Mariam Akinloye & Bolu Orebajo (SIWES Student)
-Charge students on commitment to education
The alumni association of the Ikorodu High School, Ikorodu, and the parents’ forum of the school, have continued to promote academic excellence and support brilliant students and the school through prizes for brilliant students.
The fourth edition of the school’s award ceremony was held within the school premises on Friday, September 20, and Master Bethel Emmanuel Eromosele and Miss Akuna Chidinma Divine emerged as the overall best graduating students for the 2023/2024 academic session of the school, for male and female categories respectively.
Other awardees were Ogbule Silas SSS 3 (Best student in Government), Adam Umar Faruq SSS 3 (Best in Literature), Amaechina Chidera Emmanuel SSS 3 (Best in Economics male), Odufuwa Oluwafunmilayo Ayomide SSS 3 (Best in Economics female), Atoyebi Divine Prosper Oluwakorede SSS 3 (Best Behaved student male), Akhabue Philips SSS 3 (Best in Chemistry and Agricultural Science), Akunna Marvelous SSS 3 (Best in Agricultural Science and Best female student)
Also, Oyinlola Damilola SSS 3 (Best in Mathematics), Inuojo Fikayomi SSS 3 (Best in Computer (ICT), Okeke Chinazaekpere Purissima SSS 3 (Best Debator (female), Agbojo Confidence Eriyo SSS 3 (Best in Government and Literature, Odunuga Mosunmola Aliyah SSS 3 (Best behaved student (female), Udeh Chisomeje Williams SSS 3 (Well-dressed student and best debator male ) and Adegboye Isaac Olamilekan SSS (Best student (male) best in Mathematics and English.
While the best graduating students were presented with cash prize, books and other packages, the current students were presented with cash prizes and educational materials.
Mr Bisiriyu Surudeen Adeniyi, Chairman, Ikorodu High School Parents’ Forum, said that the academic awards are designed to serve as motivating factor for brilliant students to sustain their academic excellence and for others to be encouraged to do better.
He added that it is also their way of giving back to their former school.
“Some of the students that were giving awards last year are medical students at the University of Ibadan. Today, I pray the set of students that also benefited will also give us good news this time next year.
“Why we are here today is because of you. I left this school over forty years ago, and some of you were not born then, even some of your parents.
“But myself and my seniors and others always look back to see how we can give back to this school and also encourage you the students. That is how we came up with the idea of the prize giving day and today’s event is the fourth edition.
“The purpose is to encourage you and other students to work harder, and become somebody in the future. Therefore, I implore you to listen to our guest speakers as they will duel more on how you can start building your future: what you want to be and how to go about it”, he said.
He charged the SSS 3 students to maintain the school’s good academic status by scoring high grades in their WAEC and secure admission next year into various higher institutions.
“I want you all, especially SSS 3 students to promise me today, that by next year, your WAEC results will be minimum 85%.
“When you get back to your various classes, you have to pass everything that you have been told here to other students that are not here, and start preparing yourself for the future and ensure that you graduate from this school in flying colours”, he said.
The Principal, Ikorodu Senior High School, Ikorodu, Mr Nurudeen Olatunni Oduyemi, commended Chairman of the parents’ forum and Barr Levi, for their immeasurable assistance to the development of the school.
He commended Mr Bisiriyu for using his resources in supporting the school, and emphasized that he has also being using his contact for the use of the school.
“Whatever they do in the school is for the development of the school and the students in particular. Through him, we have achieved so many things on personal terms for some of our students. God will continue to bless him.
“People do say a lot about parents’ forum activities; that those aspiring for the position are always after what they will gain but this is not the case in our own case. Because of believe in him, a lot of parents usually send in their support. He is selfless and always ready to support us.
“Our students have been graduating and getting admission straight into higher institutions, thanks to him and his predecessor”.
While appreciating the donors of the prizes, Mr Oduyemi said that excellent performance are always rewarded and charged the outstanding students to always strive to be the best.
