Christ's School Alumni

THE SCHOOL: CHRIST'S SCHOOL, ADO-EKITI

By

Seye Adetunmbi

This article was first written to mark the 80th anniversary of The School in 2013 under the caption of "The Christ's School Phenomenon - An Historical Overview 1933-2013" and published in the special book marking the epoch, In Deed and In Truth. The publication was sponsored by the Lagos Chapter of the alumni association.

By way of background, most of the formal primary education institutions in Nigeria in the early 20^th century; were missionary schools and the majority of them stopped at Standard IV. Ekiti District in the old Ondo Province of Nigeria was not an exception. Each Church Mission catered for the educational needs of the wards of their parishioners. In the early 1930s, the only four towns where Anglican Communion had Standard V and VI Classes were Ado-Ekiti, Ijero-Ekiti, Ise-Ekiti and Usi-Ekiti. Thus, Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti which was founded by the Venerable Henry Dallimore started as Ekiti Central School in 1933 and admitted pupils into Standards V and VI from all over Ekiti including Akure and Igbara-Oke. It was initially a Lower Middle School under the joint administration with the Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti. The school premises then situated at the present Bishop’s Court of the Ekiti Anglican Diocese in Ado-Ekiti. It is important to mention that High Chief J. B. Babatola, Minister of Education in the old Western Region and the Olora of Ado-Ekiti was among the 1933 set, he, perhaps is the only one standing among their group who witnessed the 80^th anniversary of the school to the glory of God. The school moved to the permanent site where the school has been situated till today on the crest of Agidimo Hill on September 10, 1936. The 1936 alumni set members often referred to themselves as the number one! Among them were Venerable Rufus Akinloye Ogunlade with the school number 36/003, was the first alumnus to be the Principal of the School and Chief David O. Adetunmbi (formerly Adewuya) with the school number 36/060, was the national leader of Nigerian Union of Teachers in 1976-1979.

The Early Missionaries in Ekiti 

Babamboni was formerly Ifamuboni of heathen parents who was captured during inter-tribal war around 1874 and taken to Ibadan where he lived with Rev Daniel Olubi and got converted to Christianity while in captivity. He reunited with his people in Iyin in 1894. His name was changed by Osi people who could not place an Ifamuboni person to convert heathens to Christians. He visited Ado and presented Holy Bible to Ewi Ajimudaoro on September 20^th 1894. The Ewi encouraged him to settle at Ado. Babamboni took up the responsibility to evangelize Ekiti towns and villages those difficult days to eliminate local gods. Rev Thomas Harding was the Secretary of the CSM Yoruba Mission based in Ibadan. He was sent to Ekiti in 1910 and went with building materials to Aiyede but was refused land and came to settle at Ado. Oba Ewi Aladesanmi I welcomed him, he offered him land and residence. He convened the first Ekiti Parish Church Council (PCC) in 1912 as the Chairman. Harding died on December 18^th, 1912

Footing of The Christ's School Brand: The colonial Governor-General of Nigeria during a visit to the old Ondo Province in 1947 approved the change of name which must have been recommended by the Venerable Henry Dallimore of the school to "Christ's School". Apart from the name of the school, the motto is Christus Victus and the emblem is a simple shield on which the first two letters of the word "Christ" in Greek alphabets is inscribed.

   The vision of Venerable Dallimore the founder of the school is entrenched in the total impact of the education given which was mainly to make every student who passed through the school to be a useful person to himself and to his community. This is what the country has been trying to achieve through the implementation of the National Policy on Education which was the original vision of the founding fathers of Christ’s School. The right attitude to non-academic education which the White Paper tried to inculcate in the recent past was already operating in the School as far back as 1934 when tailoring, brick-making, plastering, building, carpentry for boys and weaving and knitting for girls were already being taught. By 1945, agriculture and cattle-keeping had been added to subjects of study. It may not be an overstatement therefore to say that the principle of student centred entrepreneurship and life skills learning may not come as a surprise to anybody brought up in the tradition of Christ’s School of old.

