Students of the Christian Mission School for the Hearing Challenged in Ibadan took to the streets on Thursday in a passionate appeal to the Oyo State government, demanding an immediate halt to the alleged sale of their school’s 39-acre land to politicians and private individuals.
The protesting students, many holding placards with bold messages such as “Don’t punch the deaf in the face,” “The deaf are helpless, help us,” and “Do not snatch our land,” voiced their fears over what they described as a gradual takeover of land meant for a proposed university for the deaf, the first of its kind in Africa.
Located at Kilometre 18 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the land has been at the centre of a growing controversy. The school’s management says it purchased the property in 2005, only for the state government to quietly acquire it in 2018 without notice or compensation.
Dr. Gbenga Idowu, a member of the school’s advisory board, expressed frustration during a press briefing, saying, “We registered this land properly. Now we’re watching it slip away to powerful people, including senators. Why must the land of vulnerable children be targeted?”
He questioned why land meant to uplift hearing-impaired students from across the country regardless of religious background was being parcelled out, despite its clear educational purpose.
“Instead of supporting us, the government is taking from us. In a just society, people with disabilities should be shielded, not shoved aside. This is an attack on the future of these children,” he said.
The school also issued a direct plea to Governor Seyi Makinde, calling on him to protect the land from further encroachment and ensure the dream of establishing a university for the deaf remains alive.
