By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – FORMER Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Prof. Akii Ibhadode, has called for a coordinated and long-term intervention by old students to rescue Edo College, Benin City from infrastructural decay and declining academic competitiveness.

Ibhadode stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Biennial Delegate Conference of the Edo College Old Boys Association (ECOBA), Benin City, Edo state.

He said the school could only reclaim its comparative advantage if old students adopt a strategic and unified approach.

He said “The overall development challenges facing Edo College lie in improving its infrastructure, strengthening teaching and learning, and institutionalizing a robust guidance and counselling system for students.

“These contributions are valuable, but their lack of integration limits the overall impact and fails to maximise the benefits of support from government and other partners,” he said.

He said that the school’s deterioration began in the 1980s due to inadequate funding, poor maintenance and teacher attrition, which had eroded the strong academic reputation.

“For reinvigoration to take place, Edo College and ECOBA must work in concert to put in place an effective and efficient in-school guidance and counselling system to directly help prepare students for post-Edo College years.

“The other side of the coin is the institutionalization of a platform to support the careers and businesses of younger ECOBites,” he said.

In his opening remarks, the chairman of the event, the first civilian governor of Edo State Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, appealed to the old boys to provide more tangible facilities to the school to enable the students to feel their impact positively.

Another former governor of the state and the immediate past president of the association, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, urged the newly elected executive to elevate the status of the school for the next two years. He said they will be given the necessary support to ensure the right thing is done.

On his part, the newly elected president, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun reinforced the concerns raised by the keynote speaker, describing Edo College as “one of Nigeria’s foremost post-primary educational institutions” whose foundational strengths must be restored.

He said although old boys had supported the school through classroom rehabilitation, laboratory upgrades, scholarship programmes, an e-library and other interventions, the gains were not yet transformative.

Ogbeifun announced that his administration would produce a 10-year strategic development plan covering 2026 to 2035 to guide interventions, resource mobilisation and implementation.