It is heart-warming that the US Consulate has chosen Osun state as one of the states in the federation where its Window ( Window on America) is established with a view to touching lives ,particularly the youths who are daily been empowered in both academics and other resourceful ventures aimed at preparing them to meet challenges and advancements in today's world and remain relevant in their future engagements .
Of course , It is the tradition at the Window on America which is situated at University of Osun Teaching hospital, Osogbo to organize for participants, seminars ,lectures and different training programs most of which are anchored by the U.S.Consulate virtually ,with far reaching impacts world wide and across sister states which are beneficiaries of this gestures in Nigeria.
For instance, sometimes last year during one of its crowd-pulling training programs for youths , it was joyous seeing enthusiasm written all over the faces of participants at the training which comprised youths, most of whom were bubbling with energy as they buckled down to their training, not minding the fact that they were crowded in a small room ( though air conditioned) which had insufficient space for such intellectual engagement .
Acquanting myself with the objectives of the program, it mattered to me in the realisation that future technologists, particularly ace cinematographers were being given great opportunities to showcase their talents. That this was also happening in Osogbo where great Nigerian artists cut their professional teeth before making waves locally, nationally and internationally , it was good news to me as a professional and veteran journalist.
Needless to mention great dramatists, writers, musicians, academics and intellectuals who were bred at Osogbo in the past years and were hoisting the flag of cultural revolution which put Osogbo on the Center of tourism and fecund artistry globally.
When I witnessed the way they went about the presentation of their individual projects at the end of their training, something inside of me told me : "here are our Icons of tomorrow. "
The way the organisers of the program and the trainers went about the intensive training was simply inspiring and commendable. This was a digital class that would continue and long to be remembered , not only for the fecundity of its qualitative skill presentation but also for its generosity in accommodating the number of trainees.
It was even patriotic that the Consulate had chosen that period which coincided with the time most of the beneficiaries were away from schools as a result of lingering industrial action embarked upon by university lecturers throughout the country.
Well enough, just as deserving geniuses among them went home with mouth-watering prizes, all of them were treated to refreshment and other take-homes.
However if there was one thing which was an eyesore at the training ground, it was the lack of space trully beffiting programs by american space .
I had then commended the authority of osun state university teaching hospital for availing the US Consulate a space on which platform many people in Osun had been tapping into intellectually ,but wished that efforts should be made to improve the existing facilities there.
"A situation in which raining period often finds users of the place dodging from one corner to the other to avoid being beaten black and blue ( from leaking roof ) should be remedied even though " the digital class in which
the participating youths numbering 75 youths have been equipped to face the future with brilliant hope is a memorable experience." I wrote.
It was gathered then that the Management of the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital was concerned about the lack of space at the Window on America within its corridors and was contemplating doing something about it .
But barely one hundred days in which the new Government of Governor Nurudeen Ademola Jackson Adeleke assumed office and got briefing about the sordid situation at the space, the Governor reportedly ordered that the Window on America should not only be renovated but expanded to create more space for visitors to the window while equipping it with modern facilities conducive to learning, scholarship and other training programs.
When I visited the location last week, it was glaring that work has resumed there full force as the roof had been removed to give way to complete renovation work ,even as reconstruction on the walls indicated that the space is being enlarged forthwith.
OLALERE FAGBOLA REPORTING.
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