   Also the founder's vision on academic standard, considering a high preference towards a rounded education made Christ's School to have always been highly admired by outsiders for the high academic standards. By 1936 the School had begun the foundation of its high academic reputation as a result of the School's performance in the Standard VI examination of that year, two students were awarded the central government scholarships to Government College, Ibadan; they were the only two selected in the then Ondo Province. This feat was to be performed every year for many years. Christ's School grew into a full-fledged Secondary School by stages, moving up the Class IV in 1943. Academic excellence reached its peak under Rev Canon L. D. Mason, the Principal 1948 - 1966 when in 1958 twenty eight boys passed with Grade I in the School Certificate Examination, fifteen made Grade II and four came out in Grade III. From about this date till the middle of the' sixties, Christ's School dominated the State Scholarships usually awarded on merit by the Federal Government in respect of the University of Ibadan entrance examination to the preliminary classes. In a particular year Christ's School won eight out of the usual ten awards. Right from the early stages, the high standards of management, discipline, and achievement were a clear mark of the School. Inspection reports bore witness to this statement. In 1937, the Superintendent of Education in charge of Ondo Province wrote in a report "the tone and discipline of the School are very good and altogether, this is one of the pleasantest Schools I have seen”. In 1940 the Senior Education Officer, Owo and Benin Provinces wrote "this is the best School I have yet seen in Nigeria".

    If Dallimore founded Christ’s School, Canon Mason did the consolidation and gave the School a name. A true disciplinarian, school master and father to his pupils, Mason motivated both staff and students to great heights ensuring at all times quality without ostentation. The Principal was the only graduate in 1948, but he was backed by a team of keen and devoted staff. It was not uncommon in those days to find teachers and students preparing for the same London Matriculation Examination. By 1956, Christ's School had established the institution as a veritable citadel of learning and a definite goal of university admission became the target of virtually every student. Because of the relatively narrow scope of the curriculum in those early days, most admission was for degree courses in Arts and Science, rather than the professional courses. This explained in part, the presence of so many Christ's School old students as university professors all over the country in the 1960s upwards.

Chief  E. A. Babalola, Canon L. D. Mason & Chief R. A. Ogunlade

The Lasting Traditions and Enduring Values of The School

People often wonder how the bond of Christ’s School old students is so strong across the generations till tomorrow. What is essentially responsible for this is the sustenance of structures and practices that started with the school right from when it moved to the present permanent site on September 10 1936 till when political idiosyncrasy infiltrated education policies which have eroded prized values that stood the school out over the decades. It is therefore often a common circumstance whereby ancient and modern alumni could share the same stories and incidents across sets.

1950

Christ's School Ado-Ekiti is often simply called The School. Predominantly at the peak of the popularity of the school, especially when old students were in the company of friends who did not attend the School; they say "there are two categories of schools in Nigeria; it is Christ's School and the others". To them all, it is The School, and not one of the schools in the country. Looking back, the school was established during the depression of the middle 1930s and had to struggle desperately for survival with few material resources and only the hard work of all ranks of parties involved kept it alive. This School achieved so much within a short time from take-off to the extent that each one passing through the institution, either as a teacher or a pupil having marvel at the wonders that happened with a sense of gratitude to God "that has seen it fit to bless in His own peculiar way the work of many hands, by themselves weak and unavailing" This is the School that prides itself in the beauty of its setting, its natural architecture. Quoting Canon Mason who consolidated the work of the founder, he said in 1961; "Our School is more than a Secondary School, it is Christ's School". Indeed, it is The School!
   Perpetually over the years, there is often a common denominator that endears the alma mater to the majority of the products of the school. The following occurrences and settings further underscore the basis of the timeless bond among the alumni till tomorrow.

Rev L. B. P. Lafihan, Chief  E. A. Olugboja, Mr Ade Fagboro and Chief R F. Fasoranti

Hymns and the School Song: You can hardly pass through Christ’s School of old as a student without an ability to sing at least the first and the second stanzas of a considerable number of hymns from Songs of Praise (SOP) or Ancient and Modern.

