How Old Boys Revived St. Columbas Agbor

For Saint Columbas Grammar School, Agbor, Delta State, hope had practically faded away for the restoration of the glorious days that made the school a dream centre for quality secondary education more than 50 years ago. The sad story of its disintegration began with the improptu takeover of missionary and privately owned schools across Nigeria by the then military regime in the mid-1970s, which was clearly ill-preprared to run the school and hundreds of others across the country efficiently. Omon-Julius Onabu highlights the efforts of some members of the alumni association, who recently embarked on a rescue mission for the school

The Principal of the school, Very Rev. Fr Joseph Ugboh likened the remarkable intervention by the donor, at the behest of some committed old boys, to a time in biblical history as recorded in Psalm 126:1-6, “when the lord brought back Zion from bondage, it seemed like a dream, and then was our mouth filled with laughter, on our lips there was songs.”
He commended the “old boys of this great institution spread across the country and beyond for their immense contribution to the growth of the school.”

A visit to Saint Columbus Grammar School today will reveal a pleasant array of new blocks of classrooms, science and ICT laboratories equipped with exquisite furniture and all set majestically on a beautiful green landscape. That is the outcome of the initiative by the alumni to rescue the school from the precipice.

Speaking during the inauguration and grand dedication of eight blocks of classrooms, skills acquisition centre, science and ICT laboratories at the school recently, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa urged well-meaning individuals and groups in the country to join hands with the government to make quality education more accessible to the people, especially children and youths, because the requirements for delivering standard education cannot be met by government alone.

He stated that education remains the bedrock of development in any society and must be given the serious attention it deserves.

The governor, who was represented by the Chairman, Ika South Local Government Area, Hon. Sunny Tatabuzogwu, lauded the commitment of the former students, as well as the parents and teachers for their contributions to the survival and growth of the school.

He noted that human capital development is essential in equipping the children and youths for future responsibilities as parents and leaders, adding that the spate of insecurity in the country calls for concerted efforts, more than ever before, “to prepare our children for responsible citizenship, and there is no better way to do that than to give them sound education and training that will make self-reliant.”

He noted that one of the three new universities recently established by his administration is located in Agbor, adding that the government decided to implement the policy of locating one technical college in each of the 25 local government areas of the state to give youths in the state broader opportunity to acquire technical knowledge and skills that would enable them become self-employed and employers of others.

While congratulating the students and appreciating “the contribution of the Catholic Church in Nigeria to human capital development through the provision of standard quality education”, he urged men and women of means in the state “to emulate the most commendable donor of these state-of-the-art facilities and equipment we are inaugurating today.”

Okowa said such intervention would greatly complement the efforts of his administration in “providing functional critical infrastructure and facilities in our schools and colleges, as well as establish new ones,” in order to improve access to quality education for the future leaders in the state and the naton at large.

In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion and the pioneer senior prefect of the school in 1965, Mr. Bath Ibegbulem, appealed to government officials and policy makers or influencers to be mindful of the counsel or recommendation they give in fashioning government policies and programmes, especially in the education sector.

While reminiscing about what he termed “the good and glorious days of this school, when it was a missionary school and one of the best in this part of the country”, Ibegbulem regretted that the abrupt and forceful takeover of schools by the then military government had robbed St. Columbas (formerly St. Columbus and Gbenoba) Grammar School of its past glory.

He noted that the school had remained in deplorable condition even after the state government decided to return the school to its original owners, the Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku, despite spirited efforts of the alumni association to revive the school.

He thanked members of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association “whose efforts and commitment encouraged the donor” of the new classroom blocks and state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, Messrs Sunday Egede and David Ojei of Prince Ebeano Supermarket.

Also speaking, the Director of Education, Catholic Diocese of Issele-Uku, Rev. Fr. Anthony Banye, on behalf of the Bishop, Most Rev. Michael Elue, also thanked Prince Ebeano, saying that education is an invaluable asset to both individuals and the entire society.

“Education is an effective tool to promote transformation and development of individuals and the nation, from the point of ignorance to the state of enlightenment and self-awareness,” he said.

On behalf of the donor, Mr. Chidi Kossi said the gesture was in line with their objective to invest massively in “critical infrastructure that directly impact the lives of the people.”

Kossi, who noted that the donor was not counting the cost, said, “by this exemplary corporate social responsibility (CSR) project, we are leaving footprints on the sands of time, to be remembered long after we are all gone, as a legacy and an emblem of our unflinching commitment both to the development of human capital, as well as national development.”

A spokesman of the alumni association and legal aide to the Deputy President of the Senate, Dennis Nwanokwai, chronicled how the journey began to salvage the school as the facilities had practically become an eyesore.

The school is fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a large computer/ICT centre and library. The ICT lab is solar-powered, internet enabled, with 60 computers, smart-board and a projector, in addition to three large science labs (Physics, Chemistry and Biology), as well as three halls for wood work, mechanical, electrical and electronics workshop.

The monarch of Agbor, HRM Dein Benjamin Ikenchukwu, was represented by Obi Onyeagor, and appealed to the Catholic Church to consider reducing the school fees to enable more children utilize the facilities available in the school.