The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat, has emphasised the need for a massive collaboration among all stakeholders to reform secondary school education in the country, saying efforts should be put into ensuring that graduating students are equipped with relevant skills to meet modern day needs and challenges.
Speaking during a Fundraising and Award ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, Dr. Hamzat, who was the guest speaker, observed that the nation’s education system is currently not evolving as the societal challenges it is meant to solve. While noting that no country can ever hope to rise beyond the quality of its educational system, Dr. Hamzat described secondary education as the cornerstone and training ground of leadership and “the phase where sense of responsibility is introduced and entrenched”.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, who is an alumnus of the school, identified major barriers to ensuring a future-focused secondary education system to include outdated curricular, infrastructure decay and collapse of established cultures, values and ethics of the olden days schools that set them apart as great citadels of learning and character formation.
He listed some of the values as resilience, accountability, civic consciousness, and the discipline required to lead selflessly and courageously. “We need to rethink, reinvest and re-imagine secondary education, as this must be the new chamber of leadership formation and innovation lab to forster environmental and entrepreneurial mindsets to lead Nigeria’s renaissance”, he declared.
He identified the essence of the Olivet Baptist High School’s 80th anniversary celebrations to be its generational impact as seen in the multidimensional contributions of its products to national socio-economic development. “As we celebrate Olivet’s 80-year legacy, we must recognise that its greatest achievement is not in the number of students it has produced, but in the quality of leadership, service, and societal transformation those graduates have delivered. From public service to private enterprise, from diplomacy to academia, the Olivet alumni community continues to be a constellation of stars illuminating Nigeria’s path to greatness. Let this anniversary, therefore, be a clarion call to reinvest in our legacy, reignite the Olivet spirit, and ensure that the next 80 years birth an even more illustrious generation of leaders”, he stated.
In his remarks, the President of the Olivet Baptist High School National Old Students Associations, Dr Wale Okediran, said the school has, over the years, carved a unique niche as an epitome of excellence in academics, sports and humanity.
He said in the last 80 years, the school has come to be known as a veritable reference point for inter-school academic competitions /projects as well as sports in Nigeria.
“Over the years, Olivet has made tremendous efforts to develop a balanced curriculum which nurtures the whole-person and the development of each student. The school’s outstanding achievements in academics, sports, and leadership training fully demonstrate the success of this holistic approach to education. It is on record that through 80- years of development, great changes have taken place in our dear old school. Apart from setting the pace in many aspects of educational pursuit in Nigeria, our school has produced many outstanding old students of whom we are proud.”
“The number of students has largely increased while cadres of a younger generation of well-trained teachers have been replacing the older ones, and taking leadership positions in the school. This has injected new vitality in and given new challenges, as well, to the growth of the school. Also noteworthy is the fact that Olivet has evolved from being solely dependent on government support to one that has enjoyed a tremendous support from its old students”, he further submitted.
Also, Chairman of the Anniversary Central Planning Committee, Dr. Olusegun Ahmadu, appealed to the Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, to revive boarding house in the state’s education system.
Ahmadu said: “Today, we make a special appeal to Governor Seyi Makinde. The boarding house system is a vital pillar of quality secondary education, yet its absence has caused a decline in standards over the years. As we celebrate Olivet’s 80th anniversary, we ask for your support in restoring this institution to its former glory-complete with boarding facilities. This step is crucial, not only for Olivet but for reviving the golden era of secondary school education across the state. Olivet’s readiness is self-evident, as demonstrated by the calibre of its alumni. Your Excellency, we urge you to sanction this return, starting today.”
Speaking further, Dr. Ahmadu said, “This reunion is not only a moment to felicitate and reflect on our shared history but a clarion call to contribute actively to Olivet’s continuedgrowth”.
He therefore called on all Olivet Baptist High School stakeholders to participate in all efforts to restore the School to its glorious status, saying the journey towards such glorious restoration requires all alumni to unite and rise to the challenges that lie ahead.The event had in attendance many notable old students and friends of the institutions as well as corporate organisations.
Dignitaries present include Dr. Wale Babalakin, Chairman, Bi-Courtney Limited; Professor Wande Abimbola, ex-VC, OAU; Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly and former Senator representing Oyo Central district; His Emminence, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu; and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Olawale Oyebola Adeyeri III, Ajirotutu I, among many others.