At Queen’s School 65th anniversary, deserving old girls get awards

It was fun, excitement and reliving of old memories when old girls of Queens School, Ede, now at Ibadan, gathered at the Apata Ganga Ibadan campus of their Alma Mata to celebrate the 65th anniversary of its founding.

President of the Old Girl’s Association (QSOGA), Dr Adetoun Agbe-Davies, in her address, commended the state government for its effort in turning the educational sector around with the establishment of the School Governing Board (SGB), abolition of automatic promotion, 80 per cent attendance by all pupils and the Oyo State Model Education System Interventions (OYOMESI).

She said it was no surprise that the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) adopted Ibadan as a Learning City in October 2016 and that QSOGA would continue to strengthen the partnership with the state government in restoring Queen’s School to its past glory and repositioning it as first choice for girls in Oyo State.

She also commended staff members, QSOGA members especially the anniversary planning committee led by Alhaja Modupe Leshi, the QSOGA National 1st Vice President.

Concluding, she enjoined members to work tirelessly to ensure that they continue to ‘pass on the torch – brightly gleaming as ever!’

Speaking at the event, chairman of the occasion, Dr. Mrs Bisi Akin-Alabi, special adviser to the Governor of Oyo State, expressed profound gratitude to the association for its never failing support in the development of its infrastructure and other assistance given to the school over the years.

She hinted that since Ibadan has been designated a learning city, government plans to create various learning hubs all over Ibadan, Queen’s School is being considered as a learning hub, she enjoined the current student, a number of who were seated at the hall with the old girls to study hard so they could be proud and worthy members of the society. She felt very proud to be associated with the members at the gathering.

The guest speaker, Ms. Moronke Azeez, the executive Director of Sage Consult Ltd and an old girl, gave a presentation about the poor state of education in Oyo State and the failing curriculum of the schools in the state.

She also identified the inadequate facilities available for the use of the almost 2000 students. She reminded the gathering that save for extra classroom blocks that have been added over the years by the old girls, the basic infrastructure the girls use now was used by girls in the 60s and 70s when their population was no more than 500.

Five deserving old girls were given awards by their alma mater, including Mrs Olasinmi Akindele Odunbakun, the erstwhile Commissioner in Ondo State and Mrs Sola Adebule, the first national president of the association. Likewise the wife of Senator Dada, Mrs Abimbola Dada, also got a distinguished old girl award as well as Justice Oluremi Adesida.

There were also three post humours awards, two to former staff, including Mrs Comfort Oredugba, the school’s first indigenous principal and the late Mrs. Adeyemi, a matron in the school. Also, a former old girl as well as the immediate past National President, Canon Felicia Bello, who died a few months after handing over to the current executive.