St. Helen’s Unity Secondary School, Ondo is a school for girls located in Ondo
town, Ondo state. Nigeria. It is one of the original Unity Schools in Ondo
State. There are
only two schools in Africa; St. Helen’s Unity Secondary
School and others. The reality
of it is that it has produced, is producing, and will keep producing strong,
reliable, and confident women. The school has gone through lots of challenges
from over population, strikes caused by government irrationality.The first Principal Mrs V. M. Adeleye. She has been a role model to lots of alumni ladies, alumni mums, alumni grandma and her message will continue to be a blessing to generations to come. We love you ma.
At first you
hate the school because of its many rules, but later you take the pride.
The memories I had about the
school which richly linger on are such that I always want to share. My
admission into Unity School in September 1993 was, to me, a blessing though at
first, i was so desperate to go to a private school but as an innocent and
naive primary school pupil, my parents sent me to boarding school in order to
grow up maturely by school discipline...
The only
other school in the vicinity that I had wanted was
Adeyemi Demonstration Ondo but my parents refusal changed everything
after they discovered that, its a mixed school (Male and Female), and having
over protective Christian parents, they wanted a Girls only school, the Unity
School in Ondo, on the other hand was also my choice because it was the more
popular school back then being the Girls only school. one
of the greatest development challenges facing Nigeria is the threat to national
unity,.
Federal
Government Colleges or the Unity Schools are exactly 40 years but St Helens
Unity School school has been in existence 10 years before the establishment of
unity schools. The age of 50, marked last year by whatever yardstick one
measures it is a milestone, which is why the Old students Association of the St
Helens Unity Secondary School Ondo are rolling out the drums to celebrate the
milestone individually and collectively.
We were taught to pray in everything-
Prep prayer, school prayer, prayer before food, general prayer before food, at
the mosque- for Muslims, in church- Anglican (being an Anglican school).
When walking, we were taught to walk heads up,
shoulders high. To behave in a seemly manner at all times. We were taught
not to eat with our uniforms on outside school. We were taught to dress
appropriately. We were taught respect. To sit Upright, legs crossed together to
the side. We were taught to be punctual. In the harshest conditions, St
Helens Unity school made you look for alternatives for survival- Like
during water scarcity. We learnt different languages and cultures- acculturation,social
night. We were taught cleanliness. We had to do morning duties before
classes. God bless you, you do not do it , Mrs. Ojo will get you. The truth is
the teachers loved us. We cared about other things and did not actually see
that love.We have Mrs Awosika as our career counsellor who
will counsel you, tell you if Science class is good for you or
commercial. I was shocked when she insisted i go to commercial or Art
class. She is just accurate. Though, some students found it offensive but this
work for us now.
Being girls only, we had the opportunities to
learn how to cook by attending the home Economics class, Food
and Nutrition best choice for some of us and this really work for
us.The best thing we were taught was how to be sisters and friends forever.
Let me save your time, I will like you to meet some of my friends, classmate, hostel mates, especially the 1999 and 2000 sets.
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| Gbemisola Ajayi, Mary Ojo and Bukola Asaolu |
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| Beatrice Ahatty, Tosin Ayegunsi, Ronke Adewunmi, Bidemi Egbonotan and Fisayo Abegunde |
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| Bukky Jaiyeola, Yetunde Akinsiku, Joke Pelemo and Fisayo Abegunde |
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| Awoyo Funmi, Tolu Babalola (Fisayos Cousin), Yetunde Akinsiku and Fisayo Abegunde |
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| Fisayo Abegunde and Yetunde Akinsiku |
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| Fisayo Abegunde and Yetunde Akinsiku |
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| Fisayo Abegunde |
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| Alaba Aladetan, Ronke Jobi, Foluke Famujimi and Ope Olurankise |
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| Areje Busayo, Adegboyega Bose, Okelola Aarinade, Babalola Ronke |
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| Adegboyega Bose, Akinrolie Jumoke and Latona Idowu |
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| Adegboyega Bose, Kehinde Ajayi, Veronica Adeoye, Sileola Adeoye and Funke Adesina |
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| Toyin Amira and Yewande Ademola |
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| Adegboyega Bose and Giveth Osariemen |
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| Latona Idowu, Fasunloye Yetunde, Akinrolie Jumoke, Rolake Bukky and Adegboyega Bose |
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| Adegboyega Bose, Ogunbiyi Bolanle and Fajemiro Bowale |
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| Bose, Arinola, Kikelomo Abidakun, Aanu Adetuwo and Seyi Akintunde |
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| Aarin, Bose and Latona Idowu |
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| Ojuade Kafayat, Giveth Osariemen and Bose Adegboyega |
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| Adegboyega Bose |
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| Seun Tugbiyele -Adetunji on Cultural day |
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Banke Adebiyi (Before)
Banke Adebiyi (After)
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On 20th September 2004, alumni from class of 1994 held a reunion in Lagos. Hosted by Banke Akinmejiwa -Ojeyinka
Then and Now - Class of 1991
