Remarkably and unprecedentedly, four decades after their graduation from the school, the 1986 class of Baptist High School Ekinrin-Adde, Ijumu LGA of Kogi State, in an unparalleled and unique way, returned to their alma mater, with a great donation of a transformative Legacy GateHouse, to commemorate their 40th graduation anniversary.
The top-grade and elegantly delivered gatehouse, which has significantly changed the landscape of the school and the Ekinrin-Adde community, was applauded and celebrated as the first of its kind in all Ijumu communities, by any alumni association.
The multi-million magnificent facility, which is reckoned by not a few, as a cherished monument to history, was commissioned at a colourful ceremony on Friday, June 26, 2026, by His Royal Majesty, Olu Anthony Bamigbaiye Idowu, CON, (Ahe-Maworo I), Olu-Adde of Ekinrin-Adde, in company of his Olori, members of the traditional council, the Chairman, CAN of the community, and a coterie of clergymen.
HRM, the Olu-Adde, who was apparently happy about the historic and momentous occasion, remarked that the BHS Ekinrin-Adde 1986 alumni association, has set a record of excellence and etched its name indelibly on the sands of time.
The revered monarch commended the members of the association for their unity of purpose, sacrificial giving, commitment, and thoughtfulness in bringing the highly impactful project to reality. He charged other sets of the school, and alumni associations of other schools across Ijumu, Okun land and Kogi State in general, to emulate the BHSEA 1986 set, in giving back to society, and particularly in adding value to their alma maters.
The President of Ekinrin-Adde Community Development Association (EACDA), Elder Dehinde Toyin Komolafe, speaking on behalf of the CDA, lauded the BHS Ekinrin-Adde 1986 Set as a pace-setter, and commended all the members for making a great donation of their time and resources towards making the huge impac which the GateHouse has made. He prayed for continued grace and blessings of God on all the members of the association.
One of the old teachers of the 1986 Set, Elder Omodele, who was a teacher of English Language in the school at that time, expressed joy and gratitude to God for the grace to witness the epoch-making event, noted that the discipline, hardwork and sense of duty that were insulated in the members of the alumni association, accounted for the success-story that they all became in their adult life.
The elderstatesman enjoined the younger generation of students to seriously imbibe the culture of discipline and dedication to duty, so as to become successful in life.
The President of the Alumni Association, Alhaji Abdulkareem Oludare Aminu, in his welcome address, remarked that forty-five years ago, members, walked through the gates of the school, as impressionable young lads, full of dreams, passed through the crucible of fire of learning and grooming, and forty years later, have returned through a new gate powered and built by the same dreams, a sense of fulfillment, and with hearts full of gratitude, pride, and in unity.
Alhaji Abdulkareem Oludare Aminu also noted that the Legacy GateHouse, which speaks to robust cooperative spirit, was borne out of the desire and strong resolve of members of the association to enhance the security of the students and teachers of the school; to accentuate the pride of place which the school occupies; to beautiful and dignify their alma mater, and the Ekinrin-Adde community, and to inspire every student who is currently passing through the gate, and the next generation of students who are to come, that excellence is achievable, and that giving back to society is a commanding duty to the society for all.
The Legacy Project Committee, has Mr Abayomi Amupitan, a successful Quantity Surveyor as Chairman, while the 40th Graduation Anniversary Committee is chaired by Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, a former Deputy Country Director of Democracy Program for Africa (DfAP), and currently serving as the National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The Anniversary Committee has, among other members, the Chief Medical Director/CEO, Ademola Hospital Ltd., Agbara-Ijanikin Lagos, Dr Edward Ademola Aina, the Vice-President (Nigeria) of the association, as Deputy Chairman.
It is remarkable to bring to mind that Dr. Edward Ademola Aina, as a sixteen year old teenager, emerged as the best graduating student of the Set, and the over-all best in the West African School Cerricate (WASC) of 1986, in the entire old Kwara State; Barrister Bolaji Ireyomi, a Canada-based legal practitioner, as Secretary, and Professor Christopher Jimoh Olowookere, a professor of Health Physics and Biophysics,
and Director of Investment and Consultancy at the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, as Assistant Secretary.
The four-day 40th anniversary celebration of the aumni association, which includes a Jumat Service on Friday, June 26th, and a thanksgiving service in the morning of Sunday, June 28th, will culminate in a Re-Union Dinner in the evening of Sunday, which is to be held at the Ekinrin-Adde Events Centre.
The re-union dinner event is expected to attract the entire Ekinrin-Adde traditional council members to grace the occasion with their royal presence, and a good number of illustrious sons and daughters of the community, and other invited eminent dignitaries and well-wishers.
The BHSEA 1986 alumni association has done so well in impacting their alma mater and has indeed challenged other sets of the school to also step out and make a difference.
