Slow Poisoning: How Open Tyre Burning Is Driving Students Away From School In Oyo

The learning environment at HLA Grammar School in Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, has turned into a health hazard, with students and teachers subjected to daily exposure to toxic fumes. The source of this pollution is the adjacent Agodi spare parts market, where scavengers and unregistered traders openly burn tyres and wires to extract copper and other metals. A broken wooden fence is all that separates the school from the burn sites, offering zero protection against the thick, black smoke that regularly engulfs classrooms.

Laboratory analysis of soil samples taken from the school premises has confirmed the severity of the situation. Omosuli Abiodun, the CEO of De-Image Laboratory Services and a technologist at the University of Ibadan, revealed that the samples contained heavy metals far exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) safety limits. Lead concentration alone was measured at 2,105 mg/kg, a staggering figure compared to the safety standard of roughly 2 mg/kg. Other dangerous substances like cadmium, cobalt, chromium, and nickel were also present in alarming quantities. Experts warn that prolonged exposure to these toxins can cause irreversible damage to the brain, kidneys, and lungs, particularly in children.

The impact on the school community is palpable. Students like 16-year-old Mariam Olaoye are contemplating leaving the school, not due to academic standards, but because of the unbearable environment. "The smoke is not good for our health... It causes coughing, and it can damage our lungs," Mariam stated, noting that many students resort to using their hijabs as makeshift masks. Teachers are also suffering, with some reporting hospital visits due to respiratory distress. One teacher, Abiodun Oladipupo, recounted having to pour water on fires himself to allow classes to continue, while another, Adekunle Ibrahim, admitted that the constant smoke triggers his allergies and forces him to leave the staff room just to breathe.

Despite the clear danger, the burning continues. Market leaders claim they do not support the practice, attributing it to young, unregistered scavengers who operate on the fringes. Alhaji Waheed Gbolagade, the market president, stated that while arrests have been made by the police and Amotekun corps, the problem persists, especially after school hours. He noted that the offenders are often charged to court but lack the fear of fines or regulation.

Medical experts are raising the alarm about the long-term consequences. Dr. Modupe Ogunsina, a consultant pulmonologist, warned that the entire community is at risk of acute and chronic respiratory diseases. She emphasized that children inhaling these particles daily could face stunted growth, low immunity, and cognitive impairments. "The future of such a child is at great risk," she noted, urging the government to stop the pollution at its source rather than asking residents to relocate. The Ministry of Environment has been contacted but has yet to take decisive action, leaving over 230 students and their teachers in a state of "slow poisoning."