Governor Fayemi, left, at the ceremony with the Anglican clergy and laity. Credit: Olayinka Oyebode

There was excitement on Monday, 16 September, as Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, returned one of Nigeria’s most famous secondary schools, Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti, to its original owners, the Anglican Communion.

Christ School, Ado Ekiti

Now below are facts about the school:

-It was founded on 30 June 1933 

-Founder was a British missionary, Archdeacon Henry Dallimore. 

-The school is a coeducational school with the girls’ section located directly opposite the boys’ section.

-It was initially called ‘Ekiti Central School,’ it began as a co-educational secondary school, taking students into classes V and VI. 

-It took the name,’Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti,’ following the recommendation of Sir Bernard Henry Bourdillon, the governor of then Northern and Southern Protectorates of Nigeria. 

-In 1936, it relocated to its permanent and current site, the Agidimo Hills.  

-It was conceived as an attempt to advance secondary school education in Ekitiland and Western Nigeria in an atmosphere where, according to writings on the school compiled by Wikipedia, discipline, diligence and academic excellence would be nurtured and guaranteed. 

-The total impact of the education to be given was to make the individual a useful person to himself and his community’.

-For this reason, initial subjects taught in The School included the following outside the normal academic subjects: Tailoring, Brick-making, Plastering, Building, Carpentry for boys and Weaving and Knitting for girls. 

-Agriculture and Cattle keeping were added in 1945, thus by many decades before, Christ’s School was already doing what today’s 6-3-3-4 and all its other newer variants had been grappling with for decades.’

-Much of the funding of its administration came from the Directorate of Education of the Christian Missionary Society (later Anglican Communion – Church of Nigeria)

-The funding was unde the direct supervision of Henry Dallimore, the District Education Superintendent of CMS schools. 

-In 1942, the school attained a full high school status, enlarging its capacity to admit students into classes other than classes V and VI. In consequence, Henry Dallimore became the High Master (equivalent of principal).

-The school has huge reputation all over Nigeria having produced major talents in fields as diverse as education, medicine, law, history, engineering, governance, banking, administration, diplomacy, the arts etc.

–Houses (sports)

•Mason: Blue

•Harding: Yellow

•Dallimore: Green

•Babamboni: Red

•Ogunlade: Purple

-Notable alumni

•Robert Adeyinka Adebayo

•Michael Bamidele Otiko

• Hon Justice Olajide Olatawura (JSC rtd)

•J.F. Ade Ajayi

•Ladipo Adamolekun

•Niyi Osundare

•Michael Omolewa

•Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga

•Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun

•Kayode Fayemi

•Bolaji Akinyemi

•Christopher Kolade

•Ireti Doyle

•Henry Dele Alake

•Stephen Adebanji Akintoye

•Gbenga Oyebode

•Oludamola Osayomi

•Bolaji Aluko

•Tolu Olukayode Odugbemi

•Bimbo Daramola

•Prince Adedayo Clement Adeyeye

•Gbenga Aluko

•Bunmi Famosaya, Mni

•Isaac Fola-Alade

•Samuel Asabia

•Sam Aluko

•Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi

•Akin Osuntokun

•Eyitayo Jegede

•Israel Esan Owolabi

•Femi Elufowoju Jr.