Unilorin V-C pledges support for varsity secondary school

Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin (Unilorin), has pledged sustained support for the varsity secondary school, which clocks 40 years.

Egbewole made the promise on Wednesday in Ilorin during the 40th Founder’s Day Celebration of the Unilorin Secondary School of the institution.

Represented by Prof. Abdulrasheed Adeoye, a Council Member of the university, the vice-chancellor stated that the institution has great vision for the school when it was established on May 17, 1982.

He appreciated the almighty God for his benevolence in sustaining the school for the past 40 years, adding that the celebration of the school also calls for introspection on the challenges and solutions to problems.

Egbewole observed that the vision of the varsity elementary and secondary schools is for it to become a household name among schools in Nigeria.

According to him, this is possible with team work and strong resolutions of staff of the school and the university to move the school forward.

In his keynote address, Mr Anthony Oshiniwe, an Alumni of the school class of 1991, spoke on “The Need to Build Bridges and Not Walls”.

He noted that too many limitations, obstacles and problems had been created, instead of solutions and finding ways to do something or make things better.

He advised the school students to be more open-minded and imaginative, and to think positively and look for ways to solve things and make things better, instead of looking for excuses and ways to avoid taking action for the better.

According to him, the means to build bridge after 40 years of inception is through Unilorin Secondary School Alumni Association.

Oshiniwe observed that today alumni relations is an important part of an institution’s advancement activities for many reasons and keeping good track of your old students records is very important.

“Alumni are an institution’s most loyal supporters.

“Alumni are fundraising prospects and generate invaluable word-of-mouth marketing among their social and professional networks.

“By engaging alumni, an institution can continue to benefit from their skills and experience,” he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Rauf Ajala, the Principal of the Unilorin Secondary School, said that the mandate of the school is to serve as a role model and centre of academic excellence for staff children and children in the immediate environment.

Ajala added that the school authority has kept strictly to the noble objectives of establishing the schools and has no plan to deviate from it, assurng that this will be achieved through “hardwork, discipline and progress”.