Archbishop Ibezim decries neglect, infrastructural decay in Agulu Grammar School

By Chukwudi Ndubeze

The Archbishop Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger and Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Alexander Chibuzo Ibezim PhD has decried the poor infrastructural state of Agulu Grammar School.

Odogwublog. com reports that Archbishop Ibezim made a pastoral visit to the school which was nearly overtaken by bush as a result of neglect and called on the people of Agulu as well as the old Boys of the Agulu Grammar School to revive the boys school facing dilapidation.

Delivering his sermon on Sunday during his Archepiscopal visit to the Chapel of St. Christopher, Agulu Grammar School, Agulu, Archbishop Ibezim stated that the school must be rebuilt and brought back to its lost glory.

Recall that the establishment of the school coincided with the birth of the Anglican Archbishop in 1962. He stated that “if Agulu Grammar school should have progressed, it would have been upgraded to a polytechnic.”

He challenged the old boys of the school to take up their alma mata as their project to give back to where they started, stating that it is greater achievement to invest in the school than allowing the school to be taken over by bush and wild animals.

He said, “some old boys think that eating and drinking alone is an achievement, if you think that an achievement is when you gather at somebody’s house and eat pounded yam with Onugbu soup, you have gained something”.

Odogwublog. com reports that Ibezim warned the old boys to have a rethink on the condition of their Alma Mata or risk being neglected by God stating that “people are found wrongly playing politics with things that matter in the society.” He stressed that time has come to drop politics to join hands and restore the alma mata to its lost glory.

While Ibezim regretted the infrastructural decay in the school, he however assured to lead infrastructural revolution in the grammar school, stating that quick and lasting projects are necessary to restore the school’s place in education.

Bishop Ibezim at the service inaugurated a 15 member management board to be headed by Hon Ferdinand Obi , a retired Permanent Secretary to oversee the redemption of the school, charging them to reach out to all old boys who he said have something they can contribute towards revival of the school. He said that in every generation there is remnants, whose presence will ensure the school will not decompose or go into extinction.

While Archbishop Ibezim urged the management to raise a team for replanting and watering of trees and flowers in the school to give it a new look, he called on Agulu Archdeaconry and Agulu group of Churches, to hire 3 laborers to be paid to ensure constant cutting of grasses in the school environment especially as the rainy season approaches.

Ibezim who is also the proprietor of the Agulu Grammar School vowed to embark on unofficial monitoring of the school advising the old boys to give kingdom value to what God has given to them. He reminded that that if kingdom value is not attached to assets of an individual, it’s tantamount to useless asset.

Meanwhile, the National President of Agulu Grammar School Old Boys Association, Dr. Dona Ndigwe, while commending Archbishop Ibezim for the drive to move the school forward said that the Old boys must key into the program to restore the dignity of their alma mata.

He said the problem of the school is enormous, citing dilapidated structures that litter the school. He reechoed need for infrastructural rehabilitation calling on the entire old boys community to join hands to reconstruct the structures in the school.

He said that insecurity has been a constant worry to the school while invasion of the school premises by land speculators are sources of disturbance to the school. He however reassured that the old boys are doing everything in their capacity to turnaround the fortune of the school.

Another Old Boy and National Coordinator of Agulu Grammar School Scholarship Scheme, Sir Eugne Nwaizugbe on a request urged Archbishop Ibezim to as a matter of need channel excess students in the diocesan mission schools to Agulu Grammar School to help augment the poor population in the school.

Engr Nwaizugbe who presented six point request to Archbishop Ibezim pleaded with the Archbishop to make the Grammar school a campus of Bishop Crowther Junior Seminary and to even channel some diocesan projects to the school as he opined that alone could help elevate the school.

Also, the President General of Agulu Town Union, Mr Oliver Afamefuna said the situation of the school is a shame to Agulu community stating that the Grammar school was one of the best before it was taken over by government only to be returned in tatters.

He however vowed that his tenure will see to total revamping of the school facilities as he promised to do everything within his capacity to help return the school to the shape it would be proud of.

Odogwublog. com further reports that the highlight of Archbishop Ibezim’s Pastoral visit was the commissioning of Multi Million Naira Modern Toilet Facility built by class of 1980 set for the students of Agulu Grammar School as part of their contribution towards the infrastructural development of their Alma Mata.