Eko Boys’ High School alumni classes of 1981 and 1982 recently held their first grand reunion after over 44 years of graduating from the institution. The meeting, which brought together over 50 old boys of the 113-year-old institution, served as an opportunity for the alumni body to renew its commitment to preserving the school’s legacy for generations to come. EstherOluku reports
The popular axiom that 20 friends cannot play for 20 years did not apply on October 9, 2026, when the gates of Eko Boys’ High School, Mushin, Lagos, opened to over 50 former students who showed up for a reunion to honour the memory of their alma mater.
Decked in immaculate white pants and shirts, some had the standard wine-coloured waistcoats to match, while others had wine vests and jackets. This recreation of the school’s uniform was sealed off with wine-and-white-coloured fez caps so that when the host called the meeting to order at a few minutes past 12 pm, all rose in unity to recite the school anthem, which had bound them together over forty-four years ago.
This 2026 reunion is the first public reunion of the Eko Boys’ High School Old Boys Association (EKOBA) set of 1981/1982, taking the participants, now in their 60s, back in time.
The Homecoming
The event opened with a symposium on October 9th at the Reverend W.B. Euba Memorial Hall, bringing together present students of the school in conversation with the alumni body. The purpose of the meeting was to inspire students towards pursuing their individual dreams and aspirations.
In his opening address, President, EKOBA 81/82, Mr. Johnson Folayan, stated that the meeting was a celebration of enduring friendship and a moment of giving back to the institution which had moulded them into accomplished men.
“We walked through the gates of this school as young, ambitious boys. Today, we return as accomplished men and true custodians of a rich legacy. One of the starting points of this legacy is Eko Boys’ High School, and we can’t tell our story without the mention of the school.
“This reunion is far more than a social gathering; it stands as a monument to our resilience, our lifelong friendships, and our unwavering commitment to giving back to the school that shaped our character.
“Today (Friday, October 9, 2026), we are here to reconnect with ourselves and with our Almamater. This is the core of Reunion 2026, and I would advise us to take the opportunity in both ways,” he said.
EKOBA National President, Mr. Tito Ganiyu Nurudeen, encouraged students to exert their minds and consciousness towards believing in the possibility of attaining their dreams.
“If anyone says to you that is impossible,” he said, “they are lying to you. Your job is to settle down and do the best you can. There is no doubt in my mind that you will do extremely well.”
He also urged students not to yield to the temptation of taking the easy path to success, saying that success requires time, discipline and determination.
On his part, immediate Past President, EKOBA 81/82, Mr. Kayode Elliot, urged students to take advantage of the power of talent to attain success in life.
“It is not everybody that will be successful in academics. That is why we have introduced the basketball court and the lawn tennis court. Also, pick an interest in sports. If academics is not working for you, then let sports work for you,” he said.
Encouraging Academic Excellence
Folayan, speaking during the symposium, stated that, in furtherance of the commitment of EKOBA 81/82 to encouraging academic excellence, the alumni body was opening a cash reward for the best graduating students of each class.
The best graduating students from Senior Secondary School Three will get a cash reward of N100,000; the best graduating students from Senior Secondary School One and Two will get N75,000 each, while the best graduating students from Junior Secondary School One, Two and Three will get N50,000 each.
Also, the EKOBA National President stated that, with the school’s recent upgrade to model school status, the association was working in collaboration with the state government to bring back the boarding arm of the school as it was four and a half decades ago.
“To ensure that you do well in school, we are working with the Lagos State Ministry of Education right now. We are bringing the full boarding house and staff quarters to Eko Boys’ High School by September next year.
“By September 2027, there will be a full boarding house with new students coming in. They will go into the boarding house and have time to study. They will be fed, clothed and disciplined,” he enthused.
A Journey in Service
Since its establishment as a social service club in 1996, EKOBA 81/82 has supported the school with a multi-million-naira basketball court, 13 computers, two table tennis sets, and a one-million-naira donation towards the construction of the Rev. Benjamin W. Euba Memorial Hall, among others.
The reunion did not end as a celebration of memories alone. EKOBA 81/82 reaffirmed its commitment to impacting the institution that had nurtured them by donating a nine-room toilet block to the school. Speaking on the donation, Folayan explained that they had chosen the renovation of a nine-room toilet block to improve the hygiene level of the students.
“When we got here, we realised that there was no toilet. As a matter of fact, the hygiene level was very, very bad. I couldn’t have entered the toilet to use it, and these were supposed to be our children growing up.
“So, we felt that it was a need and the young boys should grow up knowing that there is a facility called a good toilet for the purpose of hygiene and for them to have that mental awareness that they can actually use good facilities too, like their mates,” he said.
The facility is fitted with running water and was commissioned to serve the junior secondary school students of Eko Boys’ High School.
In his remark, EKOBA National President, Tito Nurudeen, explained that while the toilet is one in a series of projects the EKOBA 81/82 Service Club has undertaken since its inception, the toilet project alone is valued at over six million naira.
He added that, as part of plans to sustain the facility, the alumni body had hired dedicated staff to ensure that the toilet is always kept clean.
The group, during the Gala Night on October 10, 2026, also launched a fundraiser targeted at procuring 20 air conditioning units for the Rev. W.B. Euba Hall, valued at eight hundred and fifty thousand naira (N850,000) each, amounting to a cumulative cost of seventeen million naira (N17,000,000).
The presentation of the air conditioning units, Folayan said, would take place during the school’s Founder’s Day event next year.
Reliving Past Memories
For many attendees, the nostalgia of their younger days came in pockets of memories of how the school had shaped their journeys through various career paths into adulthood.
Vice President, EKOBA 81/82, Mr. Dayo Oni, speaking on the sidelines of the Gala Night, said that the event presented an opportunity to relive youthful memories, share in the joy of seeing old schoolmates again, and reflect on life after many years apart.
“I always want to give credence to God because there are few of us that started from class one; some along the way couldn’t make it. It is a good thing to have friends that we’ve seen in the last 45 years.
“We had the homecoming, which was memorable, and we did a lot of things together. Those things we did when we were young, and we all had fun,” he said.
Secretary General, EKOBA 81/82, Mr. Mike Oduniyi, said: “We thank God after 44, 45 years of leaving the school, God Almighty has kept us alive. The least among us is 60 years old. Therefore, we believe we should celebrate ourselves while we are still alive.”
Eko Boys’ High School was founded by Rev. William Benjamin Euba on January 13, 1913, with a vision to provide high-quality education to less privileged children.