Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has reaffirmed the state government’s ban on using public school premises for social functions, warning that any school head who violates this directive will face severe penalties.
In a statement posted on the government’s Facebook page on Sunday, the governor emphasised that the ban aims to preserve and protect public school facilities, ensuring they remain conducive to learning.
Oyebanji lamented the damage inflicted on school facilities by individuals renting them for social events, such as burial ceremonies and wedding receptions.
He cautioned that allowing this trend to continue unchecked could undermine the functionality of public schools.
The governor made these remarks at his hometown of Ikogosi Ekiti on Saturday during the 2024 Ikogosi Day celebrations and the launch of an N1 billion Development Fund, which attracted numerous high-profile dignitaries from across the nation.
In his address to the gathering, Governor Oyebanji stressed that his administration bears the critical responsibility of safeguarding the public’s investment in education and infrastructure.
He stated that this measure is necessary to ensure that education is not sacrificed for the sake of political patronage.
Oyebanji also pointed out that the Ikogosi Day celebrations were held at a private venue rather than in a school setting, in compliance with the ban on using public school premises.
He said: “We were to hold this function within the premises of Baptist Primary School, Ikogosi, which is a public primary school, but I said no, that this place, which is a private place should be used. This is a signal to those who will be calling me and sending text messages that they want to use government schools for social functions that there is a ban on it and I am restating this here today.
“We must make our schools safe and well protected. I want to charge all the chairmen of the local governments and heads of schools to enforce this. You must make sure that the use of public schools for burial, weddings and other social functions is stopped.”
