By Alexander Ekemenah
They are warriors! They are gladiators! They are Knights! They are the indomitable! They are conquerors! They are successful modern businessmen! They are successful entrepreneurs! They are successful traders! They are successful politicians! They are successful academicians and public intellectuals.
In short, they are successful in virtually everything they lay their hands upon in all field of human endeavours.
When Christ the King College (CKC), Onitsha in the present day Anambra State of Nigeria, was founded on February 2, 1933, by the late Archbishop Charles Heerey, CsSp, along with Fredrick AkpaliModebe and his wife Margret, it was with a stabilionivisioni, (clear and stable vision) with the motto: Bonitas, Disciplina, Scientia (Latin) (Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge) to provide an all-rounded education for male students not only from what would later be known as Eastern Region of Nigeriabut also from the surrounding regions.
Nigeria was only a proto-State then ruled with iron fists by the British colonial masters who had taken possession of the vast land – from East to West and from North to South. CKC was established at the confluence of the nation and the cusp of a modern nation.
Ever since CKC was established even before the Second World War, even before Nigerian founding fathers started dreaming about Nigeria as a sovereign independent state, it has gradually grown to become a mighty oak tree by the “bank” of River Niger.
Planted at the gateway to the Eastern part of Nigeria,on the loamy soil of Onitsha, watered and sustained by the creamy River Niger, CKC has been nurtured from a toddler to the Goliath that it is today, largely unsurpassed by any other such similar institution in Nigeria. It has gathered institutional strength that the possibility of premature death has since long disappeared from its ontological state of being or DNA.
Year-on-year, the massive entrance gate of CKC is flung open for parents, prospective parents and visitors on annual holy pilgrimage seeking admission for their wards to be educated at the CKC. CKC is irresistible like magnet, like a honey pot to flies, in this regard.
Year-on-year, CKC has churned out students who had left their indelible marks on the pages of Nigeria’s history as a modern state and have gone to the four winds of the globe to register their marks. It is still doing so with no visible diminishing in the quality of students and who holds keys to promising glorious future.
Although CKC is a Catholic all-boys secondary school in Onitsha, it has gradually risen like a Star from the East to shower its Morning Dew across Africa and the world. It has now climbed to the top-tier in Nigeria and 36th position in the top 100 best high schools in Africa as of February 2014. That is no mean feat within the spacio-temporal continuum of 95 years of its establishment.
This is despite the fact that CKC was affected adversely by the tragedies of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) when most of its infrastructures were destroyed coupled with the intervention of thethen East Central State Government in 1973 by taking it over and renaming (and reverting its name) to “Heerey High School”, after its founder.
However, following representations by its alumni, the school’s name was changed back to its original name, “Christ The King College (CKC)” in 1976, and the pre-war first indigenous principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Tagbo, was also brought back that year to reorganize, rebuild, and re-energize the school. CKC was finally returned to the Catholic Mission by the state government on 1 January 2009.
CKC has since recovered itself because of its inbuilt survival instincts or resilience in face of modern adversities. It is now spreading its wings like the Golden Eagle all over the world where many others have folded and shrank into unrecognizable size and nothingness.
The chief mission of the school is to develop indigenous manpower and leadership skills from the vast pool of Nigerian youths and in a Catholic tradition and environment.
This mission emerged as a product of foresight that one day, Nigeria will become a sovereign nation (which happened on October 1, 1960) and the requirement and mantle of modern technocratic leadership may devolve on this College. Was it surprising that when Nigeria finally became independent in 1960, the immediate post-independence civil service including other professional services were alleged to have been dominated by people of ethnic stock from the Eastern Region?
According to the College, its mission is the integral formation of students; directing them to growth in character, learning Christian faith and human virtues. This is to be achieved through good example, quality instruction, quality relationships and the observance of rules and regulations contained in College’s Rulebook or handbook; while its vision is to provide optional conditional for teaching and learning by inculcating discipline and excellence among staff and students including to offer holistic education that covers the intellectual and psychomotor domains.
CKC was founded by Irish missionaries and not English missionaries. That is a whole lot of fundamental and not just nuanced difference. Irish and English are not necessarily best of friends and there is the spirit of ferocious competition between the two.
It is an academic institution dedicated to intellectual and personal growth of male youths within the context of well-rounded liberal arts education in a catholic environment.
The college provides equal educational opportunity for all qualified students without regard to race, religion, creed, color, age, and physical disability, natural or ethical origin.
This College institution has been commanded as Principals by venerable gentlemen of the high pulpit in their full integrity and willingness to serve humanity – of which only very few are still in flesh today.
