VALEDICTORY AND RELATED SPEECHES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS(1)

FAREWELL LECTURE TO OUT-GOING STUDENTS FOR 1999/2000 BY THE PROPRIETOR MR.O.O.ODUMOSU ON THE OCCASION OF THE SCHOOL’S WORSHIP/THANKSGIVING SERVICE HELD ON 31^ST AUGUST 2000.

Distinguished Guests,

Staff Members,

Out-going students,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

The greatest glory goes to God for giving us the opportunity to thank and glorify His Name and to start the celebration for sending forth our SSS3 students for 1999/2000 session.

We have in the course of the last few years taught, molded, spoken to, preached to or quarreled with you.In some cases you were flogged, castigated and then made up with .You are the same crop of students finally going into a completely new world.It is a world of uncertainty.A world of ups and downs. A world of love and a world of hate It is indeed a world of satisfaction and of want. A world of bitterness and a world of love. A world of achievement and of failure. A world of weeping and a world of laughter. Please know that it is a mixed blend indeed.

Need I remind you that you should make the best use of life lessons you learned here? Your name once built should be your priceless jewel. Shakespeare in Othello had this to say “Who steals my purse steals trash. But he who filches from me my good name robs me of that which does not enrich him but which makes me poor indeed”. If your name is lost everything is lost. Remember to uphold the good name of your school. You must not forget your alma mater. We shall expect you in the shortest possible time to join hands with others to inaugurate an Alumni Association wherever you might be. It is not too early. Plan it amongst yourselves today. We need you to assist in pursuing our excellence wherever the wind of destiny may blow you in life.

We shall be greatly delighted to hear beautiful superlative and hair-raising news about you. We shall remember you in our prayers and we hope you will remember us in yours too. Please be good ambassadors of Mason College Festac.

Definitely 20 boys and 20 girls cannot play together for 20 years. From your J.S.S.1 many of you came in together. Along the way some left while others joined. From a class of less than 20 you eventually grew to more than 60. Understandably some of you are not here today for various reasons but we expect to many more of you on Saturday when testimonials and awards are given to all deserving students of the school.

While you were here we gave you what can be called the MASON AMBASSADORIAL SCALE OF LIFE. It’s like your letter of credence to life. You can refer to it as much as you should. We have taught you what to associate with and what to reject and run from. This scale shall be the basis of my public address this Saturday as I did last year.

Well, the market is over boys and girls. The buyers and sellers are already on their way home. The coming morning will open new lives for you in other higher institutions of learning or other experiences of life. May the Lord be with you till we come across one another again.

I cannot end without appropriate comments and compliments to a woman of timber and calibre and a man substantial goodwill who are both present here today. They are Mrs.C. Adelakun of the Lagos State Ministry of Education and Mr. W.Ajiboye of WAEC (followed by citations and presentation of gifts).

Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for being here with us today.

May Heaven continue to bless and protect you.Amen.

O.O.ODUMOSU

PROPRIETOR 31/8/2000.

WELCOME SPEECH DELIVERED BY LATE MRS OLA MBONU,EX-PRINCIPAL MASON COLLEGE ON 2ND SEPT 2000

THE CHAIRMAN,

PROPRIETOR AND PROPRIETRESS OF THE SCHOOL,

OTHER DIGNITARIES HERE PRESENT,

PARENTS OF OUT-GOING STUDENTS,

OUT-GOING STUDENTS,

STAFF MEMBERS,

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to this august gathering where we have come to honor the graduating students, majority of whom the school had groomed for up to six years.

Functional Education, according to the last National Policy on Education is of paramount importance to any society. It defines a role for the individual in nation-building and it enables the individual to chart a meaningful path towards the realization of that role. We recognize that the individual must be cultured and imbued with knowledge, skill and logic with which to contribute his own quota to the task of nation building.

Functional Education builds a complete human being who is able to meet challenges of the world. In meeting this enormous task, MASON COLLEGE has placed great emphasis on developing good, practical and sound principles that will guide the students in making decisions and in striking a balance between work and leisure.

Teachers have painstakingly and meticulously guided them on the application of themselves to academics for self- actualization. The college has also made a lot of efforts to inspire the students with a desire for self-improvement and achievement of excellence. This college, today, with pride, is sending out into the world, a generation of young men and women who can think for themselves, respect the views and feelings of others, respect the dignity oflabor, appreciate those values specified under our broad national goals and live as good citizens.

This period of sending forth the graduating students is also an occasion for stock-taking. In the characteristic of the management to recognize and reward excellence and devotion to duty, the school management, teachers and students have taken note of staff and students deserving of honor this past session. In the character of the school, these individuals will have to be recognized at this occasion. The list of awardees has been drawn from all departments of the college.

At this juncture, Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me publicly to acknowledge and commend the efforts and magnanimity of the indefatigable proprietor of this college for his total commitment to this college and his ability to recognize, appreciate and encourage good work and high standards which has been the greatest asset of this college. He is a rare gem.

At the same time, we know that a tree does not make a forest. Let me most sincerely acknowledge the dedication and commitment of all the staff, both academic and non-academic. Please keep up the good work.

Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, once more I welcome you to this 1999/2000 Graduating Ceremony and Merit Award Presentation of MASON COLLEGE, the place where education is a premium. You are welcome indeed. Enjoy yourselves here and thank you.

MRS OLA MBONU

PRINCIPAL