Old students of Eyemote Comprehensive High School, Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State gathered to celebrate the golden jubilee of their alma mater. The occasion was a showcase for the inauguration of some projects executed by the old students. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.
It was a great reunion for many of the old students of the 1978 set of Eyemote Comprehensive High School, (ECOHS), Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State as they hugged and exchanged banters with one another during the school’s 50th anniversary cerlebration. Some of them recalled some of their pranks and escapades during their days in the school.
The school and its old students lined up a week-long activities in celebration of the 50th anniversary.
Although it could be classified as a community-based secondary school, it has succeeded in producing eminent Nigerians among who are former Federal Minister, a state Chief Judge, a traditional ruler, member of Ekiti State House of Assembly, not less than 10 professors, senior military and paramilitary officers and top players in the civil service and the corporate world.
It was a week to remember for the people of Iyin-Ekiti as the community throbbed with activities and played host to guests from far and near who came to celebrate either as old students, friends or well-wishers.
Some of the activities lined up to mark the school’s achievements included candle light procession, environmental sanitation, football competition/inter-house sports, anniversary lecture, career talk, inauguration of projects, annual general meeting, award ceremony and thanksgiving service.
The derelict school gate was replaced with a new-look one by the 1978 set to mark the Golden Jubilee. This gave the school a new look from the outside and was a tell-tale sign that something big was happening. Students were busy taking pictures at the new gate in excitement never experienced before.
Eyemote Comprehensive High School was founded on February 6, 1967 with about 57 students (boys and girls). It was a product of the efforts of exemplary Iyin sons and daughters at home and in the Diaspora with the Ekiti Anglican Diocese being a co-founder and sponsor.
It was initially known as Eyemote Secondary Commercial School because the school curriculum was based on commercial subjects. It was later changed and expanded to include all sciences, technology and vocational subjects.
Instrumental to the establishment of the school was the former Military Governor of the old Western Region, Maj-Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (retd), who is indigenous to Iyin and the late Oluyin of Iyin, Oba Julius Adeniyi Owolabi II who reigned for 47 years.
While Gen. Adebayo gave approval for the establishment of ECOHS, Oba Owolabi assisted the school to move from its two previous temporary sites at St. George’s Modern School and All Saints Primary School to the current site.
The late monarch personally supervised the laying of the foundation stone of the permanent site of the school on July 28, 1968. Oba Owolabi mobilised his chiefs and the entire Iyin community to ensure that the school began on a solid footing and stabilised to be a reputable school in Ekiti land.
The school was founded on enviable tradition and a presentable reputation as if it were a creed. The school motto is “Towards Good Citizenship” and its colours are green and white.
The tricolour disc represents the school’s bright future with the green representing the agricultural fertility of Ekiti land while the white stands for peaceful co-existence.
The school’s first principal was Chief Edward Orhewere popularly known as “ESCO Daddy” by his students. He occupied the position between 1967 and 1971.
The second principal was the late Chief Babalola Olajide who was in office between 1971 and 1975. The third longest serving principal was Chief Olufemi Araoye who was in the saddle between 1975 and 1982. The current principal is Mr. Adelaja Ajiniran.
The first set of students of the school spent only five years instead of six that was expected, yet they proved their mettle by recording 100 per cent pass in the final West African School Certificate Examination in November, 1971.
At the grand finale of the week-long celebration, the projects inaugurated included the school’s gate by the 1978 set, a block of four toilets constructed by the 1983 set and four blocks of classrooms renovated by the 1981 set.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the Oluyin of Iyin, Oba John Ademola Ajakaye, commended the old students for giving back to their alma mater and inspiring the students who would use the facilities.
Oba Ajakaye said: “I feel happy that the old students are interested in their alma mater. The 1978 set gave the school a new gate while this block of classrooms we are inaugurating now was constructed by the 1981 set.
“That is the way it should be because government cannot do everything. The present government is trying its best but it has not been easy financially with the government. I believe the problem will soon be solved.
“The efforts of the old students are commendable, laudable and exemplary. I want to encourage them to do more as this will go a long way in taking their alma mater to greater heights.”
The Oniropora of Iropora-Ekiti, Oba Joel Ajayi Olonibua, himself an old student of 1971 set said education is a major industry in Ekiti State and must be sustained by all and sundry.
Oba Olonibua said: “This Golden Jubilee anniversary of our alma mater, Eyemote Comprehensive High School, is an opportunity to give back to the school that produced and nurtured us to greatness.
