The Rotary Club of Lagos transforms idle school land into a thriving educational food garden at one of Nigeria’s oldest secondary schools, charging students to become its guardians
The Rotary Club of Lagos on Thursday, 26 June 2026, officially commissioned a Green Edible Garden at Igbobi College, Yaba, marking one of the club’s most visible service interventions of the current Rotary year and bringing a transformative blend of nutrition and environmental education to one of Nigeria’s most storied secondary schools.
Rotarian Toki Mabogunje, President of the Rotary Club of Lagos, led the commissioning ceremony alongside Venerable Joseph Adediji, Principal of Igbobi College, in an event that drew members of the college’s teaching staff, the school’s Interact Club leadership, and donor partners who made the project possible.
The initiative converts previously underutilised school land into a productive green space where vegetables and herbs are cultivated specifically for their nutritional value and local relevance.
Beyond food production, the garden is designed as a living outdoor classroom, embedding sustainable agriculture and soil science directly into the school’s academic programme.
“A garden is not just a patch of soil; it is a classroom, a source of nourishment, and the future,” Rotarian Mabogunje said at the commissioning.
“By integrating this garden into the school’s agricultural programme, we are empowering students to understand their relationship with the earth and building their capacity for long-term sustainability.”
The project is framed under Rotary International’s 2025-2026 presidential message, “Unite for Good,” which was unveiled by Rotary International President Mário César Martins de Camargo and emphasises the power of human connection to drive positive change through collaborative service.
Igbobi College, established by the Methodist and Anglican Churches in 1932 in the Yaba suburb of Lagos, is one of the oldest colleges in Nigeria and has been the alma mater of a number of well-known Nigerians.
Its long history of academic and moral distinction makes it a fitting host for a project that fuses character formation with practical environmental responsibility.
Venerable Adediji, joined by the school’s vice principal and members of staff, expressed delight at the commissioning and commended the Rotary Club of Lagos for what he described as a thoughtful and forward-looking initiative.
He noted that the garden would enhance students’ learning experiences, promote healthy nutrition and foster a sense of environmental responsibility within the school community.
The Rotary Club of Lagos has tasked the college’s Interact Club, the school-based youth arm of Rotary International, with serving as custodians of the garden going forward.
School management has been encouraged to weave the space into daily academic activities, ensuring the project’s impact endures well beyond its launch.
The commissioning of the Green Edible Garden forms part of a broader pattern of Rotary intervention in Lagos schools during the current service year.
The Rotary Club of Ikeja GRA commissioned renovated classrooms, an ICT laboratory and a staff room at State Senior High School Ikeja in May 2026, while the Rotary Club of Maryland Ikeja renovated and fully equipped the science laboratories at Community Senior Secondary School, Maryland, earlier in February.
The Green Edible Garden extends that tradition into the domain of food security and environmental stewardship.
The project was delivered through the joint efforts of the Rotary Club of Lagos’s Service Project and Youth Service committees, supported by club members and private donors whose contributions funded the site transformation and initial planting.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
