AUD marks Diamond Jubilee at Jumat service

ANSAR-UD-DEEN (AUD) High School, Falolu, Surulere, Lagos, has commemorated its 60-year anniversary with thanksgiving to Almighty Allah. The anniversary was held during the Jumat service at the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society Central Mosque, Ajao Road, Surulere.

Speaking during the thanksgiving to mark the anniversary the National President of AUD High School Old Student Association (AHOSA), set of 1977, Rafiu Williams, said the alma mater has had great impact on all the students who passed through the school.

He said: “The founders made a conscious effort to give the school more than a veneer ground for future captains of industry. This is why despite being a faith-based school, admission was not restricted to students of Muslim background but all, and this made our school become the exception to the norm. Our alumni have excelled immensely in their chosen fields of human endeavor, be it law, medicine, education, architecture, public administration, media, business, others. For this and many more, we are grateful to Almighty Allah.”

Williams further said AHOSA aims to become a formidable association, adding, “We want to keep supporting each other, provide for those who are retired, getting old and need support. In addition, we have a ten-year development plan for the school, which will cost about N300 Million.”

Williams also noted that AHOSA supports students of the school on a yearly basis during West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examination Council (NECO).

According to him “We provide educational materials to them. We provide extramural coaching classes to show to the present students the values of education as well as the morals of life that must be upheld. We want them to know that there is consistency and reward for hard work and honesty”.

We also make available weekend classes for additional preparation for the WASSCE and NECO, and we have seen visible improvement in their examination results. We have also commissioned a sick bay for the senior school students, equipped the Home Economics laboratory, and we have improved the staff room. We donate infrastructures and other necessities for the school regularly. We recently refurbished the Biology laboratory with about N2 million. We have provided an ICT laboratory for the school twice. Also, another laboratory in the junior school was just refurbished and completed a few days ago. We have an N100 million project for the school this year. So, AHOSA’s achievements and targets are countless and we are a work in progress.“

The Chairman, 60-Anniversary planning committee, Alhaji Rafiu Ebiti said: “We are grateful to Almighty Allah for keeping us till today. My appreciation goes to the founding fathers of Ansar-Ud-deen Society for helping humanity to develop by laying the foundation stone to build many eminent old students who have made significant strides, contributed to nation building and international development. May Allah accept it as act of ibadah.”

He further said: “This thanksgiving serves as the opening for other commemorate activities spread over the year. I want to specially thank all committees particularly the fundraising committee. We also appreciate the support of the Mission Board of Ansar-Ud-Deen society, the past Presidents and Principals, the entire body of old students, Education District IV leadership, the teachers and current student of the school. It is onus on products of our Alma mater to give back to society.”

National Legal Adviser to AHOSA, Olatunji Sheriff, a 1982 set of the school, said the idea is to give back to the society that produced them.