By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu
NAN
The Old Grammarians Society (OGS) of CMS Grammar School, Bariga, has honoured Prof. Olajide Ajayi, former President of West African College of Surgeons, with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 OGS Merit Awards ceremony.
Ajayi, Patron of the Bloom Cancer& Support Centre, was the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan (1990-98) and the only Nigerian to be appointed to the post in two teaching hospitals simultaneously.
Also honoured included Ven. Yinka Omololu, who got the Posthumous Outstanding Grammarian Award, and 21 others including two U.K-based alumni in various class sets who were decorated with the Individual Merit Awards.
Speaking at the ceremony held in Ven. B A Adelaja Hall, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, on Saturday, Cyril Ogbekene, President, OGS, said that the idea was to celebrate excellence, consistency and determination of performances.
Ogbekene noted that the infrastructure and other developments in the college were done by the OGS.
“We have always rewarded excellence and we hold this event to celebrate those who have left school and are still identifying with our beloved Alma Mata, using it to inspire those who are still in school.
“This is a culture that we celebrate every year; the criteria is global and that is excellence and we use it to reunite those across the globe. We have OGS from U.K, Europe and OGS America.
“ Every Grammarian has the capacity to be the very best but I describe the awardees as the shoulders and heads above the rest across the globe,” he added.
Earlier, Sen. Akin Odunsi, Chairman of the day, during his speech lauded the event.
He urged the people to embrace celebration of excellence with enthusiasm, pride and a renewed commitment to making a positive impact in their respective roles, country and world at large.
Odunsi said that the restoration works in the school was to ensure that facilities, environment and the quality of education got back to standard.
“It is an acknowledgement of excellence, performance and high morale of principles that the OGS have been exposed to.’’
“ We acknowledge the toil and remarkable achievements of individuals, sets, chapters and branches who have demonstrated exceptional performance, ingenuity and a tireless commitment to preserving the great legacy of our Alma Mata.
“ Excellence is not just a standard. It is a journey, a continuous process of striving for improvement, pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks and in the words of our school song, achieving game from high endeavour.
“ Today, we celebrate those who have not only embraced this journey but have excelled in it, becoming shining examples for all of us to follow.
“So, let us applaud achievements of our awardees and reflect on the values that make excellence possible,’’ he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the alumni who received individual awards included Joseph Ibitoye (1963 set), Dr Madueke Chike (1974/76 set), Olaiwola Fafowora, (1983/85 set), Alhaji Ninolowo Mojeed, Odedina Adebowale (1996 set) among others.
Fafowora expressed delight on the award.
“It is amazing and enormous and it will spur me to do more for the Alma Mata.
“We have this spirit of collaboration, everyone is involved and eager to promote the ideals of the College, things that will always stand us as the first secondary school on Nigeria.
“We need to set examples and set the standard as the big brother for other schools to follow, so the award means a lot to me and to work harder,”.
He said: “ I am glad of the little I have been able to do for my Alma Mata and it’s a product of the training I got from the College which is still propelling us to go to higher heights’’.
Similarly Mr Dare Odufowokan, a member of the 2023 Merit Award Committee who doubled as the OGS Public Relations Officer, said the society had taken it upon themselves to be giving back to its Alma Mata through various projects.
“We have formed the habit of coming together annually to celebrate ourselves, while distinguished and deserving members are recognised and given awards for what they have done through OGS and their class set,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the Merit Award Ceremony organised by the OGS Americas Chapter/Branch/Zone, had 1983/85 in the 1st position, 1977/79 as 2nd, while the 1993 clinched the 3rd in the class set award category.