   The adopted school song from inception had their root in the word Christ. The early students in the Ekiti Middle School days in the 1930s, the school song they associated with their sets is “Christ is the King, O friends rejoice” SOP 242. The early 1940s sets recalled “We are Soldiers of Christ Who is Mighty to Save” as the school song in their time and "Father of men in whom are one" also was in the reckoning in between the sets. Those in the middle of 1940s to 1950 allied with “Christ on Thee we Build our School” as the school anthem for their sets. It was the great builder Rev Canon L. D. Mason the Principal 1948-1966 who changed the School hymn to “Christ is our Cornerstone” in SOP 464.In 1978, Akinjide Ogunjobi 78-79/085 HSC& Akosile 78-79/282 HSC composed an anthem which was common among the later day and new generation of old students. This is the first stanza:

Christ’s School is the place amongst mountains.

The only child of Dallimore

Born in the year 1933

Birds, angels and mountains sing our song

Christ’s School the name so lovely

Christ’s School the place so lovely

Christ’s School the School that comes on top

The universally adopted school song by the incumbent students and alumni globally is Christ is our Cornerstone.

Christ is our Cornerstone,

On Him alone we build;

With His true Saints alone

The Courts of Heaven are filled;

On His great love

Our hopes we place

Of present grace

And Joys above

Depending on the occasion, the first stanza, first and the last stanzas or all the four stanzas are taken. This is often followed by the school prayer and rounded-off with a joyous shout in unison, Up School!!!!

Chief S. O. Agbebi, Chief Olusola Bayode, Mr Kehinde Ojo & Elder M. A. Fasanmade

Initiation of New Students: The traditional welcome of new students is an event strictly for the Quadrangle, a unique building structure which is as old as when the school moved to the permanent site, built by the founder, Venerable Henry Dallimore. It was often a hilarious ceremony when the new students were introduced to a contraption song, called School Anthem of Siam. Naturally the senior students were the cheer leaders. The intermediate class students or as considered suitable depending on the preferences of the reigning seniors, will lead the new students to extol the virtues of Watana, the King of Siam!

O, Watana Siam (2ce)

O, Watana

The seniors would prompt the innocent and unsuspecting new students to sing louder passionately and the hapless newly admitted ones would respond accordingly. Inconspicuously the seniors leading the new students would introduce a variation to the song and before the new students could catch the prank, they have caught the bug of the new version, raising their voices.

O, What an ass I am (2ce)

O, What an ass

   For decades, the Watana of Siam song was one of the best kept initiation secrets of Christ’s School. By the time the joke has dawned on the new students; they have entertained their seniors and caused the gathering laughter at their naivety. The tradition continued till late 1970s and it was not uncommon for succeeding generations of families and people from the same community passing through the initiation process over the years. When the new generation influence was almost turning it to a violent outing and in order to avoid disturbing incidences particularly under principals who were not old students and the school administration system had tilted unavoidably towards mass production of day in preference to boarding students, the practise faded out.

Messrs Ade Olomofe, Wole Akinyede & Abe

Prayer: For an institution whose foundation is Christ, nobody should expect anything less or be surprised that the boarding students prayed collectively 10 times daily Monday to Friday by way of the school tradition. A day typical started with morning devotion in all the dormitories, prayer before and after breakfast, prayer at the School Chapel before classes and after evening Classes, prayer before and after lunch and supper in the dining hall. The 10^th prayer is said before going to bed.

   The official school prayer readily comes to mind which remains unchanged till date. “Grant oh Lord; that Christ’s School will be a Christian school; not in name only, but in deed and in truth; for the sake of Christ whose name we bear, amen.” This prayer features at every school event and gathering of the alumni globally in any part of the world whenever they have meetings or a get-together. In fact the title of the book published to mark 80th anniversary of the school came from the prayer.

Principals and Teachers: One thing that often binds old students of the school is when they recall their encounters with various teachers that touched their lives in different ways with integrated common experiences. Apart from the depth of the education content, discipline, moral instructions and focus of the school; the Venerable Henry Dallimore goes down in the history of the school as the person who put up the early mud and stone buildings and Reverend Canon L. D. Mason whose students gave the title of builder, did the wonders of all the stone blocks built in his time which all stand till date. Of course Venerable R. A. Ogunlade takes credit for the cement block buildings while the tenure of Chief Olusola Bayode is associated with the red bricks.

