Aquinas College, Akure, Ondo State, has celebrated its 75th anniversary with a grand recognition ceremony honouring 35 distinguished alumni whose achievements have brought honour to the institution while contributing significantly to national development, professional advancement and humanitarian causes.
The awards formed the highlight of the platinum jubilee celebration organised by the Aquinas College Akure Old Students’ Association (ACAOSA), bringing together generations of former students, school administrators and invited guests to commemorate the institution’s remarkable journey since its establishment in 1951.
The honoured alumni were selected in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments in various sectors, including education, public service, engineering, medicine, surveying, sports, administration and community development. According to the organisers, the recognition was intended not only to celebrate individual excellence but also to inspire present students to uphold the values of discipline, integrity, leadership and service that have defined the college for seven and a half decades.
Among those recognised were former Vice-President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Dr Oyedokun Abiodun; Worldwide President of ACAOSA, Sola Adewunmi; Chairman of the 75th Anniversary Central Planning Committee, Prof. Segun Ojo; Co-Chairman of the committee, Col. Wilson Alade (retd.); and Felix Fadeni.
Others included Major General Adeyemi Adetayo (retd.), David Fapohunda, Oluwalade Temiloluwa, Damilola Atolusi, Dr Olaide Afelumo, Francis Oladunmoye, Charles Osuntuyi, Dr Akinwunmi Odumankinde, and football coach Adeoye Gbangba, alongside several other accomplished old students whose careers have positively impacted society.
Speaking during the anniversary event, one of the award recipients, Dr Oyedokun Abiodun, described the recognition as a reminder of the enduring values instilled by the college. He emphasised that the institution’s continued growth would depend on stronger collaboration between the alumni association and the school’s management.
He noted that such cooperation would create greater opportunities for infrastructural development, improved learning facilities, mentorship programmes and academic support capable of sustaining the institution’s legacy for future generations.
The anniversary also served as an opportunity to reflect on Aquinas College’s rich history of producing graduates who have distinguished themselves in different professions within Nigeria and abroad. Throughout its 75-year existence, the college has built a reputation for academic excellence, moral discipline and leadership development, with thousands of former students occupying strategic positions across public institutions, private organisations and professional bodies.
In the weeks leading to the platinum jubilee, ACAOSA Worldwide President Sola Adewunmi had described the anniversary as a celebration of 75 years of excellence, integrity and service, paying tribute to the founders of the institution, successive principals, teachers, non-teaching staff and generations of alumni whose dedication has sustained the school’s reputation over the decades.
He stated that the milestone offered an opportunity for reflection, appreciation and renewed commitment to strengthening the bonds among old students while supporting initiatives that would enhance teaching, learning and infrastructure within the college.
Education observers note that alumni engagement has increasingly become a vital source of institutional development in Nigeria, with former students contributing to the construction of hostels, classrooms, libraries, laboratories, scholarship schemes and mentorship programmes. The Aquinas College celebration reflects this growing tradition of giving back to alma maters while preserving institutional heritage and encouraging future generations to pursue excellence in both character and learning.
