Israel Umoh
Preparations for the inauguration of a six-classroom storey building in the premier secondary school were in top gear. Western Annang Secondary Commercial School (WASCO) in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Àkwa Ibom State played host to the ceremony.
The Chief host and the initiator of the project, Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem, member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, flew in from Abuja to inaugurate the project. As an old boy of the school, he dashed in to hand over the block to the school management preparatory for the resumption of the next academic school session. Social media were awash with the news.
At the venue, tents and canopies were planted opposite the new block for some students and teachers. Invitations were sent to various stakeholders – teachers, students, alumni, politicians, traditional rulers, security agents, women and youths.
Also read: Rep Idem Inaugurates Six-Classroom Storey Building in Alma Mater, Boosts Education Infrastructure
However, before the burial of the late Dr. Godwin Benson from Ikot Akpa Nkuk in Ukanafun, members of the Planning Committee had decided to visit the venue, which was WASCO’s field. Benson’s compound is opposite the school, which was venue of the funeral service. As a member of the Planning Committee, I in company of others visited the venue. That was in April 2026.
As an alumnus of the school, I was excited to have gone there to see my alma mater having left the institution several years ago. From Ekparakwa-Ukanafun-Iwukem Federal Highway spurring from Amiamia Owo Junction to the school is a tarred one-kilometre-and- few-meters road leading to the market.
Entering from the main gate is an old gate constructed and mounted in the late 70s. The entrance is bumpy strewn with a patch of grasses on both side. The fence was forested with sky-kissing trees. The football pitch was grown with weeds. By the right of the pitch was another field with over-grown weeds. By this time, the school was still in session, not holiday.
I could not believe my eyes at what I saw. I soliloquised ”During my days, we cut grasses and trimmed the fence. We maintained tracks in the pitch. Even the main lane, though untarred, was well-paved. Are Principal, teachers and students not doing sanitation in the school compound anymore?” This shocked me too.
I walked into the compound. The school, which commenced on January 13, 1972, courtesy of Western Annang Development Union (WADU), sits on a large expanse of land donated by some families of Ikot Akpa Nkuk and Ikot Akpan Afaha.
Kudos to the people who conceived and pioneered the establishment of WASCO. Pioneer members of the Board of Governors of the school were: Chief J. U. Udom (Chairman), Chief F. A. Umoren, Elder Benson Etukudo, Chief M. B. Eyop, Mr. I. J. Akpan, Elder Ediongsenyene U. Udom, Chief B. I. Okokon, Barrister A. J. Ukpanah, Pastor J. T. Udiong, Chief M. O. Offong, Mr. T. A. Umanah, and Mr. Wilson A. Udo.
Facing the main entrance in the compound is a one-storey building, which was a cynosure of eyes to many in the late 70s. Today, the dilapidated edifice is a ghost of itself. Its rustic roof leaks. The cozy roundabout close to the building had fizzled out. The painted walls peeled. Some classrooms are bereft of doors and windows. The compound looked dreary and desolate as a forgotten cemetery.
Adjacent to the building is a long classroom block that housed offices of the Principal, Vice Principal, staffers, teachers, laboratories and Typing Pool. Yet, this block is in distress. I could not walk again but had held my breath.
Thereafter, I decided to do a thorough mapping of the school to ascertaining some existing infrastructural facilities. I visited the Boys’ Hostel that stood in far right of the school. Then beautifully built structure has turned to debris with broken walls.
Later, I visited the site of what used to be Girls Hostel, located far from the main premises. Only the relics and dilapidated building stood forsaken. From there to Dinning Hall, the place was a ghost town with broken down walls.
Not contented, I visited what used to be Staff Quarters, old Principal’s Office and the old Lab House. Nothing was left on the ground. What a shame for a citadel of learning that has churned out two Professors, Doctorate degree holders, Engineers, Lawyers, and Journalists, among others!
Behind the dilapidated storey building lie sprawling hectares-turned forest. The hectares are bounded by Afai stream that has turned to habitat for reptiles and amphibians, together with farmers’ encroachment due to lack of perimeter fencing.
Goose pimples enveloped me. I readily soliloquised again. “This school has produced three including the present (alumni of WASCO) have been members of Àkwa Ibom State House of Assembly. Why could they not have attracted infrastructure to the school? Why has the State Government, through the Inter-ministerial projects done in most secondary schools across the state from the era of ex-Governor Victor Attah till date, not sited even one in the school? Is the state government not serious about education?
“What have inspectors from the State Ministry of Education been reporting after visiting the school, or have they been visiting to butter their bread? Have the Principals-General been reporting the deplorable state of the school to the ministry for renovation, or are they contented in lobbying to be posted to the school for monthly subventions only? Why can’t the State Government declare a state of emergency on infrastructure in the school?” Thoughts upon thoughts flew in my mind, yet no answer.
As the probing but missionary journey continued, I was beckoned to return to the funeral service venue to making some inputs for the event.
