There was profound
joy and memories  relieved when batch  1983 old students of former Government Girls Secondary School,  Harbour  Road, Port Harcourt (now Methodist  Girls High School) re-united  after 30 years of graduation.
The old students specifically  held  the occasion to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their graduation from the once famous institution that produced  several notable women that are useful to  society and parade high credentials. It  was indeed a happy  re-union  as the old girls returned to their alma mater united in one and determined to strengthen their bond fellowship.
The two days programme started with a visitation to the school, led by the President of the body, Marther Frank Alli, and the co-ordination, Mrs Ibinabo Ogolo, where some  items were donated to equip the home economics  laboratory.
Presenting the items, which  included  a 6-burner gas cooker,a-4-burner  gas cooker, and a giant fridge, the president said “the gesture was a mark of gratitude to the citadel that made them, and their  little way of encouraging the students to excel in their practical home management exams.”
Addressing the students and management of the school, the president said the students should take their studies seriously as the effort they put  in at this stage  of their education would determine what they would become tomorrow. She  pointed  out that  “the girl-child is very beneficial  to herself and the society, when she  acquires functional education”
Alli, who is a surveyor by profession, also called  for synergy  between government and missionary schools management as a strategy to consolidate educational development, she reasoned that “the  synergy would enhance greater accessibility of the  less privileged and   vulnerable in the society to education”, and noted that the society would be better for it, as destitution and other forms of social nuisance would  be  minimised. “In her response, the principal of the school, Elder Edna Okpo, thanked the ex-students for their  concern and sense of gratitude. The principal who appealed to other old Girls of the  institution to borrow a leaf from the 1985, batch, assured that the facilities provided would be used judiciously.
She  disclosed that  management of missionary schools were confronted with fundamental  challenges on assuming authority over the  schools, as the needed standard  had  to be  instilled and consolidated. She  assured that “standard would not be  compromised, as the authorities are putting everything in place to ensure that infrastructure is upgraded    and the needed incentive is provided to attain institutional objectivities”.
Speaking to The Tide, the senior prefect of the school, Woyimmiebi Austine,  thanked  the old girls for their visit, and stated that the visit would inspire the  students to work harder to attain  academic  success, as well as become great in life.
The visiting Old Girls were conducted round the school on facility   inspection, and they recalled with nolstagia,  their days when as growing girls, they operated under strict institutional  rules.
They  recalled the principal’s  reprimand and  the  attendant  punishment  they had to face over their  misdemenour.
There was also obvious disparities in the mode of carriage  within the period under discourse, 1983  to 2013. A cursory, analysis of the students’ composition in recent times, revealed that while  in the 80s, there was a mixed grill, where mature students, shared passion  with juveniles, it is a different ball game now, as the students are mostly juveniles  at their  most fundamental and effective age of learning.
The school principal said the concept “was to catch them young  and instill  the objectives  of morality and excellence in the students as they grow up to  face greater challenges in life”.
The last second  and last   day of  the visit  was marked  by a dinner party held at  Delta Hotels, Port Harcourt, where the old Girls gathered to relive the fun of yester years. The  officiating  minister, Pastor Soye Young  Itiye, directed  the minds of the celebrants to the fact that  they had attained their feat through God’s grace, pointing   out that not all those  who started with them were alive to tell their story. Pastor Itiye  urged  the celebrants  to  always hold on to God to carry them through the trials and exigencies of life, and commended their sense of bond  and fellowship.
It was all jubilation as the  celebrants fondled  and bantered  with their  individual impressions of their days at ‘Harbour Road” amidst childhood fantasies  and the  limitless  elations of youth. They danced in nimbled feet to the tunes of soothing  old time melodies.
The array of delectable ladies, comprising media executives, captains of industries , and distinguished  professionals, had  an exclusive dinner party. It was learnt  that the decision was to have a replay of life the way it  used to be 30 years back, while other members of their families would participate in subsequent celebrations.
Speaking  with The Tide the coordinator of the group, Mrs Ibinabo Ogolo, said old girls now scattered across the globe were able to meet again 30  years after  graduation. She  said some of them were actually meeting again  for the first  time after  30 years, and called for stronger ties among them to be able to make a collective impact on society, especially in the encouragement of the younger generation . Highlight of the celebration was the cutting of the anniversary cake.

Taneh Beemene