“Let us renew the spirit of scouting to develop our youths,” says Olapegba
Oru Leonard
The President of the Oyo State Scout Council and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration at the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter O. Olapegba, FNPA, has stated that it was time to dig deep, deepen the foundation, and make the building/scouting very strong.
He noted that the foundation of the Scout Movement is in the primary and secondary schools; adding that we must go back and strengthen that foundation because a building is as strong as its foundation.
Professor Olapegba who spoke at the Year 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Scout Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Scout Council held at the Oyo Local Association Camp site stated further that a sustainable future without disciplining the young ones is a mirage.
Professor Olapegba, who just became President of the Association, said he does not take the trust reposed in him for granted and would not betray it.
According to him, it is a call to service and a rare opportunity to contribute his quota to the development of the Scout movement, not just in Oyo State but in Nigeria and the global space.
He said he was introduced to scouting at the tender age of 10 years as a primary five pupil in St. Paul’s African Church Primary School, Lanlate, and the scouting years made lasting impression on him in his formative years.
Professor Olapegba said his focus as President will be to take Scouting activities back to the primary and secondary schools by resuscitating comatose chapters and creating the movement in schools that never had one; providing support for indigent pupils who want to join the Scout Movement by providing Scout uniforms and other paraphernalia; and inaugurating chapters in tertiary institutions so that Scouts in secondary schools can continue scouting activities when they entered into tertiary institutions
The theme of this year’s meeting was “Going back to the Basics: Strengthening the Foundation.
The meeting was attended by a group of selfless individuals sacrificing their time, energy, potentials and resources to make the world a better place by building the character of young men and women in order to raise them to become functional members and leaders in the society.
