Nigeria’s oldest secondary school, CMS Grammar School is celebrating 160 years of its founding in grand fashion and with multi-million Naira projects. To celebrate the landmark anniversary, the management, board of governors and Old Grammarian Society (OGS) of the school have kicked off a series of activities and programmes.

At a media briefing in Lagos days back, the President of the Old Grammarian Society, Mr Adedapo Fashanu, disclosed that as the first secondary institution in Nigeria, the history of education cannot be written in Nigeria without the school. “The history of secondary school education cannot be said without the mention of CMS Grammar School”, he said.

The president of the schools OGS also used the briefing to announce that this year’s anniversary apart from being a landmark celebration will also herald the introduction of a number of donations and innovations to the school.

“Three sets of computer systems with three projectors and three UPS at a cost of N 1.1million donated by Emmanuel Kabiawu of the 1991 class set will also be inaugurated.”

“Also, two 10HP air conditioners have been provided for the Ven. Adelaja Hall by the OGS at a total cost of about N4million. We are concerned about maintaining the school’s standard. That is why the OGS commits a huge sum yearly to encourage the teachers and over N1.5million to reward excellence. Our school continued to produce old boys that had ranked among the best in the world and had pioneered different fields of human endeavours in Nigeria,” he said.

Other projects donated by the Old Boys of the school include a spectators stand for the basketball court sponsored by the Class of 76/78 which cost N3million; a new gatehouse and gate costing N3.4 million constructed by the UK chapter of the OGS; three 6HP lawn mowers donated by the OGS costing N451,000.00; landscaping of a portion of land between B.A Adelaja Hall and butterfly building A by the 68/90 class set for N2.5 million; landscaping worth N4.2million of a portion of land between the old dormitory and the butterfly building B, donated by Class of 79/81 Boys.

In his remarks, the principal of the school Rev Sunday Olubusola Sofekun commended the Old Boys for their consistent donations to make the school the pride and envy of all.

“They (OGS) have been contributing immensely towards the development of the school together with the BOG, the proprietors and LASMAB. They have contributed immensely to ensuring that this the school is what it is today.”

The school will hold its Founder’s Day Thanksgiving Service at The Cathedral Church, Marina, Lagos on Thursday, June 6 and will be followed by the dedication of multi-million Naira projects executed and donated by Old Boys and Class Sets of the school on Friday, June 7. The Founder’s Day luncheon and cocktail will follow thereafter at the iconic Ven. B.A Adelaja Hall of the school.

Othe activities lined up to celebrate the school also include career talk, novelty football match between Old and Current Boys, free medical outreach to the Bariga community, speech and prize giving day, student feast, thanksgiving events in Oyo, Ekiti Ondo, Osun as well as celebrations by the OGS UK and Americas chapters.

CMS Grammar School, Lagos was founded on June 6, 1859, by late Babington Macaulay, the father of late Nigerian nationalist, Herbert Macaulay. Since its founding, it has continued to produce some of Nigeria’s notable and respected individuals who have played major roles in shaping the country’s political and economic development. (Guardian)

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