He also implored those that are struggling with their academics not to see their present situation as the end of the world, and charged them to continue to give their best.
Mr Levi Adikwaone, an alumnus of the school and one of the speakers who spoke on the theme, ‘Future”, expressed his disappointment that the school has no hall where event like the prize giving day and other events of the school can hold.
He assured the students that the old students will continue to give their best to the school and educational developments of the existing students.
While stating that the topic is a difficult and complex one which no one can really determine, but using his own life as a former alumnus who graduated as the overall best student, gained admission to study and turned out to be good at it and even became President of the Students’ Union, Barr. Levi charged the students to be committed and dedicated in all that they do.
“It is a topic that I am scared to jump into, because it is a topic that is wide. It is a topic that has a beginning but an end that cannot determine. I don’t know my future; I cannot detail my future and I cannot determine my future.
“If I cannot say with authority what my tomorrow will even be, I doubt if I would be able to speak about your future, because I cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand. I cannot give you what I don’t have, but you see there is something that is called experience.
“I left this school in the year 1986. I entered the school in the year 1981. I left as a senior head of the college.
“You must always accept responsibilities. I left as a chief defender of the college. I left as the president of the literary and debating society. I left school as the President of the Students’ Union (SU). I left as the President of the French Club. I left as the one running for the college, representing the college at various sporting even – 400meters, 800meters and 1500meters.
“It was fun to be in Ikorodu High School during my time and I left as the best graduating student.
“The whole idea is that work does not kill; that you work hard and that you will not die doing that, rather, you can only excel”, he said.
He charged the students to always read, associate with people of influences that will impact on them positively and always accept responsibilities.
In his own presentation, Dr Samson Oluwagbemiga Bisiriyu, enjoined the students to see their future as bright and beautiful and wok towards achieving that by reading and committing themselves to academic excellence.
The speaker said that he hailed from poor background and lived in ghetto, but emerged from the slum to be somebody in life.
“What I will tell you about the future is that it is beautiful and also the future is bright. I would say the future is bright because I am proud of where I am today.
“But when I was like you, it wasn’t easy. They did not bring me up in an estate. I never grew up in a conducive environment. I actually grew up in ghettos and we have numerous of that in Ikorodu that people grew up from to become somebody in life”.
While emphasizing the importance of education, reading, focus and having positive mindset, the speaker charged the students to read about the renowned Dr Ben Carson, to see how they can change their situation for better.
“I don’t know how many of you have read a book by Ben Carson “The Gifted Hands”? I recommend that book to you all . Go and read the book. I congratulate those of you who will be writing WAEC this year, you must make sure that you read the book before your WAEC examinations.
“Those of you in SSS 2 must read it before being promoted into SSS 3.
“if you want to go far in life you, must be self – discipline. It is a must”, he charged them.
The overall best student (male), Emmanuel Bethel, speaking with THE IMPACT, said that he felt fulfilled, adding that the honour will spur him to do better.
“I feel really fulfilled. I feel that I have reap just a few fruits from what I have sowed in just my young life and which will serve has a stepping stone for me, and l want other students to see what hardwork and pure talent can do for them.
“I also feel that this is going to make me work harder and try to perform better in my studies”.
He thanked the organisers and the school for putting the idea of the award ceremony in place, stating that it will continue to motivate students to do better together.
Her female counterpart, Akuna Divine Chidimma, expressing herself, said:
“I feel very happy, knowing fully well that I did my best when I was school. I am joyful because this surpassed my expectations
“I want to thank the organisers for being there, sponsoring us and appreciating students that have done well, and I want to encourage other students to do more and be better in their academics”, she said.
Oyedokun Justri, an SSS 2 science student, also talking with our reporters, said:
“I am so happy that my hard work has paid. I really appreciate the organisers for this gesture. This will serve as encouragement to learn more.
“I charge other students to work and study hard too”, he said.
Another awardee, Solomon Williams, said:
“I feel happy and I want to work harder, and move towards wining more prizes like this”.