- Rev Fr. W.L. Brolly: 1933–1937
- Fr. M Flanagan: 1938–1941
- Fr J. Keane: 1942–1943
- Fr. A. Callaghan: 1943
- Fr. M. Flanagan: 1943–1948
- Fr. M. Clifford: 1949–1953
- Fr. W Butler: 1953–1954
- Fr. J. Keane: 1955–1956
- Fr. J. FitzPatrick: 1956–1963
- Fr. Nicholas Tagbo: 1963–1972 (First indigenous principal)
- Chief A.A.O. Ezenwa: 1973–1974
- H. Chiwuzie: 1974–1975
- P. E. Ezeokeke: 1975–1976
- Fr. N.C. Tagbo: 1976–1985
- M. N. Enemou: 1985–1987
- Dr. V. A. Nwosu: 1987–1996
- J.E. Chukwurah: 1996–1997
- E. C. Umeh: 1997–2000
- Chief N. E. Olisah: 2000–2008
- Chief A. Obika: 2008–2009
- E. Ezenduka: 2009–2010
- Fr. Charles Okwumuo: 2010–2019
- Fr. Dr. Celestine ArinzeOkafor: 2019–present
The great alumni of Christ the King College, Onitsha, include but not limited to OlisaAgbakoba, SAN, Chief Joseph ChikeEdozien, Peter Obi, Peter Odili, Pius Okigbo, Patrick Utomi, WillieObiano. Late Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, ChukwudifuAkunneOputa was an alumnus of this great College. Cardinal Ignatius Ekandem was also an alumnus of this College.
So also was the renowned Computer scientist, Professor Philip Emegweali.
Others include Most Rev. Dr. Valerian MadukaOkeke, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. PrudentiusAroh, Rev. Fr. Dr. Paschal Onwugbenu, Rev. Fr. Dr. Celestine ArinzeOkafor, Sir Patrick Ekemezie, Dr. Charles ObidiIfejike, Mr. Luke ObioraAnyika , Rev. Fr. Dr. Francis OnyebuchiUnegbu, Rev. Fr. Francis Onwuchulum, Rev. Fr Charles Aniekwe, Mrs. Ann Ifem, Mr. Paschal Aniebonam.
Chief Augustine Ezenwa (Agbalanze) – former Deputy Governor of Anambra State and former Minister of State in the First Republic, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Chief Gordian Oranika, former Director General FCT, Chief ChikeOfodile, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Senator Nathaniel Anah, Sir (DrJosephat Okoye, Justice Anthony Aniagolu, former Chief Judge of Aanambra State and Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Fred Anyaegbunam, former Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Sir Professor D. W. Alexander. Professor Cyril O. Enweonwu, HRH Justice Ambrose EzeolisaAllagoa, first indigenous Chief Judge of old Rivers State, etc.
These are some of the shining stars in the Nigeria’s political and intellectual firmament.
Enter CKC Class of 1981
They are called “Tagbo Boys”, after their mentor, Rev. Fr. Nicholas C. Tagbo, OON, who was the College Principal between 1976 and 1985 but who has passed on. Interestingly, however, was the fact that it was during the burial of Rev. Fr Tagbo in early July 2016 that the idea of forming Class 1981 Old Boys Association was planted and nurtured. That was the basis and stimulus for the founding of the Christ the King College Onitsha Class 1981 Old Boys Association by those who were present for the burial of the Reverend Father.
Thus in April 2017, Class 1981 Old Boys Association was formally established. The brief history of how the Class 1981 was formed, written by Alex Molokwu, can be found at page 10 of the Brochure of the Activities circulated during the second re-union.
Christ the King College students of Class 1981 are now full-blown adults in their sixties and mid-sixties. All of them, without exception, are now fathers, even grandfathers. They are now Engineers, Lawyers, Magistrates, Medical Doctors, Architects, Bankersand other professionals. They have spread to the four corners of the world, seeking fortunes and toalso “conquer” the world!
In returning home for the second re-union, they came with cognate experiences from the public and private corporate world.
It is an amazing assembly of men, showing happiness palpably written on their faces. They are all looking successful, looking well-fed. They are no longer walk-over. Their laughter rings to the high heavens in gratitude for being alive at this moment to participate in this second re-union.
It was an unforgettable three days. Indeed, the second re-union would go into the record of Class 81 and that of CKC as a whole as epochal. It would be epochal in the memory of the participants because the celebration brought something unintended out of them all, something hitherto unimagined in its pure joy of life, of seeing each other again after 44 years of “official” separation, of having been privileged to have passed through the portal of CKC.
It is a life time privilege, cosmically ordained to come across and hold each other’s hands with these rare breed of human beings in their various characters and idiosyncrasies, in their nobilities and courage amidst challenging times that contemporary Nigeria presented them at the time, chasing after one another in laughter and happiness within the College premises.
