…holds a 20-year reunion of brotherhood and excellence
The King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) class of 2005 has executed N35 million education-support projects and infrastructural development of their Alma mater to provide students with an enabling learning environment.
In addition, the set of 2005 King’s College alumni had a milestone reunion that served as their recommitment to the values of academic excellence and national development that King’s College has long stood for.
David Apaflo, founder/managing director at Shelze Professional Services, in his keynote address during a cocktail event held at Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos, encouraged the old boys to leverage their King’s College connection for business opportunities.
“Looking around this room, I see men who are roughly 35 to 42 years old. Society might suggest that by this age, you should have it all figured out. But I am here to tell you that for most of you, your greatest chapters are still unwritten. Your most significant impact is still ahead.
Our school song taught us, “You have the power to conquer if you only try.” Your prime is not behind you; it is the power you are building right now, forged from two decades of experience.
For six years, you were “nurtured in her classrooms in your early youth.” You learned to “pull together each one with the rest, playing up and striving each to do his best.” Think about what that means. You didn’t just learn calculus and literature; you learned each other’s character,” he said.
Apaflo emphasised that the school days’ advantage would remain dormant unless the old boys activate it with the right mindset.
“Leveraging your KC connection is not about looking for handouts. It’s about “co-opetition”. It’s a commitment to bring genuine, undeniable value to the marketplace and then leverage our trusted network to amplify that value.
“It means when you approach a fellow King’s man for a business opportunity, you bring a proposal that is so solid, so valuable, that it stands on its merit,” he noted.
Kenneth Okolie, chief executive officer at SYNLAB Nigeria, in his address titled, “Legacy, Leadership, and the Long Road Home”, said the real gift of a 20-year reunion is not just about looking back at who people were, but that it is about rediscovering what still connects them at their core.
“It reminds us that beyond credentials or career ladders, what we often long for, especially in uncertain times, is trust, shared values, and community.
“The world is grappling with inequality, climate stress, economic volatility, and technological disruption. In Nigeria, the challenges feel even more immediate, rising costs, brain drain, insecurity, a strained healthcare system, and fragile trust in public institutions; but with complexity comes a profound opportunity for moral leadership,” he said.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos State, represented by Jamiu Ali-Balogun, the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, urged the KCOBA to remember the challenges Nigerians are facing both at the state and national levels.
“The journey ahead requires collaboration, innovation, and resilience. As residents of Lagos State, we have the unique opportunity to contribute to its growth and development.
“I urge everyone to leverage our collective experiences and expertise to make a meaningful impact. Tonight, as you reconnect with one another, let these renewed relationships spark new collaborations and initiatives that will inspire the next generation of leaders to continue the legacy of excellence that King’s College embodies,” he emphasised.
Leke Osuniyi, national president of KCOBA, in his goodwill message, encouraged the class of 2005 to rekindle the unity that once bound their bright-eyed teenage selves.
“Let us remember the powerful words from our school song, ‘Though of many nations, we will not forget that we are all brothers with a common debt.” The common debt calls us to continue giving, mentoring younger students, supporting school projects, and keeping the spirit of King’s College alive in every heart you touch
“Thank you for carrying the torch with such incredible dignity and passion. The donation of a stanchion which provides our annex campus with a 1,000 capacity portable drinking water treatment plant, and the career talk you gave to the students, among others,” he said.
The class of 2005, among other projects, launched legacy education support projects such as renovation of the dining hall at the Victoria Island Annex, installation of a new overhead water storage system, pump, and filtration unit, and provision of scholarships to deserving students.
Others include reunion of distinguished alumni contributing across the public and private sectors in Nigeria, and reflections on the role of old boys’ associations in revitalising Nigeria’s education sector.
