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•Roll out drums for 50th anniversary
By Gabriel Dike
Activities marking the golden jubilee of the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Benin City would kick off next week.
Already, the Old Students Association of FGGC Benin City have rolled out the drums preparatory to celebrate the founder’s day with some programmes lined up.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, chairperson Board of Trustees (BOT), FGGC Benin City, Mrs. Eyono Fatayi-Williams, said the college has produced prominent women in different positions in the country and abroad.
According to her, FGGC Benin-City was established on October 15, 1973, by the General Yakubu Gowon administration as part of the government’s programme to promote unity in post-civil war Nigeria. She said the theme for the anniversary is ’50 years of inspiring young minds’.
She disclosed that the school started with 72 students at Idia College site and that two years later, the school moved to its permanent site in Ugbowo, near the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
‘’Since its first set of graduates in1978, the school has produced over 40 sets of accomplished women who have made impact on national and global stages in various fields of human endeavour.
The Alumni of the Federal Government girls College Benin, fondly called FEDIBEN, are found all over the world and can be identified by their excellence,’’ Fatayi-Williams stated.
The BOT chairperson explained that the school management and the alumni are collaborating to celebrate the jubilee with events that are tagged the “mother of all reunions”.
She said the 50th anniversary celebration has provided an opportunity for all alumni globally, regardless of graduation year to unite to plan the jubilee celebrations from the 12th – 15th, October 2023 in Benin City.
Fatayi-Williams said the synergy among the different sets has resulted in the implementation of anniversary projects by the global alumni, renovation of the school’s two dining halls.
She added: “We are privileged to have the wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki as an alumna of the school and she is also sponsoring an electrification project and clinic refurbishment.”
The BOT chairperson revealed that there are other multiple projects by individual class sets and publication of a coffee table book titled the Coral Beads, which is a collection of memories, articles, pictures and stories of our time in Fediben.
She described the anniversary celebration as ‘’a gathering of alumni in Benin not only to celebrate but also to give back to the school by way of career talks for students, health screening for staff, with the main plenary event-taking place on Saturday, October 14th, 2023.’’
Programmes lined up for the 50th anniversary are Thursday, October 12, 2023, inter school debate, proposed alumni courtesy visit to the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the Oba of Benin, on Friday, October 13th, festival of arts and culture, medical talk and outreach, featuring a health talk targeted at the staff and students, basic health checks and donations to the school sickbay and jumat service
Others are on Saturday, October 14th, the 50th Anniversary celebration, which would feature a keynote speaker, book launch, panel session, and the launch of the school project, 50th Anniversary reunion grand ball while on Sunday, October 15th, there would be a thanksgiving service.
The President of FGGC old girls association, Mrs. Elozino Olaniyan, said from when the college was established till date, students did well in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and now West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Olaniyan disclosed that the old girls have been partnering with the school to ensure the college has good facilities, adding, ‘we want the current girls to get the same education we received in the 70s.
She revealed that the foundation set intends to set up a scholarship scheme to help indigent girls offered admission can continue their education.
Head of Media, FGGC 50th anniversary, Mrs. Kofoworola Belo-Osagie said the college meant to the old girls because that is where they formed and released to the World.
Bello-Osagie explained that FGGC Benin City has produced prominent women, who are doing well in different fields and that the anniversary would be used to reward students for their outstanding academic performance.
