Notre Dame, My Notre Dame

Perhaps as a tool for evangelization, the Roman Catholic Church used education to penetrate the tradition and combat ignorance-motivated poverty and diseases. This the church did by establishing schools in which youths were brought up under specified doctrines. Notre Dame College, Usi-Ekiti, one of several schools, so established, played significant roles in the formative stages of the lives, of its students, individually and collectively, through a form of regimental training, making them what they become, in later life subsequently.

It was established on the 20th day of January, 1960, under the principal ship of Rev. Fr. F. Nelly, who left in July 1960, paving the way for a ruthless disciplinarian, Rev Fr. P.N Kelly, the school grew in bounds and leaps to be what it is today. In conjunction with the first African teacher, Mr Anthony Ashaolu, the principal drew up a school routine that went thus:

Table above was copied from Notre Dame College, Usi-Ekiti, 1960-1985 by Anthony Olusola Adekoye

His Lordship, W.R. Field, the Ondo diocesan Bishop and proprietor of the school, visited the school, accompanied by some Reverend Fathers on the 29th of February, 1960, during which arrangements for the erection of the first building were concluded. In January of 1961, students moved into the new building and the new classroom block was declared open, formally, by His Grace Most Reverend Dr Pigaradoli, the Apostolic Delegate, in the presence of Bishop Field. The first African Principal, a no less disciplinarian, Sir R.O Afolalu, (1966-70) took over from Fr. Kelly and this pseudo-military training continued till the cessation of student’ hostels. The overall purpose was to build, in the students, law-abiding citizens with a solid moral foundation, premised on the fear of God. Students were allowed to go out, only, once, in a month to enable them purchase necessary items. A student that had any reason to go out, outside of this, had to obtain an exit from the housemaster. The Roman Catholic Church sees freedom for a youth, as a luxury, to be guided meticulously, leaving no room for compromises. This is reflected in the school training programme that leaves no room for truancy. To violate any part of the schedule, except for serious reasons like sickness, was to attract severe sanctions ranging from manual labour, to suspension or expulsion, depending on the circumstances. It was not the policy of the Roman Catholic Mission [RCM] at that time, to establish co-educational secondary schools. Rather, separate schools were established for boys and girls, all with common traits, of discipline, high academic performances, excellence in games and sports, high moral and religious education.

Notre Dame College dominated the Ekiti divisional school football games between 1964-1974.. By defeating Ekiti Baptist High School, Igede, hitherto, the strongest, for years, Notre Dame College walked over Christ School, Ado Ekiti, in the 1967 Thermogene cup competition. Notre Dame, thereby, represented Ekiti division, at the provincial level, to confront its brother Catholic school, St Thomas Aquinas College, Akure, the winner from Ondo division. The emergence of the, then, relatively young and inconspicuous school surprised many, thereby attracting an unusually large spectator.

Admission into Catholic secondary schools, in those days was strict and rigorous as most parents would prefer to send their children and wards to catholic secondary schools where high academic performances were guaranteed in addition to moral and religious instructions, those days prior to government takeover of schools.

Today, Notre Dame Grammar school has all reasons to be celebrated, having produced high caliber professionals and men of rare integrity, cutting their teeth in all fields of human endeavour. This apart, there is a virile national old students association, with groups operating around the world, mobilizing to see the school through challenges. The Founder’s Day is celebrated every year, by the old students, bringing members together with the current staff and students to celebrate the Alma Mater. This year’s event tagged Mother of all Founder’s Day Celebrations is being sponsored by the NODACO71, a subset of the old students association, holding on the 2nd and 3rd of June, 2017. It promises to be one event unprecedented.

The preceding article was formally published in the May 28, 2017 edition of the Catholic Charity. Written by Prof. Adeseko William Ayeni, ’71 Alumni (pen name: William Aborishade). Article was authorized for use on this site.