113th Anniversary: King’s College Holds Colloquium on State of Nigeria
Wale Igbintade
To mark its 113th anniversary, King’s College has set processes in motion to hold a colloquium where solutions to issues of insecurity, and lack of national cohesion facing the nation will be proffered.
The event, billed for September 24, with the theme: “Building the Nigeria of our dreams”, will be chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, while Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is chief host.
Chairman of 2022 Kingsweek celebration, Etigwe Uwa, SAN, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos, stated that other dignitaries expected include: Director-General of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN); former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega and Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) former President, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN).
He said the Managing Director of ARISE News Channel Ms Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, would moderate the session, as the event is to set an agenda for a new Nigeria, in line with the long-standing tradition of King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA).
According to him, the outcome of the colloquium will be forwarded to policymakers and heads of the nation’s legislative houses for action.
He said: “This year the association will be celebrating the 113th anniversary of the founding of the college and has lined up events to mark the occasion.
“The theme of this year’s celebration is “Building the Nigeria of our Dreams” and this is informed by the current realities facing our country, and the pivotal stage at which the country currently is, which is a source of grave concern to Kingsmen.
“It is pertinent to note that the College was originally established to groom leaders for our dear country Nigeria and that vision remains relevant in the year 2022.
Uwa said the theme was carefully chosen to reflect the mood of majority of Nigerians, stressing that many people are not happy about the current situation in the country.
He said: “Today, we witness a lots of our youths, medical doctors, and other professionals migrating out of the country to other places, because a lot of people have taken the view that the outlook of the country is not very good.
“A lot of people have taken the view that it would be difficult for the country to survive. The level of insecurity in the country is alarming. Initially, insecurity was confined to the North-East, but now we find insecurity in the North-west , in the North-Central, in the South-east, a bit of it in the South-South, and it’s gradually creeping into South-west.
“So, we decided to bring together stakeholders to brainstorm on what we need to do, to build a Nigeria of our dreams, a Nigeria we all can be proud of, a Nigeria where there is prosperity, peace and unity, where we can achieve our dreams and aspirations and goals, that is what informed the theme of King’s Week 2022”
Speaking, the Deputy President of KCOBA, Dr. Leke Oshunniyi, reiterated the association’s commitment to providing a better infrastructure for the college.
He pleaded with the federal government to consider ceding the administration of the college to the old boys under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, considering the enormous resources needed to run schools.
