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Tag: graduands

  • Graduands urged to lead societal transformation

    Graduands urged to lead societal transformation

    Founder of Simon Page College of Marketing, Dr. Princewill Omorogiuwa, has urged graduates of the institution to not only adapt to change, but lead the change required in their respective organisations.

    He spoke at the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2023, who had completed their qualifications in Marketing (CIM UK), Digital Marketing (DMI Ireland), and Project Management (PMI U.S.).

    The ceremony, which had as theme: “Orchestrating Success in a Dynamic World,” took place in Lagos. It was held to honour the students’ achievements and inspire them to embrace challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

    Omorogiuwa advised the graduands not to take for granted the knowledge and skills they had acquired from the college, but to rather carry its legacy to orchestrate the desired success in the world.

    “Simon Page College of Marketing has equipped the graduands with the knowledge and skills they need to adapt to change or lead the change required in their respective organisations. You have learned how to anticipate the market, leverage data for strategic decisions and also how to create a compelling narrative that resonates with a very diverse audience,” he said.

    In his lecture entitled: “A pillar of success called optimism”, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, UAC Foods Limited, Oluyemi Oloyede, said optimism was key in keep inspiring organisations to stay competitive in the face of the distressing condition of the economy. Business leaders, business managers and brand managers need to breathe into their various brands the spirit of optimism.

    Read Also: Lagos distributes 20,000 food boxes to residents

    “Nothing great has ever been achieved in pessimism. You can never build a fantastic business, a big brand or a legacy that transcends time without the spirit of optimism. You have to believe it is possible for you to be successful,” Oloyede said.

    To Head of Marketing, Lafarge Africa, Oluyomi Moses, success is not mysterious, not a coincidence, not sudden, rather success is planned, organised and orchestrated.

    On the theme of the ceremony, she noted that despite the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world we live in, “it is still possible to be successful as there are instances of people who defied challenges to succeed.”

    She said successful people broke through barriers, obstacles, rejections, disappointments, and adversities at some point in their journey to reach the top.

    The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to outstanding students.

  • School fetes highflying graduands

    The 2018 Graduation of Emerald High School Ogun State, turned into a thanksgiving as teachers, pupils and their parents thanked God for the academic success recorded in the 2016/2017 academic session.

    The 53 graduands performed creditably in the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) for School candidates, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), and examinations conducted by Cambridge Education.

    The school’s Principal, Mrs Busola Adegbaju, said one of the graduating pupils, Miss Chidiebere Okoroafor, was one of over 100 honoured at the British Council Recognition and Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards in the “Top in Nigeria” category for achieving the highest mark in English Language as a second language (speaking endorsement).

    Mrs Adegbaju said it was the second time the British Council, in collaboration with its partners, Cambridge Assessment International Education, would recognise a pupil of the school – the first being in 2016.

    The Principal said many in the class also excelled in the 2018 UTME – scoring over 300 marks.  She said one of them scored 332. Though the national average was 49.8 per cent in the WASSCE, pupils from Emerald achieved 100 per cent pass in all subjects. While 93 per cent of the candidates had distinctions in all the subjects and only seven percent had credits. Majority of the candidates had A1 in seven subjects and B grades in two other subjects.

    In appreciation of the teachers’ hard work in producing such results for the school, the Executive Director, Mrs Edna Obaze said she had already signed cheques running into millions to motivate them.

    Excited parents under the aegis of the Parents Management Forum (PMF) of the school also announced cash rewards for the teachers.

    Addressing the graduands, Mrs Obaze said she would miss them, especially those who had been with the school right from crèche.

    Eighteen parents, whose children had been in the school since pre-school, were given awards in recognition of their loyalty.

    The Valedictorian, Miss Chinenye Vanessa Odo on behalf of the graduating set, thanked the management and staff of the school, parents and her peers for the experience garnered in the school and the academic training received.

    Chairman of the occasion and former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof Peter Okebukola advised the students to be focused especially as they proceed to tertiary institutions where they will enjoy a lot of freedom.  However, he warned that freedom comes responsibility.

    He admonished the graduating students to continue to be serious with their academic pursuit.

  • Be persistent, Mind Builders graduands told

    TO succeed in life, graduands of Mind Builders High School, Ikeja, have been told to be persistent.

    They heard from no other than the Commissioner of Police, Police Medical Services, Ikoyi, Dr Efunsola Sowewimo, to incorporate the three Ps (Pray, Plan and Perform) into their daily activities as the work towards their goals.

    In her keynote speech titled: “Persistence, a vital key to Success”, she advised the 22 graduands never to give up, sharing examples of great men who won because of persistence.

    “You may have to tweak your plans.  Thomas Edison tried 2,000 times to create the light bulb.  If he had given up we won’t have light today.

    “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.  Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talents.  Genius will not take the place of persistence,” she said.

