AKPABIO INAUGURATES ST. JOHN PAUL II COLLEGE

By Joe Iniodu

The hope of children of lower social rung attending schools comparable to those with prohibitive cost in Lagos , Abuja and Port Harcourt kindled last week when the secondary school arm of St. John Paul II Schools indicated visible preparedness to commence academic programmes in its new state-of- the- art facility which is a shouting distance from where the pre/primary school is located. The pre/primary school which started some years ago may have had to overstretch its facility to accommodate primary school graduands who upon completion of their primary education were set for secondary school. With the architecturally heeled new facility built to meet conducive learning needs, the secondary school arm is fully set to move to its permanent site. Pursuant to its readiness, the commissioning was conducted but in strict compliance to COVID-19 protocols. Thanks to the vision of Her Excellency, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, who is the Chief Executive Officer of this modern school that would arguably be a model to others.

The school which was inaugurated on January 1, 2021 by the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, (CON) to coincide with the day dedicated to Mary, the Mother of Jesus by Catholic faithful is eloquent proof that with faith in God, one can move mountain. The Chief Executive Officer of the school, Her Excellency, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, while welcoming her husband, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and other guests, told the story of how the school was conceived. The former First Lady posited that the dream of the school started 9 years ago. She said when her son was just 2 years old, she decided to enroll him in school. But the husband objected, arguing that the boy was too young to start school. Unoma being an educationist, wanted the son to commence mental engagement early. But as an obedient wife, she would not flout the husband’s order. She therefore decided to convert the gymnasium in the house they were living in Ikoyi into a school for the son and she served as his only teacher. Mrs. Akpabio submitted that turning the gym into a classroom provided the impetus that was to later birth a school.

On the name St. John Paul II, the wife of the former govrnor of Akwa Ibom State said at the time in reference, John Paul II was the Pope and being an ardent Catholic faithful, the name of the Pope was what she could easily relate to. Further flowing from her narrative, the added drive that also led to the founding of the school, according to her, was that when they returned to Akwa Ibom State, she noticed that there was a lacuna to fill in terms of quality education comparable to the ones in notable schools in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt but at a cost that is affordable and accessible to many. Haunted by this humanitarian consideration, the determination to start a school became stronger. She said the mission to bridge the gap of social disparity and nurture children to greatness possessed her with uncontrollable influence and became a test of personal conviction.

”The idea is not to make money but to serve humanity”, Mrs. Akpabio intoned, adding, “the idea is not to make the parents to bleed but to expose the children to what is obtainable in other major cities like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt”. Mrs. Akpabio reiterated that the school is more designated for compassionate and humanitarian services than profit consideration, stating that the school management would continue to charge affordable fees to enable more children have access to quality education. She charged public spirited people to support the school in ways they can to enable it meet its humanitarian objective/goal of meeting the educational yearnings of our children on whom the future of our society rests.

Her Excellency, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio was full of gratitude to CASH RITE, MICRO FINANCE and TAJBANK LIMITED, for their confidence in the project which has translated in the provision of the financial resources required to take the school to where it is. Unoma narrated how she has consistently pestered them for facility adding that she deliberately invited the financial institutions to the inauguration for them to witness first hand, the state of preparation, and like Oliver Twist, to ask for more funds to enable the school get to where it needs to be in terms of infrastructure. “As you can see, we are not there yet”, stating that with their support, the school would get there. She appealed to them not to relent in providing the needed facility to make the school an equivalent of those outstanding schools in the country.

Mrs. Akpabio was also thankful to Reverend Father Anthony Umoh whom she said has continued to uphold the school and family in prayers. She said Father Umoh prayed during the foundation laying ceremony, pointing out that the prayers have taken the vision thus far. The duo of Engineer Ugwuegede and Arc(Mrs) Ekene Ugwuegede who designed and built the school were also lavishly commended by Mrs Akpabio for their selflessness, vision, sense of aesthetics and painstaking professionalism. RAYCON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY also received special commendation for what the Chief Executive Officer of the school called sacrificial labour. Raycon Construction constructed constructed the walk ways in the school.

Representatives of TAJBANK LTD and CASH RITE LTD who were on hand to witness the inauguration, thanked the management of the school for the opportunity to partner in the project. The representative of CASH RITE LTD noted that education is critical in the moulding of the character of children . He assured the management of the school of CASH RITE’s determination to continue to partner with the school in order to give the children a secured future. TAJBANK’s representative who spoke in similar vein , pledged its organization’s commitment to providing the financial resources that would take the school to enviable height.

The Guest of Honour, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, who commissioned the facility said that it is a miracle that she has gotten thus far, assuring that with him, she would go even farther. Senator Akpabio said that locating such novel facility in Uyo means that the Chief Executive Officer of the school wants to give the people a five star treatment at local cost. The former governor of Akwa Ibom State said that it was the same conviction that made him to build first class infrastructures in the State while he was the governor, noting that, “only the best is good for the Akwa Ibom child”. Senator Akpabio corroborated the story of Unoma on how a gym in the house was converted into a school, adding with hilarity that the son initially did not have any classmate but later had just two. He said he used to wonder whether the son would have only two classmates. Senator Akpabio lauded the wife for translating that vision to something as novel as what they were witnessing.

Senator Akpabio thanked the two financial institutions for believing in the vision of education and accepting to provide the financial outlay for the infrastructures. He urged TAJBANK LTD to open a branch in the State and prayed CASH RITE MICROFINANCE LTD to metamorphose into a full fledge bank. He thanked RAYCON CONSTRUCTION for being a true friend and not a friend of any occupant of office, noting that as governor, he had relationship with many construction companies but the relationship vanished with the end of his tenure as governor. He commended RAYCON CONSTRUCTION for being steadfast and a friend in need.

After the commissioning, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs was led by the builders, Engineer Ugwuegede and Arc(Mrs) Ugwuegede on a tour of the facility. Arc. Ugwuegede provided detailed explanations on the various well designed buildings which include classes, offices, halls, dormitories, conveniences, kitchen etc. She said the school is built with capacity for between 250 to 270 students. Need it be stated that no school yet in the State can boasts of the quality of facilities found in St John Paul II College. The tour was immediately followed with a Thanksgiving Mass in one of the auditoriums of the school. It was a epochal event ushering in the new year a school that is likely to redefine new vistas in quality education vis-a-vis infrastructures and other sundry complements that would enhance effective learning tailored towards producing good citizens and visionary leaders.

Iniodu is a public affairs analyst.