By Princess Olaleye

The St. Joseph’s College, Ondo Old Boys’ Association, 1981 Set, has elected Chief Ade Adepetun as its second president, ushering in a new era of leadership for the alumni body.

The election, which was described by Adepetun as an epochal and monumental event in the annals of the association, marks a seamless and peaceful transition of responsibilities in recent times.

In his acceptance speech, Adepetun said the inauguration represented not just a change in leadership, but a reaffirmation of the values that have held the association together over the years.

He pledged to consolidate on the gains recorded by his predecessor, while charting a new course for the association defined by unity, love, welfarism, transparency and accountability.

He emphasised that the General Assembly would remain the supreme body of the association, while the Executive Committee would serve only as trustees of the collective will of members.

To reinforce this principle, he promised to run an open-door and open-book policy, granting members unrestricted access to the association’s records and ensuring that all decisions are openly debated and collectively agreed upon.

“Our mantra shall be ‘One for all; all for one,’” Adepetun declared, stressing that no divisions, caucuses or cliques would be tolerated under his leadership.

He assured members that the association would truly belong to everyone, regardless of status, background or location, adding that inclusiveness would be the hallmark of his administration.

Looking ahead, Adepetun outlined several priorities for his tenure, including strengthening existing structures and programmes to ensure the association remains on a solid footing.

He said the new leadership would harness members’ expertise by creating committees that would draw on the diverse talents and experiences of alumni across various professional fields.

He also said his executive would collaborate with the national body, currently led by Prof. Olufemi Mimiko, as well as other alumni sets and corporate organisations, to advance the objectives of the association.

Adepetun paid tribute to the sacrifices of members, acknowledging their physical, spiritual, emotional, moral, and financial contributions to the association’s growth over the years.

He assured that with their continued support and God’s guidance, the association’s glorious flight to unstoppable progress and greater greatness had only just begun.