Baptist Girls High School (BGHS), Osogbo, founded by the Baptist missionaries was established on February 1, 1956. Back then, it was an elite school for girls and attended by the children of the nouveau riche. As the school marks its Founders Day today, the national president of its alumni association, Professor Olaide Aderonke Adedokun, spoke about the significant achievements in the school. Excerpts:
What motivated the founding of the Baptist Girls› High School, Osogbo?
From the well-recorded history of the school, it was borne out of the desire to provide opportunities for girls to acquire a formal education alongside a moral upbringing. It was meant to contribute to the raising of a new generation of educated young girls with good character, for nation building and that has been achieved, going by the heights our members have reached since 1961 when the first set graduated.
What year did you gain admission into the school and can you describe your feelings when you got there?
I gained admission into BGHS, Osogbo in January 1967. It was an ecstatic feeling mixed with hope for me, especially when I came across two older girls from my church who were also attending the school. In church, parents and other young girls admired them for their neatness, smartness and godliness. It was a model school with boarding and everyone struggled to take and pass the entrance examination into the school. It was simply the best any parent could afford for their girls. Students were admitted in the school from every part of the country which translates to a wholesome experience for students in the school.
Your position as the national president gives you access to certain information about your school. Can you name some of the school’s significant products who are in high positions currently?
The products of the school are everywhere, they are found in every sphere of life. We have a directory that boasts of several professors, insurance experts, medical doctors, journalists, teachers, accountants, serving and retired judges, b business tycoons, politicians, among others at top levels of governance. We can’t list them all out here but the school has no doubt significantly contributed to nation building. We are well known and admired.
The school no longer belongs to the Baptist Church but is there a link between the alumni body and the church?
There is a very strong link with the Nigerian Baptist Mission. A good child does not deny or disown her mother! The state government has given good consideration for this in restoring several things earlier taken over to the church, such as the name, uniforms, involvement in the governing board and direct contributions to the survival and growth of the school. The legacy of the Baptist Mission in our school remains indelible and we have ensured that we guard this jealously while pleading with the government to review further and relax some other policies, to enable schools like ours to flourish again. The Baptist Mission is willing to work with the state and the old girls association to further improve the school for the benefit of the girl-child for a wholesome education.
What is the relationship between the alumni and government like?
Very good and cordial relationship since the restoration of the name, introduction of the other gender (boys were brought into the school about eight years), new uniforms, involvement in development of the school and among other developments. The Osun State government has recognised our contributions and has always been part of every project completed and commissioned; written several letters of commendation to us on every project embarked upon, and invited us to state activities on education, among others. We are hopeful for a stronger working relationship with the government as well as for the good of the society.
In what ways has the alumni been contributing to the development of the school and what are its projections for the future?
We started with rebuilding the structures and image of the school, by fixing a befitting school entrance gate carrying the original name of our school – Baptist Girls’ High School, Osogbo, boldly inscribed on it. We produced good quality and complete uniforms in 2019 which we have continued to give out for free to the students some five years ago. Others are refurbishment of the extensive perimeter fence of the school in 2020 which has affected the security of students, staff and property in the school. We also constructed drainage to mitigate erosion in the school. We equally cleared the overgrown vegetation around the school, for security and wellbeing. We provided and powered a borehole for adequate water supply in the school in 2022 as well as marked the ‘2022 International Day of the Girl Child’ with various activities and gifts to all students of the school in the same year.
Also, this year we shall be celebrating the Founder’s Day with the students amidst meaningful activities and gifts and we shall be commissioning four key projects in the school namely, modern and well-equipped staff toilets, modern students’ toilets, refurbished school hall for assembly and examinations and re-electrification of the entire school. The school had been cut off from public electricity supply for several years owing to accumulated debt. These projects represent critical needs; we believe they will contribute to the wellbeing of students and staff and improvement of teaching and learning in the school.
Are the new generation of graduates from the school encouraged to join the alumni now that it is state-owned?
Our association has been encouraging the younger generation to be part of the alumni, particularly from the 2000 set. It has been keeping close and involving them in our activities in order to be able to hand over to them when the time comes. We have organised reunion events frequently, the last was recently held in Lagos on Nov 11 2023. We have celebrated landmark events such as the 40th, 50th, 60th anniversaries and by the grace of God, our 70th anniversary celebration is coming up on Feb 1, 2026. Our plan is to continue to sustain the interests of the younger generation.
What role would you suggest alumni bodies should play in the development of their alma maters now that they are owned and managed by the government?
Alumni bodies should be allowed to have a strong voice in the school system and permitted to give back to their alma mater because going by the state of things in schools at the moment, government alone cannot singlehandedly fund education even at this level This does not negate the full participation of the government. It is therefore expected that there would be reviews of relevant government policies to enable more provisions for our school and others to stem the decay that is going on.
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