Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, has called on Nigeria youths and school-age children to be hardworking, creative, resourceful, and legitimately pursue their set goals to record resounding success in life.
Prof Abdulkareem made the call at the Annual General Meeting of the Government Secretary School (GSS) Ilorin Old Boys Association, held at the School Hall.
The Vice-Chancellor, who was the Guest Speaker of the occasion, said that success is achieved through hard work, perseverance and commitment.
He said that GSS Ilorin ingrained discipline, hard work, perseverance, team spirit, honesty and sincerity of purpose in them as students.
Prof. Abdulkareem, who spoke on the theme ‘No Struggle No Success’, said that though Nigerian youths are talented, a lot of them want to do things the easy way, not the best way.
He explained that the road to success is not smooth as youths of nowadays might perceive success, saying that it takes hard work, perseverance and endurance to record success in life.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the values the old students were imbued with at the GSS Ilorin inspired their strong belief that success transcends circumstances.
Prof. Abdulkareem, who recounted with nostalgia his days in GSS Ilorin, counted himself and his colleagues lucky for passing through the school, saying that the school has produced many notable figures who have done and are still doing the country proud in their respective professional callings.
“The ideals that energized us and motivated us not only to climb through the ladder of success in life but also to become exemplary in our attitude and character, were deeply ingrained in us by this great alma mater,” he said.
“Character formation and pursuit of excellence were central to how we were brought up at the Government Secondary School, Ilorin. There is, therefore, no gainsaying the fact that the GSS Ilorin moulded us, illuminated our ways in life, prepared us for challenges of life, inculcated high level of discipline in us and imbued us with what we need to navigate the rough routes of life. We are greatly indebted to the school and all those that ran the school to the envy of scores of people within and outside its location.”
The National President, GSS Ilorin Old Boys Association, Engr Sulaiman Yahaya Alapansanpa, said that the school has been in infrastructural meltdown as a result of neglect by successive administrations in Kwara State.
Engr Alapansanpa, who is the new Danmasani of Ilorin and Chairman, Ilorin Emirate Durbar, appealed to the Abdqulrasa administration not to neglect the school but provide it with a library, laboratory apparatus, and perimeter fencing for the institution to regain its past glory.
Mr Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle and Dr Segun Ajuwon, who were Special Guest of Honour and Chairman of the occasion, respectively, appreciated God for the sound secondary education that GSS Ilorin gave to them, and pledged their continued support for their Alma mater.
The well-attended event featured an Annual General Meeting, Biennial Election, presentation of awards, and monetary donations by the old students towards the school’s development.
Among those that were conferred with merit awards at the event were the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Sulyman Age Abdulkareem; the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti; Dr Segun Ajuwon; Mr Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle; Mr Kamal Yusuf; Alhaji MS Koro; Alhaji Mudi Gold; Chief P.A Olorunishola (SAN); Chief Joshua Ogunlowo, Alhaji Ganiyu Ogunleye; and Engr Yusuf Olanrewaju Sagaya.