Putting the girl-child back on track

It was a rainy Saturday and it was a day the old girls of Methodist Girls, the oldest girls’ school in Lagos, organised a 5-kilometre health walk for better girl-child education and rebuilding of the old school premises.

The rain kept pouring and the old girls defied the heavy downpour as they marched out of the school premises clad in red tee shirts and jeans. They marched through the streets, singing school songs, reminiscing about the good old days, and determined to help redirect the path of the girl-child towards a better future.

For Mrs Yomi Afolabi, president of the Old Girls Association, there is an urgent need to focus on the girl-child and provide the facilities and tools that would make her excel in her studies. “Methodist Girls High school is a school that has a good legacy. It is the oldest girls’ school in Nigeria and that alone speaks volume. It is a mission school and it is a school that is known for excellence, high moral standards and discipline. I am so proud to be a product of that school.”

She added: “At this time in history, we have decided to give back to our Alma mater, as a way of ensuring better girl-child education and improved school facilities. Data shows that globally over 70m children do not have access to good education and over 50 per cent of that number are girls. UNICEF records show that 60 per cent of all children in Nigeria are girls and there is a Voice of Nigeria report that states that 27 per cent of Nigerian girls are out of school in Nigeria.”

Even before this latest move, the association has done some things to make life better for the girls. “The walk is like a landmark for us to showcase to the world that we are now ready. We have a lot of things that we want to do, we have a focus group and dinner. We are going to be meeting with a number of corporate bodies and we would be telling them our stories and soliciting their support. Sets are raising funds in different ways and talking with family members and friends. We are going to have a drama production and there are different things lined up for raising funds like selling our souvenirs.”

Bunmi Morenikeji, the chairperson of the fundraising committee, tells it how it all started.

“About two years ago, we realised that the old block of the school has structural deficiencies. We had thought that we could renovate but engineers reviewed it and saw that it was beyond repairs. It is called the old block; the centenary block about a hundred and four years. So, you can imagine how long it has been there. Right now, the students have been moved out for safety reasons.”

The target, according to Morenikeji, is to raise a minimum of three hundred and fifty million naira for this. “We have different things that have been planned out, first from ourselves. We must be committed to this and so all sets have been asked to bring in a particular amount. The target is to raise a hundred thousand, about a third of it from us, as old girls. Then this walk today is part of the awareness but beyond that we are also looking at Corporate Nigeria to support us.”

For Funmi Owoade, nee Aboyade Cole, the social secretary of the association and president of the 1966 set, this was their own way of giving back to the school. “As an old student, I can be anywhere and raise my head. It is a very good school, a missionary one for that matter. It stands amongst equals. My advice to the younger generation is to be part of a good thing.” Olajumoke Gbadamosi, nee Shadare, went down memory lane to relive her memories of school days this way: “I remember that we started in form one at Broad Street, Lagos. The following year in 1951, we were brought to the present school as one of the first set. It was very interesting because I lived on the Mainland and had to walk to school. It was quite exciting coming to school and talking with your friends.”

Asked what it means to be a product of the school and she replied: “I have gained a lot from the school because what gave me the first impression was when I went for my Higher School Certificate. I was made the head girl and we got beautiful training there. Then we had the white women with us and we had to behave well, dress well. If you come to school on a rainy day and you were dry, you got a good mark. I don’t know whether that means anything to you these days.”

Ask her to compare the current educational system with her days and she replies that “It is almost incomparable. In our time, when you say that you are from Methodist Girls High School, they respect you because of the standard.”

Next, she discloses the significance of the walk by the old Girls Association and her expectations for the girl-child. “I woke up very early to come and join them. I really feel bad that I missed the walk because I can’t walk far now; I am 81 years old. I would love to see us build up a new building to replace this one. In fact, my set has already donated a million naira and I pray that I would be alive when the new building is ready.”

The school which was founded in 1878 has carved a niche for itself over the years, by contributing in no small measure to the development of the girl-child as an individual and the nation as a whole.

MGHS has produced many eminent Nigerians who have helped the socio economic development of the nation. “It is in line with the vision of the school to maintain the highest standard laid by the founding missionary leaders in the field of education and a hallmark for moulding the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical and social life of every student that the building project and walk is being organised by the old students of the school.”

The event ended with a health talk by Dr Ronke Dawodu.

The chairman of the 2018 reunion committee, Mrs Funto Igun, also took members through the activities lined up for the reunion in October.