Minister seeks old students’ teamwork to rebuild school infrastructure

...Nominates alma-mata as step Centre…

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Worried by the present state of the Alma Mata, Minister of State for Education, Hon Chukwuemwka Nwajiuba has called on the old students association of the school to unite in rebuilding the school’s infrastructure. He also appealed to old students associations across the federation to wake up to the obligation of transforming their respective Alma Mata.

Hon. Nwajiuba, flanked by Chief Silas Okonkwo

He made this appeal during the end of year annual general meeting/home coming of Uboma Secondary School Ikperejere (USSI) in Ihitte Uboma local government area of Imo State.

Meanwhile, in the spirit of giving back the minister has gone ahead to nominate the school as a Step Centre. The federal government has designated the step Center for Science, technical, engineering and mathematics and for that reason the federal government is obliged to take teachers from the school and train them and then supply the school with computers to be able to be a Centre for the place.

The minister who was among the 1983 set stressed the urgent need for old students to remember their Alma Mata and try and put things right where they are wrong and help keep things in check.

“We hope we will continue to assist the school functions, we think right now the biggest challenge is maintenance of infrastructure, we have to cultivate a maintenance culture, you don’t need federal government to help you repair your roof, we should make sure that we maintain what we are given.

Nwajiuba however commended the body of the old students association for renovating the school gate which was done by the 82 set. While some members renovated the principal’s office, others reconditioned other blocks in the school, the minister urged them to continue in the maintenance efforts in renovating more places.

Hon Nwajiuba and other dignitaries at the event inspecting some ongoing projects at the school

According to the minister as long as we all contribute to keeping up the school, it will continue to be a citadel of learning.

According to him, the issue is for us to identify what’s right, identify the nature of that right, again identify how that right can be pursued, and then the right way to pursue that right. He believed that the right was best cultivated at Alma Mata and our country both of which must hold them, we are the good hope of this Alma Mata, he stated.

The minister noted that the school had produced everything, any school in Nigeria had produced and on the verge of producing one many schools cannot produce.

Nwajiuba

According to him, “when you do a chemistry experiment, there will be some effervescent, and when there is effervescent then there will be a precipitation, that precipitation is a product of some chemical reaction. We are those who have been precipitated in the course of this, many people have different things that they can do and different opportunity.

The essence of meeting be it as regularly as we can as old boys and girls now will be to see how we can use who nature and time has helped us precipitate to uphold that good hope for our Alma Mata and our country”, he continued.

“So, I have come to honour my Alma Mata and your Alma Mata, that’s what we share today. I know and I have always understood that God in his infinite mercy has given to all men and women different talents and gifts and every man or woman will be judged by his creator by the way he puts those talents to use. So, I do not wait for people to agree with me or acknowledge me or want me before I put any of my resources to use for what I believe in.

He recalled that the scripture says that for those whom judgment cometh are those who know what’s good and doeth it not. “I therefore come to ask all of us who are gathered here to please work together, if you have any need that we can work together to do we will gladly do that”, he added.

So it’s not up to us, sometimes allow yourself to be used to venture, and each time we get an opportunity kindly let us explore it, if there’s any way I can be of help I will gladly be of help, the minister promised noting that many schools have similar issues.

Okonkwo

The National Chairman, End of Year Annual General meeting/Home coming of the association, High Chief Silas Okonkwo said that the mission and objectives of the association was to provide for the country and the society the best and to be among the groups in charge of the affairs of this nation.

According to him, the objective has always been to improve on the infrastructural development of the school (Alma Mata) and provide good welfare packages for members and families.

This, he said could be seen in the form of getting jobs for the younger unemployed members and families, providing financial support especially sick members and helping members get federal and state contract and appointments

On infrastructural development of the school, Okonkwo pointed out that the reconstruction of the Principals’ offices was going on, also, the reconstruction of Hostel C Hall, popularly known as Engineer Acharaeke House which is 50 percent completed, under the sponsorship of Hon Minister of State Education, Hon Emeka Nwajiuba in honour of his father in-law”.

The association applauded the 1982 Set for the beautiful entrance Gate and Sign Post, going on simultaneously within the year ended 2021, Okonkwo stated.

The event had earlier featured a novelty football match between the class sets of 1990 graduands of the school and their juniors of 1991 at the school football field which no doubt added fanfare and glamour to the event.

The coordinator of the 1990 set Engr. Emeka Ononiwu, praised the two teams for the fitness, love and respect they exhibited during the match.

He emphasised that the match has afforded them once more an opportunity to re-unite with their juniors then and by extension entire old boys after many years.

Set of 1990 with the Sports Prefect then Calistus Korie on the ball, calling the shot.

“There is need to  give back to this institution that has made us what we are today and also to our teachers.

” We have ministers, senators, honourable members, doctors, engineers, Journalists, financial and political heavyweight who have passed through this great institution.

“This is indeed homecoming. We are optimistic that when we come together, we will reenact the good old memories that will aid us to chart a new course.

“We are optimistic that our able National President, High Chief Silas Okonkwo and his team has what it takes to do the magic. We are solidly behid him,” Ononiwu said.