OGSA ’85 Marks 40 Years of Legacy, Lays Foundation for Counselling Centre at Oyemekun Grammar School
The Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure, Old Students’ Association (OGSA) 1985 Set on Saturday, December 13, 2025, rolled out the drums to celebrate its 40th Anniversary and Reunion, crowning the event with the foundation-laying ceremony of a Counselling Centre—a landmark project designed to give back meaningfully to their alma mater.
The celebration, held within the historic premises of Oyemekun Grammar School, attracted distinguished alumni, school management, teachers past and present, students, and well-wishers from across the country and beyond.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the 1985 Set, ESV Akinpelu Akinmola, described the occasion as one filled with nostalgia, gratitude, and purpose.
“It is with great pleasure and nostalgia that I stand here today, surrounded by familiar faces and memories that have shaped our lives. We return all honour and adoration to Almighty God, the Alpha and Omega, who has preserved us these forty years,” he said.
He recalled the early days of the set as young boys of 10–12 years who first assembled in the school hall, noting how time has transformed them into fathers and grandfathers, molded by shared experiences that prepared them for life’s challenges.
Reflecting on the journey, Akinmola paid tribute to departed classmates and prayed for those facing health challenges, emphasizing that the 40-year milestone was both a celebration of survival and service.
In appreciation of the role Oyemekun Grammar School played in shaping their lives, the 1985 Set resolved to deliver a project of lasting impact. After careful consideration of several options, including classroom renovation and sports facilities, the set chose the construction of a Counselling Centre—a first of its kind in any public secondary school in Ondo State.
The facility, when completed, will serve students, teachers, and non-teaching staff, providing guidance, mental health support, and career counselling.
“This is my second visit to the building site. We have committed it to God, and now we hand it over to those who will execute it,” said the Global President of OGSA Alumni Association, Dr. Adeniyi Ijogun, who led the foundation-laying ceremony.
Dr. Ijogun commended the 1985 Set for its foresight and dedication, describing the initiative as a noble and exemplary act of alumni engagement. He urged the set not to relent in its commitment and to continue supporting the incoming alumni leadership as he prepares to bow out of office.
Delivering a short address at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Hon. Justice Akinfemi Michael Owoyemi, FCIArb, described the project as a symbol of responsibility and gratitude.
“Today’s foundation-laying ceremony represents more than bricks and mortar. It is our commitment to building a stronger future for generations yet unborn,” he stated.
Justice Owoyemi explained that the set deliberately jettisoned elaborate celebrations in favour of investing resources in a tangible legacy project that would benefit the school long after the anniversary.
He praised the leadership of the Set Chairman, ESV Akinpelu Akinmola, and appealed to all classmates at home and abroad to contribute generously towards the completion of the Counselling Centre.
In his goodwill message, the Senior Prefect of the 1985 Set, retired Air Commodore Wale Ogunmodede, celebrated his classmates, offered prayers for departed members, and wished the set many more years of unity and service.
The anniversary celebrations concluded on Sunday, December 14, 2025, with a thanksgiving service held at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure, where members of the set gathered to thank God for four decades of life, progress, and enduring brotherhood.