It was a celebration galore at the hall of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council, Ilorin, on Saturday (July 20, 2019) when the old students of Government Secondary School Idofin in Oke- Ero local government area of Kwara state reunited after several years of departure.
The well attended gathering under the name ‘Annual General Meeting’ provided an avenue for old students to have a reunion, as they brainstormed extensively on the need to improve the status of their Alma matter.
The old students, who dressed gorgeously in their best attire, exhanged pleasantries with one another. They reminded themselves of their old names including nicknames which practically added glitz and glamour to the event.
The current principal of the school, Chief Joel Ogunbiyi was elated with the coming together of the old students and described their union as a step in a right direction.
The Principal who was represented on the occasion by the School Labour Master Mallam Jamiu Yusuf commended the old students for focusing on the development of their Alma matter.
He urged them to come to the aid of the collage in terms of provision of infrastructures, teaching aid and incentives so as to give the school a face-lift.
Earlier in his address, the President of the union, Mr Sunday B. Eshorun thanked members of the old students for their large turnout, which he came as a surprise to him.
” I never believed we will pull this crowd. It is a thin of joy that the old students of our great school have resolved to use their connection, exposure and their wealth of experience to improve the standard of the school that produced us.
“To the glory of God, we were able to converge in November last year after 37 years of departure. Our today’s gathering was a product of last year’s meeting. Our school was established in October 1977. I was one of the pioneer students, I graduated in 1982 and we thank God to be alive till today. Incidentally I’m also the pioneer President of this union.
“Some of our members have gone to the world beyond including our teachers and Principals, we prayed God to have mercy on them.
“I never expect this huge crowd, by the time we meet next time, God willing, I have a convinction that, we would have achieved for ourselves and for our great school” he added.
He said the coming together of his members just within the last eight months has assisted members in a number of ways especially in the areas of assisting their children to gain admission, as well as helping their children who are graduates to do their one year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in a state of their choice.
Eshorun, who is an ex-banker, disclosed that GSS Idofin has produced a good number of students who are now making waves in their various professonal callings. He said the school has produced Bankers, Medical Doctors, Engineers, Pastors and great Islamic Scholars, Celebrated Politicians, among others.
Also speaking, one of the old students of the school who incidentally, the Senior Prefect of the second set in 1983, Alhaji Muhammed Isiaka Danmairomu pledged the readiness of his members to spare no effort to bring development to the school that gave them secondary education.
Danmairomu disclosed that the old students had concluded arrangements to visit the Alma matter and assess the level of damage on the school infrastructures to be able to ascertain areas to come in for possible intervention.
Delibrations on the need give the school a fece-lift form the substantial parr of their discussion as a four-man welfare Standing Committee was constituted to work out modalities on how best to come to the aid of their believed school.
The members of the committee are Mrs Yemisi Alabi, Mrs Bisi Obayomi, Mr Jimoh Olarongbe, and Ajibade Samuel.
Another six-man deligate headed by Alhaji Danmairomu was also constituted to attend the school’s 2019 Prize Given Ceremony that is coming up on 31st of July, 2019 at the school premises. The delegates were advised to assess the school infrastructures and subsequently have a brief meeting with the school management for them to harvest good information about areas through which the school might want them to come in.
Highlights of the event included eating and drinking, exhanging of pleasantries, group photographs among others.
End.