    The school’s Education Director, Mrs Bolajoko Falore, also shared her three Ps – Patience, Persistence and Perspiration.

    She told the graduands they were responsible for their success and otherwise.

    “Dream big; patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success..

    “Finally, remember that obstacles cannot stop you; problems cannot derail you; people cannot stop you.  The only one who can stop you is yourself,” she said.

    As good ambassadors of the school, she charged them not to forget the school’s pillars of character; be kind and good to people; be guided by God’s words, and think big.

    Forty-four awards were presented to the graduating class, while pupils in the other levels shared 23 awards.  Awards were also presented to outstanding parents and special guests, including Mrs Yinka Ogunde, CEO, Edumark Consult Ltd.

    One of the graduands, who won prizes for distinguishing herself in sports, Zainab Yunusa, said her sojourn in Mind Builders exposed her to a variety of activities.

    “We were exposed to so many things.  We had so many outings.  The school taught me to be independent and not rely on others.  Mind Builders taught me to speak up for myself,” she said.

    The event was spiced with choreography, duet, ball joggling/hoopla as presentations by the school choir and the orchestra.

  • Grenville Schools celebrates 40 graduands

    It was celebration galore last Thursday and Friday for 40 pupils of Grenville Schools, GRA, Ikeja, who moved up one level in their educational pursuits.

    Twenty pre-school pupils and 10 Year Six pupils graduated Thursday; while another 10 graduated from Year 11 (secondary school) on Friday.

    Parents, teachers and well-wishers were on hand to celebrate the graduands on both days as well as pupils of other classes who excelled during the school year.

    The events were spiced with sonorous musical presentations by the school choir and orchestra, ballet, drama and voice and piano solos.

    On Thursday, Mrs Adedoyin Israel, Principal, Pre-School, expressed confidence about the preparation the nursery and primary graduands had received at Grenville.

    “Secondary school is not a joke; you wont have the teachers sit in class with you all day…I know my set of graduating Year 6 are more than prepared for the challenges ahead,” she said.

    On her part, Director of Schools, Mrs Bolatito Babalola, thanked parents for their commitment to their wards’ education.

    “I want to sincerely appreciate our parents for your commitment to the academic excellence of your children, your availability and support during our various activities.  I want to assure you that the management and staff of Grenville Schools are committed to the cause of making our students the best among their contemporaries,” she said.

    Addressing the 10 secondary school graduands on Friday, education consultant to the school, Dr Dolapo Ogunbawo underscored the importance of hard work to success.  She counseled the students, one of them, Ricardo Tunde Obe, son of popular music couple, Tunde and Wunmi Obe, to follow the ethics of hard work regardless of societal decadence.

    She said: “To achieve success in life, the main skill education must give to all young people is the ethics of hard work and self-discipline.  On the surface, looking at our country Nigeria, it might seem otherwise because of those looting our treasury but that is not right and it is not the Grenville way.

    “Global research has identified the following five elements for children to become high achievers and at Grenville these are the skills imbibed into your children: High aspiration; self-belief or self-confidence; positive attitude; goal oriented; (and) skill to learn from experience.”

    Guest speaker for the day, Mr Joe Obiku, a parent, was full of praises for the school for providing a conducive environment for children to excel academically and in other areas of life.

    “I am thankful for the desire to support children as individuals in this school.  This is a school that provides children with social academic solution. The warmth and homeliness that Grenville offers I haven’t seen it anywhere else.  The architectural masterpiece here is great; the school fees cannot pay for it in another 10 years.

    “Teachers challenge students to do more.  I can tell you that indeed the teachers are focused.  If this remains a core value, you may be competing with the best in the world,” he said.

    To become even better, Obiku advised the school to focus on security education and utilise technology to offer quality education.

    In an interview with The Nation, chairman of the school, Mr Jide Babalola, said though he runs other businesses, he established the school out of passion to make a difference.  He said his belief in the quality of education Grenville Schools had to offer made him to withdraw his children from other schools to Grenville when it started six years ago.

    Babalola said: “I withdrew two of my children from a big school.  The third one said she was not sure of the new school and would not come so I left her there.  We started with evening lectures.  In

    “We started everything at once – the preschool, primary, secondary and even A Levels at once.  We recruited all the teachers we needed and we were paying even though we were not making any returns.

    “I am an Ekiti man and the only thriving industry in Ekiti is education.  I saw the gap in education and I had interest to bridge that gap.  I knew I was going into a business I was not going to make so much money but it is something I have passion for.  We are still sowing.  I am not thinking of making profit.  I am thinking of how we can change the face of education in Nigeria in terms of facilities, in terms of human capital development.”

  • Avoid bad companies, graduands told

    Graduating pupils of Livingstone College Ikorodu, Lagos have been advised to keep off bad companies, as the kind of people they interact with will either bring them fulfillment or sorrow.