   The early teachers and Headmasters of Ekiti Central School include Mr. A. A. Oyenuga who was headmaster in 1933, Mr. J. O. Alade 1934to 1937, Rev T. V. Aderinola was the Headmaster in 1938 and Mr. G.A Ogunyomi 1939to1942. As a secondary school the founder Venerable Henry Dallimore used the title of High Master between January 1943 and May 1947. Chief E.A. Babalola a native of Oye-Ekiti acted as the High Master from July to December 1947. The Reverend Canon Leslie Donald Mason assumed duty as the first person to use the Principal title in 1948 and was in charge until 1966 when he retired from the school. He was succeeded by Chief Rufus Akinloye Ogunlade as the first indigenous Principal and the first old student to administer the school from 1967 to 1972. The succeeding Principals were Rev J.B.P. Lafinhan, January 1973 to 1974; Chief E. A. Olugboja, acting Principal January 1974 to January 1975; Mr.  Ade Fasoro, February to August 1975; Chief R. F. Fasoranti, 1975 – 1978; Mr. S.O. Agbebi, 1978 to 1984 and Chief Olusola Bayode, 1984 to 1994 who was the second alumnus of the school to be the school principal. After him old students have been in charge till date. Mr Kehinde Ojo, 1995-2006; Elder M. A. Fasanmade, May 2006-December 2007; Mr. Ade Olomofe, January 2008-January 2010 and Prince Adewole Akinyede took charge as the Principal in 2010.

The early students and most of the later day students that turned out well in their various careers often remain in evergreen gratitude to the founders and the builders of the school. One name that kept recurring among the teachers of old who happened to have been an old student of the olden days of the school was the legendary Prof D Funmilayo Ojo a.k.a. Ojo Ugbole. The way Prof Adelola Adeloye put it in his book “My Secondary School Saga – Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti 1947-1952” sums it all as quoted thus: “He was our music teacher. “Ojo Ugbole” as he was famously known, was a legend in scholarship in his generation. We heard of him before we came to Christ’s School. We accorded him the status of god, so we watched him from a distance. The stories of his extraordinary and superlative scholastic attainments were legendary. Hence to see Ojo Ugbole in person was for many of us one of the high points of coming to Christ’s School.

Prof D. F Ojo a.k.a. Ojo Ugbole, Senator Paul Anjorin Ogundipe & Pa Owolabi Ajayi

Chief F. A. Daramola & Canon L. D. Mason, and the Hathaway family

Miss Anne DeSimone; Canon Mason & Chief N. Adamolekun flanked by products of Christ's School at Fourah Bay College in the early 1960s

Chapel: Before the permanent superb school chapel constructed with stones was built in 1947, the early students used the old school library for worship. Just as Christ is central to everything about the school, the school chapel is situated at the geometrical centre of the School compound. The chapel was formally commissioned on February 5, 1947. It was a deliberate date chosen by the Ekiti District Church Council to honor the founder of the School, Venerable Dallimore who was born same day in 1885, in England. The chapel has become part of the alumni of the school. The old chapel has been expanded to accommodate more people. Through the assistance of some old students, it was renovated to structurally suit a befitting modern day edifice, Dr Lawrence Obembe must be acknowledged in respect of this initiative and Chief SB Falegan who supervised the renovation. Alumni are so attached to the chapel and each time they come home for reunion, all activities are rounded off at the chapel for thanksgiving.

School Choir in 1968

School Houses: The school houses i.e. dormitories are practically as old as the school. This is why the ancient and modern old students across decades of sets have basis of fraternity when they meet. Every alumnus would always hail his/her house over the other in the alumni gatherings at the peak of their voices in cheers. The houses with official colours are Babamboni (Red), named after the first notable indigenous missionary; Dallimore(Green), the founder of the school; Mason(Blue), who consolidated the work of the founder and Harding(Yellow), the first European CMS missionary in Ekiti. Mason was originally Bishop House; it was renamed after Canon Mason. The naming of houses after the early missionaries and founders of the school was mooted in 1939. Records have it that the initial four Houses were Bishop, Dallimore, Oluwole and Harding. Three dormitories were built in 1940 and were named Block A, B & C which later became Harding, Babamboni and Dallimore respectively.

