Abeokuta school’s Class 1980 donates classrooms to alma mater    

By AYO DADA

A milestone of achievement was recorded in the annals of Alumni interventions in the provision of infrastructure to their former schools (almamater) as the Class 1980 of Nawair-Ud-Deen Grammar School, Obantoko, Abeokuta Ogun State recently donated her signature school project, a block of two big classrooms constructed at a princely sum of N5, 876,900:00 to the senior section of their former school.

The gift was a part of activities marking the 40th year of the class graduation from the school, and the presentation was the first by a single set in the school’s history. In the immediate past, the class also had to name other purposeful interventions to the school, through the school’s old students’ association; the Nawair-Ud- Deen Grammar school Old Students’ Association, NUDGOSA. Notable were, the class of 1980 being the first to donate the levied one million Naira to the ongoing hall project championed by the national body of the old students association, as well as the distribution of 500 mathematical sets to students and 28 computers to the school by a member of the class of 1980.

At the official handing over during the school’s old students’ annual general meeting Alhaji Saburi Sodeinde, the representative of the national president of the parent body of the school, Nawair-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji R.O Yusuf, thanked living members of the class for their commitment and generosity towards the upliftment of their almamater and called on others to emulate the gesture. In the same vein, the elated principal of the senior school, Alhaja Muibat Bola Arisekola, while receiving the building on behalf of the Management, Staff and Students, thanked the class of 1980 members for their thoughtful donation. She promised the classrooms shall be put into good use by the students.

The collection of donations from members for the construction of the building was superintended over by Dr Kazeem Bello, a member of the class and an America based economist, while another class member, Engr. Chief Adeniyi  Nurudeen Akanni, the Asiwaju Onimo-Ero of Egbaland, disbursed the funds as the head of treasury for the project. In addition, other professionals in the construction industry who are also members, made their professional contributions toward the construction of the building in record time. Mr. Olabode Samuel Fabule, a doyen of old students’ activities, programmes and projects, emerged as the coordinating chairman of the class activities for the next two years at a reunion luncheon after the handing over. Most of those present were re-uniting physically for the first time in 41 years since they completed high school in May/June 1980.

The original parent body of the school before being taken over by the government decades ago is the Nawair -Ud- Deen Society of Nigeria and overseas. The organization came into being on 4th November 1939 as a practical solution to the early Christian missionary’s discrimination against Muslims’ children who were either refused admission into missionary schools or were converted involuntarily to Christianity. It established the secondary school on 6th July 1962 and moved the school to its permanent site at Obantoko in 1964. The then Alake of Egbaland, HRM Oba Adesina Gbadebo II, laid the foundation for the first science blocks and classrooms. History records the school as one of the foremost Islamic Institutions in the South Western Region of Nigeria.

The Nawair Ud Deen Society of Nigeria has proved to be a strong partner with the government in grooming responsible men and women for the country through her schools and penchant for qualitative education, especially for Muslim children. Thus, today, thousands of her products are across the globe working in all human endeavours. The current Nigeria High Commissioner to Great Britain, Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Isola and the current Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta, Professor Abd’Samiu Adewale Musa-Olomu, are proud Alumni of the school. Honourable Olawale Sabr Olayiwola, member of the Lagos State House of Assembly is  the national  president of the old students’ association, of the school.