•The Story Of The School Revealed
On Sunday, 8th September, 2019, the old students of Ijebu Muslim College gathered in Lagos for its N250 million Pre-Anniversary Fund-Raising Luncheon for Infrastructural Development Projects. The event was organised by the national body of the Ijebu Muslim College Old Students Association (IMCOSA). The well attended ceremony was held at the Classique Events Place, along Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Lagos.
The Welcome address was read by Engr. Kayode Sote (FNSE), the President of the Old students national body. He explained that the “Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu-Ode was founded on January 27, 1950, by the Ijebu Muslim Community to cater for educational needs of children of members of Muslim Community within Ijebu-Ode and environs.
“Since its establishment, the College has had a chequered history, scoring many firsts among all secondary schools in the old Western Region of Nigeria. It is on record that the first set of students graduated in 1954, having spent 5 years instead of the mandatory 6 years and they all excelled in flying colours in the Cambridge Examination. Today, the College remains one of the largest and most accomplished secondary schools in Ogun State, with a current student population of over 4,000.”
“Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu-Ode has become an oak that has withstood the test of time and diverse challenges in the nation’s education sector, but despite that, the College remains a cosmic powerhouse of knowledge and wisdom embedded in a cedar tree as a sign of endurance and excellence through tumultuous period of history. Despite all the challenges facing the education sector, the College remains a primus interpares among the committee of colleges for its remarkable contributions to Ijebu Community, Ogun State, the nation and the world at large where the old students remain a reference point in quality education and moral standards in line with the best global practices in human capital development and capacity building of the youths in order to face the challenges of life.
“In 1969, the National Body of Ijebu Muslim College Old Students Association (IMCOSA) was formally launched and in 2016, IMCOSA was incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja. It has a well structured leadership, management and administrative system with strong corporate governance.
“The Association as a body of committed Old Students has been proactive in diverse areas of intervention and support to the College in all ramifications. Within the last thirty years I MCOSA has completely transformed the school with many projects that had considerably improved the school’s infrastructure. This in turn, has positively, impac on students academic performances.
“For all these efforts the Association has won several laurels at the Zonal, State and Federal levels in
appreciation of its services to the Alma Mater which is second to none.
“However, to honour and celebrate the foresight of the founding fathers of this College who were pioneers of western education for the Muslim youths in Ijebuland, IMCOSA has packaged a series of activities to mark the auspicious occasion. Major modernisation programmes estimated to cost a total of N250 million shall be embarked upon as part of efforts to sustain the legacy of the school and complement the policy of the Ogun State Government in providing qualitative education in an environment-friendly College.
“On behaIf of the National Body, please permit me to end this Welcome Address by expressing the Association’s gratitude to various Class Sets, Founding Father’s Families, individuals, Corporate bodies and wellwishers, who, over the years, have continued to support our various activities both in kind and cash that make the school a reference point in quality education and infrastructural development in Ijebu Division in particular and Ogun State in general. Finally, with due respect to the existing protocols, may I now use this opportunity to solicit your kind support through donations either in cash or kind to actualise the objectives forthe 70th Founders’ Day Anniversary”.
THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Ever since its establishment in 1950, Ijebu Muslim College has always celebrated her Founders’ Day on a grand scale every ten (10) years and, therefore, the forthcoming 70th Anniversary will not be an exception. However, what has changed in the last 40 years is that Ogun State Government took over the School but has neglected the maintenance ofthe School infrastructure. Thus, most of the existing infrastructure started to decay owing to old age and lack of maintenance.
In fact, by the time the School attained the age of 40, the situation had really become very appalling. Decayed infrastructure everywhere and the Students population had more than doubled to over 2,000! Therefore, there was acute shortage of accommodation with each Classroom then having more than 120 Students! Under that situation, IMCOSA decided to intervene in a big way to turn things round for the better. Apart from direct construction of many additional Classroom blocks and regular supply offurniture, textbooks and other essential educational materials, IMCOSA embarked on massive rehabilitation of many of the old structures. In addition, the Association mobilised other Stakeholders like the Muslim Community led by the Imam-in-Council.and the PTA to assist, which they did.
