Gbolahan Balogun
Former Head of state, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is expected to lead the pack of prominent Nigerians on Saturday, February 18 at the grand finale of a week-long celebration of the golden jubilee of Federal Government College Ilorin.
The anniversary lecture and dinner will cap several other activities, which the organisers said would re-echoe the unity of the country as the old students gather from near and far for a reunion and to give back to their alma mater
Besides prominent old students, including the Head of Service of the Federation Dr. Folashade Mejabi Yemi-Esan, former governor, Donald Duke, Justice Dupe Atoki of the ECOWAS Court (the first head girl) and several others that span professions and callings, the occasion will host other dignitaries from all walks of life.
Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, executive Governor of Kwara state will play host while HRH. Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Zulu Gambari is the Royal father of the day.
Speaking on the importance of the event at a press conference in Ilorin the president of the old students association, Rear Admiral Muazu Salami (rtd) said much as the old students were willing to give back to the school in terms of developmental projects and other donations that would be unveiled, the anniversary would emphasise and project more, those values and essences of the unity schools as conceptualized by the founding fathers.
“We want to showcase the investment of the Federal Government in unity schools in Nigeria as well as urge the government to do more.
“We are grateful to a country that invested in us.
“We want to celebrate our brotherhood and Nigerianess. Nigerians in the past produced Nigerians with patriotic fervour and we want that to continue”.
Rear Admiral Salami, who said that Nigeria has the potential of being among the best countries in the world despite its current challenges, called for united efforts at confronting security challenges presently facing the country.
He urged Nigerians to draw strength from the beauty of the rainbow, adding that Nigeria’s diversity is its beauty.
He further urged old students of federal unity colleges across the country to continue to promote peaceful coexistence for the advancement of the country, “As we came from different backgrounds and were brought up to appreciate Nigeria as a country.
“We were trained to live together, to be peaceful, tolerate one another as well as believe in leadership and excellence.
The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee of the 50th anniversary, Mr Femi Edun, who reeled out several projects would be commissioned during the anniversary.
“We are commissioning the upgraded ICT centre where we are providing sets of the computer. We are also commissioning a solar power project for an uninterrupted power supply in the school.
“We are also going to be commissioning phase two of the solar streetlight project to ensure that the entire campus has a lighting system. This is one of the ways of enhancing security on campus.
“Over the years we have intervened in several areas because our association believes that it will help keep the school’s legacy going and ensure that future generations of students imbibe same ideas, he said.
Activities for the 50th anniversary which started on Friday include prayers sessions in the school mosque and chapel, Inter-house sport, Founders Day with the commissioning of Projects, Lunch with the students, Novelty Match, City Tour, Meet & Greet, Special Assembly, Variety Night, Dinner and the Annual General Meeting, AGM.
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