By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan
The Chairman of the National Health Research Ethics Committee (NHREC), Prof. Richard Adegbola, has urged government and relevant stakeholders to view the renewal of Fatima College, Ikire, as a shared responsibility.
Adegbola made the call on Saturday in Ikire while delivering a lecture to mark the 70th anniversary of the college.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that his lecture was titled “Honouring a Missionary Legacy, Reclaiming Excellence and Reimagining the Future.”
Adegbola, a 1968 alumnus, urged government, the Catholic mission, alumni and the wider community to treat Fatima College’s renewal as a shared investment in human capital development and moral leadership.
He noted that Fatima College was facing challenges arising from changing educational standards, resource constraints, governance pressures and a gradual erosion of the disciplined academic culture that once defined its excellence.
According to him, reimagining the future of the college requires deliberate action anchored in its founding values.
He identified strengthened leadership and governance, renewed commitment to academic excellence, strategic infrastructure improvement and sustained investment in teacher development as essential pathways to renewal.
“Central to this vision is a shift in alumni engagement, from nostalgia to stewardship, positioning alumni as active partners in mentoring, advocacy and institutional support.
“At 70, the college stands at a crossroads, not defined by its past alone, but by the choices made today,” Adegbola said.
One of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants in Osun, Hon. Bola Oyebamiji, pledged support for the school’s development projects in honour of the anniversary.
Oyebamiji, also the Asiwaju of Ikire, donated N5 million toward the development of the college.
“Whether through enhancement of physical infrastructure or facilitation of state-level support for educational resources, I am fully committed to ensuring that the college remains a premier institution for the next 70 years and beyond.
“Let’s work together to ensure that today’s students are equipped to surpass the great heights we have attained,” he said.
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, also donated N2.5 million toward the development of the school.
Ogunwusi received an award for his selfless and transformative contributions to the development of the college.
He pledged continued support and congratulated the school on its 70th anniversary.
Earlier, the President of the Fatima College Old Boys’ Association (FACOBA), Mr Olugbenga Ajayi, said the anniversary was not only a celebration of achievement but also a call to responsibility.
Ajayi said it was a call to preserve what had been entrusted to them and to invest boldly in the school’s future.
“Over the past two decades, the alumni have demonstrated extraordinary commitment by successfully executing more than 60 impactful projects.
“In spite of these efforts, the college continues to face urgent infrastructure, equipment and social challenges that demand immediate attention.
“Classrooms, staff quarters and dormitories are becoming increasingly dilapidated. Roofs are leaking, while desks and benches are broken.
“Beyond physical structures, there is a pressing need to digitalise the school library and upgrade ICT facilities in line with CBT examination requirements, among others.
“These challenges, if left unaddressed, risk disrupting academic activities and undermining the future of our students,” he said.
Ajayi appealed to all alumni and well-wishers to support development initiatives scheduled to commence immediately after the anniversary celebration.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the 70th Anniversary Planning Committee, Dr Paul Ilona, said the celebration commemorated 70 remarkable years of academic excellence, character formation and service to humanity.
Ilona expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the institution and appreciated dignitaries, traditional rulers, clerics, teachers and members of the planning committee for making the event a success.
NAN reports that Fatima College, Ikire, began its journey in January 1956, founded by the Society of African Missions (SMA) of the Catholic Church.
Located in Ikire, Osun, the college was led at inception by its pioneering principal, the late Rev. Francis McCabe.
Highlights of the anniversary included the late Msgr. Peter Ajibola memorial marathon race, career guidance sessions for students and a talent hunt competition.
Awards were presented to clerics, traditional rulers, alumni members, teachers and students for their support and outstanding performances.
Winners of the marathon race also received cash p0prizes.
The event attracted dignitaries from within and outside Nigeria. (NAN)
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