The Ibeku High School Boulevard and Solar powered street lightings financed by the 1980 set and Connak Foundation has been officially commissioned by the Commissioner for Education, Abia State, Associate Professor Kanelechi Nwangwa.
The old boys represented by their secretary, Mr. Temple Nwosu also used the occasion to bestow an award on one of their own, Mr. Kenneth Ukeagu, founder and CEO, Connak Foundation and to the staff of the foundation.
Speaking in appreciation of the award at Ibeku High School play ground, during the grand home-coming/reunion and the commissioning of the boulevard, Ukeagu called on the management of the school to ensure that queen palms planted all round the school are watered and adequately taken care of.
He pointed out that the first queen palms planted were neglected and they withered off.
Ukeagu who assured the school of more assistance, said he was happy and proud to identify with his old school mates.
He said since he started the Connak Foundation in 2012, it has changed lives and brought people out of poverty.
Ukeagu revealed that in Umuahia and Aba, the foundation has trained and still training over 400 persons including Ibeku High School students on ITC and also given out money for people to start their own businesses.
Earlier in his speech, the bishop of Anglican Communion, Umuahia Diocese, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Ibeabuchi lamented the sorry state of the school and encouraged the old boys to do more towards the school’s uplift as the government cannot do it all alone.
He reminded the gathering that the school belongs to the Anglican communion before the state government took over most public schools in Nigeria, and seized the occasion to call on the state government to return the school to the church as they recently did to some churches including Holy Rosary Secondary School which was recently returned to the Catholic church and has been transformed immensely.
Ibeabuchi called on the old boys to shun sin, wickedness and raise their children with the fear of God.
In their various speeches, the chairman of the occasion, Sir George Akomas; national leader, Old Students, Kenneth Abazie; Prefect, IHS 80 set, Chukwuemeka Obike (Stagger); Ugo Nwabisi, Emeka Obike, Chimezie Kanu, Chinedem Ajuamiwe and Mrs. Christy Onyekwum said it was a thing of joy after 40 years to come together and brainstorm on how to move the school forward.
They decried the dilapidated state of the school, adding that they were shocked to see that most of the structures were in bad shape with less attention to it.
They recalled with nostalgia their days in school, how they viewed then principal as a thorn in their flesh and how every offence, no matter how little attracted punishment and suspension.
They said they began to appreciate the principal after leaving school.
They however frowned that the school no longer has boarding houses with most hostels converted to offices, adding that the benefits of boarding on students are enormous.
