It goes to an adage that, “enito so ile nu, o so apo iya ko”, meaning, the person who loses the house doesn’t attach the mother bag.
Aperin Boys’ High School, Aperin, Ibadan, established in September 1980 is in deplorable state at the moment. The state of the school’s learning environment is appalling and needs urgent resuscitations.
The school where I graduated from, a decade ago, is weeping profusely for helps.
The classroom of teaching and learning are no more conducive for students to learn. The Teachers struggle daily to teach the students under virtually dilapidated classroom buildings. The students environment is sordid in looking. Everything about my Alma Mater, your alma mater, our Alma mater, is in sorry state at the moment.
It will interest you to know that, apart from the main story building, which is considered as CENRE OF GRVITY of the school’, which is also in a dilapidated state, and a recently constructed block of 4-classroom, there is no other building that is conducive for students to learn effectively and efficiently.
The school’s laboratories that were rated as the best within Aperin Province, because of quality Apparatuses that were in stock then, are now homes of cockroaches and rats with fewer apparatus.
Do you want to talk about the school toilet? Hmm! There is nothing like that. No toilet for students to wee when pressed. What else will you say about my Alma mater, your alma mater, our Alma mater, that’s not in critical conditions at the moment. If you have visited the school in recent times, you would testify to everything aforesaid here.
All these sadden my heart. It makes my heart bleeds. My Alma Mater, your Alma Mater, our Alma mater is helplessly helpless at the moment. No one will ever say that, a school founded about 40years ago, has not produced a successful alumnus, who can come to the aid of the school, through the little he has accrued.
Giving back to one’s Alma Mater shouldn’t be when one has made it all in life. Giving back to your Alma Mater is not all about monetary donations.
Sometimes in 2018, I met with my then Mathematics Teacher(Name Withheld). He narrated how some alumni made promises for the school. He said, they promised to donate a million naira which would be used to raise the standard of the school. Since the day they made promised, that have failed to surface to fulfill the promise they made.
Reneging of the highest order!
Yes, you will want to say, what has the successive governments done to ameliorate the dwindled standard of the school. After all, they own the school.
Affirmatively, I can say, successive governments have failed to look into the crippled conditions of the school. We only wait patiently for the newly installed government of the day, in the state, to look into the crippled conditions of the school.
As a matter of fact, government can’t do it now. Alumni of every school are always partners in progress for their schools. I know, as you read through this piece, you would say, you haven’t achieved anything in life, not to talk of giving back to your Alma Mater. I implore you to have a rethink, because giving back to one’s Alma Mater shouldn’t be when you made it all. Your little contribution in any form would go along.
Leaving the whole development of the school to the government wouldn’t only worsen Aperin Boys High School, present conditions but it will also reduces the quality of graduate that the school produces.
THE NEED FOR THE ALUMNI TO COME TO THE RESCUE
Alumni Associations of every school are partners in progress for their respective schools. We have seen immense contributions from the ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS of schools like; Lagelu Grammar Schools, Islamic High School, Ibadan City High School, Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan Boys’ High Schools, just to mention a few, to the development of their schools. Most of these schools now wear new look, current students of the schools learn effectively under conducive environment due to the efforts made by the Schools’ Alumni Associations.
On this note, and as matter of urgency, there is a compelling need for ABHS Alumni since 1980s till date, to put themselves in order, make their unions Strong and factor out ways to ameliorate the dwindled standard of the school.
I’m confident of the fact that, a formidable Alumni association(From the first set till date) would in one way of the other, contribute to raise the standard of the school.
Giving back to the one’s Alma Mater and in particular, ABHS, can be of any of these forms:
- Monetary donations to the school by group of Alumni (not always the most tax efficient)
- Construction of Classrooms by group of Alumni
- Mentoring of current students.
- Purchasing of writing materials.
- Organizing Career Seminars for the current student s
. - Promoting the school on Social Media.
- Organizing an alumni events.
- Joining your set Alumni Association.
It’s worthy to note that, giving back to one’s Alma Mater is not limited to the aforementioned. Doing any of these will not only meliorate the depleted conditions of Aperin Boys High Schools, but it will also give the current students some sense of belongings and lunch them to succeed in their academics.
Going further, I know you will love to know which set do I belong? Well, I graduated from the school in 2010, a decade ago. Currently, my set is factoring out way to give back to ABSH(my Alma Mater, your Alma Mater, our Alma Mater), in any form we can afford. If we(2010 set), a youthful set can do this, your own set has no excuse.We are open to collaborations from any Alumnus of ABHS to move the school forward.
On this note, I urge all Aperin Boys High School Alumni, to organize themselves in their respective set and iron out ways to raise the current depleted conditions of the school.
I also call on Oyo State Government led by Engineer Seyi Makinde, to please look into current abated conditions of Aperin Boys High School, Orita Aperin, Ibadan and rejuvenate the school for sustainable academics progress.
Alumni need to remember that, ”Eni to so Ile nu, o so apo Iya ko”. Aperin Boys High School is my home, your home, our home now and forever. The deplorable state of ABHS needs attention not only from the Government but also from its Alumni.
Long Live ABHS!
Long Live Oyo State!
Long Live Nigeria!
AREMU, Ridwan O
(ABHS SET 2010)
Reallucas20172@gmail.com
+2348148680376
