HATS OFF TO ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL AT 60

 OCHUKO VINCENT SADUWA  writes that the school has done remarkably well

  How time flies! Anglican Grammar School, Okpara Waterside, is 60. The celebration centres around the age. But even more, it affords us the opportunity to celebrate the school, and two sets of students that passed through the four walls of the school and are privileged to see this day. These are the 1964 and 1974 sets. While the 1964 set deserves

special recognition in the event of today being the first child of this large family, the students of the 1974 set on the other hand mark

their 50th year of their exit from the school. These are memorable landmarks.

 The Urhobo man always seek the best and as far as the education of the child is concerned, primary school education is not enough

for the child. And within the Urhobo ethnic stock, the Okpara people are one of the most assertive in pursuit of what they want. This small Community of Okpara Water-side [“the Community”] is famous for many feats in the history of the

Urhobos of the Delta region. The peoples’ revolt against the then perceived bad policies of the Action Group government of the then

Western Region in 1952 was led by this Community. Again, unknown to many, the age-long socio-cultural body of the Urhobos

world-wide, the Urhobo Progress Union [UPU] was indeed founded on the initiative of an indigene of this Community, the late Mr.

Omorowhovo Okoro. As matter of fact, the inaugural meeting that birthed the formation of the Union took place in his house in the community in 1935. The statistics are there that in the entire

Urhobo land, the Okpara people have the record of producing the highest number of medical doctors of which a large chunk is from the Community. It is within the above context one can appreciate the concern of the community on the need to create the platform for secondary education of their children.

To them, they want their children to acquire the knowledge of the white man and to become top civil servants, doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc. But how can that be achieved when there is no

secondary education for their children? How can they overcome this burden of having to send their children to distant places to acquire

secondary education? Apart from this, the members of the

Community were predominantly Anglican by faith so the resentment was there that their children might end-up giving up their religious

[Anglican] faith to rival missionary churches viz, the Catholic Church in their quest to go outside in search of secondary education. For

instance, the Aghalokpe Community that is host to St. Peter Clavers’ College is barely few kilometers from the Community. But this was

not an attractive option.

 On 1st October, 1960, Nigeria gained independence from Great Britain. A major effect of this was the decolonization process which

occurred side by side with partial indigenization of the church such that across Urhobo land, we now had natives as either Priests or

Reverends as applicable among the missionaries. As a result, the

communication and barrier gap that hitherto existed between the

early missionaries and their adherents was greatly narrowed. This paved way for direct communication between the natives and the

church that led to the establishment of schools across Urhobo land.

 The school was originally known and called Okpara Anglican Grammar School when it

was founded in 1964. They relished the name. However, the church officially re-named the school Anglican Grammar School, Okpara Water-side. The first intake of the school in 1964 was less than 50 students while the pioneer Principal was the late Reverend A. W. Bovi who started the school with just two teachers.

 The school at its inception expectedly went through series of developmental challenges. These ranged from inadequate infrastructure viz, electricity, administrative buildings to classrooms. In particular, the authority of the school could not put in place a science laboratory for the study of physics, chemistry and biology for the foundation students. This was a major set-back. Nevertheless, some of them who graduated without the benefit of enrolling these subjects in their final year qualifying examinations still ended up as science graduates from various universities across the country. In time, the likes of Messrs Felix Ogbaudu,MON, AIG (rtd); Mr. Best Towuru (late) renowned pharmacist; Raymond Erijo and Engr. Sunday Okpako, a retired Permanent Secretary, Delta State, amongst others,  excelled in the field of science and engineering despite the early challenges. From the pioneer set we also have Mr. Uviomo Akpo, a tax guru and former Chairman of Delta State Internal Revenue Board;  Mr. Black Akusu; Dr. Dafioghor, another pharmacist of repute, and others.

From the 1974 set, we have the likes of Professor James E. Ovri, pioneer Rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku; Professor Onome Aghwafefe, Professor of Urban and Regional Geography, Delta State University, Abraka; Mr. Esegbuyata Freeborn Ekurume, a Chartered Quantity Surveyor; Peter Ishaka, a seasoned journalist with stints at Newswatch and Tell Magazines, and now member of THISDAY Editorial Board; Ochuko V Saduwa, Esq., Chartered Engineer who

had a stint as a Senior Engineer, DSC [Aladja] and later NAFCON (Onne) [1987-1992]. He was in private practice as a Consulting Engineer to both the NNPC and NAFCON, and currently a legal practitioner. We also have Dr. David Agbeyegbe, Chief Lecturer at the Taraba

State Polytechnic, Suntai, Taraba State; Chief Philip Emagbetere, currently based in UK

Indeed, the school has produced numerous students in various discipline of medicine, law, engineering, accountancy and more. And of course, a lot of them including Richard Mofe- Damijo have made their mark in the entertainment industry. There is no doubt that the school has indeed come of age.

But as expected, there are also challenges. The school, at the beginning, was a boys’ school. Now it is a co-educational with the associated task of nurturing the girl-child. There is now the need for separate hostel(s) that should be maintained regularly. There is also the need to expand and upgrade the existing facilities of classrooms, laboratories, etc., to meet the current realities in a learning environment. Fortunately, the old boys’ association has

in its few years of existence stepped in to support the school in some areas of needs. In particular, some of the old students have

through personal efforts carried out some projects of note in the school. These are the new residence of the Principal that was built by

an old student. Another student has taken over the construction of a new science block. Also, the school bus was refurbished  by an old student. On the part of the Association, it

renovated a block of three classrooms as well as the purchase of a 30KW

sound proof generator. The Association is poised to do more to support the school. We have a moral obligation to partner with the school on issues of development.

Excerpts from keynote address by

Saduwa, Esq., B.Sc, C.Eng; LL.B; B.L,

at the 60^th Anniversary of the School