1968

School Crest: Rev Canon Mason would go down in history as a grandmaster in branding with the ingenuity of producing the timeless emblem of the school. The logo was formerly introduced to the school documents between 1949 and 1950. Classmate of Prof Adeloye, Mr Ben Oluwole was among the students in the library with Canon Mason when the inspiration of the original concept of the crest which subsequently developed to what obtains till today emerged. Canon Mason saw in a journal a symbol of a superimposed P and X and that was it! The drawing symbolised the seal of Jesus Christ and it struck the chord in the visionary Mason that with some changes and enhancement he could develop an emblem for Christ’s School. Shield and crown of the victorious Jesus Christ were added to the discovery and there you have it, the timeless and arresting logo of the great school, to the glory of God.

Sports: Apart from academic performance which made Christ’s School to tower among contemporary secondary schools of the time, the school was a leading light in sports. Though the school was involved in virtually all the sports available in the schools then, prominence and outstanding performances were recorded in basketball, volleyball and football. Prof Adeloye in his book revealed the first eleven of the soccer team that excelled in football competitions in 1948; 1 Fasiku later Aje, 2 Agbabiaka the Senior Prefect, 3 Awodigede, 4 Osundina, 5 Isaac Adamolekun, 6 Raji, 7 Justice Jide Olatawura, 8  Samuel Asabia,  9 Olaniyan, 10 Adeagbo and 11. Olujongbe.

   It is also a common thing to see succeeding children or wards of a family taking after their forerunners in excellent academic and sports performance. The Olaniyan family for instance produced a number of generations of good soccer players likewise the Faloye brothers and Olujongbe to mention a few. One of the crowning moments of excellence in sports in the recent past was when Christ’s School won the Principal’s Cup in 1975. Mr Bisi Olawole a.k.a. Sinbad recalled the 1^st eleven of the golden team thus; 1. Olugbenga Olowoniyi - Goal Keeper 2. Babatunde Anthonio 3. Joseph Olaye 4. Atakpa Ukana 5. Tanwa Oyebode  6. Umoh Essien  7. Ogunmoroti Thomas 8. Olugbenga Olatunde 9. Faleye Akanmu Sina 10. Falodun Olatunde 11. Arogundade Ayo

Champion of 1975 Western Region Principal's Cup

South West Volley Ball Champions

Hall of Fame: At the peak of the popularity of Christ’s School, academic excellence was the forte having produced one of the best results among the league of secondary schools in Nigeria then, until the downturn of events in the recent past. It is often a thing of joy each time an alumnus of the school has recorded a first in his or her calling in Nigeria and international arena. Such good news further enhances the love for the school. Thus, the alumni of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti who made the honours lists of their fellow old students cut across all human endeavours. Various areas where they have excelled are not limited to top University dons, highly placed professionals, businessmen, Church dignitaries, National Merit Award Winners, Governors, Supreme Court Judges, Federal Ministers, Diplomats, Permanent Secretaries at states and federal levels, CEO of Banks and multinational Companies etc.

Some of the Many Distinguished Products of the School

High Chief J. E. Babatola, Chief D. O. Adetunmbi, Prof Ade Ajayi & Major-General R. A. Adebayo

Chief Hector Omoba, Prof Sam Aluko, Chief Alfred S. Asebiomo & Chief Mrs Oyin Ade-John nee Odesanmi

Ogoga Samuel Adegoke Adegboye, Right Reverend Olajide, Chief Samuel Asabia & Chief Jonathan M. Akinola 

Chief Deji Fasuan, Honorable Justice Olajide Olatawura, Prof Adelola Adeloye & Prof Ajibola Taylor

Dr Christopher Kolade, Prof Kayode Osuntokun, Architect Fola Alade & Chief S. Bandele Falegan

Right Reverend Ogundana, Honorable Justice M. A. Borisade, Prof Bolaji Akinyemi & Prof M. A. Omolewa

Prof Ladipo Adamolekun, Prof Akin Oyebode, Prof Niyi Osundare & Dr U. Justus Itsueli

Babaijo Segun Ogunkua, Prof Mrs Modupe Adelabu, Messrs Moyo Ajekigbe & Bayo Osibo

Dr Erastus Adegbola, Prof Bolaji Aluko & Mr Yemi Akeju

Messrs Segun Aganga, Gbenga Oyebode and Dr Kayode Fayemi

An Abridged Chronology on the Challenges of The School

The vision of Archdeacon Dallimore was to provide good quality education with Christian teachings for all God’s children, male and female. This explains the enrollment from the onset which included female students. He was able to sustain this with the support of his educationist wife, Mrs Dorothy Dallimore. The system continued until when Canon Mason took over in 1948, he had a different disposition to coeducational programme in the absence of adequate facilities. Anglican Girls Grammar School was later established in the middle of 1950s which has gone through various phases of restructuring till date.

