CSR- 1985 Set Of MAFOGRAM Donates Computers, Furniture, Others To School

By Chinonye Anyatonwu

As part of Community Social Responsibility(CSR),and spirit of giving back to the society, the 1985 graduating set of the Mafoluku Senior Grammar School, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos State, has donated items that will help to aid learning, improve understanding and make better the place that moulded them to become what they are today in their alma mater. During the event,10 units of all-in-one desktop computers, 2 units of laptop computers, 1 printing machine, 11 chairs, 11 tables and 6 electrical junction boxes plus the coating of the information and communications technology room were commissioned.

In his remark, the president of the set of old Students association, Engineer Opeolu Oyewole , ably represented by the secretary of the '85 set of the Association, Mr. Dili Utomi, stated a quote from Robert Browning that says "Love, hope, fear, faith -these make humanity; These are its sign and note and character". In his words, "Ladies and gentlemen, I had to single out this quote in order to bring out certain elements that characterise the human person. These characters over centuries have hardly changed inspite of advancement in science and technology. In fact these advancements have merely further exposed these characters in the human persons as people who must continue to seek to advance collective interests and aspirations through coordinated efforts", Mr Utomi stated "As little children, I have fond memories of the pristine nature of this compound with bushes and household wastes sharing spaces and the sorrouding areas having just patches of modernity until the then most practical governor that Nigeria has ever known in the person of Alhaji Lateef Jakande declared a kind of emergency on education, clearing the space and building this school that we came to know as the Mafoluku Grammar School, Mafoluku Oshodi in 1980". Continuing, "We are the pioneer graduating set and the first of the old students association and we feel honoured to contribute a bit in our effort to make our school better. We were taught as children that it is always good to give back because the kindness that you show finds it's way back to you, but then again, this school helped to mould us into what anyone of us may have been right now". According to Utomi, the old students indicate that the purpose of donating these ICT equipment which have also been configured with the latest software applications is for relevant knowledge acquisition to meet modern needs. In appreciation, the principal of the Mafoluku Grammar School, Mrs. Kehinde Y. Obidake, said that the commitment to betterment of our school is truly commendable. "Your generosity not only enriches our educational environment but also strengthens the bond between our current students and the alumni community.We are proud to have alumni like you who continue to exemplify the spirit of giving back to their alma mater. Your support is a testament to the enduring legacy of our school and the commitment of our alumni to its continued success".

Director of Co-curicular Activities, Science and Technology of the District vi of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Paul Legbati, also represented by the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of the District. In his speech, he said that "this is a great gesture that should be emulated by everyone in the society. The students should endeavour to make the best use of the advantages presented by the donation of these ICT equipment and the teachers should also kindly do everything to make sure that the equipment are always in good condition". He went on to formally commission the donated equipment. The old Students commended the efforts of the pioneer principal, Mrs. O. O. Onabolu and her then teachers who helped to mould them to become what they are today as they also praise the current principal, Mrs K Y Obidake and her teachers for the support in making the day a reality.

However, the ceremony passed a message to every Nigerians, that the country needs our collective goodwill and efforts in order to move away from this seeming retrogression to a more properous time and leave a better legacy for prosterity".