Oluwafeyisola Adegoke, a professor of geology and Nigerian National Merit Award winner (1987) took students, staff and old students of Aquinas College, Akure, Ondo State down memory lane on Saturday July 30 as the institution marked its 60th anniversary. In a lecture delivered at the occasion, Adegoke told of how he came to enroll as a student in the 1952 set of the school founded by the Roman Catholic Mission in 1951 on a piece of wild land called Igboliki that was donated to the mission by Oba Afunbiowo Adesida I, the then Deji of Akure. Adegoke said the thick forest that had been used by the Akure community for the sacrifice of outcasts and twins became the foundation for him and many other young men who have now become important people in the society. The eminent geologist encouraged the staff members to continue to put in their best in training of the young boys currently passing through the school as they are the leaders of tomorrow.
As part of the four-day events that marked the celebrations, inter-school debates and football matches were also organised. The buildings in the school were renamed after many of the old students and pioneering staff including founding principal, Reverend John Keaveney, Francis MCGovern, Peter Kelly, Michael Evan, Ade Iluyemi, the first Nigerian principal, Enoch Dare, Michael Ibikunle and the late Emmanuel Babalola. On July 29, rising hip-hop singer, Ojoro who is an old boy of the school performed to the delight of all at the Rev’d O’Shea Library.
A dinner and launching was held to raise funds on July 30 at the Alumni Hall. It was graced by the Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, Ondo Catholic Bishop, as well as by representatives of the Deji of Akure. The old students held a thanksgiving service at the Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church on July 31 led by J.R Olusoga, their president. Sylvester Adekoya, former student monsignor of the Ijebu Ode Catholic Diocese presided over the thanksgiving service.
