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The King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) has pledged to leverage the recent concession granted to it by the Federal Government to restore the institution to the standard envisioned by its founding fathers.
The association, which expressed concern over what it described as the decline in the standard of education and discipline at the college, said it was determined to restore the intellectual excellence, discipline and values for which King’s College was historically known.
KCOBA also called on its members at home and in the Diaspora to join hands with the association in rebuilding the institution, restoring its standards and upgrading its facilities and assets to make it one of the best schools in Africa.
Speaking at the weekend in Lagos during the 2026 King’s Week, held to mark the 117th Founders’ Day, lecture and anniversary of the institution, President of KCOBA, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, urged members to remain open-minded and contribute ideas capable of moving the association and the college forward.
Ibrahim-Imam said preserving the institution’s legacy should go beyond celebrating its history, stressing that it required deliberate efforts to strengthen the school for future generations.
He said: “Legacy is not simply what we inherit. It is what we choose to do with what we have inherited,” urging old boys to constantly ask themselves what they were giving back to the institution.
According to him, KCOBA has a critical role to play through mentorship, scholarships, modern facilities, professional networks and other interventions capable of strengthening the college.
He also stressed the need to ensure that the institution remained relevant in a world increasingly shaped by technology and changing global realities.
Also speaking, Chairman of the King’s Week Planning Committee, Gbolahan Olayomi, said the college was at a crossroads and that all stakeholders must work together to make its transformation a reality.
Olayomi said the theme of the week, “Owning Our Future: Advancing the King’s College Lagos Legacy,” captured the need to recognise the school’s glorious past, confront its present challenges and build an outstanding future.
He said the experience of institutions that had undergone significant transformation showed what sustained investment and collective commitment could achieve.
“King’s College has a much bigger job to do. And today, part of the appeal is going to be: we must make this transformation happen. And we must make that transformation real,” he said.
Olayomi said the objective should be to create a King’s College where every child with the capacity to learn could thrive and excel, adding that stakeholders were committed to moving the institution forward.
In his keynote address, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House also called for the restoration of the college to its former glory, stressing the need to empower the institution to prepare its students for the rapidly changing world.
Ighodalo noted that artificial intelligence, digital technology, new inventions and robotics were creating opportunities that were previously unimaginable, stressing that King’s College must prepare its students for the future while preserving the values that distinguish the institution.
He urged old boys to play a greater role in the development of the college through mentorship, scholarships, modern facilities, professional networks and other opportunities for students.
According to him, the quality of young people being prepared for the future would ultimately determine the strength and progress of the country.
He urged members of KCOBA to ensure that every generation left the institution stronger than it met it.
Ighodalo also called for greater transparency in the management of the school, stressing that admission should be based on merit rather than the social or financial status of parents.
He said: “We must rescue the school to an enviable standard where everyone who qualifies for admission through merit, no matter their parents’ status, will be admitted.
“We should be prepared to refurbish the school because the environment in which students study affects their psyche and can influence their behavioural attitudes.”
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by the state Head of Service, Bode Agoro, also stressed the importance of preparing students for a technology-driven future while preserving the values of the institution.
The governor commended KCOBA for its continued commitment to the development of King’s College and urged stakeholders to sustain efforts aimed at strengthening the institution.
The panelists at the event agreed on the need to mobilise funds from members of the association both in Nigeria and the Diaspora to finance the transformation of the college.
A fundraising session was also held as the association appealed to old boys and other stakeholders at home and abroad to support efforts to rebuild the institution and restore its lost glory.
They noted that King’s College had produced prominent Nigerians who had distinguished themselves in various fields, including the military, police, politics, journalism, banking and other professions.
