The Corona School Trust Council has reaffirmed its pledge to develop students equipped with skills that extend beyond the classroom, as 52 pupils of Corona Secondary School, Agbara, concluded their secondary education at a graduation ceremony held on the school’s campus in Agbara, Ogun State.

The event marked the close of secondary school for the Class of 2026, a cohort the school administration described as one that entered with varied backgrounds, talents and abilities, and is leaving with distinctions in academics, sports, the arts and community service.
Addressing parents, staff, guests and the graduating students, the Principal of Corona Secondary School, Agbara,Innocent Oaikhena,, said the theme for the year’s graduating class, ‘Shaped by diversity, Defined by distinction’ reflected the profile of the 52 students.

“They came in here with so much diversity in very many areas — background, talents, academic credits, extra-curricular skills, interpersonal relations, and music.
“Today they have come up with distinctions in so many areas — some of the highest results in UTME in the country and other notable record-breaking feats,” he stated.

According to the principal, the graduating set includes winners of national art competitions, music exhibitors and student-athletes who have represented the school in regional and national tournaments.

Beyond individual awards, he said, the class built what he called a “parallel legacy of community impact.”
He listed student-led initiatives that raised funds to sponsor underprivileged children, donated digital devices to public schools and stocked libraries in underserved communities. The Group Treasury Manager, CFAO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Adeyinka Ogunnubi,, in his keynote address. drew his charge from the book, Eze Goes to School by Onuora Nzekwu, a novel he said he first read more than 40 years ago as a secondary school student.

The book tells the story of a boy who loses his father and is forced to fend for himself and his ailing mother, yet perseveres through school.
From the book, Ogunnubi outlined four lessons for the graduates.
First, he said, the comfort and opportunities they enjoy are a privilege, not an entitlement, and carry an obligation to extend help to others.

Second, failure and rejection are inevitable and should not be interpreted as verdicts on their worth.
Third, no one succeeds alone, and mentors should be sought early and intentionally.and lastly, opportunity favours those already engaged in work, not those waiting idly for it to arrive.

“Do not wait for life to happen to you. Be at work, be learning, be building,” Ogunnubi told the graduating class. “When opportunity comes, it will meet you prepared.”

The high point of the ceremony was the announcement of Miss Chikaima Nsofor as valedictorian of the Class of 2026. Nsofor received multiple awards for academics and extracurricular activities.

Oaikhena described the valedictorian as “academically gifted” and a “nerd in the most affectionate sense.”

“She is also a rugby player with medals to show for it, and — hand her a microphone — she becomes a formidable public speaker.”

In her valedictory remarks, Nsofor thanked teachers, parents and her fellow students, attributing her achievements to the environment Corona created for them to try, to fail safely, and to try.
Mother of the valedictorian, Mrs. Uchenna Nsofor,, commended the staff of Corona School for their roles in her daughter’s development.
She described the school as “fertile ground for undiluted character development, academic and all around,” adding that the emphasis on discipline, service and excellence shaped the graduating set.

The ceremony featured presentations by the graduating students, including musical performances, spoken word and a short documentary on the class’s community projects. Awards were presented for academics, leadership, sports, music, visual arts, and service.

The Corona School Trust Council, through the principal, restated its commitment to what it termed “well-rounded education” that pairs academic rigour with leadership, creativity, and civic responsibility.

Oaikhena said the school would continue to invest in facilities, teacher training and programmes that expose students to technology, entrepreneurship and service.

“Education is not only about passing examinations,” he said. “It is about producing young men and women who can think, who can create, who can lead, and who understand that they owe the society that invested in them.”

The 52 graduates now move on to universities in Nigeria and abroad.
The school said several have already secured admissions and scholarships based on their UTME scores, international examination results, and portfolios in arts and sports.