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By Ochuko Akuopha, UGHELLI

THE Government College, Ughelli Old Boys Association, GCUOBA, Friday, held it’s 2021 Awards, Prizes and Testimonials, APT, Reunion/40th anniversary of GCU 1980 class with a vow to continue to contribute towards the infrastructural development and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the school.

Speaking during the event, President General, Worldwide of the association, Arc. Charles Majoroh lauded members of the class of 1980 for projecting the “name of our Alma Mater well. We are indeed very proud of you for holding aloft the torch and keeping the ship sailing.

“Government College, Ughelli is more than a name to all of us who attended the school. It is for us, an evocation of our unique identity as a group that was nutured in the finest tradition of a school built on the foundation of British colonial education passed down through the years and generations. Today, your old school is known everywhere and l dare say, all over the world because of our individual and collective effort to Keep The Ship Sailing.

“That great tradition has been continued by the current National Executive Council and leaders of the association to coordinate robust intervention from individual Old Boys, Classes and Branches to fix dilapidated infrastructure, build new ones and enhance the quality of teaching and learning.

“It is no easy task but, like a famous line from our country’s political history, ‘it is a task that must be done,’ which is why l commend the Class of 1980 and indeed the many other Classes that have willingly and graciously keyed into the developmental objectives and plans of our Old Boys Association.”

Majoroh who inaugurated a Wall of Honour to recognize and encourage genuine efforts and love by GCU members and corporate organizations, noted that the the Old Boys Association had over the years, rebuilt hostels, classrooms, administrative blocks, arterial roads and contributed to the upkeep of the school.

He added: “We are also marking the graduation of Class 2015 – 2021. To all members of this Class, you are graduating and will become old boys of this great school. The greatness is not just in the physical landscape and facilities, which is without comparison anywhere in Nigeria, but in the collective identity of the GCU old boy.”

In his remarks, Chairman of the Class of 1980, Mr. Endurance Miuweme, commended Majoroh,

and his team at the National Executive Council of GCUOBA Worldwide for maintaining the

tradition of celebrating the APT and other annual activities at the College.

He said: “Unlike some Classes, the hustle and bustle of life did not give us the insight to organize ourselves as a Class group early. The idea was muted by a few classmates sometime in January 2019, and

we began to organize ourselves as a class group in April 2019 using social media.

“This effort culminated in the first meet of about 50 classmates at Ughelli in August 2019. The joy was indescribable as some of us were reconnecting for the first time since we left the College some

34 years earlier.

“Following the meet, we realized we had a lot of catching up to do having been informed of the

amazing work our PGWW and his Team at the National Executive Committee were doing at the

College, and the excellent Projects other Classes had executed, some of them by our Juniors at

the College. We immediately set up a committee to engage with NEC to identify a Project for us

to execute. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and the world economy was greatly

impacted.

“Nonetheless, we are proud to say that, despite the shortness of time in our formation as a Class

forum, and, the havoc wrecked by the COVID-19 global pandemic, we were still able to identify

with the NEC to take a project in our Alma Mater. Our project is to renovate the dilapidated old

Engineering Drawing building as a Skills Acquisition Centre for Tailoring and Leather works (shoe

making).

“It is our belief that this project, when completed will not only equip the students with

hands-on-skills, but also unlock their creative minds towards production and entrepreneurship. It

is also our thinking that this will positively engage the students and distract them from the

negative social vices that are prevalent amongst youths in our society today. It is our hope that

other Class groups would take up the challenge to equip the students with digital skills that are desperately needed in today’s marketplace.

“The first phase of the Project has been completed – that is removing the old asbestos sheets and wood and replacing with new wood and Aluminum roofing sheets.”