Deliberations mixed with fun at Epe Grammar school old students’ congress

The old students of Epe Grammar School, Epe, Lagos State last Saturday returned to their alma mata  to reminisce on the old days and deliberate on the future of the very first post-primary school in Epe Division established in 1954. TUNDE BUSARI who witnessed the deliberations, reports the hopes and aspirations of the association.

By design, it was supposed to be a congress but ended up being a mini-carnival spiced up by students of Epe Grammar School. The students’ cultural performances were more than a side attraction or an interlude; they were expressions of the depth of the school in total development of its students.

Costumed in white lace materials over black ofi fabrics and Adire, the two groups raised the hope of their old students in the preservation of the school heritage. The annual congress, going by the pre-elections manifestoes of the President, Alhaji Alade Saliu-Okulu in November 2015, was to be a week-long  event.

Time and logistics, however, conspired to make it a one-day event. Yet, all the attendees and their guests witnessed a well- organized occasion which drew the former Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Chairman, House Committee for Works, Abiodun Tobun, past president of the association, Alhaji Adisa Osiefa and other A-class dignitaries to the school premises.

The camaraderie exhibited by the old students evidently matched the status of the school as one which produced the first set of secondary school certificate holders in the whole of Epe Division. Long forgotten invented names common among students were on the lips of the old students in a show that drew similarity between yesterday and today.

Although the event started well behind the scheduled time, when it took off after the arrival of a sizable number of people, it was like an auto-piloted device.  Other very important personalities had to walk in gently to prevent being a distraction and before the programme got half way, the tents were full to the brim.

Alhaji Saliu-Okulu, while welcoming members of EGOSA, thanked them for their commitments leading to the election that produced him and his team. He also reiterated his commitment to surpass their expectations during his tenure.

His address was introduced by showering encomiums on the past President, Alhaji Osiefa whose central working committee, according to him, laid a solid foundation on which the association is seated.

Alhaji Saliu-Olusi then made a vow to build upon the foundation with a view to repositioning Epe Grammar School among promising pre-independence secondary schools in the country. The president in high spirit gave a report of the landmarks recorded by his administration between his election and the first congress.

He spoke about his meetings with old students in public offices aimed at mobilizing them for the infrastructural development of the school.

“To God be the glory, it appears that my efforts in this regard is beginning to bear fruits. If we look around the school premises, we will notice infrastructural physical developments taking place. Hostels, classrooms and laboratories are being rehabilitated by government. We salute the steadfastness of the Lagos State Government in its efforts to provide qualitative education to Lagosians. We give kudos to Governor Akinwumi Ambode for his kind gestures in this regard.

“On 8 November, 2016, our association received a letter of invitation from the Lagos State Government tagged “Invitation To Code Lagos Programme’. I attended the launch where the unveiling of ‘Code Lagos’ by Lagos State Ministry of Education took place on Friday 11, November, 2016. Our association was among the select few that were invited to the launch, this is an indication of the recognition of Epe grammar school by the government,” he told the congress.

Former president, Alhaji Osiefa played the role of an elder to the group with his regular interjections during the programme with relevant commentaries on the evolution of the association. He shared his experience on how his committee came up with an award for Ikuforiji and the large number of members of Lagos State House of Assembly who accompanied him to the occasion.

“He first told me that he was not keen on the award but shifted ground at my insistence. I will always appreciate the honour he gave us by mobilizing his colleagues from the house to the event. What they donated to the association ran into millions, the amount which helped us to execute some projects.

“I am using this opportunity to thank him and also to encourage others that no amount is little to contribute to the purse. Old students associations are known for assisting their alma mata. Ours should not be an exception. I want to thank the incumbent president for his efforts in bringing us together today,” he said.

The congress also witnessed presentations of awards and prizes to some members and outstanding students. The pioneer Principal, Mr S.C.A Yoloye was given a special post humous recognition with a minute silence observed in his honour.

The beauty of the congress was, however, disfigured by the financial report of the association. It was evident that notable members were not only unhappy but outright embarrassed by the report soon after copies were given to them.

The report titled ‘Financial statements of Income And Expenditure From January to December 2016 presented at the congress 2017 and signed by the duo of Yomi Olunaike, thje treasurer and Otunba Deji Osinowo, the financial secretary,’ the balance of the account as at December 2016 ending read N106, 276.44.

Apparently shocked by the report, the former Speaker Ikuforiji rose and seconded an earlier protest by a member who did not mince words in his condemnation of the attitude of his colleagues.  Surprisingly, Ikuforiji admitted that like others, he is at fault and promised the members a new era.

To demonstrate his words, he spoke with Honourable Tobun and the duo made instant contributions to the purse of the association.

“I was in a church in Modakeke some years ago inside where I read an inscription reminding the congregation of the role of funds in maintaining the house of God. There is nothing we propose here that can be achieved without proper funding. I want to appeal to members to start from today to drop something for the progress of our association.

“This is an association we should be very proud to call ours because of the role Epe Grammar School played in shaping our lives to become whom we are today. I want to thank the president who long time ago promised me to make an impact in the school as we are seeing today,” he said.

Ikuforiji, therefore, called on the members not to leave the venue without dropping their voluntary donation to boost the treasury of the association. Doing so, according to him, was a way to walk the talk and move the association away from its current balance.

Some members heeded the call as they surged forward one after the other and made their contributions.

Aside the financial statement, conspicuous absence of some sets of the old students at the congress sent a wrong message to the public.

Nigerian Tribune observed that old generation of students, most of whom are in their late 60s and mid-70s, formed the nucleus of the active members of the association.

Old students from 1985 downward seem not to share the passion of their senior colleagues who showed high morale and strong character to drive the association.

The president is however optimistic that his administration would wake them up from their slumber using the right method of close monitoring of the activities of sets.

“The more, the merrier should be our slogan and we are not going to relent in doing so. We are more than this and we are going to be more. I want to make it clear that despite the challenges experienced in the past, EGOSA has come to stay and go to higher places,” he promised.

The 1978-83 sets proved right the president’s bright picture. The set appeared in uniform attires completed with mufla on which their distinct identity was inscribed. To round the congress off, the president expressed his gratitude to all members including those whose input eventuated the congress.