•Governor Umo Eno
The Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the 1975 Class of Holy Trinity College, HOTRICO, Mbiakong, held recently in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, ended with a call on the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, to consider upgrading of the College into a Model Secondary School in view of its vast land space for future expansion and facilities for effective teaching and learning.
The call was contained in a communique, a copy made available to The Frontier, signed by the Class Coordinator, Mr Godwin Okon at the end of the three-day event.
Highlights of the historic event include presentation of Keynote address by a foremost Environmental Activist, Architect Nnimmo Bassey; Awards presentation to some distinguished alumni and past administrators of the college; donation of a generator and chairs to the school and tour of facilities in the institution.
The group heaped praises on Governor Umo Eno for steps being taken to improve on the educational standards in the school system at all levels in line with his administration’s ARISE Agenda, arguing that Holy Trinity College, Mbiakong, established in 1962, has a long standing record of academic excellence which should be further boosted through its elevation to the status of a Model Secondary school.
In the alternative, the students strongly appealed to the government to take advantage of the take over of the Science College, Ididep, into a Federal College of Education, to relocate the Science College to Holy Trinity College, Mbiakong, to inherit the huge facilities there for the state’s educational advancement.
They observed that Uyo Senatorial District currently has no Science College after the take over of the then School of Arts and Science, SAS, Uyo by the University of Uyo and the Science College, Ididep by the federal government, explaining the action would go a long way to redress the imbalance in the State.
The anniversary dinner was presided over by the pioneer Senior Prefect of the College and Retired Judge of the State High Court, Sir Andrew Okon, who commended the Class 75 students for the initiative, describing it as the first in the history of the College which should be emulated by other classes.
The Class Coordinator, Godwin Okon while welcoming guests to the well attended event, noted with nostalgia that some of them were meeting for the first time since their graduation from the College in 1975.
Okon noted with delight that the class has produced renowned technocrats, esteemed academics, distinguished professionals in different endeavours, seasoned politicians, royal fathers and leaders across various sectors including the media.
He congratulated them for the feat and contributing to the socio economic and political development of the state in particular and the Nigerian nation at large.
The Keynote speaker, Architect Nnimmo Bassey, who is also an old boy of the ’75 Class, called for the immediate implementation of the educational road map of the state .
Bassey, a National Award recipient of MFR, identified some of the problems inhibiting educational advancement in the state to include low budgetary allocation, decayed infrastructure, deficient curriculum, poor quality of teachers and inadequate welfare programmes for non teaching staff, among others.
He challenged alumni associations to assist the government in reversing some of the problems through communal support, recruitment of new students, sharing information and reviving memories and promoting positive history of their alma mata.
On his part, a former National President of HOTRICO Old Students Association, Engr J. B. Effiong lauded the class 75 for putting together what he called ” a superb and excellent event to rekindle the never- say-no spirit of the college and directed the mandatory hosting of the national convention of the association in December this year to reposition the group for greater exploits.
The celebration was rounded off with a Thanksgiving Mass at the school Assembly Hall and attended by the Principal, members of staff and students of the college. Members of the class were presented with Certificate of Participation in the event while prayers were offered for the repose of the deceased members.
Some of the participants, who said they were visiting the school for the first time in 50 years, thanked God for sparing their lives to witness the event, appreciated those who sacrificed their time, resources and talents to make the anniversary a huge milestone and called for periodic meetings for the overall wellbeing of members.
