The Lagos branch of AGSOBA had started functioning by 1921. They organized a reception for Rev. I. O. Ransome Kuti when he became Principal at Ijebu Ode Grammar School. Later they thought of the need to have a national body and during the Silver Jubilee of the school in 1933 an election was held and …..
In 1908, Reverend I. O. Ransome Kuti was admitted to the nascent Abeokuta Grammar School at the instance of Rev M. S. Cole, the first Principal of the School, who was his class teacher at CMS Grammar School, Lagos. Reverend Kuti passed out in 1908 and he was appointed as Student teacher in 1909. While as a teacher, he was made the Boarding housemaster and also the secretary of the building committee of the Main block, the foundation stone of which was laid by Sir Walter Egerton, Governor of the Southern protectorate on 21st December 1910.
Reverend Kuti left Abeokuta Grammar school in 1913 when he gained admission to read Arts and Theology at Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone. He finished the programme in 1916 with an M. A. degree. He then taught briefly at C.M.S Grammar School Lagos and later transferred to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode. When the incumbent principal, Rev Philip, was transferred to Ibadan Grammar School, he became the principal of Ijebu Ode Grammar school in 1919 and left to resume as Principal, Abeokuta Grammar School on 2nd February 1932.
While at Ijebu Ode Grammar School, he continued to mobilize the old students through a series of debates that as of 1921 the various lectures & Debates organized by Rev Kuti paved the way for the formation of Abeokuta Grammar School Old Boys Association (AGSOBA).
Today AGSOBA has five different branches.
There are also 43 three registered Clubs, these are associations of classmates.
In December, 1908 the Executive Committee of the Church Missionary Society (C.M.S.) consented to the use of the old site of the C.M.S. Institution at Igbein by the new Grammar School and Mr. Horace J. Barwick, Principal of the Abeokuta Industrial Institute (i.e. Blaize Memorial Institute), Ibara was commissioned to prepare the architectural plan of the school building which became an important landmark in the town even to this day.
The Foundation stone of the imposing building was laid on 21st December, 1910 by the Governor of Southern Nigeria, Sir Walter Egerton KCMG and the then Alake, Oba Gbadebo l, carried the first stone used for the laying of the foundation. The new building, even though un-completed then, was first used in 1911 for the distribution of prizes and on 29th July 1912, after the holidays, School began to be held there.’
The Founding Fathers of the school were church men of the Anglican denomination. Inspite of this, they did not discriminate as regards the type of students that should attend the school or the personnel that should work there. The doors of the school were thrown open. As a result, students attended the school from all corners of Nigeria and from all countries along the West Coast of Africa. Over the years, students have also attended the school from South Africa, Europe and Asia. So also have teachers come from all corners of the globe. A cursory look at the commemorative stone on the Main Building at the (old) site at lgbein will show that Egba citizens of various religious persuasions took part in the Foundation laying ceremony.
The Founding Fathers believed strongly in the training of both the mind and the body. It was their view that education should equip a student with those qualities that would make him useful to his community, his country and the world, his home and himself also. An educated person should be able to use his brain and his hands effectively. Most importantly, character training is to be rated far above mere academic pursuit because these Founding Fathers believed that no meaningful success could be achieved in life without good character and good discipline.
As a result, the life of the school rests squarely on a bedrock of discipline. The students are taught to live by the motto of the school- “Iberu Oluwa ni ipile Ogbon” (The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom)”. A few moral sayings peculiar to the school are also constantly brought to the memory of the students at Assembly or at any other school gathering. Among such sayings are:
“My character is greater than my books.”
“A good name is better than silver or gold.”
“There is no shame in soiling one’s hands with honest endeavour.”
“Only the best is good enough for Abeokuta Grammar School.”
“Abeokuta Grammar School first, Abeokuta Grammar School last, Abeokuta Grammar School all the time.”
In addition, the students are taught to relish hard work, to be honest, tidy, and truthful always and to remember that they are ambassadors of their school and their homes anywhere they may be.
Abeokuta Grammar School has never been headed by a non-Nigerian. It is to the credit of those who have guided the fortunes of the school that they have succeeded, over the years, in ensuring that it can hold its own among its peers anywhere in Nigeria. This credit should be shared by the Proprietors and a generation of Principals, Staff, and members of the Body of Governors.
The first Government inspection of the school took place from 4th to 8th February, 1918 as a result of which the school was placed on the “Assisted List” and, with the aid of the Government grant now forth-coming, ‘there came an additional means of making improvements to the fabric of the building and the furniture of the school.
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AGSOBA is an association of old students (boys and girls) of Abeokuta Grammar School and is the oldest students association in Nigeria.
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