   The administration of the two schools was merged in 1966 when Chief R. A. Ogunlade succeeded Canon Mason. With change of government in 1979, the boys and girls sections of the School emerged after thirteen years of a merged school. The separation arrangement came with its challenges because there was no adequate consideration given to the feelings of the stakeholders. The benefits of the merged school are not limited to an improved scope and level of academic attainment for the boys and girls, maintenance of discipline was easier on both campuses and search for identity for the new school that has always been part of the Christ’s School brand. In early 1960s, the first set of HSC students were admitted into the school and continued till 1979. HSC was reintroduced just before adoption 6-3-3-4 education system in Nigeria.

   The transfer of Venerable R.A. Ogunlade in January 1973 came with implications; it brought another dimension to the level of commitment to the management of the school thereafter. His case was first of its kind as a former pupil, who became a teacher and the first indigenous principal. It was not comparable to his immediate successors who came in quick succession and were not old students until the new lease of opportunity in 1983. Politics crept into the school administration system of the South Western states in Nigeria and the climax of the downward trend that took its toll on the affairs of the school was between late 1970s and early 1980s. The end of the political era in December 1983 gave a kind of new vista for the school which encouraged old students to step-in and started supporting the school administration. This led to facilitating an alumnus, Chief Olusola Bayode, tested administrator of repute who passed through the tutelage of Canon Mason and Venerable Ogunlade to take charge of the school administration. All the succeeding principals after him, till date are alumni of the school. The era of having a Principal for the Junior School and another one for the Senior Class had its own implications until it was reversed through a policy review by state government.

Donation of Textbooks by Lagos Chapter of the alumni body

Alumni Intervention

With the rebirth of functional interest of the alumni in the school, Archdeacon R. A. Ogunlade emerged as the National President of Alumni Association and was succeeded by Justice Olatawura who held the alumni body globally together until his transition. Subsequently, Alumni Chapters in United Kingdom and United States of America as well as Alumni branches in Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja, Ado-Ekiti, Port Harcourt and Osogbo have been working hard collectively to give back to their alma mater. After the 1983 intervention, the initial efforts of the pioneer national alumni body brought financial and material support to the aid of the school. Consequently, within a period of five years, the Alumni Association gave the school a new library block/Hall of Fame, two class sets built a block each of three and two classrooms respectively, apart from various donations in cash and kind coming from individuals, class sets and branches. Some old students started sending their children to the school and interestingly they courteously requested placement in their school houses. It was a welcome development but could not be sustained because the state of the school had deteriorated below a tolerable standard for some alumni with children of secondary school age. As part of an on-going search for the way forward, the Platinum Club concept was introduced to raise fund for the school. This is to provide an avenue for the high net worth individuals to raise their stake for the school such that whoever’s contribution hit N1, 000,000 becomes a Platinum member of the alumni body. This effort helped to some extent, at least the abandoned School Hall opposite the school was completed and named the Alumni Hall.

The Annual Reunion and Homecoming was conceived in State College, Pennsylvania, USA on the 14^th October, 2005 during a discussion on the state of the School between Babaijo Ogunkua and two past Presidents of Christ’s School Alumni Association North America (CSAANA), Mr. Bisi Olawole (Sinbad) and Mr. Sam Iyapo. Its goal was to bring together old students, from within and outside the country, once a year to Ado-Ekiti, strengthen fraternal relations and be a platform to raise funds for the implementation of programmes and projects for the renewal and redevelopment of the School. The First Reunion held between December 8^th and 10^th, 2006. It was organized by and funded by a group which cut across sets led by Babaijo Ogunkua and included Architect Kehinde Fadayomi, Mr. Frank Oyenuga, Dr. Erastus Akingbola, Dr. Kola Sonaike, Mr. Toyin Akomolafe, Mr. Tunji Kolawole, Mr. Yemi Akeju, Mr. Sesan Ogunro, and Mr. Wole Adamolekun. The hosting of Reunion and Homecomings thereafter was based on passing the torch strategy, in which sets, chapters, branches and national alumni volunteer to host the event.

