This year’s Cultural Day Celebration of St. Vincent Catholic Schools Bameke, Shasha Lagos State, witnessed pomp and pageantry. The fun-filled took place recently at the school’s playground.

The ceremony kicked-off with the celebration of the Holy Mass by the Parish Priest of Christ the King Catholic Church (CKC) Akowonjo, Reverend Father Ignatius Okoloigwe CM. Immediately after the Holy Mass, the event of the day commenced. The occasion attracted parents, guardians, friends and well-wishers.

It was chaired by the President of Knights of Columbus, Akowonjo, Lagos Council, Sir Benjamin Opiah who was also the immediate past Chairman of the school’s Parent Teachers Association. His opening remarks highlighted the importance of culture in our daily lives and the need to imbibe such enduring lifestyle in our children. He also went down memory lane on the School’s Cultural Day history while giving kudos to the management and staff of the school for upholding strict tenets of Catholic education and also ensuring that our diversity in Nigeria which has proved to be our strength is courteously sustained.

He urged the audience to continue in that direction adding that such attitude has greatly impacted positively in the school, the students and pupils. He further pointed out that the population of the school which comprised of people from different parts of the country is testimony that the programmes of the St. Vincent Schools are persistently embraced by the parents and guardians. He commended their effort.

Opiah further observed that the atmosphere in the compound signified that the event was properly planned and the executed. He praised the management of the school for putting together a spectacular ceremony which memories would continue to linger on for long time to come.

He charged the audience to sit back and relax as the children were loaded to the brim to display their different deep rich culture. In his address at the event, the Administrator of the school, Reverend Father Ignatius Okoloigwe CM thumbed up the management and staff for keying vividly into the excellence vision of the school’s founding fathers which he revealed has brought many positive changes and results that have helped to improve the institution tremendously in all facets and urged them not to drop the anchor as there are still long road to travel in their search for golden excellence which he described as the ultimate destination of the school.

He told his audience that the school has been given approval for the West African School Certificate Examination and National Examination Council. According to him, the Management’s quest to reshape, redefine and restructure the school to meet the best standards structurally and academically will never be compromised. Okoloigwe restated that it was against the above background that the school has well equipped laboratory science for Physics, Chemistry and Biology while backing it up with well stocked Library and well equipped air conditioned Computer Room.

He remarked that the school can readily beat her chest that it has qualified teachers that handle every subject professionally without doubt which he said is one of the numerous strong points for total Catholic school and education where excellence is upheld to the later.

The complete turnaround in the school coupled with discipline and qualitative learning brought much student intake as the saying goes a good product sells itself. He commended the efforts of CKC Akowonjo Parish and the PTA on their collective efforts to erect the new two story Primary ground floor school building which has served as a big boost for the total outlook of the institution.

“It is the accumulation of these that will ensure that the first set of students writes their WASC examination in the school as the final approval and certification by the Ministry of Education is in top gear.”

He also told his listeners that the relationship between the management and the teachers is nothing but very cordial. The teachers were promoted recently for their hard work, diligence, dedicated, discipline and punctuality. The students and pupils are learning under the best of conditions, he affirmed.

“Let me re-emphasis that CKC Parish played pivotal role to grandly upgrade the school with total investment in the region of 60-70 percent to ensure the school meet high standards and attain conducive learning environment which is globally associated as the hallmark of Catholic Mission schools. And in turn to appreciate their steadfastness, (i.e. the church and the parents), the management gives free entrance form to the children and I wish it is possible to give them free education, we would have done so but you can see the daily deteriorating economic situation in the land today,” he said, adding, however we cannot negotiate thirst for quality education which most of us gave to our wards.” He said what it takes to maintain such level of accepted standard is huge which has been the focus presently in St. Vincent Schools.

The administrator informed that his vision for the school in no distance time is to beat the highest standard record that St. Francis Catholic Secondary School Idumu has maintained, insisting that every necessary step is being taken towards achieving that lofty height for the benefit of our children.

“It is such that best suits us in St. Vincent Catholic schools as we angle towards further distinguishing ourselves in that manner which no doubt places us in more solid platform anytime, anywhere. We are fully determined and focused to get there. The zeal, passion, confidence and the burning desire in our hearts would urge us on to implement such programme to the letter,” he restated.

One of the parents that spoke with News Express, Dr. Mrs. Olubunmi Aregbesola, collaborated the assertions of the School Administrator, that the tripod the school is standing on is rooted in solid foundation spiced with dedicated teachers and workers that bought into the vision of the founding fathers to pilot it to this level of safety anchor, insisting that on this basis, the sky is just the beginning.

The chairman of 2018 Cultural Day Planning Committee, Austine Umoh, on behalf of his members expressed his gratitude to all that honoured the event and wished them well. The Vice Principal Administration of the school, Osuchukwu Ikechukwu professionally anchored the proceedings. The dignitaries went round the stands of all the geo- political zones to feel their pulse and also tasted their different delicacies with fun and friendliness that overwhelmed the atmosphere.

One of the highlights was the crowning of Igwe of St Vincent Schools, Ezeomekannaya, Eze Evans Udi, and his ‘wives’ as well as the prince and princes. Some of the dignitaries that graced the ceremony include Reverend Father Ezenwa Peter Emeka CM, Lady Joy Opiah, Uzoma Ezimakor, Madu Jude, Sir Jude Udeogaranya, Engr. Innocent Odiakose, Mrs. Okeke, amongst others.

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