…reveal plans for forthcoming 70th anniversary
The Annunciation School Old Boys Association (ASOBA) of Annunciation School, Ikere-Ekiti, has made a passionate appeal for the donation of a school bus for students of the citadel of learning in order to make transportation easy for learners.
This was part of the deliberations made at the Alumni’s 2026 annual general meeting held on Saturday at the school premises.
Speaking at the event, the National President of the association, Engr. Morakinyo Moses Adesulu described the proposed Bus as a critical intervention that would ease movement challenges for students and improve access to academic and extracurricular activities.
He also unveiled a broad range of legacy projects aimed at strengthening infrastructure, preserving institutional history and expanding its global alumni network ahead of the school’s 70th anniversary.
According to him, the association has executed projects spanning the library, ICT laboratory, science laboratory, dormitories, classrooms, hostel conveniences, water reticulation, chapel, sick bay and kitchen, all targeted at improving the learning environment for students.
Among the landmark achievements cited was the renovation of the school library into a modern learning hub, alongside the establishment of an ICT laboratory and the ongoing renovation of the science laboratory.
Adesulu also highlighted the association’s continued investment in scholarships, end-of-year prize-giving ceremonies and academic awards, which he said were helping to drive students toward excellence.
In preparation for the school’s 70th anniversary in 2027, the National Executive Council of the Association proposed the establishment of an ANNCO Hall of Fame to document and celebrate the achievements of distinguished alumni and preserve the association’s rich heritage.
The association is equally reviving plans for the ASOBA Centre, a multipurpose structure expected to house the alumni secretariat, Hall of Fame, e-library and a large event hall within the school premises after the resolution of earlier disagreements with the school proprietors.
Adesulu said the association also intends to launch an ASOBA Cooperative Society to provide members with access to soft loans for small business support, while also expanding digital learning opportunities through enhanced e-library resources for students.
Speaking further on the 70th anniversary, he said, “the anniversary is going to be a major push for us. It is going to task us and give us a lot of sleepless nights, no doubt about that. But I want to see a transformation in such a way that people will be interested in ASOBA. They will hear about ASOBA and they will all rush to wherever an ASOBA event is coming up.
“Apart from that, we want to use it as a platform to tell the story of what an old boys’ association is expected to do in a school at this point in time. We want to showcase our history, the projects we have done and the achievements of the students. We want to let people out there know that ASOBA is not only about food and drink; it is more than that. What we are emphasizing is academic excellence.
“Academic excellence is one of our core priorities. We would also like to showcase what the association has been able to do, not only within this group but also in the outside world. We have quite a lot of our members who are doing well outside and at that point in time we want to make it loud and clear and celebrate them”.
Other highlights of the event were presentation of outstanding service awards to members of the association and the inauguration of the UK Alumni branch chaired by Dele Ajayi.
In his lecture, the Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti (EKSU), Professor Joseph Ayodele identified poor budgetary allocation, inadequate funding, decaying infrastructure and the shortage of instructional materials across many institutions as some of the major issues undermining effective teaching and learning in the country.
Ayodele, represented by the HOD of Vocational and Digital Education Department, Professor Ilesanmi Ogundola said the persistent problems bedevilling the sector are clear indications that significant gaps have emerged within the nation’s educational system, warning that urgent and collective intervention is needed to restore quality and standards.
He urged the alumni association to build strong synergy with governments at all levels to support efforts aimed at revitalising schools and other educational institutions.
“The various challenges which have bedevilled the education sector is a clear signal that many things have fallen apart in the Nigerian educational system. This is evident in the inadequate budgetary allocation to education sector, inadequate funding, inadequate school infrastructural facilities and dearth of instructional materials in many educational institutions.
“Therefore, education cannot be solely funded by the government and the proprietors. It requires a collaborative efforts of relevant stakeholders in education industry.
“It becomes highly imperative that alumni associations should form a synergy with the government at all levels to revamp the education sector in order to maintain high quality and standards of education at all levels of Nigerian educational system in line with achieving global educational standards and sustainable development goals”. He added
