Old students of The Church of Jesus Christ Comprehensive Secondary School (COMPSECO), Atai Otoro in Abak local government area of Akwa Ibom State, hold a reunion on Thursday, December 16, 2021. In this interview with NewsGazette, the interim chairman of the association, Dr Felix Udofia, speaks on the inaugural event, the expectations, state of the 49-year-old institution -infrastructural and academic- and what the alumni can do to put it on a pedestal.
Ime Akpan
What are your expectations at the maiden reunion of COMPSECO alumni?
I expect a robust reunion of friends, senior and junior colleagues that parted ways several years ago. It is going to be fantastic.
Have you reached out to the alumni at home, the ones in government and in the diaspora?
Well for now we are at the formative stage; efforts are being made to reach out to all alumni; so far we are in touch with few of those in the diaspora and in government. I am sure with time and enough publicity all alumni will be connected to the national body.
Did you get any commitment regarding their attendance at the inaugural meeting?
Sure all that have heard about the reunion are exited and are willing to be there.
You are one of the first generation products of the 49-year-old institution. Why did it take such a long time to form the alumni association?
No, I wasn’t one of the first generation products of the school. I don’t think it is too late to form the alumni association now. God has plans for everything. I am of the opinion that now is the appointed time for the formation of the association. We should not despise the days of our little beginning, and as you may know every big thing in this life starts small. Better be late than never.
You visited the school recently. What impression did you come back with?
Yes, I and Engineer Ephraim Asifa visited the school recently as was directed by the execo; we were on a fact-finding visit. What we saw was pathetic state of decay of infrastructural facilities in the school which could better be imagined than seen.
Between the time you left in 1979 or thereabouts and when you visited last, what positive changes did you notice?
From the time I left the school and the time of visit, there had been serious changes both positive and otherwise. Positive in the sense that in spite of the infrastructural decay the school has come of age and is driven by a culture of excellence and strict adherence to global best practices; discipline is still a norm. In fact, the school is unarguably the leader in the production of best brains, experts in various fields including medicine, engineering, ICT, technocrats, etc.
COMPSECO, Atai Otoro has become synonymous with the production of the best manpower that anticipate and meet up with global expectation by turning organisational challenges into strategic opportunities for sustainable success in volatile times as experienced now. Negative in the sense that the physical structures in the school are all gone – unfortunate.
In what ways do you think the alumni can contribute to its growth?
I think the alumni can contribute by way of intervention in providing instructional materials, equipment, renovation of any of the dilapidated structures and motivate the students by constant visit to the school for counseling services.
What are those interesting things you would tell someone about COMPSECO, looking back to those days you were student?
Looking back to those days I was a student I can conveniently tell someone about COMPSECO that apart from God what I am today is predicated upon the solid foundation laid by all I learnt from the school. Discipline, self-confidence/actualisation, reading culture, punctuality, diligence, etc are some of the things I imbibed for which still reverberate in our daily lives.
Back in the day at school you were a good orator and you had passion for arts. I recall you starred in the stage play of Amah Atta Aidoo’s ‘Dilemma of the ghost’. Why did you not develop your career along that line?
Sure, I have passion for arts. All the same, I was not destined to make it a career in life.
Maybe your children have continued from where you left off.
Unfortunately, none of my children has flair for arts; they are all science-oriented.
Looking back, would you regret dumping arts for something else?
No regrets at all. I am content. The bible says in every situation give thanks to God. I want to appeal to all alumni to identify with the association so that we can team up to give back and build our alma mater.
