15/01/2018
A WELCOME ADDRESS PRESENTED BY MR. JOHN OKOH JNR. NATIONAL PRESIDENT, IKA GRAMMAR SCHOOL OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION CLASS OF 1996, ON THE OCCASION OF THE ANNUAL REUNION OF THE CLASS ON 26TH DECEMBER, 2017
My Dear Old Boys,
Invited guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is with great joy and indeed, enormous gratitude to God Almighty that I welcome us all to this year's reunion. We cannot appreciate Him enough for His Grace, Blessings and Divine Favours on us All and our respective families. May His name be praised both now and forever more. Amen.
Recall that at the beginning of the year 2017, we set out to install iron doors for a block of classrooms at the old Assembly ground. The initial plan was to fix 10 doors, but with your overwhelming support, we were able to make it 13 doors. Though, the block of classrooms has 15 doors on it, I trust that before this year rounds off, the remaining two doors shall be fixed. I trust and believe that God will use an old boy here today to complete it. I congratulate us all on the accomplishment of this project.
On a sad note, one of us, Mr. Flight Oyanne lost his pretty and amiable wife to the cold hands of death. May her gentle soul rest in peace, amen. (+)
Let me seize this opportunity to thank you All once again for the support and solidarity you showed to me and other members of executive since we came on board in acting capacity, to pilot the affairs of the association. Without you, we couldn't have achieved anything. Permit me to itemize what your support, trust and commitment achieved :
* Visitation to Orphanage home for 3 consecutive years with assorted gift items
* Lassa Fever Awareness Campaign to IGS, in the wake of the outbreak of the epidemic
* Fabrication and installation of 13 iron doors for a block of classrooms at IGS
* In line with our constitution, we made cash donations to our financial members whom God has blessed with the gift of children, as well as sending delegates and cash to our members, who lost their parents.
Let me state categorically that our activities in IGSOBA Class of 96 has acted as a catalyst that has propelled other sets (our seniors and juniors alike) to contribute to the development of our Alma mata. I ask you all to keep it up!
As we may have seen in the programme of events, we are having elections today. Please, do well to participate and cooperate with the electoral committee, so that we may have a hitch free exercise. There is plenty to eat and drink. I welcome our wives and kids. Please relax and Merry with us.
I must not also fail to acknowledge with thanks, efforts of the following persons; Hope Ohiembor, George Enunwa and Otene Christopher, who thought it wise to convene a WhatsApp chat group which later metamorphosed into IGSOBA Class of 1996. I will be committing a crime if I fail to mention the immense contribution of the planning committee led by Dr. Christopher Otene, his committee members; Collins Amadi, Emmanuel Anyasi A.K.A Mature, Joel Elue and John Okoh for their tireless efforts towards the success of this occasion. God bless you all.
I wish you All a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Thanks for listening and God bless
