A Lagos legal practitioner, Malcolm Omirhobo, has urged Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola to prevail upon the state ministry of Education to relinquish control over Isolo Secondary School in the Ire-Akari, area of Lagos.
Omirhobo, who wrote to Fashola, wants the school to be returned to its original owner, Akaix West Africa Limited, before the governor bows out of office on May 29.
Isolo Secondary School was formerly Metropolitan College until it was taken over, along with 48 other private schools, by the Military Government of Lagos State in 1976 pursuant to the Education (Private Secondary Institutions Special Provisions) Law.
However, in 2001, the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu repealed the law. But while the other schools were returned to their owners, Metropolitan College was not returned, a development which forced Akaix West Africa Limited to sue the Lagos Ministry of Education.
The appeal on Fashola, Omirhobo said, became the option, after Akaix West Africa Limited failed in its legal bid to make the Lagos State Ministry of Education to relinquish control of the school.
Akaix West Africa Limited had sued the Lagos State Ministry of Education before a Lagos State High Court for refusing to hand over the school after all the private schools earlier taken over by the government were returned to their owners.
The matter had subsequently been referred to arbitration for amicable settlement out of court.
However, after discussions, the parties were able to reach agreement on various issues except that the Lagos State Ministry of Education had insisted on holding on to the school.
At the arbitral sitting, the issues were narrowed down by parties as follows: “That the Metropolitan College comprising of Isolo Secondary School belongs to Akaix West Africa Limited.
“That Metropolitan College will be released to Akaix West Africa Limited.
“That the Lagos State Ministry of Education is insisting on retaining part of the property hosting Isolo Secondary School.
“That Akaix West Africa Limited shall comply with the terms and conditions of the return of Private Secondary Schools.
“That the Lagos State Government, from time to time, will monitor the compliance by Akaix West Africa Limited.”
Omirhobo, while lamenting the insistence of the government to hold on to the school, recalled that 48 schools were returned to private owners with a view to ensuring adequate investment that would ensure that students would study under best conditions and get the highest standard of learning.
The lawyer urged Fashola to put on his wig and gown as a seasoned and erudite Senior Advocate of Nigeria to call for the file, study it and advise the Lagos State Ministry of Education on the need to return the whole school and not part to the onwers.
The lawyer also urged the governor to frog leap the exercise of the return of the school by ensuring that the case is presented and deliberated at the next Lagos State Executive Council Meeting so that the matter could be put to an end on or before May 29.
The most important thing, according to the lawyer, is the ability of his client to effectively manage the school, and same had never been questioned, as they are capable of running the school effectively and efficiently.
The school was established in 1955 with the first batch of 19 students in Surulere area of Lagos by Akaix West Africa Limited.
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.
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