Old Boys to Mark Centenary of Secondary Education in South-east

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

With the exponential development brought about by missionary education, the Old Boys Association of the first secondary school in the South-east of Nigeria have rolled out drums to celebrate 100 years of secondary education in the zone.

The National President of the Uzuakoli Methodist College Old Boys Association (UMCOBA), Mr. Ugochukwu Okoroafor, told a press conference in Umuahia yesterday that the first secondary school which started as an “experiment has been a huge success.

“In the past 100 years, secondary school education in the South-east of Nigeria has helped to bring development and enlightenment. It has built up a Rolodex of eminent personalities and achievements.

“We are very proud of our antecedents and we are hopeful that the next century will bring even more blessings and glory to our society through the activities of the products of Methodist College Uzuakoli,” he said.

Okoroafor recalled that it was at its maiden Synod in Eastern Nigeria that the primitive Methodist Mission, which arrived the area in 1870 took “the first step towards introducing secondary school education in South-eastern Nigeria.

“With this modest step, the Methodist Church, in 1923, launched an ambitious mission of establishing a secondary school and this initiative marked the beginning of secondary school education in the South-east of Nigeria and the birth of Methodist College Uzuakoli.

The pioneer secondary school in the South-east started as the Uzuakoli Institute before it was eventually renamed Methodist College Uzuakoli.

The National President of UMCOBA, who was flanked by the Archbishop of Umuahia Archdiocese, Dr. Raphael Opoko, and other old boys of UMECO, said that the Methodist Church had a clear cut objective in introducing secondary education in the South-east for Nigeria. 

He said: “With the foregoing in mind, it was clear that the Methodist Church wanted to use ‘Christian education’ to expand its reach in Eastern Nigeria and help bring development in the wake of the devastation of the First World War and the Anglo-Arochukwu War.”

The leader of the Uzuakoli Methodist Old Boys said that the College has turned out “great products” including the late premier of defunct Eastern Region, Dr. Michael Okpara, Justice Udo Udoma, Mr. Edwin Ogbu, and a former governor of CBN, Mr. Clement Isong, among others.

In his remarks, Archbishop Opoko noted that “we’re blessed” because in all these 100 years of existence none of the old boys of the College has been indicted for wrong doing by any court of law.

According to him, the products of UMECO have always strived to leave a legacy of honour and honesty anywhere they found themselves whether in public or private sector.

He said that the church is collaborating with the Old Boys to “give the best to the society,” adding that entrepreneurship (technical) education was going to be introduced at Uzuakoli Methodist College.