By Gabriel Dike
Worried by the declining fortune of Anwar-UL Islam College, Agage, Lagos, the Old Students Association has made a passionate appeal to the proprietor to approve the running of the college as a private school.
The President General of Anwar-Ul Islam College Agege Old Students Association (ACAOSA), Alhaji Lawal Pedro, made the suggestion at the commissioning of remodeled college library named after the school first principal, Alhaji Jimoh Gbadamosi.
The commissioning of the library spearheaded by the 77/78 set, attracted prominent Nigerians and old boys such as Justice Ishola Olorunnimbe (rted), Erelu Keti IV of Lagos, Chief Abiola Dosunmu, former ICAN President, Senator Kola Bajomo, former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Femi Pedro, General Tajudeen Olarenwaju (rted), Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and his wife, Alhaja Morufat Obanikoro and several others.
Pedro said:‘’This brings me to an issue that has been of great concern to me and many old students of this college, which was one of the first 10 heritage colleges in Lagos State and the first Muslim college in West Africa. Today despite the huge financial interventions of the old students the college is not within the bracket of the first 50 missions secondary schools or colleges in Nigeria.
This is obviously because the college has continued to be managed as mission school and not private secondary school like it’s contemporary Christian mission schools in Lagos State. These Christian mission schools have now been developed and built so much trust and respect for themselves in the educational world to attract large number of students from every part of Nigeria.‘’
He appealed to Anwar-Ul Islam Movement of Nigeria, the proprietor of the college through its President, Alhaji Mubashiru Ojelade that in the absence of government subversion to mission schools they are now being run as business ventures, because they pay salaries and other expenditures to maintain stating ‘’it is not possible to maintain and develop this college to become an ivy college with, the current low school fees, fisebililai or Sadaqat or offerings in the mosques or at events of the movement.’’
Pedro advised the movement to consider handing over the college to a professional to run it as purely private school without interfering in the operations save to set up guidelines for the management and collect subversion or contributions from its profit to continue to run the activities of the movement.
He said in the alternative to consider merger of one of the movement’s adjourning school with the college and utilize the landed property as an investment to generate yearly funds to run Anwar College to attract large number of students to benefit from the facilities being provided in the college by the movement and ACAOSA.
In his speech, the 77/78 set president, Alhaji Raham Alarape, said the commissioning of the library epitomize its unequivocal commitment to the school moto and that the remodeled library is an example of what best look like.
His words: ‘’More to come of course in terms of the soft contents but for now the physical infrastructure being opened today is worthy of praise and adulation.’’
Pedro commended Senator Obanikoro for his commitment to ensuring the library project was equipped and ready for use by the students.
He told the gathering that footprint of the first principal is on the sand of time, adding ‘’the history of the school is a lot brighter with your name and achievements printed in gold.’’
The set president acknowledged the contribution of ACAOSA UK chapter for their determination to develop and enrich the e-learning capabilities and capacities of the students and their teachers.
In his remarks, Obanikoro, said some people paid to give them quality education and as such the old students would ensure the current students receive quality teaching and learning with better facilities.
“The college made me what I am today. I am saying it boldly and proudly. I thank the first principal for preparing the old students and where we are today. The caliber of old students will inspire the present students to do better.’’
His son, a member of the House of Representatives, Babajide Obanikoro, donated 20 Laptops to the school while Agege Local Government gave N300, 000.
Chief Dosunmu tasked the school owner to see Anwar-Ul Islam College as business venture and upgrade the facilities to attract more students, stating ‘’I challenge the movement to turn the school around as business venture.’’