To support the college's infrastructure development, a ₦20 billion endowment fund has been established by former University of Lagos Vice Chancellor Prof. Rahmon Bello and other distinguished former students of Yewa (Egbado) College in Ilaro, Ogun State.
According to Prince (Arc) Dasaolu Olaniyi Oladimeji, National President of YECOSA, speaking at the event held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, it was a means of giving back to the school that influenced their lives.
“The college is 75 years old. It has come a long way and has produced great men and women. We believed that without a programme like this, commemorating the college's founding as the first in all of Yewaland, the commemoration would not be complete. It is not that the old students have not been part of the development of the school."
"A lot of things are being done at the individual or set level. We understand that the state government cannot do everything. It is the one engaging and recruiting teachers and others, and we are also supporting with this fund to make a significant intervention in the area of infrastructure,” he said.
Old boys and girls were praised by Dasaolu for their support of the school and the association. According to Mr Ashirudeen Adelowo Maliki, Chairman of the Planning Committee, the fund's launch effort began approximately a year ago.
“The plan to launch the fund did not start today; we started contacting people and corporate bodies over a year ago. Today’s event is just a public presentation of what we planned. I am encouraged and happy with the responses so far, and our intervention would go a long way in taking our great college to a higher pedestal,” he noted.
In his remarks, Professor Bello expressed his opinion that the school had a significant influence on the lives of the former students.
“The school helped us to become total boys and girls. We were all-rounders. Apart from sound academic instruction, we also engaged in extracurricular activities. The discipline was top-notch, and everybody knew what to do at the right time."
"There is no gainsaying the fact that schools need the support of their old students, and also there is a need for them to serve as encouragement to current students,” he said.
Regarding whether the calibre and standard of education have declined, Bello stated that there were fewer students and fewer facilities back then than there are now, but he urged all parties involved to step up to the plate.
Mr Masanwo Sunday Adegbemiga, the school's current principal, expressed happiness at the elderly students' intervention.
“I must say that the old students have been of great assistance to the college. As individuals and sets, they have done a lot for the college, and this initiative is a great one. It would help to upgrade some facilities in the school."
"A school that is about 75 years old would surely need some upgrades. We also appreciate the attention and support of the state government,” he said.
Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, Ogun State's Commissioner for Education, praised the alumni's contributions to their university.
He went on to say that the state government would always value any attempt to support its mission of offering citizens high-quality education in a supportive environment.
