After 50 years of their graduation from Ilesa Grammar School, Ilesa, Osun state, which is the premier secondary school in Ijesaland, members of the 1968/72 Set returned to the school to celebrate the golden anniversary of leaving the school as they held a three-day event which ended with a thanksgiving service at the Cathedral of St. John, Iloro, Ilesa, on Sunday, 4th June, 2023.
The program of activities started on Thursday, 1st June with Quiz Competition among schools in Ilesa East and West local government areas, followed by Friday 2nd of June's "myriad of activities” that featured 50th anniversary lecture delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, CFR. , Commemorative Tree Planting and commissioning and renaming of the 50-year old Jubilee Building.
The more than thirty-five million Naira building renovation project covered the demolition of the roof structure and re-roofing with long span aluminum roofing sheets, concrete parapet facial with beams, aluminum windows, metal doors, tiling of the entire classrooms, mild steel railings, PVC suspended ceilings, internal/external painting and aesthetics around the building. The building was also equipped with 150 combined chairs and tables for 300 students.
It was therefore a celebration of joy and re-union for the Set when their wish that the Jubilee Building that they were the first to occupy and which they have collectively taken as their baby for upkeep purposes that should not go back to a state of decay" was achieved as they handover the renovated building and renamed same after their school principal, late Rev. J. A. Oni (Principal 1969 to 1975.)
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Engr. (Dr.) Obisesan Daramola, the National President, Ilesa Grammar School, Old Students Association (ILEGSOSA) recalled the unthinking moment when in 2017 the Osun state administration under Mr. Rauf Aregbesola phased out Ilesa Grammar School and for three years, October 2017 to November 2020, the entire school was empty of life and living.
"...Progressive dilapidation set in all the structures of the school (until) God used immediate past-governor Gboyega Oyetola to bring our school back to life. Since then old students have been faced with the challenge of rehabilitating and restoring the past glorious features of the school." Engr. Daramola said
Commenting on the significance of renovating and renaming the Jubilee Building, the Chairman 50th Anniversary Planning Committee of the Set, Mr. Bosun Falore FCA, said:
"Our choice of the 50th Anniversary Core Project was based on number of factors, amongst which are ; the grace our set had to be the first occupants of the new building built in 1971 and in which we spent our last two years of studies in the school; the memory of the solid, beautiful and spacious classrooms remained in our minds as young students while we graduated in 1972; The sadness of the state of the school's dilapidation in general, especially the building could only be imagined in us when we visited the school some years back.
"It became obvious to us that the Government and Parents Teachers Association could not cope with the responsibility of keeping the school in the pride of place we left it. Thus, we realized that our set has the moral concern to keep the building in good usable state."
In their documented goodwill messages, the Most Reverend Dr. E. Ademola Ademowo, erstwhile diocesan bishop of Lagos remarked that 'only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. " as he he prayed that the years ahead will be increasingly fruitful and peaceful for the members of the Set. The Rt. Rev. Prof. Dapo Folorunso Asaju who was physically present at the Thanksgiving Service remarked that "looking ahead into the future, I am confident that the 1968/72 set will continue to play a significant role into how the school will be in the next decade." Mr. Olaniran Olayinka, Managing Director/CEO Keystone Bank Limited looked forward to celebrating more landmarks with the Set.
Listen to the School Anthem:
VIDEO: Click on the image to watch
More Photos:
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