IN Nigerian football history, the place of late Reverend Father Dennis Joseph Slattery, the Scot who was the principal of Saint Finbarr’s College in Akoka, Yaba in Lagos in the 1960s and 1970s, is well assured for his puritanical devotion to the beautiful game of football.
Following on the legend of Slattery despite his tight schedule as a Reverend Father and principal of a Catholic Mission School is no other person than Rev. Fr. Dominic Effiong Umo of St. Patrick’s College in Ikot Ansa, Calabar. SPC, as the school is known far and wide, is a model to follow in many ways than one. In fact, abiding passion for sport excellence is visible with three standard football pitches and other sporting facilities being used by upcoming and retired Nigerian footballers time and again.
“While some go to the mission through their presence, others go to the mission through their donation and some people go by offering prayers to support the mission,” a philosophical Fr. Umo hinted in an interview with The Nation Sports & Style. “In fact, every student, teacher of this college, including myself, go to every tournament with the Nigerian football teams in spirit through our prayers.
“Due to our love for the game, we give out our pitches freely to be used for teams to train and practice. We can’t all go to the field and play football, but, for instance, we have supported the national Under-17 team in our best possible way because St. Patrick’s College which is one of their training grounds is a blessed environment.
“I’ m so passionate about football and this National Under-17 team. This has indeed rubbed off on the Golden Eaglets because in them, I see the glory of this nation being pushed out.
“You don’t have to ask me if I would like to play football again because I could still do that at the weekends but for my tight schedules sometimes. I’m so passionate about football especially Nigerian teams so much so that when they lose, I’m not always happy and my staff can attest to that,” he revealed.
Of course, SPC has undergone a lot of transformation under the watch of Fr. Umo who incidentally is an old boy of the school, since he came on board in 2010. The college that clocked 80 this year, according to the amiable Father, is waxing stronger, particularly seeing it was returned to the Catholic school mission board by government. Excerpts…
Development at SPC
Within the last three years, we have been able to continue with the rehabilitation of the school dormitory, the student’s social centre and we have been able to bring the NDDC to provide water borehole for the school community. Apart from that, we were able to secure a grant from the state government to enable us build the Corpers’ lodge. Apart from infrastructural development, we are making good efforts at the academic development of the school. Over the years, SPC is renowned for its academic excellence and we have been able to keep the momentum. For instance, last year, a total of 50 students who wrote the WAEC Examination had an overall 98% success. We also had above 75% in the NECO Exams. Also, we have been able to take the students to another level of development in agriculture and in the last three years, we have been able to plant almost 500 palm crop; we have set up a mill as well as SPC multi-purpose centre that houses the technology where we train the students how to produce palm oil, soap and the jelly they use as body cream.
Being a former player
I’m always proud anytime St. Patrick’s College is mentioned anywhere and it tickles my blood because this is where it all started for me. I started here when we had Mr. Usofia as the principal of the college and one of the things he used to tell us was that ‘this school would mould you to be responsible members of the society.’ Even now this always plays on my mind because I remember with nostalgia that I was formed from this college. As such, I pass the same message to the students under my tutelage as the principal. I feel proud that my alma mater is a renowned college and judging by the comments of so many I have interacted with, I have not been a disappointment and we really thank God for that. We have so many great Nigerians who are old boys of SPC including the late Prof Charles Effiong who was the first indigenous Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar. We have so many of them scattered all over the world holding key positions in government and private companies.
This school has produced governors and deputy governors too. I’m so proud that SPC has attained 80 years and we have so many good stories to tell. I’m really excited because attaining 80 years is not an easy thing. The school has passed through so much, from the church to government and now back to the church. The school has passed through so many principals and I think I’m about the youngest and lucky to be here when it clocked 80. This humbles me as a person and I really want to thank God as well as the wisdom of my Bishop who made it possible.
My personality and passion
I’m Rev. Fr. Dominic Effiong Umo, principal of St. Patrick’s College Ikot Ansa, Calabar. I came in here October 15 2010; approximately I have been here for three years. I inherited a total of 585 Students from my predecessor who had really done well with the rehabilitation of some of the dilapidated structures within the school premises as at the handing over of the school by government to the mission in 2002. My passion in life is basically to use each day as a step towards progress. Of course, mistakes can be made along the way but I’m passionate about whatever would make me better than what I am at present.
