A former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji has advocated for the reasons people should give back to schools that groomed them and provided platform for them to become stars.
Ikuforiji made this known last weekend in a speech he gave at the bi-annual conference of Epe Grammar School Old Students’ Association.
The former Lagos Speaker maintained that there was no better time than now to focus on giving back to the school even as they play their part as nation builders in their respective “corners”, adding that for a country to survive, the next generation must be properly educated through collaboration with the Government to fund and develop schools.
“I am particularly elated that our school is in its 69th year and we are alive to witness it. Epe Grammar School molded us; the education and nurturing we got here shaped our trajectories; most of our journeys began here, and there is no better time than now to focus on giving back to this school even as we play our part as nation builders in our respective “corners”, he said.
Speaking further, the former lawmaker said: “Not everyone here is a politician; not everyone here will become a lawmaker; not everyone here will become a council chairman, state governor or the President of Nigeria. But everyone here is a human being, and everyday we are presented with diverse opportunities to make our impact felt by giving back to the society. I have therefore come with a charge: in addition to what we have been doing, we must make 2022 the year in which we must be more committed to giving back to society, including our dear Epe Grammar School”.
Ikuforiji said since the school imbued in them a thirst for lifelong learning by providing access to superior education and the opportunity to cultivate lifelong friendships that have stood the test of time, it is their duty to ensure that future generations also have the same opportunities that they had. “We can only achieve this by giving back”, he said.
“For example, Harvard University in the United States sits on an endowment of nearly $53.2 billion- the largest in the world. It is not surprising that the institution has some of the best facilities in the world, its alumni are some of the best educated in the world, it is able to provide excellent education with the best pedagogical tools, and it has the capacity to efficiently engage in world-class academic research that helps to maintain its tradition of excellence.
“The good news is: giving back does not always have to involve money. Our goal as patriotic Nigerians and Epe Grammar School Alumni is effective nation building: we can help to stop the palpable moral decadence in our society by giving our time- to counsel the youth. We can “donate” our expertise by mentoring our students. Human capital is a valuable currency. Some of the best brains are in this room as I speak. The objective is to positively change our country’s story through little acts of benevolence that will ultimately make a difference” Ikuforiji stated.
The former Lagos Speaker attended the school several decades ago.
