A look into the oldest secondary school in Anambra State
Secondary schools now abound in every part of the state and country. They come in boarding and day schools; some of them take the two routes. As far back as 1932, it was not in existence in Anambra State. It was until 1933 that the first secondary school was established in the light of the nation.
In the beginning of Anambra’s secondary school was a man called Archbishop Charles Heerey and a couple, Mr. Fredrick Akpali Modebe and the wife, Margret Akpali. They founded Christ the King College, Onitsha. This was decades before Nigerian independence and the creation of the state.
It is on record that Mr Fredrick and his wife, Margret, gave the land for the institution, built the first learning and accomodation facilities. Like a dream, they started bringing the citadel of learning into reality and today, Anambra lodges one of the best schools in Nigeria thanks to these people.
Christ the King College, Onitsha, is a boys’ secondary school located in Onitsha, a popular commercial hub in Anambra State. It is a boarding school where students live in hostels within the school premises and they go about life and learning.
The school has its traditions related to the Roman Catholic mission since the Founder and former proprietor, Archbishop Heery was a Catholic priest.
The first principal of this school was Rev. Fr. Leo Brolly and the motto reads “Bonitas, Disciplina, Scientia”, meaning “Goodness, Discipline, Knowledge”.
The school has about thirteen dormitories where students belong to and they boast of a prominent personalities in the society as alumni.
Surprisingly, two of past Anambra State Governors passed through this institution. They are Mr. Peter Obi and Chief Willie Obiano. Their list of alumi holds records of Governors, medical practitioners and legal practitioners, engineers, artistes, eminent businessmen and other prominent people in the society.
