By Azeemat Alausa I am Azeemat Alausa, an SSS1 student at Knowledge College of Quality, Iwopin. Last month, I had the possibility to be part of something bigger than our class when WICE joined the simply concluded Okoshi Festival, the Boat Regatta that brings Iwopin and Makun Omi alive every year. Many thanks to our Kabiyesis- the Liken of Iwopin and Osobia of Makun-Omi respectively.
For us in Ogun Waterside, the Okoshi Celebration is more than an event. It’s when the Ifara River, Agan and Iwopin Lagoon ends up being a phase for wonderfully embellished boats, drumming, dancing, and the stories of our people. This year, we had much better strategies than subsequent years. Our school didn’t simply concern view. We pertained to serve, to learn, and to document.
Ending Up Being a State Water Celebration
I enjoyed to know there all the legislative procedures to make the Okoshi festival (Boat Regatta) are underway at the Ogun State Home if Assembly. Thank you Hon. Lawee. We would continue the advocacy with you.
WICE on the Ground: Health, Fitness, and History
Our very first activity was a Keep Fit program early in the early morning. Educators and trainees led aerobics and stretches for neighborhood members who collected before the regatta started. It was enjoyable, but the point was serious: remaining active helps avoid lifestyle illness. Many of the seniors told us they do not generally workout, so seeing students lead made them smile and participate in.
Right after that, WICE ran a medical outreach tagged “Kick Out Hypertension.” I worked with the SSS3 science students to aid with registration and record keeping. We provided totally free high blood pressure and blood sugar checks, BMI checks, and one-on-one therapy. A lot of people had no idea their blood pressure was high. Nurses from the group explained what to consume, how to minimize salt, and why workout matters. It felt excellent to see people entrust to both medication and recommendations they could really use.
The 3rd part was history lessons. Our teachers arranged a brief session where elders discussed Iwopin’s function at FESTAC ’77, when our kingdom represented Ogun State and won first position. I recorded a few of it on my phone. Hearing those stories made me understand why the Okoshi Festival matters. It’s not simply boats and music. It’s our identity.
What We Did as the Students’ Media Group
I’m part of the WICE trainees’ media team, and the festival was our greatest assignment yet. We didn’t sit on the sidelines.
Graphics Style: We designed leaflets and banners for the keep fit and medical outreach using Canva. The intense colors of the regatta provided us so much inspiration.Video Modifying: We recorded the boat race, the keep fit session, and the medical outreach. Back at school, we modified whatever into a 3-minute highlight video. It’s the first time I modified a video with genuine footage I shot myself.
Media Marketing: We posted live photos and brief clips on our school’s page. Individuals from Iwopin and even Lagos were commenting and sharing. It made me see how media can put small neighborhoods on the map.Creative Composing: I composed captions, brief reports, and this short article. Discussing what I actually experienced made it much easier than classroom essays.
What I Learned
Being at Okoshi taught me more in 3 days than I expected. I discovered how to work with a team under pressure, how to speak with elders respectfully, and how to turn an event into a story. I also discovered that health education is essential. If we don’t teach people early, lots of will only go to the medical facility when it’s far too late.
Most importantly, I felt proud. Proud to be from Iwopin, happy to be a WICE student, and proud that our school is using knowledge to serve the neighborhood. This is what my principal means when she says WICE is about “abilities for today, future leaders.”
The Okoshi Celebration advised me that learning doesn’t only occur in class. In some cases it happens on a riverbank, with a camera in one hand, jogging to keep fit and a health chart in the other.
I hope next year, more trainees join us. The water is waiting, and so are the stories.
Azeemat Alausa is an SS1 Trainee, Wisdom College of Quality (WICE), Iwopin