Come to think of it, what exactly has Senator Sharafadeen Alli contributed to educational infrastructure as a senator representing Oyo South over the past three years?
This is a legitimate question that deserves a clear, evidence-based answer, particularly because education is one of the most important responsibilities in constituency representation.
We have seen examples from previous representatives. During his tenure as Senator representing Oyo South, Senator Adesoji Akanbi was publicly associated with the renovation of the historic Methodist Basic School, Agbeni, Ibadan. Reports at the time stated that the intervention, valued at about ₦21 million, included the renovation of dilapidated classroom blocks, provision of desks and chairs, whiteboards, staff rooms and toilets.
Similarly, the late Hon. Olaide Akinremi Jagaban was publicly credited with several constituency infrastructure projects in Ibadan North. In an account of his achievements, Akinremi said his constituency interventions included fully equipped classroom blocks in at least 10 schools, alongside other infrastructure projects.
So the question being raised by Adigun Ibadan is not necessarily about whether Senator Alli has done anything for education. Rather, it is about the scale, visibility and physical impact of his educational infrastructure interventions over the last three years.
Adigun Ibadan wrote on Facebook:
**“OKANLOMO OF IBADAN LAND.
Contribution to uplift education and close the gap in education infrastructure development by Sen. Soji Akanbi during his term as senator representing Oyo South.
I challenge Oba Sarafadeen Alli, who promised 30 pupils per class, to showcase his contribution to education upliftment for the past three years as senator representing Oyo South.”**
It is important, however, to acknowledge what is publicly documented about Senator Alli's record.
Reports indicate that Alli supported a four-week holiday coaching programme for 1,635 SS2 students across 18 centres in the nine local government areas of Oyo South. He was also reported to have facilitated payment of WAEC fees for 54 outstanding students and established scholarship support.
There are also documented interventions involving computers, furniture and solar-power equipment at schools including Ansar-ud-Deen Grammar School, Oke-Ado, and Methodist Grammar School, Igboora. His current public record additionally lists solar installations at Federal Science and Technical College, Igangan, as well as renovation of the Kuti Hall reading room at the University of Ibadan.
These are education interventions, but they also raise an important distinction: educational support is not always the same thing as large-scale physical infrastructure development.
A scholarship pays a student's fees. Coaching improves academic preparation. Computers and solar power improve learning conditions. But construction or comprehensive renovation of classroom blocks addresses another dimension of the education infrastructure gap.
That distinction becomes particularly relevant because Senator Alli has recently promised that, if elected governor, his administration would ensure that no primary or secondary school classroom in Oyo State has more than 30 pupils, alongside increased education funding and free learning materials.
That promise naturally invites another question:
What has been achieved within his present senatorial mandate toward addressing the same problem?
The debate should therefore move beyond political arguments and become a matter of verifiable records.
How many classrooms were constructed or comprehensively renovated?
Which schools benefited?
What was the cost of each project?
How many pupils benefited?
How many projects were directly facilitated through constituency interventions?
And, most importantly, where are these projects?
These are reasonable questions for constituents to ask of any elected representative, regardless of political party.
Senator Alli's documented education initiatives should be acknowledged, but constituents are equally entitled to demand detailed information about the physical infrastructure component of his representation.
If Senator Alli's record contains additional classroom construction, school renovation or other major education infrastructure projects beyond those already publicly reported, this is an opportunity to present them clearly to the public.
After all, political representation should not only be measured by promises or publicity. The strongest evidence is what constituents can see, verify and use.
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