SOBA launches 11 projects ahead of Diamond Jubilee

The Sasse Old Boys Association, SOBA, has launched three months long preparations for the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of Sasse College. The 75th anniversary of the school will be commemorated on the theme; “Sasse College: Leadership and Excellence for an Emerging Cameroon.”

As prelude to the Diamond Jubilee celebration, a series of activities have been scheduled in some major towns of the country and will culminate in the anniversary celebration proper on the College Campus from December 18-20, 2014.

The launching took place on September 13 in Douala, attended by SOBA Exco and the Organising Committee members and was presided at by the Catholic Education Secretary of the Diocese of Buea, Rev Father Alexander Sob.

During the press briefing, members of the Organising Committee said the Diamond Jubilee symbolises enormous progress in secondary education in Cameroon.

“We are celebrating the College’s long-standing values of excellence and leadership which have empowered some Cameroonians to contribute to the advancement of the human race,” they said. They also lauded the College for academic excellence, its leadership drive and its contribution to nation building.

The Committee members stated that, for the past five years, the College has scored a 100 percent in both the GCE Ordinary and Advanced Levels.

They said there are four main objectives of the Diamond Jubilee, amongst which are; to celebrate the College’s 75 years of achievement, increase the brand equity of the college, garner support for the college leadership ambition and set a new vision for the College.

In a presentation during the press briefing, the President of the Organising Committee, Dr Edmund Agbor, expounded on the theme of the anniversary, saying, in celebrating the 75th anniversary, the College wants to commit itself to the emergence of Cameroon.

This, he said, is by grooming a new set of leaders; driven by excellence and innovation to take-on today’s development challenges, as resonated in the theme.

Dr Agbor explained that the strategy of the College lies in striving to transform itself into the first leadership academy in Central Africa, by elevating the current infrastructure to meet the standards of a leadership academy.

Ambitious Projects Agbor disclosed that SOBA has, under its current President General, Prof Ephraim Ngwafor, earmarked eight short-term and three long-term projects for the College.

One of the short-term projects that is ongoing in the school campus is the construction of a modern gate.

He disclosed that SOBA Yaounde Chapter has offered circa FCFA 12- 15 million for the project while SOBA- UK and SOBA- America have both sent US $ 10.000, which has reportedly been used to fund the sickbay project. The sickbay, which is near completion, will be named after late Prof Victor Anomah Ngu.

Other projects earmarked include the construction of the main road, from the gate to the campus, the creation of a SOBA House/SOBA Credit Union, and a water project to ensure constant flow of water on campus. Agbor disclosed that the President General of SOBA has given out 25 letters through couriers to dignitaries and SOBANS in Nigeria for the road project.

Anglophone Leaders Sasse College, founded by the Mill Hills Missionaries in 1939, has produced outstanding Anglophone leaders in Cameroon, amongst them; Late Mgr Pius Suh Awa, Mgr Teke Lysinge, Mgr Immanuel Bushu, Barrister Luke Sendze, Senator Peter Mafany Musonge, Late Prof Victor Anomah Ngu, Michael Tomdio, Prof Ephraim Ngwafor , Nkwelle Ekaney, Prof George Nkeng, Ben Akabweze, Ebako Mukete, among others.