Protocols.
Let me congratulate all of us for crossing to the second half of 2024 and praise God Almighty for it is not by our power, but by His Grace that we are alive.
I am pleased to inform you that the Education Committee has concluded plans to organise Holiday Coaching Classes for the SSS 2 and SSS 3 students of the school with a view to preparing them for their final examinations. We want to start early and get some remedial work done to enhance the preparedness of our students for the external examinations. The exercise is expected to commence on August 4 and run for three weeks. Once again, I want to express our sincere appreciation to our amiable brother, Prince ‘Dokun Agunlejika and his team for these great efforts. The Committee is working strategically to reposition the academic standard of our school.
I am delighted to inform you that the Digital Centre will start to test run the systems on Wednesday 3rd July 2024. We shall announce the date and the programme for the official launch of the Centre in due course. No doubt, so much effort has been put into building the Centre and we must not leave any stone unturned to ensure we have a very successful launching. We will also seize the opportunity to appreciate our donors and all those who have contributed in any way to the success of the Digital Centre. I am planning that we will bring a few experts onboard to showcase the benefits of Digital Education to the students and the tremendous opportunities that they have if they embrace ICT from the onset. I pray that Almighty God, the most merciful and the most beneficent would meet us all at the points of our needs.
As a promise, immediately after the formal launch of the project, our Vocational and Agricultural activities will take off in the school. We want to ensure that we utilise all the resources available in the school with a view to making the students more responsible and useful in life come next session.
The ever changing societal dynamics has created a new set of challenges and our role is to train our students to proactively react to these changes and be better prepared for the tasks ahead. Despite our inadequacies, we must be prepared to take a lead in the direction of secondary school education in Nigeria. That is a promise that the current Executive Committee has made, and we are committed to the attainment of these goals.
I observed that only 60 people were captured in the Association’s Group Life Assurance Policy for the 2024-2025 year. This is far below my expectation despite the several appeals that I made. The Ijesa Elderly Health Insurance Scheme being packaged by the Ijesa Community Development Assembly has commenced. I hope our members who qualify under this Scheme have registered. Some of our members are donors to this Scheme and we should participate as beneficiaries. I pray that God spare our lives to enjoy the fruits of our labour.
May I seize this opportunity once again to remind us that we should try to pay attention to our health as individuals and as a family. Please let us endeavour to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Our relationship as old students is beyond the level of wining and dining. In the event of any challenge, please talk to a confidant among the buddies who could be of help in one form or the other.
I have noticed a worrisome development on our platforms which I want us to address in our various corners. Unlike many other schools in Nigeria, we were trained to respect our seniors, even if it is one year seniority. Age has no place in this. The relevant factor is your year of admission to that great school of ours. Let me call out my brother, Sir Fredrick Awote, (Fredooo), who would call ‘Senior A or B’, even though, we all know, he is not our agemate. Similarly, I want to call out our former President, Major General Lawrence Oluwafemi Jokotola, our own ‘Jokky-Lad’, who will embarrassingly be saying ‘Sir’, to we, his ‘boys’! Ewure mo ojo ti nwon bi ohun, o mo eni ti o ju ohun lo, o simo eni ti ohun ju lo! (Translated literarily, it means, The goat knows when she was born, she knows those older than her and knows those she is older than) This trait, which we must continue to uphold, clearly sets us apart from other institutions.
However, our seniors must also extend reciprocal respect to we juniors, given the reality of life that we are all adults, who left the school with concomitant status changes several decades ago! I believe this is the way to go.
We cannot use our platforms to display unnecessary arrogance or brilliance as to cause irritation to others. That is not the spirit of togetherness which we want to emplace in our community. I want to appeal to all members to please respect ourselves and maintain the “Ataku Family Bond” that binds us. I am begging please.
It is also appropriate at this juncture to advise us on the need to moderate our spending pattern, given the uncertainties in the macro-economic environment that we find ourselves. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. We must struggle to always keep our heads above water.
Let me use this opportunity to commiserate with the entire 1971 Set and the families of Late Samuel Babafemi Esho who died on 17th June 2024 at the age of 77. May his gentle soul rest in peace.
On your behalf, let me congratulate those Buddies who marked their birthdays during the month of June. May God Almighty continue to bless our esteemed families.
I want to rejoice with our mother in the Lord, Bishop Margaret Bola Odeleke on her double barreled celebration of 75th birthday and 50 years’ service in God’s vineyard. Similarly, our mother in the Lord, Pastor (Mrs.) Folake Oluleye, who also celebrated her birthday. May the Lord increase your anointing. You both have been of immense value to the Association, and we are not only very grateful but also pray for more blessings.
It is heartwarming to note that one-time Acting President of the Association and Chairman of the 60th Anniversary Committee, current Chairman of the Board of Governors of the School, Engineer Olusegun James Okebiorun would turn seventy in the next few days. May I use this medium to congratulate him and his entire family in advance for this accomplishment. I pray that Almighty God will give him long life in good health and prosperity. Jamero kan ti loo, K’Olorun ba a ma bu si lo ku bee! Amin. (Jamero don get money, na make God continue to bless am, na im we dey pray for. Amen)!
Finally, I wish to thank you all for your unrelenting efforts to ensure that we all succeed. Ours is an exceptional experience in school relationship.
My prayer is that the Association will continue to grow from strength to strength.
May Allah (SWT), the most merciful, the most beneficent, bless us all more than our expectations in the months ahead, and give us the grace to live long in good health and prosperity.
THANK YOU ALL.
Lateef A. Bakare, FCA, FBR