From Femi Oyelola, kaduna
The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, wife of former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar(retd), Justice Fati Abubakar, as well as a former Minister of Environment, Laurentia Mallam are among the dignitaries to grace the 60th Anniversary of the famous St. Anne’s Primary School, Kakuri in Kaduna State.
According to the Head Mistress of the school, Rev. Sister Monica Onwunali, the Emir, former first lady as well as the former minister, were among some of the pioneer pupils of the school.
Other dignitaries, she said, include Governor Nasir el-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Uba Sani and Etsu Chikun(formerly Sa Gbagyi), Dr. Danjuma Barde.
She said the school which started as senior primary girls boarding school by the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles was established in 1959.
Onwunali, who spoke at a media briefing on Wednesday in Kaduna, to herald the weeklong anniversary, also noted that 31 girls formed the pioneer pupils while 12 headmistresses had so far passed through the school.
She further said the school which started as a boarding school for girls alone, accommodated both Christian and Muslim pupils from inception to date.
According to her, religion and ethnicity had never been a barrier in the school, saying that till date, “pupils were allowed to practice their religion freely.”
While going down memory lane, She lamented that the bloody Nigerian Civil War and the series of crises that had erupted in the state over the years, adversely affected the fortunes of the school.
She said those crises destroyed some of the vital and historic documents of the belonging to the school.
“The Nigerian environment has been for and against education. St. Anne’s is not exceptional. The Civil war and the crises in the state have been part of our challenges,” he added.
All this, notwithstanding, the head mistress said the school having clocked 60 years, called for celebrations.
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