LAGELU 82-87 SET @30: RECONCILING THE "BEING" WITH THE "THING".
Some people who believe in Capability theory have honed their minds towards development of the people rather than development of material things, but on a wider level, it is axiomatic that accommodating the entire range of beings and the things constitute a perfect life much as they both compliment each other.
The role of a moral being in shaping the things that are embodied in the society that produce him can not be glossed over since the state itself , as the great philosopher Plato says, grows out of the nature of individuals. It is therefore incumbent on the individuals to make the society exists and be good. That's why the 1982 -87 Set of Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu Ibadan have resolved to celebrate the three decades of leaving the school that levitated them into a well-formed beings with pomp and pageantry.
Without the school, the appetite for book hunger and intellectual virtue could not have occurred to them, rather, as it was in the days of yore, physical labour could have being an essential ingredient of survival.
Celebrating three decades of leaving a citadel that have turned most of the former students now highly placed in the society, from spring-chicken to a well informed social product should be an item not an anathema. The essence of cutting ones teeth in a school like Lagelu Grammar School is both fundamental and mental. The school does not only teach how to read and write, it provides students moral tools to have a liberated mind through rational thinking and ability to have an examined mind .
The School's motto, no wonder is "Semper optimum" meaning 'always the best' in both academics vocational training and even social activities.
Thus, when the products of the school who are by fate, now in some aeons of miles away, now decide to come together after thirty years to plough back to the school that grooms them, not many people will not see the move as well thought out. It's a way of not muzzling the Ox that once threshed their wheat of knowledge.
As part of the activities marking the event, the set have built an extra modern block of toilets of eight rooms to be donated to the school on the 1st of July . The programme will also include a lecture that will be presented by an erudite scholar. There would also be a special prayer section by both Muslim and Christian religion leaders for the continual progress of the school.
It is instructive that the 82- 87 Set Chairman ,Oloye Adelabu Adebayo Adekola the current CBN Deputy Governor with the executive members have for some time now be leaving no stone unturned to bring the school back into the global Atlas through thee event that has another influential product in person of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the executive Governor of Oyo State, as a special guest of honour while the royal father of the day is HRM, the Olubadan of Ibadan land , Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji
It is really inspiring that the '87 set of Lagelu Grammar School are moving from the usual minimalist approach of wine bib ing and partying to erecting a physical structure to uplift their school. This is suggestive of the fact that education is too important to be left in the hands of the government alone just like that famous Banker, Henry Kissinger sees economics as too important to be left in the hands of the economists alone.
That our educational policy is moving from crisis to cartharsis in Nigeria today is too obvious for a fresh emphasis. For it to reach our desired level we should all strive to contribute our individual stone to its edifice instead of waiting for benevolents sympathisers to bail it out when all chips are down.
Everything we do , as Mother Theresa once said "is a drop in the ocean ,but if we don't do it ,that drop will be lost forever ". This is exactly what the '87 set of Lagelu Grammar School have demonstrated as a way of reconciling their beings with the school. The message is very loud and clear - Why must we watch our schools limping with one leg when we can make it stand proudly on two.
It is also exhilarating that Lagelu Grammar School towers above peers in having endless list of notable products in every segments of the society. If we all see the school as a true test of what we value most-our Time, Energy and Money, no doubt, it will soon rank among the best in the world.
We must all labour without respite until we make our school ranking among the best in consonance with the motto and the dream of its founding fathers- Semper optimum.
It is the hope of many that the School with its large expanse of land and it's luscious conducive environment for learning can be converted in no time to a Technical college in line with the aspiration of the Oyo State Government to promote vocational training .
It is worthy of note that the Central Bank of Nigeria as part of its regular intervention in the critical sector has marked Lagelu Grammar School to be one of its beneficiaries in another three years for a total renovation of its now dilapidated classrooms and to boot, add more classrooms and library as well as buildingTechnical and Science Laboratory for the school.
This is in line with the global best practice of changing the paradigm of education from academic to project driven which will undoubtedly produce its beneficiaries with life skills to be self reliant bouyed with a mind that in the words of Plutarch ,will not be "a vessel to be filled but fire to be kindled".
Meanwhile, I wish the 1982-87 set of the prestigious Lagelu Grammar School a Happy 30th Celebration .
Isiaka kehinde, a member of Lagelu '87 set is the principal partner at the Initiative for Ethics and Values Orientation (NGO ) writes from
No 4 Agbaakin close, Iwo Road, Ibadan.
E mail - editorethics@yahoo.com
Tel: O8033316431.
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