Children’s Day: Be steadfast in your dreams, St Anne’s old girls charge students

The old girls of St Anne’s School, Ibadan, under the auspices of the Seminary Saint Anne’s School Old Girls Association (SSASOGA), have told students of their alma mater that, though they are young now, they will not be children forever and that what they are learning now will be useful to shape their lives and work when they grow into adults.

The president of the association, Mrs Oluwafumnilayo Kehinde, on Tuesday, on the school’s premises, said this on the occasion of the 2025 International Children’s Day.

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The president reminded the students that they are the future of Nigeria and that they must allow themselves to be trained and disciplined, adding, “Is what you learn now that will be useful for you when you are no longer a child.”

Kehinde stressed that for children to effectively uphold the future, they must possess something good that society will be proud of and something Nigeria will know and celebrate them for.

The president commended the teachers of the school for their time and efforts in teaching the students and guiding them into becoming better women that society would be proud of in the future.

The principal of senior school one, Mrs Moradehun Olatunji, principal of senior school two, Dr Olasunmbo Savage; principal of junior school one, Mrs Bimbo Akinyemi and principal of junior school two, Mrs Olufunke Ajani commended the old girls for making out time to commune with and celebrate the students, adding that their investments in the school and students are what stand the school out among other schools in the state.

The vice president one of the association, Mrs Olubukola Odumeru, urged the students to imbibe the virtues of hard work, patience, and tenacity, and to believe in themselves and their abilities.

Odumeru enjoined adults and the elderly to help and mentor children around them, and not just wait for the government and schools for everything, because, according to her, it takes a village to raise a child.

“Like we do in SSASOGA, we adopt a child and sponsor them through school. The good of any child is the good of Nigeria. If we neglect them, we will reap the negative consequences,” she said.

The national welfare secretary of the association, Mrs Ebunoluwa Amaji, urged the students to be steadfast in their studies and dreams, which will enable them to go far in life, far beyond what the school and SSASOGA are currently doing for them.

“They should concentrate on their studies, get into tertiary institutions, do something good for themselves, and the sky will be their limit,” Mrs Amaji advised.

Some of the students ─ Elizabeth Erinde (JSS3C), Oreoluwa Oladipo (JSS2C), and Unique Olaniran (JSS1A) ─ spoke on behalf of the students.

While appreciating their teachers for imparting them with knowledge and commending the old girls for their benevolence, they said that the talk and advice from their teachers and the old girls have impacted them.

Speaking on the children’s day celebration, they stated that SSASOGA made them feel proud of themselves and of being girls too, adding that they would like to give back to the school when they graduate and become old girls.

At the event, there were dance and cultural displays, quiz and debate exercises, spelling bees and other fun activities.

According to the principal of senior school one, Mrs Moradehun Olatunji, St Anne’s School came second in the match pass organised for students in the state in commemoration of Children’s Day.

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