“We will not rest on our oars; you will remember that Ekiti came first in the last National Examination Council (NECO) examination in Nigeria. The legacy of excellence in education should be sustained. What we have done is part of the ways we can sustain it.”
Some ECOHS old students who were honoured with awards were former Minister of Aviation, Chief Babatunde Omotoba; Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola; Provost, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Prof. Olurotimi Sanya; Prof. Victor Popoola and Wing Commander Lawrence Akinwumi (retd).
Also honoured were Gen. Adebayo, Oba Owolabi (posthumous),three ex-principals, Orhewere, Araoye and Mr. Afolabi Ajobiewe; the late Mrs. Funmilayo Atoki (posthumous), an old student who renovated a block of four classrooms in 2009 at a cost of over N3 million and the late Mr. Babalola Olajide ( posthumous).
At their annual general meeting, President of Old Students’ Association, Reverend Christopher Abere, called on members to be more committed to the development of their alma mater by being interested in the affairs of the students.
Abere said 50 years is long enough to allow both good and bad to happen. He thanked God for sparing the lives of the celebrators. He also led other members to observe a minute silence in honour and memory of members who had passed on.
The ECOHS Old Students boss commended the various sets for projects carried out in the school, even as he stressed on the need for members to always pay their annual dues to enable the group to execute more projects and run the association seamlessly.
Abere urged the present students to be more disciplined; saying their forbears endured a harsh environment that included reading inside the forest to become what they are today. He stressed that success does not come easy.
He said: “We implore the present students to imbibe the spirit of hard work, submit themselves to discipline and have role models in order to carve a niche for themselves. They should work towards becoming responsible citizens which is our school motto and watchword.
“The students should realise that this is the path the old students trod and many of them are better for it today. We pray that the present and coming generations will achieve more successes than today.
“To achieve that, we also seek the co-operation of the parents and guardians because child upbringing is a joint effort of the parents, society and the school.”
Also addressing fellow old students, Justice Daramola emphasised on prompt payment of annual dues, adding that ECOHS old students must show more commitment in years to come as the school grows in leaps and bounds.
He said: “I have no doubt that when we work together as a team there is no limit to what we can achieve for our school. Our life as an association is what our thoughts make of it.
“We must try and be bold in our resolve to have a viable old students association and Almighty God will come to our aid. We must be unrelenting in having viable and vibrant association that will serve as engine room for infrastructural development of our alma mater.”
Delivering the anniversary lecture, Prof. Adeola Popoola, said the school which had a humble beginning had grown to be a big oak from which great men and women emerged to make impact in their various spheres of endeavour.
In the lecture entitled “Eyemote Comprehensive High School: A Humble Beginning, A Future Assured,” Popoola described the school as a leading light which has held its own among the illustrious post-primary institutions in Ekiti State. He called for concerted efforts to build on the legacy.
He urged the old students to mentor the young ones who are currently in the school to guide and give them a sense of direction in life so as to ensure their brighter tomorrow.
Popoola said: “One of the areas in which members of the Old Students Association can help the school to grow and excel in the near foreseeable future is to mentor the current students.
“Mentoring or mentorship is an innovative process in which the older and more experienced professionals inspire young ones along the path of sustained tutelage and career progression.
“What this implies in essence is that members of our association can develop a constant visit to the school with a view to interacting with the students. Find out how they are getting on and help proffer solutions to some of the challenges they are going through.”
Popoola suggested the establishment of a hall of fame to keep memory and the impact of the alumni alive to serve as inspiration to the contemporary students and setting up of scholarship scheme, bursary and endowments.
Executive Secretary of the State Board for Technical and Vocational Education, Mrs. Bolajoko Adeyemi, delivered a career/motivational talk entitled “Secrets of High Flying Students.”
Mrs. Adeyemi told the students that in spite of the moral decadence in the society, they can make up their mind to stand out and be morally upright to lay foundation for their academic success.
She noted that every student has what it takes to be a high flyer but success is all about making a decision to be a successful person and doing the hard work to become such a person.
Mrs. Adeyemi advised Eyemote students to have foresight, get their priorities right, concentrate on their studies and be consistent in the pursuit of success. She noted that “there is enough space at the top as the bottom is too crowded.”
Besides the conferment of the awards, the grand finale also witnessed cutting of the anniversary cake, the launch of the school’s history book and the anniversary party.
