AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The year 2024 Children’s Day celebration, held on Monday, May 27, was excitement filled as the Seminary St. Anne’s School Old Girls Association, SSASOGA, shared memorable time with the students of the schools.
St. Anne’s old girls from different walks of life turned up in large number to make the occasion adventurous. The leading lights took time to educate the young learners on the need to embrace the spirit of excellence as good ambassadors of their families and the School.
In the face of the challenging times and debilitating economy, the Old Girls said that a girl child must not compromise her self worth for pieces of cake because the cost of doing so may be devastating.
The National President of SSASOGA, Mrs Oluwafunmilayo Kehinde, in her address to the students said, “We thank God for today, it is Children’s Day. Saint Anne’s Girls, we are celebrating you, our children. There is nothing that can ever be too much to celebrate with. We believe we are leaving a legacy with you, a legacy of celebration, a legacy of appreciation, a legacy that is worthy of emulation. We want to leave that with you and that is why we are celebrating you today.
“We want to teach you that it is good to celebrate yourselves and it is good to celebrate people. I want to thank everybody that is here. I want to thank our teachers who are labouring over you day and night. I say this because in the morning, they will teach you. When they get back home, they will write their lesson notes, so they are labouring over you day and night. Please, give a round of applause to all the teachers.”
Mrs Kehinde added, “You will look at us and be an example of what we have been to you; an example of peace, joy and hard work, an example of giving back to your alma mater, and an example of giving back to the society. I have always told you people, this is not the time for a boy or a man to give you N500 to buy credit so as to defile you. It is not time for that and it would never be time for that.
“Somebody that must achieve greatness must not go in that line at all. It is time to achieve greatness, it is the time to learn, it is the time to follow your education, it is time to listen to your teachers, it is time for you to determine to honour yourself so that others will honour you, and the Lord will help you.
“Shakespeare said that some were born great, some achieve greatness while some have greatness entrust to them. Many of us might not have been born great, but we can achieve greatness. You all can achieve greatness. You can achieve greatness by being focused, and by being determined to achieve greatness in life.”
The former National President of SSASOGA, Lady Similola Onabanjo, said to the students, “We are celebrating you. I want you to say after me that: I will be good. I will excel and I will be a good ambassador of St. Anne’s. My principal used to tell us that the destiny of a child is in the hand of the child. Before you can excel, before you can be good ambassadors of the school, before you can be accomplished and celebrated in life, you are the reason for your own success. That is what I can leave with you.
“Whatever the size of a tree, it starts from a single seed. You will run your race well, you will not fall, you will not fail by the special grace of Christ. Teachers, I say thank you for your labour of love. You will not labour in vain. The Lord will water whatever you have planted.”
Onabanjo also seized the opportunity to thank the Old Girls for the initiative and prayed that God would continue to sustain them.
The Chairman of SSASOGA, Ibadan branch, Chief Funmilola Oyekan, urged the students to believe in themselves, assuring them that they are blessed children.
Explaining the essence of the occasion, she said, “Children’s Day is an international day.” She urged the students to ensure that they create a foundation that is worthy of emulation for themselves for a greater future.
In her address, the former National Legal Adviser of SSASOGA, Chief Tolulope Aroloye, recalled her days as a student at St. Anne’s School between 1962 and 1968, saying I was the House Captain of St. Mary’s House in 1967. Years after, I was the first legal adviser of SSASOGA.”
She prayed that the teachers would reap the rewards of their labour here on earth and that their children shall also succeed in life.
The National Students’ Welfare Secretary, Mrs Bolawa Adeosho, told the students to be decently honest in all they do, study hard, avoid any form of distraction, be respectful, hardworking, know the right from the wrong and do the right thing, making the foundation right. She added that the school will support and help them to navigate their lives to success as they move on in life. In her words, “Whatever foundation you lay today, that is what you reap tomorrow.”
Others that gave their remarks on the occasion included the Principal, St. Anne’s Senior School 1, Mrs Moradehun Adenihun Olatunji ( Supervising Principal); Principal, St. Anne’s School 2, Dr. Olasumbo Savage; and Principal, St. Anne’s Junior School, Mrs Bimbo Akinyemi.
The various Houses in the School participated in quiz and spelling bee competition as well as singing and dancing.
St. Faith House came first, while St. Margaret and St. Catherine came second and third respectively. In the reading contest, St. Mary came first, while St. Catherine and St. Hilda came second and third respectively. In dance, St. Clare came first, while St. Mary and St. Faith came second and third respectively, while in the writing contest, St. Margaret came first as St. Hilda and St. Faith came second and third respectively. In the singing competition, St. Mary came first, while St. Faith and St. Clare came second and third.
Meanwhile, the Children’s Day celebration turned out to be a double celebration as the students of the School came back with Trophy for coming First in match past at the stadium. The girls, with their teachers and the members of SSASOGA rolled out the drum to rejoice at the success.
