He possibly needs no introduction. As a student at Victory College, Ikare, where he graduated with a Division 1 in 1978, he was a celebrated footballer and nemesis to several goal-keepers. He also played for the University of Ibadan where he studied Veterinary Medicine. DR. GANI ENAHORO was a former National President, Veterinary Medicine Association of Nigeria, former President, African Veterinary Medicine Association, Chairman, Policy Committee of the World Veterinary Association, Board member, Veterinary Council of Nigeria and Senior Advisor, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. A prolific and celebrated columnist in some national newspapers (including New National Star ) in the country, Dr. Enahoro, who just finished his term as Chairman of the University of Ibadan Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Association is preparing to lead the Victory College, Ikare Old Students Association (VICOSA). He spoke to our education correspondent. Excerpts: Victory College Ikare, the oldest secondary school in Akoko land, would be celebrating her 75th anniversary this week, are there reasons to roll out the drums? Yes we can celebrate and that is what we are doing right now, every such landmark is an opportunity to look back, take stock of how things have been and design new strategies for future growth and development. The socials that we look forward to, across many generations, are electrifying. I want to meet my colleagues that I have not seen in more than 40 years. Victory College Old Student Association (VICOSA) is happy and it is coinciding with its election year, which gives us double joy as we expect a huge attendance. The College management is waiting eagerly to receive so many visitors, and it is believed that the present students would be inspired to aim at achieving successes when they see the array or caliber of dignitaries that would be streaming around their premises while the programme lasts. At 75, a lot has happened over the years. Great men and women have passed through this school, with several of them being politically exposed, such as a one[1]time Number 2 man in the country, late Admiral Mike Akhigbe. Several of the old building structures for which we share nostalgia amongst ourselves, have become dilapidated, even as we appreciate the humble efforts by the stakeholders in the interval. Some Nigerians are complaining that infrastructure in most secondary schools are decaying, how can this be solved? Majority of secondary schools are government-owned, and we all know that governments are not good business managers. In the strict sense, public schools are not businesses and that is the problem, as they are left to rot over time. Education is considered as social service, with schools running without the profit mindset of the private sector, but even then, adequate funding provisions should be budgeted for their maintenance by the states. The life of an institution is a tortuous continuum, going through challenges up and down, and with the present model that is nationally adopted, there will never be a time when finances would be sufficient for its managers. With the dwindling nature of our economy, I agree with those who are complaining that there would always be maintenance deficits in our schools, and as advances in knowledge come up with enhanced and modern curriculum that fits, it would require a whole lot of modern structures and infrastructures to cope. The funding gaps will eventually belong to the alumni association and other stakeholders like Parent-Teacher Associations to deal with. Only innovative leadership in these groups would be able to harness the massive hidden resources that exist, to complement whatever the government can provide. As one of the National Presidential candidates, what are the programmes you intend to execute if given the mandate by the old students? Every Old Student Association is a reunion platform for the benefit of its members first and foremost. I plan to engage the mindset of the generality of our members in this direction. Members should help themselves freely through extensive and effective networking amongst themselves. Our most untainted friendship comes within ourselves, and not the fair-weather friends that joined us along our life journeys. It is when we are happy with ourselves that we can collectively and effortlessly through social or informal gatherings raise huge development funds for our school.
There are so many low hanging fruits that I will focus on that will build the relevant bridges that we need across the generations that have left our school in its seventy-five years.
I believe we need our own “Yellow Pages”, a digital directory of members, such that at a single tap, we would be tracking whoever passed through our school.
My team and I would do everything legally and practically possible to bring back our girls and restore the old glory of being a mixed school.
There were peculiar signatures that stood Victory College Ikare out as a national brand in those days, such as our prowess in football, the rich and diversified cultural background that allowed non[1]indigenes to almost become equal in population with the natives of Akoko location of the school.
That which provided the attraction, which brought my likes from across the nooks and crannies of the country into Victory College has to be revisited.
Common Entrance examination centers beyond the state will be promoted and supported by the alumni.
The future of the world is urban, so we must close out the rural mentality that reduces our students to their local setting.
The rich pool of human resources that we have been blessed with in VICOSA would be encouraged to reach out virtually to the present students, staff and management on a quarterly basis through a mentoring programme that my team shall moderate.
We would progress the digitization programme that was recently started by working at a technology hub with more e-learning classes and donations from endowed alumni and corporate organizations.
These and all other regular maintenance and human resources support for the College will be the goals if elected as National President.