Alumni associations can contribute to school development

St Anthony’s old students decry decaying infrastructure

Old students associations have been challenged to see themselves as important stakeholders in the drive to achieve high moral and academic transformation of their alma maters.

They have also been tasked to function as purveyors of infrastructural transformation in these institutions, as leaving such tasks to the government and parent teacher associations produce little or no fruits.

Principal of Baptist Academy, Lagos State, Bosede Ladoba, gave the charge during the 35th Anniversary Re-union/Dinner for the 1976/81 sets, under the auspices of Baptist Academy Old Students Association (BAOSA).

According to Ladoba, old students must not lost touch with their alma maters, rather, they should consistently re-unite and think about what they could do to develop where they have been moulded and transformed to become who they are.

“Sometimes when the old students come around, they say to us, this is not our school. Our school used to be very beautiful. It was as if we were overseas, but because of transition from government to mission and to government, there tend to be change of things. They must not forget their alma-mater, the source of their success.”

Chairman of the association, Seyi Malomo, applauded the 35-year-old friendship amongst its members, which has recorded unprecedented growth in marriage, prosperity, and opportunities to give back to their alma mater through different areas of interventions.

In a related development, the St. Anthony’s College, Ubulu-Uku Old boys Association (SACOBA), Delta State, is appealing to the state government to come to its aid, especially in the area of renovation of the dilapidated buildings, and provision of potable water for the students.

Chairman of the association, Dr. Phil Nonyeh Ofulue, who spoke at the diamond jubilee celebration of the association, noted that the school had over the years suffered negligence.

He regretted that the school founded by the Roman Catholic Church, on June 29, 1956, with active support from the Ubulu-Uku community, which produced great men, in the past, now has no befitting structure.

Earlier, Asaba branch chairman of the old boys, Mr. Anthony Ifeanyi Uzogo, said the school well known in the then Mid-West region, for her academic and sporting excellence, is currently a shadow of itself in terms of infrastructural dilapidation and lack of basic facilities.
He said; “consequently our Association has resolved to set as our signature project the provision of a borehole, reticulation plant, and a 30KVA power capacity generating set for the school.