…School alumni honour IGP, Cardoso with lifetime achievement award

Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has assured Nigerians that the police will provide adequate security for forthcoming elections. He said lessons from recent elections have strengthened the force’s preparedness to maintain peace.

Disu gave this assurance at the grand endowment fund and lifetime achievement awards of St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association (SGCOBA). He was honoured with the lifetime achievement award alongside the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Olayemi Cardoso, and others for their distinguished career in public service and leadership.

Disu urged Nigerians to expect a peaceful electoral process, recalling the security arrangements during the Ekiti and Osun elections.

“You brought in the issue of the election; I want you to look back at the Ekiti election. Everybody commended the Nigerian police. We just finished our Osun election; everybody thought it would be violent, people would die, but we surprised everybody.

“Not one death was recorded. We have just finished one of our conferences where we lectured all the commissioners of police and everybody that will be taking part in the election. We give you our word that the election will come and it will go very well,” he said.

The police chief also expressed appreciation to St. Gregory’s College for honouring him alongside the CBN Governor and others.

Describing the award as one of the biggest recognitions he could receive, Disu said being honoured by one’s alma mater was particularly significant.

“The best award anybody can get in the world is the one given to you by your alma mater. St. Gregory’s College is a great school,” he said.

Disu also urged students and old students of the institution to uphold what he described as the “Gregorian spirit,” including respect for elders, continuous learning and supporting fellow alumni.

He said the school’s alumni could be found across different sectors and parts of the country, adding that the values taught by the institution had continued to shape its graduates.

He expressed gratitude to the school for the recognition, praying that God would continue to guide the institution.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu commended the SGCOBA for establishing an Endowment for Perpetual and Infrastructure Development Fund to strengthen the institution and preserve its legacy.

The governor, represented by Head of Service, Lagos State, Agoro Shuaheeb Olabode, described the College as a remarkable institution in the history of education in Lagos and Nigeria, noting that generations of Gregorians had distinguished themselves in public service, business, academia and other professions.

Sanwo-Olu said education remained one of the most important investments a society could make in its future, stressing that schools must not only prepare young people for employment but also develop leaders capable of shaping society.
He said the endowment fund demonstrated a commitment to strengthening the college for future generations, adding that it could support scholarships, modern infrastructure, innovation, capacity development and educational excellence.

The governor urged students to pursue academic excellence, build strong character, respect their teachers, parents and elders, and develop the courage and creativity to solve the problems of their generation.

He also commended the management, teachers, staff, Old Boys Association and contributors to the fund, assuring that the Lagos State Government would continue to support initiatives that strengthen education and human capital development.

Earlier, SGCOBA president, Francis Oluwole Kudayah, said the endowment and perpetual fund is to support the modernisation of the 144-year-old institution and secure the association’s financial future. He said the fund would support the expansion and modernisation of the College Hall, classrooms, Digital Hub, Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centre and e-library, as well as the upgrading of sports facilities.

According to him, the proposed sports projects include an indoor sports complex, tartan tracks for the athletics field and modernisation of the cricket oval.

The president also acknowledged Pa Omolayole for inspiring the perpetual fund and donating an additional 70,000 Nigex shares, after an initial donation of 30,000 shares.

He said the fund would be managed through a governance structure involving a Board of Trustees, external fund managers and auditors, with quarterly reports to the association.

Chairman of the SGCOBA event, Dr. Omolayole, urged old students and supporters of the institution to contribute to the association’s perpetual and endowment fund to secure the college’s future.

He announced a donation of 70,000 shares of NGX Group to the association’s endowment fund, bringing his total contribution to 100,000 shares, following an earlier donation of 30,000 shares.

He urged believers in the Nigerian capital market to support the initiative through share donations.

The endowment fund, he said, is intended to provide sustainable support for scholarships, educational programmes, infrastructure, staff development, technology and other strategic initiatives for future generations.