Stakeholders in the education sector on Thursday converged on Egba Comprehensive High School, Asero, Abeokuta, to commission a modern school entrance and gate house, in a ceremony that highlighted the enduring value of alumni intervention and government partnership in revitalising public schools.
The project, executed by the Achievers 1982 Set of the school’s Old Students Association, was unveiled amid tributes to the school’s rich history, its contribution to nation-building and the renewed focus on infrastructure renewal in Ogun State’s education sector.
Speaking at the event, the National President of the Egba Comprehensive High School Old Students Association (ECHSOSA), Mr. Olufemi Popoola, described the commissioning as another milestone in the collective effort to restore the old glory of the institution.
Popoola began by thanking God for the opportunity to witness what he called a historic moment in the life of the school, noting that the ceremony marked the fruition of years of vision, sacrifice and collaboration.
He traced the origins of the school to February 1953, when it was established at Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, as the Egba Divisional Elementary Teacher Training College by the Egba Divisional Council.
According to him, the institution was relocated to its permanent site in Asero in 1957, before undergoing several transformations that shaped its present identity.
In 1964, he recalled, the school became Egba Junior High School, while another major transition followed in 1968 when it attained the status of a full-fledged comprehensive high school.
“The rest, as we say, is history, to the glory of God,” Popoola said, adding that generations of distinguished Nigerians have passed through the institution.
The ECHSOSA president paid special tribute to the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, under the leadership of the Commissioner, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, for what he described as consistent support for the school.
He particularly appreciated the state government for granting Egba Comprehensive High School flagship status three years ago, a development he said had accelerated infrastructural renewal and academic competitiveness.
Popoola also commended the Teaching Service Commission for its complementary role in strengthening the school system and supporting reforms in the education sector.
He praised the digitalisation of operations within the Ministry of Education, describing it as “top-notch” and a reference point for other states across the country.
According to him, the flagship status had spurred the execution of several infrastructural renewal projects aimed at placing the school on the same footing as its counterparts within the state capital.
The newly constructed entrance and gate house, he said, stands out among the array of projects now dotting the school compound.
Popoola disclosed that the project was fully executed by the Achievers 1982 Set, describing their intervention as a powerful demonstration of loyalty and commitment to their alma mater.
“On behalf of the entire ECHSOSA family, home and abroad, we sincerely appreciate the leadership and members of the Achievers 82 Set for their sacrifices, efforts and resources invested from conception to completion,” he said.
He prayed that God would reward the contributors for what he described as their sowing into the future of education.
Extending his appreciation beyond the 1982 Set, Popoola acknowledged the roles played by other alumni sets, groups, individuals, non-old students and friends of the school who have contributed to its ongoing transformation.
He thanked the Commissioner for Education, officials of the Teaching Service Commission and other dignitaries for honouring the school with their presence at what he described as a history-making event.
In her address, Chairperson of the Achievers 1982 Set, Mrs. Abiodun Khadija Lasabi, said the commissioning represented far more than the unveiling of a physical structure.
Lasabi, who described herself as a product and lifelong stakeholder of the institution, said her personal journey with the school spanned decades as a student, teacher, principal and now an alumna leader.
She recalled first entering the school in 1977 as a student, graduating in 1982, returning as a teacher from 1991 to 2004, and later serving as principal between 2022 and 2024.
“This institution never lets you go. It holds you in its heart, and you hold it in yours,” she said, explaining that the project was born out of a deep, shared bond between members of her set and the school.
Lasabi revealed that three alumni sets before the Achievers 82 had attempted to execute the same gate project but were unable to complete it due to circumstances beyond their control.
Rather than seeing those attempts as failures, she described them as pioneering efforts that kept the vision alive until the right moment arrived.
“We faced a choice: to be discouraged or to be determined. We chose determination,” she said, drawing applause from the audience.
According to her, the ultra-modern gate and gate house symbolise unity, resilience and a collective resolve to enhance safety, dignity and the learning environment of the school.
She stressed that every contribution, sacrifice and act of commitment from members of the Achievers 82 Set counted in bringing the project to fruition.
Addressing the students, Lasabi urged them to see beyond the steel, concrete and architectural design of the new gate.
She said the gates represent generations of doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, accountants, journalists, entrepreneurs and public servants who once walked through the same entrance.
“You are sitting where doctors once sat. You are learning where lawyers once learned,” she told the students, encouraging them to believe in the power of their dreams.
According to her, the quiet or struggling student of today could become tomorrow’s pioneer in medicine, law, technology or governance.
Lasabi said the new gate is a promise from the alumni to the students that they are believed in and expected to surpass previous generations in impact and achievement.
She expressed profound gratitude to the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Arigbabu, for honouring the occasion and for his leadership in advancing education in Ogun State.
The Achievers 82 Chairperson said the commissioning marked only the beginning of deeper engagement and partnership with the school and its surrounding community.
She reaffirmed the set’s commitment to supporting initiatives that would provide a stronger foundation and brighter future for generations of students.
Lasabi prayed for continued blessings upon the school, Ogun State and all contributors to what she described as a historic achievement.
She concluded by invoking a popular slogan that reflects the work ethic and identity of the state.
“In the spirit of our beloved Ogun State,” she said, “Omo Ogun, Ise Ya.”
