…marks 19th Graduation and Prize Giving Day

By Chris Onuoha

The best side of this year’s graduation and prize giving day of Command Day Secondary School (CDSS) Ojo held on Monday July 22 is a display of amateur technology inventions carried out by one of the junior student of the School.

Master Desmond Ameh demonstrates his electronic powered inventions while the Commandant, CDSS Ojo, Lt Col MS Bappaiya speaks

The school has also maintained the lead in the ICAN school competition for Command Secondary Schools in the South-West for four consecutive years.

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Master Desmond Ameh, a Junior Secondary student (JSS II Jasper) who came up with four inventions; a talking robot, an armored care, a ceiling fan and an automobile car, all made from the scrap of obsolete electronic gadgets and paper, dazzled the audience while demonstrating how his inventions work. This, apparently, affirms the school’s objectives; “to develop the knowledge and understanding of students in order to prepare them for the increasing responsibilities in the future through academic discipline,” and as one of the technology thriving hub among Command Schools within the South-West zone.

Explaining how he came about the inventions, young Desmond Ameh said, “When I was much younger, I used to fondle with my mom’s mobile phones and other disused electronics in the house. One day, my mom, after discovering how witty and creative I was with those gadgets encouraged me to develop useful things instead of playing around with them. While trying my hands to see how the electronic chips work using battery, the interest to invent moving toys was developed. When I got admitted in Command Day Secondary School, Ojo, my Science teachers helped to shape my understanding.”

Desmond also said, “What you are witnessing today is a combination of existing talent, my mum’s support and what I learnt in the school. The idea was conceived from things I see around me including watching cartoon animations on television. I decided to produce the amateur gadgets as a way of launching myself into future inventions.”

The event, marking the School’s 19 years of existence attracted lots of parents/guardians, well wishers and students of the school who thronged in numbers to grace the occasion. CDSS in Ojo Military Cantonment is one the Command Day Secondary schools in the South-West zone built on the premise of providing high quality education and discipline.

Among the special guests at the ceremony were Maj Gen Musa Sanni Yusuf, General Commanding Officer GOC, 81 Division, Nigerian Army; Brig Gen BenZain Haruna Mohammed, Ag Commander, Nigerian Army Education Corp NAEC; Brig Gen Umar Nasir Babangida, Director of Education, 81 Division, Nigerian Army and the host, Lt Col Musa Shaibu Bappaiya, Commandant, CDSS Ojo.

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Speaking to Vanguard on these creative inventions by young Desmond Ameh, the Commandant, CDSS, Ojo, Lt Colonel Musa Shuaibu Bappaiya noted; “I am pleased that this is coming from my school. It demonstrates the effort we have put into teaching the students on how to be creative and productive, not only in science but also in other area of studies.

“That’s the aim of Mr. President to see somebody that can come out and do things by himself, and the boy has proved that the technology that we are teaching them in the school is working. He is learning faster than the teachers because when the teachers give them a project to do, they will go at length to surprise them with their inventions. He is a hub to the nation and the society at large. It is my prayer, to see him go beyond this and also planning to take him up to do more in the technology sector in the country.

Master Desmond Ameh with his electronic inventions

Earlier in his valedictory remark, Lt Col Bappaiya admonished the graduating students keep up with what they have learnt in the school.

He said, “After a successful six years educational career in this school, there is no doubt that you are very excited and highly elated to be going into the world of ‘Freedom.’ Freedom in quote because these past years, you have been exposed to rigorous academic work, discipline and moral training that are all aimed to make you face the challenges of the life you will encounter in the free world.

A popular writer titled one of his books as ‘Not safe to be free’. The outside world is a free world full of ups and downs. However, I have no doubt in my mind that the overall training you have received in CDSS Ojo has prepared you for the journey in the market place of life.

Also speaking, the School’s Secretary and Features Editor of the School magazine called “The Junior Scholar” Mr. Jimoh Towoeni stated that the 19th edition of the CDSS Ojo Graduation and Prize Giving Day is a unique one because it marks the accomplishment of test projects set by the acting Commander, Nigerian Army Education Corp (NAEC), Brigadier General BenZain Haruna Mohammed.

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He noted that the present CDSS Ojo Commandant, Lt Col Bappaiya has taken a lot of effort to put things together to change the School radically.

“Among all the South-West Command Schools, CDSS Ojo is a school to beat because. We are up to date with infrastructures and the talent is here. The young Desmond has also demonstrated some wonderful inventions to show how our school has tried to keep up the technology learning the society requires today to move the country forward.

Another thing is that the school has also excelled in academic competition such as the ICAN school competitions for all Command Schools in Nigeria which we have won consistently for the past four years.

There is also a training that is done for all prefects in Lagos State Command Schools which our school is the only outstanding participants. Finally, there are lots of prospects in these students and whatever they have learned here is what will propel them into the next level of their academic pursuits and human endeavors,” concludes Towoeni.

Vanguard