By Johnson Adebowale

Students of Awodi-Ora Secondary School, Ajegunle, Lagos State, on November 20, celebrated the school’s 40th  anniversary, while its alumni, Unified Awodi Ora Secondary School Alumni Association, donated items to aid learning in the school.

It was gathered that the idea for the celebration was initiated by the 2003 set about two years ago and it was then harmonized with the establishment of Unified ASSA to enable all and sundry to participate.

The celebration brought back fond memories, as the alumni reunited with their teachers and principals. The old students used the occasion to remind the present students of the school’s history as well as their primary responsibilities as students.

Students of the 1986 set did a reminiscence of when they were in school by wearing the school’s uniform. They marched around the school and sang various songs to the delight of the audience.

Pupils of the school performed cultural dances in various ethnic tribes.  They also observed a one-minute silence for students and teachers who had passed on.

Obinna Onwuzuruigbo, global president, Unified Awodi Ora Secondary School  Alumni Association, in his welcome address, said it was a thing of joy that “we are celebrating our 40th anniversary as a school. We thank God for keeping us alive and has been merciful to us and has enabled us to achieve great things in our various fields of endeavour. We have a spirit of coming back to visit our alma mata because the school has given us so much.

“It is a privilege to lead the association after 40 years; it is a great honour, which I cherish so much and I will always do my best.

“As a result of the high performance and the rising profile of her academic excellence, coupled with her high disciplinary standard, Awodi Ora became the choice destination for every parent that cared and wanted the very best for their children. Forty years on, the school is still a force to be reckoned with.”

Dr Cornelius Onyekaba, initiator of the Unified Awodi-Ora Secondary Alumni Association and currently the chairman of the legislative arm of the association, Unified ASSA Representative Council, said the reunion brings a nostalgic feeling.

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“Forty years after, we look back and see as students who have accomplished great things in life. It is worth celebrating because there is unity. Most of us have not seen ourselves after we finished from the school. We donated some things to the school to aid the learning in the school. We have been shaped by our principals and teachers that love humanity,” he said.

He described Mrs Clara Okodugha, who was the principal during their set school, as a legend. According to him, “she took the school from that backyard school to a great level and the school became the only public school that parents lobbied for their children to attend in Ajegunle. These are the kind of people that we call heroes. She molded our lives positively.

“Other principals after her tenure never had any fear of coming to Ajegunle. They came to the school and transformed many of us positively.”

Mrs Ijaware Ronke, Principal, Awodi Ora Senior Secondary School, commended the old students for remembering their alma mata. She said the school was, indeed, very proud of our old students for all the donations they have made to the school, which will aid learning.

Ijaware encouraged the current students to emulate the old students that they had seen.

“The old students have shown the current students the right path to follow and the current must not disappoint the old students, teachers, principal and their parents in order to make them proud in future,” she said.

The principal commended the teachers for their hard work and commitment to teaching, which has yielded successes in the different competitions the school had participated in. She said they have won several laurels for the school.

Abdulfatai Yusuff, chairman planning committee, said the school came into being in 1981 and every set since its inception was represented there. “We hope to further donate items that will aid learning in the school.”

John Ojo, a student in SS2, said: “I am happy to see old students of our school. With what they have told us, we will do our best not to disappoint them.”