The Second Reunion of 21^st and 23^rd December, 2007, was hosted by the 1965-69/71 led by Dr. Sonaike, past President CSAANA and Dr. Mosuro. In view of the fact that there was no formal Secretariat complement available to the First and Second Reunions, appreciation goes to Mrs Ogunkua and Mrs Mosuro, who, though are not old students, coordinated and managed the Secretariat duties of the First and Second Homecoming and Reunions, respectively.  The Third Reunion held from October 17^th to 19^th, 2008 and was hosted by the 1966-70/72 led by the then President of the set, Mr. Tunji Kolawole. The Fourth Reunion and Homecoming was hosted by Christ’s School Alumni Association North America CSAANA, in 2011 under the leadership of the indefatigable Mrs. Wura Ajibade and the UK Chapter of the Alumni Association led by Mrs. Nike Babatola hosted the 5^th Reunion and Homecoming in 2012. The 6^th Reunion and Homecoming fell on the 80th anniversary celebration which will be hosted by the Lagos branch of the alumni association under the leadership of Mr. Yemi Akeju.

As a contribution to finding a lasting solution to the perennial issues facing the school, the Committee led by Babaijo Segun Ogunkua undertook an extensive study of the school as things were and what is in stock for the school as a going concern with fundamental restructuring. They came up with a classical report which can be reviewed from time to time to suit the final direction the stakeholders of the school desire for the future of the school as a private institution such that it will complement an enduring ultimate academic and physical plan for Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti. The good news today is the fact that the government is willing to let the management of the school to go back to the original owners. Consummating this offer of a unique opportunity without any hitch has constituted a major task. The reality is that if the status of the school does not change from a publicly managed school to a privately managed institution, no amount of money can be raised to turn the facilities around that would be sustained to attain the much desired standard without a structured system that will manage the school for posterity. This is the challenge and the commission of the well-meaning stakeholders. This is surmountable with the sincerity of purpose and positive persistence of all parties concerned. The real heroes of the school after the founding fathers are those who will do everything possible to see this honourable mission accomplished, unequivocally. May God help everyone He will use to see this through, in whose name the school bears. Amen.

PUBLIC PRESENTATION OF IN DEED AND IN TRUTH

The Lagos Branch of the Alumni Association sponsored the publication of a special book titled: In Deed and In Truth as part of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of establishing Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti. The book was packaged by Seye Adetunmbi, published by Mindscope Africa and was formally presented to the public on 20/10/13 in Lagos.

HOMECOMING AND REUNION

2011 Homecoming Hosted by CSAANA






Friday




Saturday





Banquet







Sunday - Thanksgiving

REUNION OF CSAANA IN ATLANTA GEORGIA IN 2013

Christ's School Alumni Association, North America Chapter held a reunion in Atlanta Georgia in 2013

Reception

ALUMNI PUBLIC LECTURE

On the 17th of May 2015, Lagos branch of the alumni Association held a maiden distinguished alumni lecture in honour of Prof Niyi Osundare at Institute of International Affairs, Lagos

CAROL SERVICE

The Lagos Chapter of the Alumni Association hosted a carol service held at Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, GRA, Ikeja Lagos on 22nd December 2013.

INAUGURATION OF DR U. J. ITSUELI AS THE PRESIDENT OF CHRIST'S SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

In 2015, Dr Uduimo Justus Itsueli was elected the President of Christ's school Alumni Association and on March 5, 2016, he formally sworn into office.

VINTAGE PHOTOS - Ancient & Modern

1946 - Chief Asabia (sitting at the center), Chief  J. M. Akinola (standing first right)

Chief R. A. Ogunlade, Elder Adelodun Aina Canon  Leslie Donald Mason