Alumni bemoan state of Eric Moore school in Lagos

How were you able to manage your social life and studies?

My department is not that sociable in the sense that we don’t do lots of partying like others but within the department I found a girlfriend and we have been together for two years and one agreement we had was that for the relationship to continue our CGPA must increase every year. I thank God that has been a reality - every year it always got better.

Social life was there, we had our parties but that was at the graduation. So there was always a balance between socialising and study; but lots of study actually.

What is your plan after the NYSC year?

I want to do my Masters after the NYSC in Astrophysics in Harvard University and continue to PhD level. I hope to return to Nigeria and become very useful in helping to develop the field.

Would you consider an offer to lecture in the university?

You know sometimes plans do not go according to your way. That is an option I won’t rule out, but it is not my first choice.

What was your biggest challenge in your study days?

The challenge of logistics to get to lecture venues. For over four years, we were in the mini-campus with many lectures in the main campus. Getting to reach the main campus was tough; people jumped through the windows and when you come to class you are exhausted already because you fought to enter a bus. The vice chancellor now has provided buses that really help ease the situation.

We did not have enough facilities but recently a new physics laboratory was built but it is not really equipped; but every student’s success hugely depends on ability more than the facilities or lecturers alone.

In 100 level, we had a six-month strike but I was always in school, using the library and I found some amazing books that helped.

What is your advice to students on toeing the success path?

First, your heart has to be there; if it is there anything that is required of you, you will put in. Secondly, find unique ways to study that appeal to you. For me I like to look for global relevance of what we have been taught in class, so after class I go online especially YouTube to watch videos of things that we have been taught and even illustrations, animations and foreign lectures. That made me appreciate it the more that what I was doing in class had a global significance. That also made me want to do more.

If you are intelligent and you are still having issues that means there is something you are not getting right so look for what is unique to you and put your heart there and success is inevitable. The alumni of Eric Moore High School, Surulere Lagos, under the aegis of the Old Students Association (OSA) have decried the poor state of the community secondary school, describing it as an “eyesore”.

At a re-union organised in the school premises, the members lamented the various challenges inhibiting effective learning for the staff and students.

Nollywood actor and member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, who represents the area described the state of the school as shocking. He said he had previously been told of the challenges confronting the 38-year-old school but did not know the extent until he visited it.

He said, “Many times, people have accused me of not showing interest in the plight of this school but that is not so. I am shocked to see the level of dilapidation of the structures.”

The alumni president, Femi Olorunnisola, said there was need for urgent intervention because many of the students and staff of the school have had to learn under “difficult circumstances”.

“We are unhappy with the state of the school. Some of the old buildings we used have fallen. The existing ones are not in any way better. As an association, two years ago, we were the ones who were paying the teachers for eight months,” Olorunnisola said.

The vice president, Akinbola Ogunlola, said the terrible state of the school had spurred members of the association to meet state government officials who later came to demolish some of the dilapidated structures.

He said after the demolition, the students were relocated to a nearby government college while no activity on rebuilding has so far taken place.

“We therefore welcome government decision to return them to their own exact school compound. However, we want government intervention to be faster in coming. We want government to work with us and safeguard the school’s future,” Ogunlola said.