"Keep The Ship Sailing"

Government College, Ughelli Old Boys Association

Annual General Meeting 18/19, January 2010

The National Executive Council of GCUOBA met on 18th January 2010 at the Ekiugbo residence of the erstwhile President General Worldwide, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode, OFR. NEC took a number of decisions which were endorsed by the Annual General Meeting of January 19^th 2010 as follows:

1.      NEC endorsed the recommendation of the Lagos Branch that the classification, Ancient Mariner, shall be regarded as an honour every old boy shall aspire to. Consequently any alumnus who entered Government College, Ughelli 55 years earlier shall be admitted to the rank of the Ancient Mariners and be entitled to use the suffix (AM) after his name. Every branch is directed to design the rites of passage through which its members who qualify will be recruited and admitted to the rank of the Ancient Mariners. The classical definition of Ancient Mariners i.e. the foundation year (1945) students and those who met them in school while they were still in attendance will now be referred to as the Most Ancient Mariners.  They may use the suffix MAM after their names. As a mark of honour to this group of alumni, there shall be no other recruitment or admission to this classification of old boys.

2.      The Archive and Library Project initiated by the Lagos branch was endorsed by NEC and the AGM. NEC directed that the Benin,  Warri and Ughelli branches of the Old Boys Association should nominate a member each to join the Lagos committee in the completion of the project. NEC and the AGM directed that V.B.V Powell memorabilia will be housed in the archive when completed in about 6 months. Consequently the Archive and Library project committee was directed to contact the President General Worldwide, Mr G.T.S Adokpaye to take measurements and photographs of the memorabilia to enable the construction of cabinets and pedestals which will hold the memorabilia. This task should be completed no later than the end of February 2010.

3.      NEC and the AGM noted with dismay that Day students have been introduced in the school again and worried over the adverse consequences of this event on morals, discipline and academic performance of the student population of the alma mater. Consequently, the annual general meeting endorsed the report of the Chief (Engineer) J.J Akpieyi’s report on the subject and directed that on approval of the memorandum drafted by the committee by the President General Worldwide, it should be signed by very Senior Old Boys and the Presidents of all branches and presented to his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emanuel Uduanghan.

4.      NEC and the AGM directed that scholarships awarded to students shall henceforth be paid directly to the school and any residual payment will be billed to the parent/guardian of the recipient of that scholarship. A proposal that the School’s Anthem be revisited and changed was considered by NEC and the AGM. The proposal was turned down and the current anthem was endorsed.

5.      NEC accepted to pursue the restoration of the game of Cricket in the school and expects to receive a budget for its consideration at its next meeting.

6.      The Lagos branch received the completion certificate for the renovation works on Forcados House and handed same to the President General Worldwide during the inspection of school buildings at the AGM. Variation on the Phase 3 works were signed by the Lagos branch and the contractor to enable the latter restore the damaged roof to the pavilion and the damaged part of the perimeter wall behind the athletics field in the school. The Port Harcourt branch proposed to renovate the Woodwork and Metal workshops in addition to its assignment of Warri House at the 2009 AGM.

7.      The Lagos branch was commended for its hard work and vibrancy, while the Ughelli (Home) branch was commended for its monitoring activities and for having been such excellent hosts at the 2010 Annual General Meeting.

Stephen Ighofose

Publicity Secretary, Lagos Branch

GCUOBA