The King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) yesterday called for public support and understanding as it celebrates the 117th anniversary of the iconic Lagos secondary school, amid growing attention over the Federal Government’s proposed public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement involving the institution.

 Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday to herald the 2026 King’s Week, President of KCOBA, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, said the association would hold a separate world press conference tomorrow to address issues surrounding the PPP arrangement.

He explained that the association had traditionally organised a press briefing as part of activities marking King’s Week, but the timing of this year’s celebration coincided with the controversy surrounding the proposed management arrangement.

According to him, the PPP issue would be addressed tomorrow by the President of King’s College, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, who is also Chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees and the King’s College Education Trust.

Ibrahim-Imam said Okunnu could not attend yesterday’s briefing because he had lost his younger brother and had to attend the burial.

He appealed to journalists and members of the public to attend tomorrow’s briefing, scheduled for 1 p.m. at King’s College, Lagos, where, he said, the association would provide further clarification on the arrangement.

“Please bear with us. You might be a little disappointed that I will not be talking about the concessioning or PPP arrangement between the Federal Government and King’s College Lagos. Please turn up in even bigger numbers tomorrow, as Alhaji Okunnu will be speaking to that critical issue,” he said.

Ibrahim-Imam, however, urged the media to recognise the contributions of old boys to the development of the school, saying the association had made substantial investments in infrastructure, education and student welfare over the years.

He said the briefing was necessary to correct what he described as misinformation surrounding the institution and to enable Nigerians to appreciate the sacrifices made by generations of old students.

Chairman of the 2026 King’s Week Planning Committee, Sir Gbolahan Olayomi, said this year’s celebration was particularly significant because it coincided with a major transition in the management of the school.

King’s College was founded on September 20, 1909, and Olayomi said the 117th anniversary offered old boys an opportunity to reflect on the institution’s past while looking ahead to its future.

He said the 2026 King’s Week, which began yesterday and will end on Sunday, September 20, is themed, “Owning Our Future, Advancing the King’s College Lagos Legacy.”

According to him, the annual celebration brings together generations of old boys, students, teachers, parents and other members of the King’s College family to celebrate the institution’s heritage, recognise achievements and support its continued development.

He said the week’s activities would include a virtual conference tomorrow, a Jumat service and Variety Night on Friday, the Founders’ Day Lecture and Alumni Dinner Ball on Saturday, and a thanksgiving service and annual general meeting on Sunday.

The Founders’ Day Lecture, scheduled for Saturday at the Ecobank Pan-African Centre, Lagos, will feature Pastor Ituah Ighodalo as keynote speaker, alongside other speakers including Dr. Luke Osinowo, William Uko III and Dr. Emeka Azinge.

Olayomi said the association had also recorded significant achievements in supporting the school’s development.
He disclosed that the old boys had facilitated the construction of an NBA-standard basketball court at the school, describing it as the first of its kind in the institution.

He added that his class set had invested tens of millions of naira in the digitalisation of teaching and learning at King’s College, while another class set was currently upgrading the school’s medical facilities.

“These are investments that ran into hundreds of millions of naira in the space of 365 days,” he said.

He said the association had also organised the annual King’s College walk, bringing old boys together to inspect the school’s facilities and identify areas where they could contribute to its development.

On human capital development, the association said 100 students were trained and certified in sustainability and climate action last year through a partnership involving old boys and non-profit organisations.

It also disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), had donated five interactive flat-panel displays to improve the learning experience at the college.

The old boys said some of the initiatives were part of their broader commitment to preserving King’s College’s legacy while preparing students for the future.

 The association maintained that tomorrow’s press conference would provide a more comprehensive opportunity to explain its position on the proposed PPP arrangement and its plans for the institution.