AN ADDRESS BY DR. EMMANUEL UKPONG, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, GOVERNMENT COLLEGE, UMUAHIA OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION AT THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND HOMECOMING AT THE COLLEGE ON THE 28TH OF NOVEMBER, 2009

Your Excellency, Chief T.A ORJI, Executive Governor of Abia State, and Our Chief Guest of Honor,
Distinguished Chairman of this Occasion Eze Prof. V.C Ike.
Our Distinguished 80th Anniversary Lecturer, Prof Dora Akunyili,
Distinguished Hosts,
Friends of Government College Umuahia,
Teachers at Government College Umuahia and their Students,
Distinguished Old Boy,s
My Lord Spiritual and Temporal,
Members of the Press,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Founding of Government College, Umuahia. The College was founded in 1929 with a British National, Rev. Robert Fisher as the First Principal. Government College Umuahia was a unity school attracting students as far westwards as the Gambia and eastwards as the Cameroons.

On account of the sound educational principles Rev. Fisher set up for qualitative education, the college has continuously produced eminent scientists, world acclaimed authors, artists, medical doctors, engineers, lawyers/jurists, great sportsmen, military leaders and clergymen.

We are proud to have as Old Boys of the College great Nigerians like Professors Chinua Achebe, Ben Enwonwu Kelsery Harrison, Nimi Briggs, E. J. Alagoa, E. E. Okon etc. We are proud to tell you that Dr. M.L. Enddey, the late Premier of Western Cameroon, Brigadier G.T. Kurobo, the first Head of the Nigerian Air Force and eminent Jurists like Charles Daddy Onyema, Anthony Aniagolu Okey Achike as well as Prof. Dagogo Fubara, the First black Professor of Geodesy are all Old Boys of this college.

Little wonder that we, the National Executive Committee and the Old Boys Association have called you out today to celebrate our Alma Mater at 80 years of Age.

At 80, even the human body, made by God Almighty undergoes changes – in fact a branch of medicine which will soon be well known in Nigeria – known as geriatric medicine is created to look into the changes and the new diseases associated with ageing.

In this case, over the years, structures in the college namely classrooms, laboratories, dormitories, the library, equipment generally have undergone dilapidation and need rehabilitation. In Septetmber, 2006 we launched an endowment fund for the rehabilitation of the college and with the proceeds, we have been able to rehabilitate the AD block, Fisher House and Simpson House. Now we still have problems of Cozens, Wareham, Niger and School Houses as well as provision of water for the school community. We are believing that our friends who have been invited will help us and contribute towards the rehabilitation of the structures of the college.

Probably the most seriously eroded situation in our college over the years is the lack of the type of discipline we were familiar with. The situation seems to have defeated the authorities who equate it with the level of discipline in the society. We at the Old Boys Association know that there is discipline in the private secondary schools all over the country. We cannot allow our young secondary school students to derail so early in life. That is why we have invited that indefatigable former NAFDAC Director General who ran the fake drugs importers and manufacturers out of town, the Apostle of Re-branding Nigeria, Professor Dora Akunyili to speak to us-students, teachers, parents and Old Boys and rebrand all of us to produce a better society for Nigeria starting at the secondary school level.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, we have an array of books authored by “Umuahians” on display. We are also showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Akwa Ibom and Abia States. Please relax and enjoy yourselves. We are here till Sunday 29th November, 2009. Old Boys and their young girls are invited to visit their Old Boarding Houses. You may be touched to do something about your old dormitory.

God bless you all as we continue to shine as one.

Dr. Emmanuel Ukpong
National President.