THE PRINCIPAL’S SPEECH, DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF HONOUR GIVEN ON THE 26TH OCTOBER, 2007, TO MASTER EMELE EMEKA AND MASTER SODIQ DAODU BY THE AFRICAN PEACE AND LOVE INTIATIVES FOR EXCELLENCING NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY IN WORLD PEACE POSTER COMPETITION. Your Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State The Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, The Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Education District II, The Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Boards, The Education Secretary, Shomolu Local Government Education Authority, The Directors f Personnel Management, Education District II, All Directors, Heads of Department here present, The Chairperson, Shomolu ANCOPSS and all Principals present, All Proprietors and Proprietress here present, Founding President and Chief Executive Officer of African Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives, The National Secretary/Protocol Executives, AFPLI The Chief Chaperone, African Children of Peace Club The Awardees of today, Our Wonderful Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen I consider it a great joy t render this address, Baptist Junior Secondary School came into being in 2002 as a result of the splitting of the old Baptist High School into Junior and Senior Secondary Schools. The school formally took off in 2003 when I resumed as the first principal. The School under my administration has gone through serious process of transformation, from the dilapidated state of buildings I met to what it is today. The latest of the development is the renovation of 6 classrooms recently carried out by the Lagos State Government under the leadership of our amiable Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN). I must not fail to mention the love our ex-Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had for students. This school was among the twenty junior secondary schools in the state to which he gave twenty computers, two air conditioners and one generator each in 2004. May God bless both of them in Jesus name. Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here today to rejoice with the awardees at both national and international levels in respect of Sodiq Daodu and Emeka Emele as well as others from higher institutions in the country. The question we should ask ourselves is how this Baptist Junior Secondary School that is filled with children from poor homes came about this national and international recognition. The answer is God and the laudable gesture of Lions’ Club International, Ilupeju branch. They came to the school in 2006 and experimented with one of our students in person of Emeka Emele by sponsoring him for the World Peace Poster contest tagged “Peace without Borders”. Out of the numerous entries from all over Nigeria, Emeka’s work came third. I am happy to let you know that this boy and his classmate, Okole David, are now in Grace College on scholarship as a result of their wonderful performance in the scholarship exam conducted for brilliant students from poor homes in Lagos State. Having witnessed the success of Emeka, the Lion’s Club International of Ilupeju whose attention had earlier been on private schools and schools with big names concluded that it  was a great mistake they had made in the past by not coming to public schools to sponsor students. In view of this, the club came this year 2007 to sponsor another student known as Sodiq Daodu. Ladies and Gentlemen, it will be out of place at this juncture if I fail to acknowledge the handwork and dedication of the Art Teacher, Mr. Gasper, who happens to be my junior colleague in the world of Art. It was his tutorship that brought out the talents in these students. I also seize this opportunity to thank my three Vice- Principals and other members of staff for their support and co-operation. May God continue to increase your wisdom. Amen. Sodiq indeed took part in the world peace poster contest tagged “Celebrate Peace” and by the grace of God, came first in Nigerian and among the best twenty-three out of the 110,000 entries in the world. In appreciation for this brilliant performance, an award in cash ($500) and certificate were sent to Sodiq by Lion’s Club International from USA where the competition took place. To the Lion’s Club International of Ilupeju and the club worldwide, we say thank you. May your shadow never grow less in Jesus name. According to the Bible, Paul planted, Appollo watered. It is a known fact that Lion’s Club took us out for the competition but it is worth knowing that there is a foundation that introduced Peace Club into the school. This is to say that before the contest, our students had already known what it is to live in peace with one another through the teaching in the club. This group is known as the African Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives whose president and founder is Rev. Titus K. Oyeyemi. He is the brain behind today’s occasion. It is not an exaggeration t say that her is the God’ s sent man to initiates peace among students in Africa at this particular period when hooliganism and other vices are the order of the day all over the world. By honoring the students in this way, the foundation encourages young ones and even adult to live in peace with on another. My prayer is that God should bring up more people like you in order to have sanity in our society. I pray for more grease to be added to your elbows. Lion’s Club and African Foundation for Peace, Baptist Junior Secondary School’s gate is widely opened to you for further actions. To Lagos State Government, the Staff, Students and Parents of Baptist Junior Secondary School are grateful to you for making free and qualitative education possible in the state. Can you imagine what these indigent students could have become if free education was not available to them? Up Lagos State, up our action Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola! Going by what is happening now; it is obvious that the school is full of talents yet top be tapped. It may  surprise you to know that all the beautiful art works of these awarded and their school mates were done on the work bench in our small Introductory Technology room as the school has no Art room. If the school is provided with adequate facilities, it will be in a better position to produce more ‘gem’, not only in Fine Art but in other subjects as well. As much as we appreciate the generosity of Lagos State Government, we still solicit for more. Our current needs include. 1.        Scholarship for Sodiq Daodu in a model Secondary School where Fine-Art is offered. 2.        One prototype building of eighteen Classroom. Consisting well equipped: (a)        Fine Art room (b)        Home Economics room (c)        Introductory Technology workshop (d)        Library 3.        Staff Furniture 4.        Modern toilets (at least 25) 5.        More  computer sets 6.        Bigger generator since the present one is too small for the twenty computes in use. Baptist Junior School staff that has been carrying out their duties diligently, especially the Art Teacher, Mr. Gasper and the teacher in charge of Peace Club, Mrs. Babarinsa should be specially recognized and rewarded. Another good news is that Baptist Junior School had 100% success n the newly released JSCE result. Distinctions and credit exceeded the passes in the results. In conclusion, I welcome all our invited dignitaries. I want to particularly welcome the wonderful and hardworking Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Her Excellency – Mrs. Sarah Bisi Sosan; our mothers; the amiable, diligent and concerned Tutor- General/Permanent Secretary, Education District II, Mrs. O. A. Carrena, you are welcome ma. And to or charming, elegant and indefatigable mother, the Chairman, Lagos state Basic Education Board. Mrs. O. O. T. Benson, you are welcome Ma. I am also grateful to our Education Secretary Somolu L. G. E. a, Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Education and all our directors. I am also grateful to you Sodiq and Emeka for the honour you have brought to Lagos State and Nigeria through your hard work. May you continue to excel academically, spiritually and socially in Jesus Name. Our teaching and non teaching staff, I am once again grateful to you for your diligent service the result of which we are celebrating today. You are blessed in Jesus Name. Thank you. Mrs. Omolaoye Principal, Baptist Junior High, Obanikoro, Lagos State, Nigeria.