Egbado College Old Students Association (ECOSA) 1997 set over the weekend marked the Silver Jubilee of the founding of the 71-year-old college.
At the 25th anniversary held in the Ketu area of Lagos, ECOSA 97 President, Engr. Salau Yusuf, said the coming together of the set was to further firm up unity, love, affection and ultimately to glorify God Almighty for sustaining the old students.
He said, “It is very natural to be identified with a diverse spectrum of life; regardless of effort and passion for success, however, a relationship is worth more than financial status. We the ECOSA’’ 97 set have a series of wants, needs and to-do lists. We want equity, recognition, benefits, status and power; we need uplift in our businesses, finances, social status and family settings.”
He charged members of the set to be prayerful, work hard and be smart, respect and honour friendship, and work on relationships.
Engineer Yusuf urged members to lend helping hands to others in need and expressed joy at the success of others without being envious.
He added, “I am very pleased to see you all; let us optimise this opportunity to reconnect and grow together. Congratulations. Up School.”
Among projects implemented by the set are the revival of the Learning and Development (L&D) Society, donation of public address system, cash donations and prizes to the best students in Mathematics and Physics and renovation of the school library that covered floor tiles, library furniture, aluminum windows and burglary frames.
Others are the donation of books and printed materials to the school library, a cash gift of N200,000 in support of the construction of a Multipurpose Hall for (Yewa) Egbado College in 2019, installation of a Closed Circuit Surveillance System (CCTV) and 32 inches monitor to ensure 24-hours surveillance of the college environment and activities.
Egbado College, Ilaro Ogun State was founded in 1951 as the first Secondary Grammar School in the entire then-Egbado Division of the state.
The seed for the college was planted by the Lagos-based socio-cultural group known as the Egbado Union. The group mobilised the Egbado people to contribute at least one shilling as far back as 1943 towards establishing this community school.
The first set of students resumed in January 1951 and resided in a rented hostel in the town from where they had to trek to the College site about four kilometres away.
The foundation Principal of the college was Chief J.A. Ola Odebiyi who carried on the pioneering duties until 1956 when higher state assignment made it imperative for him to relinquish the post to become the then Western Region Minister for Education. Mr. W.O. Akingbola (an official of the Regional Ministry of Education) became the “Deputy Principal” until the beginning of 1957, when Mr. J.S. Ibikunle took over as the Acting Principal till Mr. J. Colins Humphrey’s arrival in September 1957.
The other Principals that have served in the College were Messrs S.A. Ibikunle, Mr. Kunle Adejumo, Mr. Adesina, Alh. S. O. Oyadina, Alhaji Dehinde and Chief Olu Owolabi.
In 1956 the College presented its first set of candidates for the Cambridge/ WASC Examination and scored 81.8 percent pass.
