Since inception on September 29, 1982, Festac Girls Secondary School, Festac, Lagos, has produced students with academic excellence and high moral standard, which made them stand out among their peers, within and outside the country.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the school, the school community, including the Festac Girls Secondary School Old Students Association (FGSSOSA), turned out amid pomp and fanfare, with the teachers adorned in green attire while the students wore their uniforms.
The students had varieties of programmes, which were more about the unity in cultural diversity. The students sang songs, danced, and choreographed in diverse ethnic groups to the delight of guests.
Other programmes during the three-day celebration include a Health talk on ‘My Body, My Pride’ by Mrs Toyin Falaiye, Chief Executive Officer, Jewels Hive Initiative and Nurturing the world through a girl child by Mojisola Macaulay.
One of the old students, Mrs Toyin Nwosu, emphasised the need to be role models for the younger generation, who are currently still in school. She thanked God for keeping them alive and expressed utmost joy at seeing old friends and classmates.
Another old girl, Mrs Chinonye Egbujuo, who graduated in 1987, thanked God that the school was still in existence and said the school was noted for discipline and “we grew up from girls to women. Ladies are meant to be seen and not heard. We were trained by disciplined teachers and they helped to shape our lives positively.”
She urged the current students to believe in God and be diligent with their studies so that they would become great and responsible women in future. .
President, Festac Girls Secondary School Old Students Association, Mrs Agatha Matthew Irabor, in her welcome address noted that the theme of the anniversary “was arrived at due to the fact that more than ever before, our girl children face very daunting situations in their everyday life and stand the risk of rape, molestation, child labour, peer pressure, wrong societal influences amongst others, which eventually may mar their developmental years and we owe it to them as mothers, teachers, sisters and friends to ensure that they are given the enabling environment, necessary support and advice to ensure that they are educated and imbibed with the right morals to prepare them for their future roles in the society.
“Let us not forget the saying that ‘educate a girl child, you educate a nation.’ This is very apt and true. We are gathered here today where we were well intuited with the right education and morals and that has created the foundation to enable us to give back today to our growing children.
“This legacy must not die. This school has produced very successful women in all areas of endeavours and I stand very tall here today to say that we are all very proud of these amazons and we intend to raise more amazons to nurture our society in the future.”
President 86 Set, Mr Chinaka Nwuzor, said: “I am very happy to be in your midst and things have changed in the school premises. We thank God for giving us life and how he has brought us thus far.”
He urged the students not to follow their peers to take drugs but to listen to their parents and teachers and study hard that God will help them succeed.
Vice Chairperson, Amuwo Odofin, Local Government Area, Mrs Maureen Achia, took to the dance floor, saying once in a while people need to dance in order to burn some calories in their body.
She encouraged the children to take their education seriously because “education exposes you to a whole lot of things. Try to be humble, belief in yourself to achieve great things in life.”
Achia used the occasion to plant a tree in honour of the girl child.
Committee Chairperson, Muizza Tarela, enjoined the students to be serious with their studies so that they can become great and respected in their chosen profession in future.
She said: We are celebrating the girl child at this time, for how long we have come as alumni of the school. When you empower a child, you build a nation; it is very key and important to empower the girl child.”
Tosin Eniola, a student said she is very happy to see her seniors, who had graduated from the school many years ago and they are role models to her.