By Ebele Orakpo

CORONA Secondary School, Agbara, Ogun State, rolled out the drums on Saturday, June 2, to celebrate the Class of 2018 and also two of its students who passed the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Foundation examinations and one who had the second highest score in JAMB. All eyes were on the trio of valedictorian, Oluwakorede Akande; salutorian, Stephanie Agana and third overall best, Omobolanle Alashe, as they walked tall among their peers due to their academic accomplishments.

In her speech entitled: The best is in you, principal of the  school, Mrs. Chinedum Oluwadamilola said she was elated at the amazing accomplishments of the Class of 2018. “They gave us an inkling of what to expect by smashing the Standardised Aptitude Test, SAT in December, 2017 and went on to give us the best IGCSE result in the school to date, where some of them made As in all the subjects they wrote. The Class of 2018 ‘humiliated’ UTME (JAMB) with 10 students scoring above 300, over 75% of them making 250 and above, and one of the students scoring the second highest in the country.

A cross section of graduating students of Corona Secondary School(CSS), Agbara, 

“I will not fail to congratulate this graduating class for being the class that produced the first and only secondary students in Nigeria to pass the foundation level of ACCA. The impressive university admissions and mouth-watering scholarships deserve our applause.”

She implored them to find purpose in the insights they have gained, given the practical, meaningful, invaluable and education they  have received; urging them to be worthy ambassadors of the school. She charged them to see that the world around them benefits from the holistic education they have received from Corona Secondary School. In his speech entitled: Nothing but the best, guest speaker and Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe attributed the sterling performance and successes recorded by the students to perseverance, determination and commitment to learn.

Defining success as “having positive impact in your environment,” Ogundipe admonished the students to do more, learn to surround themselves with good people, take small steps and embrace challenge. “You must know that setback would come but use the stumbling stones to move to the next level.”

While noting that success is not a day’s job, Ogundipe said  that to achieve greater success, they must leave their comfort zones and decide to be solution providers.”

He advised them to learn from their mistakes and never give up in life even when they fail or fall.

The Valeditorian, Oluwakorede Akande, who had  the best result in the 2012 Common Entrance to Corona  and was on scholarship for six years, said he was able to maintain the lead due to hard work.  He said Corona has had an all-round impact in his life. Akande advised the younger ones to “always give their best and  never forget God.”

At the end of the ceremony, awards of recognition were given to outstanding students while the duo of Anthony Ilobinso and Ademola Adelekan were bestowed with the outstanding teachers award of the 2018 set. Cherechi Uruakpa and Charles Uwadia passed the ACCA Foundation Level Examinations while Ibukunoluwa Oduntan came overall second in JAMB with 344 marks.

Dignitaries at the event included the VC, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, CEO, Corona School Trust Council, Mrs. Adeyoyin Adesina, Director of Education, Corona School Trust Council, Mrs. Amelia Dafeta, Executive Chairman, Agbara/Igbesa L.C.D.A, Hon. Ebenezer Oniyide, representatives of  Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, ACCA, Lagos and West, Abayomi Quassim, Ayoola Ademoye, parents and well wishers.