Akwa Ibom school sets to reopen after 33 years of closure

 

 

 

Akwa Ibom school sets to reopen after 33 years of closure

 

 

By Harris Emanuel

Plans have been concluded to reopen Samuel Bill Secondary School, Abak in Akwa Ibom State for academic exercise 33 years after it was shut down as a result of students’ unrest.

President of the Alumni Association, Mr. Churchill Udoh, who disclosed this, said the school would throw its gate open again during the next academic session beginning from September 2021.

The Qua Iboe Church-owned school was shut down in 1989 after students’ demonstration and since then its doors have remained under keys and locks. Speaking at the 12th annual alumni reunion at the weekend, Udoh recounted that the school operated for only ten years from 1979, before the sad incident, explaining that due to the quality of learning they received, many graduates of the school are today in various leadership positions in government, business, professional practice and church administration. He said, “A lot of work has been done towards rebuilding infrastructure and putting the right structures in place to reopen the school.”

“And it would be reopened in partnership with both the Qua Iboe Church and United Evangelical Church, which are the two factions of the original Qua Iboe Church that berthed the school.

“The vision of the alumni was to reopen a school that would continue the tradition of excellence, train children how to lead in the next generation and compete as one of the best schools in Africa”, he said.

During the reunion ceremony, Rev. Samuel Udeme Ebukiba, the Conference Chairman of the United Evangelical Church was inducted as honorary member, Samuel Bill Old Boys Association (SOBA), and the awardee was decorated by Rev. Ekpedeme Effanga, Conference Chairman, Qua Iboe Church, who is also an honorary member of the association has been earlier inducted in 2017.

“The vision of the alumni was to reopen a school that would continue the tradition of excellence, train children how to lead in the next generation and compete as one of the best schools in Africa”, he said.

During the reunion ceremony, Rev. Samuel Udeme Ebukiba, the Conference Chairman of the United Evangelical Church was inducted as honorary member, Samuel Bill Old Boys Association (SOBA), and the awardee was decorated by Rev. Ekpedeme Effanga, Conference Chairman, Qua Iboe Church, who is also an honorary member of the association has been earlier inducted in 2017.

 

Speaking separately, the churches’ leaders assured the alumni of their unalloyed support to the school.

The honorary membership award is the highest honor given to a non-student and the award is given in recognition of the contributions and commitment to the mission of the Late Samuel Alexander Bill. Other awardees in past events of the association include Professor Akpan Hogan Ekpo, former Director-General, West African Institute for Finance and Economic Management (WAIFEM) and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Uyo, Barrister Aniekan Ukpanah, Partner, Udo Odom, and Bello Osagie, and Ntufam Elijah Iyak, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SDGs.

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