Agongo Honoured for Rebuilding Talensi School
By Akutu Dede Adimer
In a show of gratitude and tradition, the people of Talensi have enskinned businessman and philanthropist Alhaji Seidu Agongo as their Community Development Chief, recognizing his rapid and selfless response to a crisis that brought education in the district to a standstill.
A violent rainstorm swept through the Talensi District on May 22, 2025, leaving destruction in its wake. The hardest hit was Sawaliga Basic School, where classrooms were reduced to debris, twisted roofing sheets, shattered beams, and broken walls turned a place of learning into a hazard zone.
For students preparing for their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), the damage was not only disheartening it threatened their academic future.
Photos of the devastation, posted by youth leader Solomon Zinekena, quickly spread online, capturing the nation’s attention. Among those moved was Alhaji Seidu Agongo, who didn’t just take notice but took action.
“Those images were not just scenes of damage,” Agongo said. “They were a cry for help. I saw children, our children abandoned in a broken environment. I couldn’t ignore it.”
Without delay, Agongo assembled a team of contractors and mobilized resources. Within three weeks, the wrecked school was completely rebuilt. The once-ruined structure now stands renewed, with a sturdy new roof, fresh paint, reinforced walls, and safe, clean floors. Students who had been learning under trees returned to classrooms filled with hope.
“Before this, we felt forgotten,” said Assistant Head Teacher Jonas Mbazoyinbil. “Now our school feels like a palace. Alhaji Agongo didn’t just rebuild our classrooms, he restored our dignity.”
In recognition of his extraordinary contribution, Talensi elders held a traditional enskinment ceremony, conferring upon Agongo the title of Community Development Chief. The honor symbolizes a deep commitment to progress, generosity, and service to the people.
“You did not wait to be called twice,” one elder said during the ceremony. “You saw our suffering and responded with your heart and hands. This chieftaincy is our way of saying: we see you, and we thank you.”
Known nationwide for his philanthropic efforts, Agongo used the moment to call for more collective support for education.
“Education is not a privilege, it is a right,” he said. “When we invest in our children, we secure the future of this nation. Let us act whenever and wherever we can.”
For the children of Sawaliga, the storm may have torn down their school, but it also revealed something stronger: the power of compassion and decisive leadership. And in Alhaji Seidu Agongo, they have found a hero, not in a cape, but in community.
