May 2026 will be remembered in Oriire Local Government with pain and with relief. Pain, because gunmen stormed Community High School, Esiele and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, abducting teachers, students and pupils and throwing families into 50+ days of anguish. Relief, because through a coordinated federal and state security operation, all the children and their teachers returned home alive.
In the aftermath of trauma, the real test of leadership is not only in speeches. It is in what we do to help people stand again. That is why Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, Oyo State APC gubernatorial candidate deserves commendation for a gesture that has touched hearts across Oyo State.
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Senator Alli has donated a brand-new Toyota Camry to Mrs. Rachael Folake Alamu, Principal of Community High School, Esiele. Mrs Alamu was among the teachers taken captive. Throughout her ordeal, she was forced to appear in videos used by the abductors to communicate with the outside world. Yet even in captivity, reports show she remained composed and prioritised the welfare of the pupils and students with her.
To recognise that kind of resilience is to recognise the unseen burden our educators carry. Teachers are not just instructors. In moments of crisis, they become parents, protectors and pillars of hope for children not their own. They serve “in loco parentis”.
Presenting the vehicle, Senator Alli described it as a token of appreciation and a demonstration of solidarity with victims of insecurity. He expressed hope that it would aid Mrs. Alamu’s recovery and makes her daily life a little easier as she returns to the work she loves. That is leadership with empathy.
In a time when insecurity has made teaching in rural communities an act of courage, this donation sends three important messages:
1. We see you. To every teacher in Oyo State and beyond, the Senator’s gesture says, “Your sacrifice is noticed and your trauma matters;
2. We stand with victims. Beyond politics and press statements, real support must reach those directly affected. A car may seem small, but for a Principal rebuilding her life, it is dignity, mobility and peace of mind; and
3. Education must be protected. By honouring Mrs. Alamu, Senator Alli reminds the government at all levels that schools must be safe zones. The attack on Oriire was an attack on the future of Oyo State.
Residents and stakeholders in Oriire have widely applauded the donation. They call it a compassionate intervention and a timely recognition of educators who serve under difficult circumstances. In Oriire today, there is grief for what was lost, but also gratitude that leaders are showing up.
Senator Alli has consistently argued that governance must be about people first. This act gives life to that belief. It is not a mega project or a budget line. It is a human response to human pain.
The pupils, students and teachers of Oriire are home. Families can breathe again. But healing is a process and it takes a community. Senator Sharafadeen Alli has chosen to be part of that healing. By honouring Mrs. Rachael Alamu, he has honoured every teacher who stays, every parent who prays and every child who dares to go to school despite fear.
May this gesture inspire more public officers to combine policy with compassion. May it encourage our teachers to remain steadfast. And may Oriire never again know the darkness of those more than 50 days. Oyo State is proud of its Senator. Oriire is grateful. And Mrs Alamu, we thank you for your courage.
The work of rebuilding continues. Let us all play our part!
Tunji Oladejo, mnipr, JP, MANUPA, mspsp, writes from the University of Ibadan, is the Chairman of The Progressive Forum, Ibadan (TPFI); and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bayo and Bimpe Oyero Foundation (BBOF) and the 2026 Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) Icon of Ibadan Heritage Awardee via oladejo65@gmail.com. 08077284442
