Olivet Baptist High School Old Students Launch Endowment Fund as School Clocks 80

Olivet Baptist High School National Old Students Association has announced a three-day celebration to commemorate the school’s 80th anniversary. The events will hold from April 10 to 13. 

The key event is a fundraising initiative on April 12, aimed at rallying alumni worldwide for legacy projects that will support the structural and technological development of the school.

In a joint statement, the president of the National Old Students Association, Dr. Wale Okediran and Chairman of the 80th Anniversary Central Planning Committee, Dr. Olusegun Ahmadu, emphasized that the activities have been thoughtfully curated to serve as a reunion platform for former students. 

They stated that the mission is to drive educational and infrastructural projects that ensure that current students enjoy a superior learning experience.

“This 80th anniversary celebration is therefore designed to honour the rich history of the school and showcase its enduring impact to the whole world,” said the statement. 

While noting that the old students association has, in the past, implemented many iconic projects like the upgrading of learning facilities and sports complex, construction of the school hall, donation of computers and other learning aids, and construction of the school gate, among others, they said that the 80th anniversary fundraising would be further channelled towards restoring and enhancing the school’s glory. 

“The project implementation team is using this medium to call on all alumni to register for and be part of the X Space conversation by filling out the Google form we shall be promoting across the digital platforms so that their data can be adequately updated,” added the statement. “It is a unique opportunity for all old students, home and abroad to come together to relive the old times and chart an impactful future for our great alma mater.”

In addition to the fundraising event, the celebration will feature a Twitter space conversation designed to reunite alumni across all sets. Also, a comprehensive documentary showcasing the school’s evolution and the diverse generations of Olivetians will be promoted digitally. The primary aim is to strengthen the bond among alumni and to inspire them to unite and demonstrate loyalty, commitment, and passion for the school’s advancement and welfare. 

Olivet Baptist High School, formerly Baptist Boys’ High School, is an iconic public secondary school located in Oyo Town. Affiliated with the Nigerian Baptist Convention, it was founded by the American International Mission Board on 29 January 1945 on its original site in the premises of the old Baptist Mission House at Oke-Isokun, Oyo.

Currently, the school is located on the Old Ibadan – Oyo Road. Its vibrant National Old Students Association (NOSA) was founded in 1976.

“For 80 remarkable years, Olivet Heights, Oyo, has stood as a beacon of learning, growth, and community transformation, nurturing generations of thinkers, leaders, and visionaries,” the statement explained. “As we mark this historic 80th anniversary milestone, it is vital not only to celebrate its enduring legacy but, more importantly, to address its urgent needs through a meaningful spirit of giving back.”

This celebration marks a unique occasion for the Olivet community to come together and invest in the future of the school. At its inception, the school was among the few in Nigeria outside Lagos that boasted of hostel facilities, staff quarters, and excellent laboratories for sciences, home economics/food and nutrition, fine arts, and music.

It also featured workshops for metalwork, woodwork, and technical drawing (mechanical/building), an agricultural centre with poultry and a fishpond, and various sports facilities. Consequently, Olivet Heights became a dominant force in inter-school academic literary debating competitions and sports, excelling in soccer, basketball, hockey, handball, and athletics. The school also offered lawn tennis, cricket, squash, badminton, volleyball, chess, and table tennis facilities.