Anglican Grammar School, Oke-Nla, Ifo, Ogun State, has marked its 50th Founders’ Day Anniversary with a renewed commitment to transform the institution into a model secondary school, as its old students launched a ₦250 million development project and unveiled a far-reaching agenda for the next phase of the school’s growth.
The anniversary celebration brought together government officials, traditional rulers, representatives of the Anglican Communion, school administrators, teachers, parents, students, old students, community leaders and well-wishers from Nigeria and the diaspora.
Speaking at the occasion, the President of the Anglican Grammar School Old Students’ Association (AGSOSA), OS Olugbenga Fashina, described the golden jubilee as a celebration of 50 years of God’s faithfulness, educational impact, character formation, sacrifice, service and enduring legacy.
He said the school had produced generations of men and women who had made meaningful contributions to their families, professions, communities, Ogun State, Nigeria and the wider world.
Fashina paid tribute to the school’s founders, successive principals, teachers, parents, students, community leaders, religious leaders, government officials and other stakeholders whose sacrifices sustained the institution over five decades.
He also remembered departed members of the school community, saying their legacies continued to inspire future generations.
The AGSOSA president commended past national and set executives, the association’s Board of Trustees, the Sets Representative Assembly, committees, volunteers and individual members for their contributions to the anniversary and the development of the school.
He noted that AGSOSA’s interventions had resulted in several tangible projects, including the renovation of classroom blocks, the food and nutrition room, the principal’s quarters and laboratories; the provision of students’ desks;
The reconstruction of the school gate;
construction of an entrance roundabout; installation of solar power and batteries; electrical work and ceiling fans in the school hall; rehabilitation of the sports field; and the construction of a modern e-library. “These are not merely projects. They are monuments of love and investment in the future,” he said.
Fashina said the association’s vision was to move Anglican Grammar School from a great school with a proud history to a flagship institution in Ogun State and, ultimately, one of the leading secondary schools in Nigeria. 
He identified modern hostels, laboratories, digital learning facilities, ICT infrastructure, improved libraries, sustainable power and water, technical and vocational education, sports, teacher development, scholarships and strategic partnerships as key priorities.
He appealed to individuals, organisations and friends of education to support the development fund, stressing that the next 50 years would require unity, transparency, innovation, accountability and sustained commitment from all members of the AGS family.
Also speaking at the celebration, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Ayobami Adelaja Arigbabu, congratulated the school community on behalf of the state government and Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Arigbabu, ably represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor, Dr. Kiadese Lukmon described the 50th anniversary as a celebration not only of longevity but also of impact, excellence, resilience and the transformation of countless lives through education.
He commended AGSOSA for launching the ₦250 million development project, describing it as evidence of the old students’ love for their alma mater and a strong example of community participation in educational development.
The commissioner reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to investment in educational infrastructure, teacher development, digital learning initiatives and policies aimed at improving access to quality and affordable education.
Drawing from his personal experience, Arigbabu urged students to understand that greatness is determined not by background but by vision, determination and hard work.
He encouraged them to pursue lifelong learning, cultivate discipline, integrity and resilience, respect their teachers and parents, shun social vices and strive for excellence.
He also urged AGSOSA and other stakeholders to sustain their support for the school, saying a collective effort was necessary to create an environment capable of nurturing academic excellence and producing future leaders for Ogun State and Nigeria.
The keynote anniversary lecture, titled “Transforming Anglican Grammar School, Ifo, into a Model School in Ogun State: From Legacy to Destiny,” was delivered by Prof. Ebunoluwa Olufemi Oduwole, Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo.
Oduwole said the school’s 50-year journey represented faith, sacrifice, commitment, perseverance and achievement.
She noted that its greatest monuments were not merely its buildings but the graduates it had produced—including professionals, entrepreneurs, public servants, clergy, administrators and community leaders.
She challenged the school community to move from celebrating its legacy to deliberately building its destiny.
According to her, a model school must combine academic excellence, moral and character formation, modern infrastructure and digital learning, skilled and motivated teachers, and strong alumni and community partnerships.
The lecturer proposed a 10-pillar transformation agenda, described as the “IFO MODEL.” The agenda includes infrastructure renewal; academic re- engineering; technology, digital and skills development; character formation.
And preservation of the school’s Anglican identity; teacher welfare and motivation; sports and talent development; sustainable governance; research and innovation; strategic partnerships; and a stronger role for old students.
Among her specific recommendations were the renovation of 10 classrooms to model standard, reconstruction and equipping of the science laboratories, development of an elibrary and ICT centre with at least 50 computers and internet access.
Also, creation of an infrastructure fund, recruitment of additional qualified teachers, holiday coaching for senior students, annual awards for outstanding students and teachers, and the establishment of coding, robotics, entrepreneurship and innovation programmes.
She also called for improved teacher welfare, mentorship programmes in which old students adopt students for guidance, stronger sports development, transparent management of development funds and the creation of a registered AGS Ifo Model School Development Trust with audited accounts and a five-year master plan.
Oduwole urged old students to contribute according to their capacity as builders, brains and connectors—those who can provide financial resources, professional expertise or access to government, donors and strategic partners.
She further proposed that every set,
from 1975 to 2023, should adopt and complete a project for the school.
She challenged the association to ensure that, by the school’s 55th anniversary, Anglican.Grammar School, Ifo, would rank among the top 10 public schools in Ogun State in terms of West African Examinations Council results, infrastructure and discipline.
“Let this 50th Anniversary not end with just rice, dancing and taking pictures. Let it end with a declaration,” she said, stressing that the responsibility for the school’s transformation rested on the collective commitment of its old students and stakeholders.
The anniversary ended with renewed calls for unity among the various sets of old students and a commitment to leave the school better than it was inherited.
Organisers said the celebration was intended not only to honour the past but also to mobilise resources, partnerships and leadership for a stronger and more relevant Anglican Grammar School in
the decades ahead.
