NASSOBA rallies support for alma mater - Prays for departed colleagues
Old students of the Nandom Senior High School (NANSEC) in the Upper West Region have held a requiem Mass to pray for the repose of the souls of their colleagues who have passed to eternity.
Last Saturday’s event, hosted by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) of the Ghana Armed Forces, Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing, was an opportunity for the NANSEC Old Boys Association (NASSOBA) to socialise, reconnect with one another and reflect on where they came from.
The gathering, which was also a moment for renewing friendships, rekindling purpose, and reaffirming their commitment to their alma mater and its enduring legacy, was also attended by some of the executive members of the St Francis Old Girls Association (FOGA) and St Francis Xavier Minor Seminary.
Other notable old students present made up of high ranking military serving officers included a Supreme Court Judge, Gabriel Pwamang; Members of Parliament (MPs), members of academia, among others.
Binding thread
Welcoming the gathering, Rear Admiral Bessing said while time might have scattered old boys across various professions, regions, and even continents, “there is a thread that binds us together. That thread is the Nandom Secondary School spirit.
“It is the spirit of discipline and excellence, of unity in diversity, of perseverance in the face of challenge, and of determination to achieve.
“I believe that this gathering also affords us the opportunity to recommit ourselves to the values that shaped us during our years in our great school,” he said.
Rear Admiral Bessing said the gathering was also to strategise as to how to harness the collective strength of old boys to create meaningful projects that supported education, uplifted communities, and contributed to national development.
The CNS, who is also an old student, reminded members that the younger old boys were not only inspired by the achievements of their seniors, but were also looking out for mentorship, guidance, and examples of how to live lives of impact, adding: “we must not disappoint them”.
Priority list
The Headmaster of the school, Br Godwin Kuu-Ireme Saabekone, itemised priority list of the school, categorising them into short, medium and long term needs.
He enumerated these to include streetlight, tables and chairs, infrastructural needs, laboratories, computers, printers, photocopiers and Internet accessibility.
Various year groups and individuals pledged to provide some of the needs, especially the short term ones, while others donated cash and pledges.
Both MPs for Nandom and Lawra, Richard Kuu-ire and Bede Ziedeng respectively, who are also old students of the school, pledged to support the school.
Various speakers underscored the need for all old students of the school to rally around to find solutions to challenges confronting the school to provide a congenial environment for teaching and learning.
Commitment
The Paramount Chief of the Nandom Traditional Area, Prof. Naa Edmund Mwinyem Delle Chiir VIII, called for commitment, unity and peace to help to develop the area.
He expressed concern about the falling standards of education in the traditional area, and called for support from all to reverse the situation, saying that he could see NANSEC transforming into a university.
The President of Academic City University, Prof. Fred Bangaluuri, urged all old students of the school to rise up to the challenge of meeting the needs of the school, stressing that some schools were well endowed because of the immense contribution from their old students.
Impactful life
Earlier during the requiem Mass, the celebrant, Rev. Fr Dr Linus Nangwele, who prayed for all departed old students and teachers of the school, urged old students of the school to live an impactful life in order to leave a legacy.
He thanked God for the various ways those who had died impacted the lives of others, adding that what mattered most was not about the number of years one lived, “but how many lives you have touched”.
