibrahim dismissed insinuations that the association intended to acquire the college, saying the Federal Executive Council had only approved the handover of its management to the old boys.
“The Federal Executive Council, FEC, met and took the decision to hand over the running of the college to the Old Boys Association. We are not interested in buying the school. We all have our means of livelihood. Also, the Federal Government is not selling the college,” he said.
He also said the association had no plan to increase school fees, adding that it was interested in rehabilitating the college’s facilities.
“The facilities are dilapidated at the main campus here in Onikan and the annex on Victoria Island. We are on a rescue mission. We want to restore the lost glory of the college,” Ibrahim said.
He cited the decision of President Bola Tinubu, while he was governor of Lagos State, to return mission schools to their original owners as an example of the potential benefits of the arrangement.
According to him, the association would not sack teachers or other workers as part of the proposed management arrangement.
“We are also not going to sack any teacher or worker. In fact, anybody who chooses to stay will have their salaries doubled and whoever wants to go can join other unity colleges in Lagos,” he said.
In a statement that would have been read on behalf of elder statesman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the King’s College Old Boys Association, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, the association said it was not seeking ownership of the institution.
“King’s College is not for sale. We are returning to serve it — to help manage, support and rebuild the institution that shaped generations of Nigerians. This is a matter of stewardship, of responsibility, of service rendered in gratitude, not a bid for possession,” the statement said.
However, the aggrieved parents maintained their opposition to the proposed concession.
A former Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, in Oyo State, Andrew Emelieze, who spoke on behalf of the parents, questioned why the Federal Government would concession King’s College and other unity schools.
“These people just want to take over this place. Why can’t they go and contribute money to start their own college? If they are interested in giving back to the college, let them execute projects and such can be named after them,” he said.
Emelieze also questioned why old boys of other federal institutions, including military schools, were not seeking similar arrangements.
“Why is it that old boys of military schools also run by agencies of the FG are not taking over such colleges like the Navy School, Command School or the Air Force School? We won’t fall for their tricks. There is not going to be any concession of King’s College or any of the unity colleges,” he said.
Speaking to journalists after the planned press briefing could not hold inside the school, CP Tijani urged both sides to engage in dialogue.
“We have spoken to both sides and there is need to dialogue. As it is now, it will not be advisable for anybody to make attempt to forcibly enter,” he said.
The police commissioner said efforts would be made to bring the two sides together, adding that the responsibility of the police was to maintain peace and prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Meanwhile, a meeting scheduled for today between the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, and the Association of Senior Civil Servants in Abuja could not hold.
A source said the meeting had been rescheduled for 4pm tomorrow.
