NOSA rewards excellence in Newland, promises scholarship

Success Damian:

Newland Old Students Association (NOSA) was brought to existence with vision to be model Alumni association worthy of the name of the great institution it represents and help develop the alma-mater to its fullest capacity.

It is also part of its mission statement to develop sound and latest communication network to reach all the old students as well as harness resources in a pool which will be beneficial to not just members but the current students, teachers and society at large.

NOSA recently gave out awards to 10 best students of Newland Secondary School, located among the 19 schools at the Tolu Schools Complex in Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government of Lagos. The students were chosen based on their excellent performances in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Kunle Adebambo, the initiator and global president of NOSA said membership of the association currently is made up of set 1987 to 2018. “I graduated from this school in 1993 and since then, we started this association, and we registered the association with the corporate affairs commission two years ago and since then we were able to bring together all the other sets and we have been coming to the school on a quarterly basis, to give motivational talks to current students, as well as encouraging them, including scholarship and awards.

‘Last year we gave award to best students in art, science and commercial, the same as today. We have also extended award giving and scholarship giving to the best ten students; that graduated from the school. The association will take care of their tuition fee from first year till graduation,” Adebambo revealed.

While stating that the school was established 37 ago, Adebambo revealed that he leveraged on information Technology especially Facebook and Whatsapp platforms to coordinate the entire 31 sets which the school has produced.

Adebambo spoke also on various initiatives designed by the group to assist members, and the school as a whole “As I speak to you we have a cooperative society running under this alumni, The Newland Alumni Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited (NACOMS LTD), a registered society under Lagos State Cooperative where interested members pool funds together for lucrative and legitimate Business opportunities, we also have a registered cooperative society on Ogun State, Newland Alumni Farmers’ Cooperative, as I talk to you we have a farm, I am talking of the business arms.

On the membership strength he said once you graduate, automatically you become a member of the association. We have over 16,000 members.

He said the current First Lady of Kogi State graduated from the school in 1996 and most of the NOSA members are doing well in their various human endeavours. So we are working towards bringing every member in Newland as time progresses.

Among the students awarded for their excellent performance were Joy Ekeh, Best in Humanity; Onyegbule Christian, Adetinehin Daniel, among others.

Nwankwo Victor the Best student in Sciences as well as Overall Best Student speaking on behalf of other awardees thanked NOSA for the award. He said the award goes beyond the medal and cash reward, it is an added motivation to do better in all their human endeavours.

Hyacinth Ahaneku is a 1993 graduate of the Newland Secondary School, currently practicing Medicine in America as a doctor. He said the Association is an opportunity to connect with school.

On impact of the association on the student he said it is an opportunity for the students to find their role models, and to connect with people that have been there before. One of the things being talked about today is an opportunity to give back to the society, if we can shape as many of the students leaving our schools today, then we can shape our future.”

Odesanya Olusegun Adenuga is the Principal of the School, he said since he assumed duty three was ago, “NOSA has been visiting the school every year, to donate prices to the best three students, from science, humanities, that is art and Business and commercial departments as a way of motivating the current students to work harder in their studies, they also come to give them motivational talk.”

He appreciated NOSA in the following words “It is a great idea having the old students coming to encourage the current students, because for them to sacrifice their time and money, it is very commendable, and for the current students, it is a great source of motivation. By December last year when they held their award party, the three best students were invited, it is another way of encouraging them.”

Mrs Nkechi Sandra Chikeluba Onyebuch also a 1993 graduate of Newland, now a fashion designer and a mother she advised the current students to be good to their parents, teachers and constituted authorities.