    The school’s founder Dr Kola Christwealth spoke during the school’s valedictory and graduation  at Ikorodu Town Hall.

    He said: “As you go into the world, you will come across different kinds of people, the good, the bad and the ugly; the generous and the stingy, the optimist and pessimist.

    “The runner, walker, crawler and the consistent. You will come across the dynamic and the fixated, the neat, the dirty, the organised and the disorganised, the spiritual, free thinker and the atheist.”

    He added:”There is power in association and you will be influenced by such people. Whether you like it or not, your association will either speed up or delay the realisation of your vision.”

    Christwealth urged the graduands to seek those who would inspire them to greatness as well as encourage their progress.

    Four hundred and sixty graduands across the senior secondary school cadre passed out from the school.

    The school’s Administrator Mr Abayomi Adeniyi, charged students on the advantages and disadvantages of their new- found freedom and independence.

    “You are gradually taking your own destiny in your own hands. Owing to your freedom, you are bound to flow amid many co-travellers with their various types of influence. It is up to you to decide what suits your purpose and ambition,” Adeniyi said.

    Adeniyi said aside academics, other students that excelled in extracurricular activities would similarly be encouraged.

     

  • ‘Graduands’ home training continues’

    The premises of the Command Secondary School, Ipaja, Lagos, wore a cheerful look during its valedictory service held at the school pavilion.

    The Commandant of the school, Col M. Kadai, said the graduands should be celebrated because they made it through their determination even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

    The school pavilion venue of the event, was decorated with blue and a touch of gold, with graduads looking resplendent in black blazer suit, white shirt and a red tie to match. The girls styled their hair beautifully and the boys had nice haircuts. Their teachers and parents were not left out of the paparazzi. They were decked in their best attires.

    Col. Kadai urged parents to continue to counsel and not leave their wards  as this could make them vulnerable to outside influences.

    The guest speaker, Mrs Ngozi Onyemekara told graduands to be conscious of the decisions they make, as it will be recorded as part of their story in future.

    “Life is like a book and it can only be interesting if we read it in chapters. Your life in this school is getting to a close and you are about to open a new chapter. Be cautious of how you open this next chapter, because you are moving to experience new set of situations in life,” she warned.

    Father of the day, Ambrose Uduechi, urged graduands to remember their alma mater, embrace hard work and move closer to God in their quest for greatness.

    “Wait on the Lord to achieve great heights. Have accurate vision like the eagle, which flies directly towards the sun. Eat what is right. The eagle will never stoop so low as to eat dead meat. So reduce your consumption of junk food. Don’t dwell on your past success, rather, aim to achieve greater ones and never forget who you are. You are an eagle, not a chicken,” He said.

    The mother of the day, Haijia Hindatu Yauri gave tips on making a successful journey out of life.

    “Everything we have taught you, keep them, especially self-control and patience,” Yauri said.

    She added: “Life is a journey, so run with these values. Have a goal and a vision so that you would not be sidelined by bad company. Keep to your pillars of character as taught by Command Secondary School.”

    The event, anchored by special guest of honour, Maj Gen Isadore Edet, also featured presentations of awards and the launch the school magazine Comlag Star.

     

  • Command school graduands advised on goal setting

    Graduating pupils of Command Secondary School, Oshodi, Lagos have been charged to set goals to achieve success in their academic pursuits.

    The Commandant, Lt Col Amadu Bukar, gave the charge at the valedictory service and graduation of the SS3 pupils held at the Dajuma Hall of the school.

    Bukar said: “I charge you to go out there and set a goal for yourselves. Look back and think of where you are coming from. Set a goal in your academic standard. Go out there and make a big difference and always remember your alma mater.”

    Managing Director of Grand Oak Nigeria Limited, Mr Fatai Odesile, who was the guest speaker, gave the graduands tips on making a successful journey in life.

    “Confidence, character, discipline, patience, determination and hard work are tools you need as you step on from here.  You will require all these virtues in larger percentages. Unfortunately we live in a world where crime is on the increase, but I am positive that you are the new breed that will bring a positive change, especially to our nation,” Odesile said.

    Chairman of the occasion, Dr Yolanda David, reminded the graduands that all they need to live a successful life are inbuilt.

    “Every requirement for living a successful life is already inside you, as wired by God. You are not too young to achieve great things. Identify who you are so that you will not abuse your great position in life. Don’t sell yourself short and know that nothing is impossible. Shine with good legacy. Do not settle for mediocrity, follow your passion, be focused, put in all the commitment and dedication required and you will fulfil your purpose,” he said.

    Delivering the valedictory speech, head boy, Nnamdi Benjamin advised his peers to: “believe in themselves, be the shining light, and remain prayerful.

