Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Progressives of the Unique 1988 Set of the Emmanuel College Owerri Old Students Association has unveiled a renovated five-classroom block and paid examination fees for several financially disadvantaged students at their alma mater, in an intervention that the group says is part of a broader commitment to restoring the institution to its former glory.
The projects were handed over to the management of Emmanuel College, Owerri, Imo State, on Friday, October 2, 2026, during a ceremony attended by old students, government officials, school administrators, teachers and students. The event also featured a novelty football match involving students of the college and the presentation of awards to outstanding students and staff in recognition of their performances.
Speaking on behalf of the 1988 set, Engineer Obii Madumere urged the students to protect the renovated facilities and regard them as their own property. He said the intervention formed part of the group's commitment to giving back to the institution that shaped their lives and preparing the younger generation for a better future. Madumere disclosed that the set had also paid the National Examinations Council examination fees for financially disadvantaged Junior Secondary School III students, stressing that no child should be denied an opportunity to sit for an examination because of financial constraints. He added that the group also cleared the West African Examinations Council centre revalidation fees to support the school's academic activities and examination readiness.
Madumere said the impact of the intervention should not be measured only by the appearance of the renovated classrooms but also by the quality of lives and futures shaped within the facilities. "Our mission has always been clear: to contribute meaningfully to an environment where the present generation of students can learn, grow, dream and pursue excellence," he said. According to him, the commitment of the Progressives of the Unique 1988 Set to their alma mater goes beyond the classroom renovation, as they believe that meaningful development must be holistic, sustainable and responsive to the needs of both students and teachers.
Also speaking, an old student of the college and Commissioner for Science, Technology, Innovation and Engineering, Honourable Ikenna Elezianya, expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the institution. Elezianya, who said he left the school about 40 years ago, noted that its current condition was markedly different from what he knew as a student. "When we left this school many years ago, Emmanuel College was one of the best in the state," he said. He commended the 1988 set for their commitment to improving the school, urging teachers and students to remain focused on acquiring the knowledge and skills required to succeed in life. His remarks drew attention to the broader challenge facing public secondary education in Imo State, where many institutions that once ranked among the finest in the country have suffered decades of neglect, underfunding and infrastructural decay.
The Acting National President of the Emmanuel College Owerri Old Students Association, Sir George Nwachukwu, and the Project Lead and member of the Progressives, Chukwueke Junai, also commended the 1988 Unique Set for initiating and funding the project. Nwachukwu called for greater collaboration among old students, stakeholders and friends of the college, saying such partnerships would help restore the institution to its former standard. He urged the students to remain dedicated, humble and hardworking, and to set goals for themselves as part of efforts to restore the lost glory of the school. Junai assured the school that the group would extend its intervention to the teachers' block, stressing that the renovation programme was part of a broader effort to improve the learning environment. "The Progressives of the Unique 1988 Set are committed to giving the school a facelift to enable the students learn in a conducive learning environment," Junai said.
Emmanuel College Owerri occupies a significant place in the educational history of eastern Nigeria. Founded on March 5, 1947, by Edmund Egburuo Umez-Eronini as a co-educational centre for learning, it was the first college established in what later became Imo State. The school has produced a remarkable array of prominent Nigerians, including Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, who also taught at the institution, as well as former Chief Judge of Imo State and other notable figures in public life, business and the professions. Its alumni association has remained active over the decades, with the 1988 set, known as ECOL '88 or the Unique Men, consistently at the forefront of efforts to rehabilitate the school's decaying infrastructure. In October 2025, the set held its Annual General Meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where members deliberated on issues affecting their alma mater. The group has funded several rehabilitation projects in recent years and has positioned itself as one of the most organised and committed alumni sets in the history of the college. Earlier in 2026, the Owerri chapter of ECOL '88 passed a vote of confidence on its National Coordinator, Sir Emeka Ariguzo, recognising his leadership in sustaining the association's activities.
The intervention by the 1988 set reflects a broader pattern of alumni engagement with public secondary education in Nigeria, where chronic underfunding has left many schools unable to maintain basic infrastructure, provide adequate teaching materials or support students who cannot afford examination fees. Across the South-East, old students' associations have increasingly stepped in to fill the gap, renovating classrooms, equipping laboratories, paying fees for indigent students and providing scholarships. The Emmanuel College initiative combines infrastructure renewal with direct financial support for students, addressing both the physical and economic barriers that can prevent children from completing their education. The decision to pay NECO fees for Junior Secondary School III students and clear WAEC centre revalidation fees reflects a recognition that examination access is a critical juncture where financial hardship can derail a student's academic trajectory.
For the students of Emmanuel College, the renovated classrooms and cleared examination fees represent tangible improvements in their learning environment and a measure of relief for families facing economic pressure. For the alumni, the project is an opportunity to reconnect with the institution that shaped their formative years and to contribute to the education of a new generation. For the school and the wider community, the event is a reminder that the restoration of public education cannot be left to government alone and that alumni networks, when mobilised effectively, can serve as powerful agents of change. As Madumere put it, the mission has always been clear: to contribute meaningfully to an environment where the present generation of students can learn, grow, dream and pursue excellence. The coming months will determine whether the group's pledge to extend the renovation to the teachers' block materialises and whether other alumni sets and stakeholders will heed Nwachukwu's call for greater collaboration to restore Emmanuel College to its former standard.
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