The men gathered not just for wining and dining but for the golden opportunity once again afforded by God for them to see each other again, reconnect and unwind with their varied experiences. The friends made both in secondary schools and universities and other higher institutions of learning last forever.
The men gathered not just for their general meetings, but also for group meetings and one-on-one meetings with a lot of back-slapping, pumping of hands in handshakes with laughter regularly busting out. There were exchanges of views, pleasantries and sharing of experiences.
There were no dull moments except when the men retired to their individual rooms for the nights.
There are those who are energetic and there are those who have to go slow on account of their state of health.
The President of Class81 Old Boys’ Association, Engineer Chibuzo Emma Okoh, and his executive members were on grounds to welcome all other colleagues who have journeyed from far and wide to participate in the second re-union. Of course, a lot of preparations have been made in advance – thus as a result participants were able to easily settle down to business of the days.
Indefatigable is the spirit behind the preparation which made the entire event hitch-free. There were no rancours among the participants.
It was indeed an unforgettable three-day re-union for the Class 81 “Boys (the 81st Battalion of Christ the King College, Onitsha) from the first meeting day on the 25th April to the departure day on the 27th April.
Yet not all could come because of various physical obstacles.
There were those who can no longer come because they have passed on. Two-minute silence was observed in their fond memories.
But for those who were able to come, it was with excitement and joy throughout, re-uniting with each other. The true meaning of comradeship or brotherhood of human spirits found its deepest and fullest expression in their shouts of joy, back-slapping and warm embrace. They have every reason to express their happiness, first and foremost for being alive at this point in time of host challenges facing Nigeria, and second, for opportunity to reconnect with each other and rekindle their friendship for a sort of new social re-engineering.
It is not possible to interview each of them for this report. But it is easy to sum the atmosphere as evidently permeated by radiant happiness and joy.
Vintano Hotel at KayodeAnimasaun Street, Off Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase One, was the venue of the re-union.
There are two colourful evenings both which ended at the small hours of the nights. The first took place on the 25th at the penthouse of the hotel where there was wining and dining. It was a karaoke night in which participants were able to relax and unwind with music, drinks and foods.
The second evening took place at Ijeawele hall of the hotel.
There was the general meeting of the Association followed by period of reminiscence. It is interesting to listen and hear stories of pranks that these now old men played on themselves when they were young. The reminiscence period drew endless laughter and joy.
Then followed a seminar presentation by one of them: Mr. Godson Okonkwo, former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank Nigeria Plc. Mr. Okonkwo was a Class 1981 graduand.
Then was also the Awards’ Night in which Certificates were presented to all who have contributed to the success of the second re-union.
Achievements
CKC Class of 1981 Old Boys Association has two main aims, namely the welfare of its members, and the welfare of their alma mater Christ the King College Onitsha. Just in the last couple of years since the establishment of the Class 1981 Old Boys Association, a lot of water has actually passed under the proverbial bridge,“water” generated by the Association in delivering these objectives. Welfare packages for members and their families include annual health insurance cover for needy members, business support grants to needy members, annual awards to graduating children of members from tertiary institutions, presentation of Christmas gifts to the widows of deceased classmates as well as special interventions in emergency healthcare needs of members and their family members. Supports are also provided to members on occasion of social events like funerals, weddings, title-taking ceremonies, career milestone achievement / celebrations, etc
In 2023, the association held its maiden reunion on the grounds of Christ the King Collage Onitsha and used the opportunity to make substantial cash donations to the school. This was followed thereafter with the execution of a major water project in Obiano Hostel – a 1000 bed capacity dormitory in the school. The plumbing installations and particularly the water supply system at the hostel wascompletely overhauled, revamped and retrofitted. There is also an annual programme for promoting academic excellence at the school by recognizing and rewarding the best students in three subject categories, namely Mathematics, English Language and Igbo Language.
The score board here is just an example of what can be achieved when a group of like-minded people are united for a higher goal.
Conclusion
Class 1981 of Christ the King College, Onitsha, provides an empirical case study of how a College provided an academic and moral environment for success, molded and shaped the lives of men who are now in their sixties and mid-sixties.
Class 1981 provides insights into the dedication of the College Management, teaching and technical staff in growing young minds over the years, nearly a century, including the sustainability of this very dedication in midst of host of challenges of the present time.
It is a pointer to the future. Christ the King College provides a modern template for an academic excellence and moral integrity, in bringing up leaders from the scratch, in molding, arming and driving them to the heights of success.
Alex Ekemenah is the Chief Analyst of NextMoney online and print. He can be reached at 08168975679 and alexekemenah@gmail.com