    Meanwhile, the graduating pupils received gold plaques from the GOC 81 Division Nigerian Army, Maj Gen Isidore Edet for exceptional performance both in character and learning, as they cut their three tier cake, while Lt Col Bukar presented best performance prizes to the JSS1 to SS3 pupils.

     

  • Graduands tasked on good attitude

    IF nothing else, pupils of Grace High School, Gbagada, Lagos State, would always remember the importance of good attitude in their journey into the next phase of life.

    This is because virtually all the elders invited to address them at their graduation urged them to maintain good attitude in all their endeavours.

    First female Vice Chancellor in Nigeria, Prof Grace Alele-Williams, who gave the opening address, counseled that of all they learnt in school, the morals and character trainings were the most important.

    She said: “When you study your academics, you may remember some and forget some. But the character, skills and morals you learnt are the most important things henceforth and they take you forward or backward in life. Always remember who you are and never forget God.”

    Delivering the keynote address, Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, also tasked the pupils to have the best attitudes to secure their dream jobs.

    She said: “I am asking a favour of the students. Always have the best attitude in life. It takes you high in life. Every employer is looking for people with the right standard and attitude. Your academic excellence is secondary.”

    Mrs Soyombo, who rated the school as one of the best in Lagos, both in academics and infrastructure, charged its management to continue to be focused, committed and dedicated to reach greater goals in life.

    Meanwhile, the School Administrator, Mr Roland Cilliers, described the 2016 class ast the most challenging so far, saying they mirrored traits he exhibited at their age.

    He said: “This set has been the most challenging so far. God put me here as principal of this school as punishment so that I can meet  the present graduating set, because I was just like them when I was their age, if not worse. Never forget that even though I may have given you a hard time, I never stopped loving and caring for each of you. As much as you think I have been harsh on you and not letting you do as you please, I say sorry, live with it. The next step you are about to take is very important. Think very carefully about it.”

    Cilliers advised them to work towards building a good legacy that they can be proud of and set new goals and ambitions.

    The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of merit awards to Mrs Soyombo, Prof Alele-Williams, Prof Lawrence Oginni; and the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Oyeleye.

    Graduands rewarded include the valedictorian, Taiwo Babatunde; Academic Star, Emmanual Emejuru who bagged about 11 academic awards; and Ekenechukwu Ikeora for exemplary conduct.

  • Abimbola Fashola to graduands: be wise

    Lagos State’s former first lady, Dame Abimbola Fashola, has advised graduating pupils of Strong Towers Academy, Ikorodu, to make good use of their new found freedom and stay away from things that could bring disrepute to their families.

    She said as young adults, they  would be responsible for their actions, urging them to tread with caution henceforth.

    She gave the advice at the school’s second graduation, where forty-five of  the pupils bid their alma mater farewell at the school hall last Friday.

    “You must use your new freedom wisely and know that you are responsible for your actions and inactions henceforth. Beware of the company of friends that you keep, as who you become in life will depend on your association,” Mrs Fashola warned.

    Dame Fashola added that the graduands should possess qualities, such as honesty, accountability, integrity, respect, love, selflessness, teamwork, empathy and humility in order to equip themselves for leadership roles.

    The school’s Principal, Mrs Josiah Holland, also advised the graduands to develop good attitudes as that would determine their outcome later in life.

    She said:”Your attitude determines your outcome. Negative attitude brings discouragement while positive attitude will help you do everything better.”

    She advised them to do things differently to achieve extraordinary results.

    One of the highlights of the event was the performance of the school’s orchestra team to the delights of their parents and guests.

    One of the graduands, Ajose Opeyemi, said he was grateful to the school for laying a good foundation  for him. The graduands donated a sculpted image of a pupil in their school uniform to the school.

  • Principal counsels graduands on ‘5ps’

    Anyone wondering what 5Ps connotes only needs to ask the Principal of Bishop Howells Memorial School, Bariga, Rev Bamidele Osunyomi.

    It was his secret ingredient at the 2016 graduation of the school held at the Christian Event Resource Centre, Bariga.

    His pupils wondered whether he was speaking in parables until he gave the meaning as – ‘Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance’.

    Armed with 5ps, Osunyomi assured the 73 graduating pupils of the school that they had no reason to fail.

    In his baritone voice, Osunyomi admonished the 42 SS3 and 31 JSS3 graduands to inculcate the habit of proper preparation so they can perform well during examinations

    He said: “As you get ready for second half, always remember that proper preparation prevents poor performance. As you do all these, all of you are definitely going beyond the sky”, Osunyomi said.

    He also advised them to be self disciplined, creative and enthusiastic towards their set objectives.

    The outgoing senior prefect of the school, Miss Elizabeth Agboola, charged her fellow graduands to continue to aim higher and strive for the best.

    Agboola said: “I enjoin my colleagues and I to continue to work hard, pray and aim at excellence so that our parents and other well wishers will continue to be proud of us.”