The Catholic secondary school founded on
October 5, 1986 by His Grace, Rev. P.E. Ekpu (Archbishop emeritus of
Benin Archdiocese) was the centre of attraction at the West African
Examinations Council (WAEC) 53rd Annual meeting of the Nigeria National
Committee (NNC) meeting/award ceremony held in Akure, Ondo State,
recently
.
Stakeholders applauded the academic feat
of the school which had earlier won the award first in 2007, 2009, 2011
and again in 2014. The Uromi-based school beat the likes of Loyola
Jesuit College, Wuse, Abuja, Kings College, Lagos, Queens College, Yaba,
Suleja Academy, Suleja, and other top expensive schools to emerge the
best in the country.
The Edo State-based school was presented
with Augustus Bandele Oyediran trophy which was donated by Dr. A.B.O.
Oyediran, then of the College of Medicine, University College Hospital,
Ibadan, in memory of his father, to the best school in Nigeria with best
overall results in the May/June WASSCE. According to WAEC, the trophy
is given to any school in the country that has the best aggregate
results of its 50 candidates.
In the May/June 2014 WASSCE, Lumen
Christi International High School, beat several highbrow schools in
Lagos, Abuja, Ondo, Ekiti, Anambra and Rivers States with
state-of-the-art facilities, aside high tuition fees paid by parents.
Inside the hall of Jojein Hotel &
Resort, Airport Road, Oba-Ile, Akure, venue of the award ceremony, Ondo
State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Olajide Adejuyigbe, presented the
trophy to the Principal of the school, Rev Fr. Theophilius Itaman, amid
thunderous applause from dignitaries such as the Deputy Governor,
Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Oluboyo,
Director, Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education as well as
Chair, NNC, Mrs. Anne Okonkwo, WAEC Registrar, Dr. Uyi Director Uwadiae,
former Head of National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu and council member,
Alhaji Usman Uba Ahmed, President, ANCOPSS (All Nigerian Confederation
of Principals of Secondary Schools), Hajia Binta Abduiraharam.
The citation on the school read by Deputy
Director, Public Affairs of WAEC, Nigeria, Mr. Yusuf Ari, said the
school is blessed with industrious and committed staff led by the
Principal, Rev. Fr. Itaman.
His words: “History showed that like a
biblical mustard seed, Lumen Christi International High School has grown
into an international school and a model for all other schools. Guided
by her motto: Aut Caesar Aut Nihil (the best of nothing) and her
mission statement, Lumen Christi has maintained a track record of
excellence. She has maintained 100 per cent in WAEC result for the past
20 years. In 2004, she was ranked the 4th best secondary school in the
West Africa sub-region.”
According to the citation, the school growth became laudable and translucent in 2007 when she
won the first position in NNPC science competition in the South-South
geo-political zone. Ari added: “in the same year, she outshone all the
schools in the nation when she received the award for the best overall
WAEC results in Nigeria. She further consolidated this by dominating
schools in the country by winning the same award in 2009. On December
18, 2010, she received the award for the best secondary in Nigeria,
during the 2010 Reward Nigeria Award held in Sheraton Hotel in Lagos. In
fact, Lumen Christi is a vision achieved.
“Today, we celebrate this world class and
award winning school. The pride of Edo State, the joy of the nation,
the school of the century, the home of excellence, oasis of knowledge
and the citadel of learning. If it is not Lumen Christi, it cannot be
like Lumen Christi,” Ari stressed.
Briefing the press on the feat, Rev. Fr
Itaman attributed it to the mission statement and philosophy of the
school. According to him, the school is aimed at providing the highest
possible academic growth for each learner in a way that encourages fair
competition but discourages unhealthy one especially that which will
put people down.
Mrs. Okonkwo stated that the WAEC awards
are aimed at encouraging the youth to strive for excellence in their
academic pursuits, noting that, “it is my hope that some of the youth
who are here today to witness this ceremony, will be challenged by these
awards to work harder in order to win similar laurels in future.’’
Speaking during the ceremony, a
non-council member representing Nigeria on the Board of Trustees of WAEC
Endowment Fund, Dr U.B. Ahmed, said the major objective of the council
endowment fund is to support awards for outstanding performances by
candidates in various countries.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko who was
represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, in his address, warned
against any form of examination malpractices by students writing the
West African Examinations Council (WAEC) across the state. Mimiko, who
reiterated that his administration has zero tolerance for any form of
examination malpractice, warned that nobody would be spared if caught
engaging in examination malpractice in the state.
