It was a weekend of nostalgia, reflection, and renewed commitment as the 1971-1975 set of Saint Peter’s College, Abeokuta, gathered for a three-day milestone event tagged “Reunion 50+1.”

The program, which concluded on Sunday, May 10, 2026, brought together classmates who have shared a bond for over 56 years, dating back to their entry into the then-all-boys institution.

The festivities reached a spiritual climax during a thanksgiving mass held at Saint John Catholic Church, Lafenwa.

The Parish Priest, Rev. Father Eric Olatunji, commended the septuagenarians for their enduring brotherhood.

In his homily, he urged the younger generation of Nigerians to emulate such spirits by identifying with their roots and consistently giving back to their alma mater.

Father Olatunji further enjoined the “Old Boys” to sustain their commonality, emphasizing that collective action is the most effective tool for personal development and the progress of their historic school.

On Saturday, the members returned to the hallowed grounds of Saint Peter’s College.

The visit served as a sobering reminder of the passage of time; the alumni observed that several school structures were in urgent need of intervention following damages caused by recent rainstorms in the Abeokuta metropolis.

Beyond inspecting the infrastructure, the set engaged in a mentorship session with current students, sharing professional insights and strategies for achieving academic excellence.

A major highlight of the visit was a lecture titled “Time is Life,” delivered by a member of the set, Deacon ‘Dara Adebimpe, a veteran journalist and peace scholar.

Deacon Adebimpe advised the students on how best to utilize the time available to them, pointing out that time is a progressive, irreplaceable, and non-renewable commodity that never moves backward.

The event was well-attended by prominent figures, including the Principals of both the Senior and Junior Schools, the National President of the Old Students Association, Elder Tunde Oyenekan, and several members of his executive committee.

The social segment of the program featured a lavish buffet dinner at the Academy Suites, Abeokuta, where members were joined by their spouses.

During the reunion plenary session, the set took far-reaching decisions aimed at improving the welfare of their classmates and executing developmental projects for the college.

Saint Peter’s College holds a storied place in Ogun State’s educational history, as it was one of only two boys’ secondary schools in Abeokuta, before it was converted into a co-educational school in 1980 under the civilian administration of the late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo.

The newly elected Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State Joint Campus Committee (JCC), Comrade Olabode Farouq Success, paid a strategic courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, Comrade Akinwale Olanrewaju.

The meeting, held at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre in Abeokuta, was aimed at fostering a robust relationship between the student leadership and the media to ensure accurate reportage of student affairs across the state.

During the visit, Comrade Olabode Farouq Success emphasized the weight of leadership and his commitment to restoring the integrity of the student movement.

He noted that his administration is focused on leaving a lasting legacy by shifting the narrative of student activism toward intellectual engagement and constructive dialogue.

He expressed a desire to work closely with the NUJ to amplify the voices of students and highlight the challenges they face within various ivory towers.

Addressing the historical context of the student movement, the JCC Chairman lamented that the system had become “bastardized” over the years, leading to a loss of respect for student leaders.

He vowed that under his watch, the JCC would reclaim its position as a formidable authority that government and school managements must negotiate with on equal footing. He stressed that his leadership would prioritize the welfare of Ogun State students above personal gain.

The Ogun NUJ Chairman, in his response, shared insights on the importance of individual responsibility in office. Drawing from the reflections of past leaders, he reminded the new JCC Chairman that while mentors offer wisdom, the ultimate success or failure of this administration rests solely on his shoulders.

He urged the student leader to avoid “voluntary slavery” to political interests and to maintain the independence of the NANS JCC.

The NUJ Chairman also highlighted that true leadership maturity is not dictated by age but by the “footprints” left behind through service and intelligence. He encouraged Comrade Olabode to be a leader of character, noting that the media would be watching closely to hold the administration accountable.

He promised that the NUJ would provide the necessary professional support to ensure that student-related news is handled with fairness and depth.

The visit concluded with a commitment from both parties to maintain an open line of communication for the benefit of the public. Comrade Olabode Farouq Success thanked the NUJ leadership for their fatherly advice and pledged to return in six months with a progress report on his achievements.

This partnership marks a significant step toward bridging the gap between the organized press and the largest student body in Ogun State.

In a powerful call to national intellectual renewal, Chief Abiodun Oladimeji Lasile, the Orunto Baalufe of Owu Kingdom, has urged Nigerians to “go all in” on literacy and the protection of creative rights to secure the country’s future.

Marking the 2026 World Book and Copyright Day on Thursday, the prominent advocate for heritage and intellectual property joined UNESCO and the Nigerian Copyright Commission in celebrating this year’s global theme, “Go All In on Reading.”

Chief Lasile characterized reading not merely as a leisure activity but as a foundational tool for nation-building, asserting that a reading populace is one that cannot be easily deprived of its history or its rights.

‘Reading is not a pastime. It is the first tool of nation-building. A child who reads becomes a citizen who thinks. A student who reads becomes a leader who plans. A people who read cannot be cheated of their history, their rights, or their future.’

He noted that in a modern era dominated by short-form digital content and instant answers, the depth provided by books is more critical than ever for developing leaders who can plan and citizens who can think critically.

The Orunto highlighted a growing crisis in the Nigerian literary landscape, comparing the nation’s books to oil and its research to seeds that must be protected.

He raised the alarm over the increasing threats of piracy and the rise of digital “machines” that consume intellectual work without permission, specifically noting that students and authors are seeing their original ideas vanish into databases without proper credit.

‘Our books are our oil. Our research is our seed. Yet in the cloud and on the street, the Nigerian author is losing pages to silence, piracy, and machines that learn without leave. Students submit projects that vanish into databases and return without their names.’

According to Chief Lasile, the mandate to “go all in” extends beyond the act of reading to the active defense of the Copyright Act 2022.

He argued that copyright protection is a shared responsibility involving parents, teachers, and poets alike, rather than a niche concern for legal professionals.

To address these challenges, the Chief outlined a tripartite commitment focused on access, authorship, and integrity.

He called upon all levels of government and the private sector to bridge the gap in book distribution by funding public libraries and digital reading hubs across Nigeria, emphasizing that a nation cannot read what it cannot reach.

On the front of authorship, he issued a direct appeal to the public to buy original works, name writers, and report pirates to ensure that creators receive the income they deserve from the very first sale.

He further challenged the academic community and the general public to maintain the highest standards of integrity by citing sources, including AI-generated content, and avoiding the unauthorized sharing of digital files.

Closing his address with a message of resilience and vigilance, Chief Lasile reminded Nigerians that while the modern “thief” now operates via a keyboard, the protection of intellectual property remains a moral and national necessity.

He maintained that if the people guard the page, the page will, in turn, guard the people by fostering a culture of thinking and leading.

The annual celebration of World Book and Copyright Day on April 23 serves as a global reminder of the importance of publishing and the legal safeguards that allow the creative industry to thrive for the next generation.