By Ebele Orakpo

New Era College, later renamed New Era Girls’ Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos, was founded by seven visionary women back in 1948 and their vision was to have a school where young girls would be groomed and nurtured.

On November 17, through November 19, 2023, the school celebrated its 75th anniversary and current and old students, as well as families, friends and well-wishers rolled out the drums in celebration. The founders who have all passed on, were Lady Kofoworola Aina Ademola, Lady Oyinkan Abayomi, Lady Lande Bank-Anthony, Lady Ayo Alakija, Chief (Mrs) Remi Doherty, Chief (Mrs) Olajumoke Kwao-Sagoe and Chief (Mrs) Omolola Alade.

The three-day event started on Friday, November 17, with commissioning of the newly remodelled school hall by the alumni, named after one of the founders of the school and its first principal, Lady Kofoworola Aina Ademola. Saturday, November 18, there was a workout with a dance instructor, and basketball novelty match by the junior and senior secondary schools. The activities came to a close on Sunday, the 19th with a thanksgiving session and love feast/reception.

In her welcome address, the President of New Era Girls’ Secondary School Lagos Alumni Association, NEGSSLA-A, Mrs Adenike Bankole who called for a minute’s silence in honour of their departed founders and classmates, praised the founders for their vision and courage. “We can only imagine how daring, courageous and audacious the founders were to have envisioned a school to groom and nurture young girls back in 1948. Although they have all passed on, their legacies endure and continue to flourish because as long as New Era Girls’ Secondary School exists, it will always be traced to their vision.

The presence of two of the foundation students who enrolled in 1948 when the school was founded, elicited excitement among those present. They are Mrs Shade Thomas Fahm (who recently turned 90 years) and Hon. Justice Titi Mabogunje (retired).

Mrs. Bankole charged the current students to keep the banner flying high by being good ambassadors of the school; noting that they had the opportunity of being students of the school because 75 years ago, some young ladies dared to dream. She promised that NEGSSLA-A will partner with the state government to ensure the students’ learning experience is enriched always.

She thanked the teachers and principals for their commitment in nurturing the students as well as the Lagos State Government for always giving them a listening ear.

One of the characteristics of a living thing is growth and so the school which started with 24 girls in 1948, now has about 2,300 girls.

In 1979, the Lagos State Government took over the school among other schools. Although the school suffered some setbacks in 1987 when it lost most of its land to government for the expansion and rebuilding of the Teslim Balogun Stadium; also population explosion put a strain on the available infrastructure, but the alumni association rose to the occasion, they intervened and partnered with the government to redeem the existing infrastructure from total collapse.