In 1993, my father transferred me from the Owode Secondary School in Ogun State to our home town of Ikem Ogugu in Olamaboro local government area of Kogi State. I had just finished JSS 3 then. In his mind, he wanted me to continue my education at home. The logic of such a decision is still lost on me. Even as a child, I didn’t find it funny. But that is a story for another day.
There was only a local education authority primary school in the community. So I had to join the students who trekked from Ikem to Adum in the same district, a distance of about 15 kilometres for five days a week. I was in senior secondary class 1. The school, Emomoka Community Secondary School,situated at Adum was and still is owned jointly by the three major communities of Adum, Anyigba and Ikem, and adjoining hamlets.
The journey was not as herculean as the time spent in the school. There was no sign of modernity in the school. The school was surrounded by farms in which pigeon peas and cassava were planted. The widows of the three blocks of classrooms that housed all the six classes were perpetually opened to wind, cold and dust.
By the time I left in 1997, one of the blocks of classrooms had collapsed. My uncle, late Mr Ben Imaji Sule and Mr OnuEmanuel, also late, tried their best to uphold the school as principal respectively but the finances at their disposal was quite a limitation. In spite of the structural limitations at that time, the school was we populated by students from Emagaba, Ogbofe, Ihiangbe and even far away Etteh in Enugu State.
But, some of us had worries. I’d tell a simple story to buttress my point. When I got to Nasarawa State Polytechnic in Lafiato sit for the IJMB exams conducted by the Ahmadu Bello University, I was initially intimidated by the names of the schools I heard. I met people from some of the greatest secondary schools across Nigeria. I told myself that I’d manage whatever result I got. But, as it turned out, i was the best the Polytechnic ever produced since its inception in 2021. I bagged 15 points! And I was nicknamed Father by students and lecturers.
The point is that my school structure made me feel inferior at first. That is the extent of psychological damage a sub standard environment can do to a person. It could crumble your self worth if you are not determined.
It is with such an unpleasant but nostalgic hindsight that I was jubilant when I was told of the gesture of philanthropy by the excellent and learned chief James Ogwu Onoja SAN. For the records, he has gifted the school with a block of classrooms fitted with whatever makes learning worth the time of the student and the teacher. At the risk of sounding immodest, I never knew Chief Onoja beyond being Facebook friends. The closest I got to him in person was when I was to go to with Engineer Abdul Audu to see him but that was cancelled because engineer had other engagements for the day.
But he has remained a hero from afar. What with the dearth of selflessness among our people. Many times I wonder if chief Onoja is Igala, considering the good things I hear of him. How he gives scholarships to students, how he listens to people and meets their individual and collective needs and so many other things.
I am indeed full of imagination about how the school looks like right now, with the new building sitting elegantly in the vast expanse of land that is the premises of the school. This will in no small measure revive the school which had become a ghost since being deserted by people of neighbouring towns because of the mushrooming of secondary schools in every town.
Words alone cannot express how grateful and elated I feel right now knowing my beloved secondary school now wears a new look. You have done what no son of Emomoka has done for us. I think they should pick the gauntlet and continue on the path you have beaten.
Once again, thank you to chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, the Agenyi Atta Igala. More power to your elbow sir.
Alex Agbo
Writer and researcher writes from Lagos.
