SPACO Alumni Return to Their Roots, Renew Commitment to St. Paul’s College Eke at 2026 Annual Feast
SPACO Alumni Return to Their Roots, Renew Commitment to St. Paul’s College Eke at 2026 Annual Feast
By Eke Tv
The spirit of reunion, gratitude and renewed commitment to the future of education came alive at St. Paul’s College Eke, Enugu State, as old students of the institution gathered for the 2026 St. Paul’s College Eke Alumni Association (SPACO) Annual Feast, an event that brought together alumni, priests, dignitaries and friends of the college from different states and walks of life.
Held at the school premises on Sunday, July 26, 2026, the gathering was anchored on the theme, “Reconnect, Give Back.” It provided more than an opportunity for former students to meet and celebrate; it became a homecoming centred on remembering where they came from, strengthening the bond among old students and considering how they could contribute to the continued development of the institution that shaped their lives.
St. Paul’s College Eke, founded as a Catholic institution in 1962, remains an important part of the educational history of the community. Publicly available school information also identifies the institution as a Catholic secondary school founded in 1962.
The event featured a Thanksgiving Mass, speeches, reunion activities and reflections on the responsibility of alumni to preserve the legacy of their alma mater while helping to prepare it for the next generation.
‘We Have Come Back to Give Back’
Speaking at the gathering, the SPACO Global President, Dr. Uba Anthony Anichebe, emphasised the significance of returning the alumni association’s annual activities to the school environment.
According to him, the decision was deliberate: the alumni wanted to return to their roots, reconnect with one another and, more importantly, identify with the younger generation currently passing through the institution.
Anichebe explained that visiting the school premises had enabled members to see first-hand both the developments taking place and areas where more work was required. Rather than merely discussing the needs of the school from afar, he said the alumni had resolved to become part of the solution.
He pledged that the association would continue to support efforts aimed at making St. Paul’s College Eke better than it was when many of its members attended the institution.
The president’s message captured the central meaning of this year’s theme — “Reconnect, Give Back.” Reconnection, in this sense, was not simply about old classmates exchanging memories. It was about reconnecting with the institution, its values and its present needs, while giving back through service, mentorship and practical support.
Anichebe also commended the principal, Rev. Fr. Chris Agbo, and the vice principal, who is also an assistant parish priest, for their efforts in managing the college and sustaining its mission.
Oldest Set Calls for Stronger Alumni Participation
One of the notable voices at the gathering was Dr. Tony Agu of the 1962 set, who represented the earliest generation of students associated with the college.
Agu expressed concern over the relatively low turnout of alumni and encouraged more former students to identify with SPACO and participate actively in its programmes.
For him, alumni association should go beyond annual reunions. He urged the body to develop stronger welfare mechanisms for elderly members and widows, particularly those who may no longer have the strength or resources to meet their basic needs.
He noted that alumni members often resort to sharing food items with elderly colleagues and widows, suggesting that the association could develop a more structured and sustainable welfare programme to care for such members.
His intervention added another dimension to the theme of giving back: while the younger generation needs support from the older generation, the elderly members of the alumni community also deserve care, dignity and attention.
‘I Feel 45 Years Younger’ — Ifediegwu
For Engr. Dr. C. N. Ifediegwu, the SPACO Global Secretary and a member of the 1981 set, the occasion was deeply emotional.
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Returning to St. Paul’s College Eke after approximately 45 years, Ifediegwu recalled the familiar school environment and the memories attached to it. He pointed out that the area where the alumni gathered had once served as their assembly ground.
The experience, he said, made him feel “45 years younger,” illustrating how physical places can revive memories long after people have left them.
Ifediegwu used the opportunity to encourage younger alumni to take advantage of the presence and experience of older members by joining the association and contributing to its future.
The call resonated with some of the newer graduates present, who expressed admiration for the older generations and pledged to join efforts aimed at improving the college.
Priests Urge Younger Alumni to Join Without Delay
The Thanksgiving Mass was another major highlight of the celebration.
The assistant parish priest, who also serves as the vice principal of the college, delivered the homily, while the parish priest and principal, Rev. Fr. Chris Agbo, gave the vote of thanks at the end of the Mass.
In their remarks, the priests praised SPACO for bringing its annual gathering back to the school environment and encouraged younger former students to become active members of the alumni association.
They stressed the importance of ensuring that the association does not become an exclusive gathering of older generations, but remains open to younger graduates who are energetic, capable and willing to contribute.
The message was particularly relevant to the central objective of the feast: reconnecting the generations so that the experience of the old can meet the energy and fresh ideas of the young.
A School With a Long Catholic Educational Heritage
The history shared at the event places St. Paul’s College Eke within the wider story of Catholic missionary education in the area.
According to the history presented, the institution’s roots can be traced to the arrival of Catholic missionaries from Ireland following an invitation associated with the traditional leadership of Eke, particularly Chief Onyeama n’Eke. The missionaries combined evangelisation with education, and an educational institution was established in the community.
The school initially operated as a primary school before becoming a secondary school in 1962. The history presented at the event identifies Fr. Flair, an Irish priest, as the first priest associated with the secondary-school establishment, with the initiative taking place under the Catholic Diocese of Enugu and the leadership of Bishop Ayogu at the time.
The institution later experienced disruption when a number of mission-founded secondary schools were brought under government management during the era of Ukpabi Asika. According to the account presented by the alumni, the change in ownership and management was followed by a decline from some of the school’s earlier standards and glory.
The school was eventually returned to mission management during the administration of former Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, according to the history shared at the gathering.
Today, St. Paul’s College Eke’s legacy is reflected not only in its physical structures but also in the lives of those who passed through its classrooms. Former students have gone on to build careers and make contributions in areas including public service, academia, law, medicine, business and politics, both in Nigeria and beyond.
More Than a Feast
Although described as an annual feast, the 2026 SPACO gathering ultimately became a conversation about legacy.
The alumni returned to a place that had shaped their formative years. Some walked through familiar spaces after decades away. Others encountered the institution as it is today, with its achievements and challenges. And the younger alumni were reminded that they, too, have a role in determining what the college will become in the years ahead.
The feast therefore represented three generations meeting at one point: the pioneers who laid the foundation, the middle generations who benefited from it and the younger graduates who now have an opportunity to strengthen it.
The message was clear: an alma mater is not merely a place one attended in the past; it is a heritage that can continue to demand responsibility in the present.
As SPACO looks ahead, its 2026 annual feast may well be remembered not only for the reunion, Thanksgiving and celebration, but for the renewed pledge to reconnect, give back and build a better St. Paul’s College Eke for generations yet unborn.
Though the 2026 feast date was Sunday, July 26, 2026, with the programme beginning with a Thanksgiving Mass, the college’s patronal feast is traditionally associated with June 29, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul.
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