Follow Us on Google
By Vera Wisdom-Bassey
It was a day of nostalgia as Anglican Girls Grammar School, Awkunanaw, Enugu State, class of ’76, held a convention and gala night in Lagos.
The ex-students, referred to as old girls, who appeared ageless even in their 60s, had so much to recollect after leaving school 46 years ago.
Displaying their excitement, they embraced and threw banter at one another. It was a night that they would remember for a very long time as they intermittently sang and danced while the event lasted.
At the event were the former Chief Justices of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Olufunmilayo Oke, Azogini Iwuamadi, former president of the association, 1973 set, Nkem Okoro, founder of the ‘Wife’, Adora Obi, Mrs. Mukosolu Ejiofor, among others.
Activities marking the day were a talk on mental health and family by Mr. Enaholo Emmanuel, investiture of the new president, fund-raising for a water project, cutting of the cake, and a dancing.
During the health talk, Emmanuel called on the participants to know how to manage their emotions so that it does not affect other people around them. According to him, when one is emotionally balanced, one would be able to manage other tasks and challenges of life without losing control.
To control one’s emotions the three things he stated must be adopted are: breathe, ground yourself and then pause. On breathing, he said when one breathes deeply, one sends a message to the brain that helps the person to calm down and relax.
He also advised the women to control their emotions by engaging in singing, dancing and other things that they love doing most.
The president of the alma-mater, Mrs. Ifeoma Anaegbogu, called on the women to pay attention to informative programmes that would better their lives.
zzShe promised to work together with her executives to fulfil the alma-mater’s mandate, and make members and the school better for it.
Also, the chairman of the occasion, Oke said she honoured the invitation because she too attended an Anglican Girls School in Ondo State, saying that the school moulded her. She recalled how the missionary school taught her morals and other values, which are scarce today.
She spoke on giving back to alma mater and said that there were blessings attached to such gesture.
Quoting the Bible, she said: “Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down; shaking together and running over shall men give into your bosom.”
“Laughter makes your blood to flow very well and so you should engage in it as often as possible to overcome the diverse society challenges that are confronting us as a country today,” she said.
She also talked about depression and advised that they should learn to share their problems with any of the sisters they could confide in.
