By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
The National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Hon.Sly Ezeokenwa, Sunday in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra state, commissioned a water borehole dug by the old students of Agai Primary School, Fegge Onitsha, his alma mater.
Ezeokenwa had before the commissioning of the project at the school premises during the graduation of the primary six pupils, expressed his deepest appreciation to the management of the school for restoring the lost glory of the school, lamenting that the school out of negligence for many years was turned into a soccer pitch.
Recalling when he was a pupil of the school he disclosed that, “I started my afternoon primary school here with my mother who was one of the teachers then, I read classes one, two and three here and as a child of a teacher, she goes to any school she was transferred with me.
“I later followed her when she was transferred to Niger City Primary School Fegge, so I still have the memories of Agai Primary School, the fact is that Agai Primary School is the foundation of my primary education, if I didn’t get that foundation, I wouldn’t have been where I am today.
“And God through the instrumentality of the Old Boys/Girls association, the greatest thing we can do to the next generation is to give our modest contribution, to make sure that the institution that molded us continues to mold the future generation.
“We are going to make sure that our Alma Mater is the best, my being here today reminds me of how I used to play around during break time,” he recalled.
He lauded Governor Charles Soludo for his resolve to take education to the next level with the aid of free education in the state.
He appreciated his fellow Old Students for the borehole, stating that, “in recognition of the fact that this is our foundation, it is the reason the borehole was dug, we will make sure it runs 24 24-hour water supply”.
He further said “One of the basic tenets of education is the ICT, “we are going to put innovation district in the school so that children in Fegge will acquire the ICT training”
“You all know that anybody that was bred in Fegge was never given a chance because people looked at Fegge up as a cursed person, but it is our duty and responsibility to change the narratives.
“We are going to institute scholarships for the first, second, and third positions from the outgoing pupils to secondary school level and to provide the school with all their needs”, even as he directed the Headmistress to compile and forward to him.
The School Headmistress, Agai Primary 11, Mrs. Nkiruka Ezenwamma, in her vote of thanks, appreciated the Old Boys/Girls of the school for the borehole, lamenting however that it has been one of their challenges.
Old students, the senior citizens and the present Headmistress 1& 11
She lauded Governor Charles Soludo for his cordial relationship with the teachers and pupils of all the schools in the state.
On her part, lady Olivia Ezeokenwa, mother to Sly Ezeokenwa, appreciated the Old/Boys of the school, saying that they are the reason she attended the occasion and advised other Primary Schools’ Old Boys/Girls association to emulate the kind gesture of the Old/Girls of this school.
The President of the Old Boys/Girls Association, Mr Victor Onyeka, (a.k.a Skido), appreciated Governor Soludo who took education to the next level, stating that the borehole they dug is to support the governor’s infrastructural development in the state.
He also advised the pupils of the school to respect the teachers, elders, and their parents as there are blessings attached to it and to be dedicated to their studies, noting that they found themselves in their present condition because they adhere to what their teachers and parents impacted in them.
The Vice President of the Old Boys/Girls, Mr Onyeka Anyacho, noted that it is very rare for Old Boys/Girls of Primary schools to come together and carry out projects in their Alma mater as they are doing, as people are more concerned only on secondary and tertial institutions thereby neglecting primary schools.
The Secretary, Mrs Nkiru Odina stated that they have done a lot in the school which included, repairing their staircase, refilling the school compound with stones, digging of borehole, and culvert at the entrance road, and building of security house, among others.
Highlights of the event included the commissioning of the borehole project by Hon. Ezeokenwa, the presentation of cash gifts to the senior citizens who were teachers in the school,( the headmistresses of Agai 1& 11 ), and displays by the pupils of the school.
Pic shows the APGA boss in white cutting the tape for the water borehole