Many Corporate Organisations equally responded generously to our appeal for help. Such include: Messrs Globacom Unlimited that donated a well-equipped Computer Centre
Messrs Agbami Partners, which equally donated an e-Library. EXXON Mobil, whose ultra-modern Block of 16 Classrooms is now fully completed ready for com missioni ng. Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, which is constructing a modern Science Laboratory in the School present. Despite all these efforts, a lot still remains to be done for the School to cope with the demands of its present Students population of over 4,000. Therefore, IMCOSA will also use this occasion of the. 70th Anniversary to carry out the following projects:- (1) Rehabilitation ofthe old School Assembly Hall (2) Construction of 1,200-Seater Dinning Hall for Students (3) Construction of 4 Bungalows of 12 Self-contained Flats (2-Bedroom each) in Staff Quarters (4) Rehabilitation of remaining old Classroom Blocks (5) Construction of good drainage and rehabilitation of School Road Network.
All these cost over N300Million but IMCOSA Members and Sets have already raised part ofthe funds, about NSOMillion thereby leaving a balance of N250Million which we plan to raise at this Luncheon.
We, therefore, strongly appeal for your generous donation. May Almighty Allah (SWT) continue to bless you abundantly. Amen
ABOUT IJEBU MUSLIM COLLEGE, IJEBU ODE
*Ijebu Muslim College, Ijebu-Ode (IMC) was established in 1950 by the Ijebu Muslim Community at the old site along Olisa Street, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. It was the first Post-Primary Muslim School in the Old Ijebu Division of the then Western Region of Nigeria.
*The School started off as a “Boys Only” Institution with 60 boys, but became co-educational in 1965. It moved to its present expansive site along Ijebu Muslim College Road (formerly Lagos-Benin) Road in 1953.
The School consistently had impressive performance in the early years and in 1961 became the first School in Ijebu Province to offer Students for Higher School Certificate (HSC) in Science Subjects also with enviable results. It recorded the best all round results in the HSC Examinations in 1971 in the Old
Western Region.
*The School thus became a ”Mecca” for students of Higher School Certificate throughout the country, especially those in Science subjects.
*Notwithstanding that the founders were all Muslims, they went for the best in terms of Staff and Students irrespective of religion, tribe or background. Thus, the first Principal, Pa Thomas O. Ogunkoya was a Catholic, and some of the pioneer Staff were non-Muslims and non-Ijebus. The tradition of unity in diversity and peaceful co-existence endures till date as the College gates remain open to all from diverse backgrounds, beliefs and colours.
*Efforts are now being made to sustain this legacy by both the current Staff /Students as well as IMCOSA Members who have benefited immensely from the School. In Year 2012, the Principal of the Senior School, Alhaja M. F. Kareem, won the Best Principal Award, while IMCOSA was also given the best prize as the most virile old Students Association in Ijebu Division of Ogun State.
*As at today, the School occupies over 50 acres of land. It can boast of several blocks of classrooms, Science Laboratories, Computer Rooms, Hostel Facilities, a crop of dedicated Teachers and an Ultra Modern Ambaliu Sanni Administrative Complex (Courtesy of IMCOSA)
*In line with the nation’s Universal Basic Education (UBE) policy, the School now runs a Junior Secondary School (JSS1-JSS3) with a Students population of about 2,700 and a Senior Secondary School (5551-553) with a population of about 1,585 . It has both Day and Boarding systems with a complement of modern facilities for both boys and girls.
*However, most of the existing infrastructure facilities have decayed owing to old age, apart from being very inadequate to cope with increasing students population. Therefore in line with her tradition, IMCOSA
has packaged a lot of projects to celebrate the 70th Anniversary to address the yawning infrastructural gap. Such projects include redevelopment of the old School Assembly Hall, construction of a new Dinning Hall for, at least, 1000 students at a sitting, building of New Science Laboratories, construction of drainage and road network, repair of all dilapidated classroom blocks etc, all of which are estimated to cost about N250 Million.
*IMCOSA is well known for prudent management of funds to achieve desired aims and, therefore, all donations shall be judiciously spent with proper accountability. Such donations should be paid directly to Ijebu Muslim College Old Students Association.