But, between December 15 and 17, 2023, WASCO alumni, celebrated the 50th anniversary of the school. One of the activities was a public lecture by Prof Iniodu Ukpong of the University of Cross River State on the theme: WASCO: The Abandoned Hen and her Golden Eggs.
‘‘Looking at the trouble with WASCO in terms of the myriads of needs, one would say it is the responsibility of the proprietor of the school to cater for his property. However, willing stakeholders should play a role to recover the abandoned hen. The Alumni has a role; a supportive role. The Alumni is a corporate entity that derives its strength from the collective strength of its members. It can respond and support through what I analyse here as AID: Attract, Influence and Donate,’’ Ukpong stated.
According to him, ‘‘Access to education is an important index in assessing the sanity and development of a community. If WASCO is allowed to rot away, the people of Western Annang will again be denied access to education; and this would tell on the development and security of the area, especially now in the era of sophistication of societal ills. Of exigency therefore is the need for WASCO to be rescued.
‘‘While the Alumni can prosecute its supportive role, the government must rise to its responsibility of providing access to education to its citizens, especially the youthful population, if a stable and secured society is expected tomorrow. Having borne the brunt of security crisis of such magnitude that resulted in the sacking of Ukanafun by unknown gun men, the desolation in WASCO is massive and requires conscious and calculated intervention to revamp it,’’ the alumnus opined.
During the school’s reunion, Rep Unyime Idem, was one of the old boys invited to the celebration. ‘‘He honoured the invitation and on arrival, was taken round to behold the sorry sight that the school had become.’’
Reporting the story, another old boy of the school and publisher of TNN newspaper, Ofonime Umanah, remarked ‘‘He (Idem) was also taken to see the state of the computer lab that he attracted to the school some years back. The building where the computers were kept had become badly a death trap.
‘‘When he was given the opportunity to speak, he made some commitments-he would illuminate the school premises with solar-powered street lights. He has since kept the promise. He promised to construct two buildings that would serve as an administrative block as well as a classroom block. That promise earned an ovation that lasted up to five minutes. The students were excited. The teachers were exhilarated. The old boys smiled for joy.’’
On Saturday, August 8, 2026, ecstatic Idem kept the promise. He inaugurated a six-classroom storey building with 20 desks and chairs in each classroom, bringing all to 120 desks and chairs as well as two-classroom block are 40 desks and chairs.
‘‘For me, this was more than the commissioning of buildings. It was a homecoming. It was an opportunity to return to a place that played a significant role in shaping my academic journey, character and outlook on life.
The old one-storey building wallowing in dilapidation
‘‘One of the noblest ways to express gratitude is by giving back. This project is my modest contribution towards strengthening the educational environment that once nurtured me. It is my way of saying thank you to WASCO for believing in young minds and helping to mould generations of responsible citizens,’’ exuberant Idem declared.
According to him, ‘‘These structures are, to me, more than buildings and furniture. They represent an investment in the comfort, dignity and academic development of our children. I believe that when we provide young people with a conducive environment to learn, we are not only improving their education; we are investing in the future of our communities and our nation.’’
The one-storey building donated by Rep Unyime Idem
The WASCO Alumni Association President, Mr. Victor Ekanem Abang thanked the member in the House of Representatives for providing such basic infrastructure in the school.
Enthusiastic Abang recalled that when he visited the school some years ago, the school was in ruins and he decided to tag their reunion meet: WASCO, Forgotten and Abandoned, commending Idem for restoring the lost glory of the hitherto forgotten but abandoned school.
He, however, called on Rep Idem to renovate a dilapidated existing one storey building in the school to give the place a new facelift.
The jubilant ex-member of Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, Hon. Saturday Michael Akpan, recounted the standard the school bequeathed to many alumni including himself.
The visibly elated Akpan, an alumnus of the school, recalled that in then University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), someone challenged him as being a product of a village school, but he finally trounced the fellow by making Second Class Upper while the person made Second Class Lower.
Hon. Emem Etokabasi Udom, a member in the State House of Assembly, acknowledged the kind gesture in facilitating the project that would not only revive the prestige of our alumni, but spike quality education through a conducive learning facility facilitated by the Federal lawmaker.
Excited Udom commended his deep commitment to the development of education across the Federal Constituency, noting that ‘‘the interventions would continue to encompass infrastructure, scholarships and bursaries, learning materials, skills acquisition, digital empowerment and other initiatives aimed at equipping our young people with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive.’’
The delighted alumnus of the school charged agencies responsible for the security, monitoring and sustenance of the infrastructure to ensure effective delivery in service.
The thrilled lawmaker admonished the management, staff and students to ensure effective use of these facilities as we continue to advocate for more infrastructure.
Fulfilled Henry Udeme Akpan, the school’s Principal, hailed the House of Representatives member for earlier providing solar light, donating 40 computer sets and for donating a six-classroom storey block to the school.
Borrowing the words of Professor Iniodu, ‘‘There is hope for WASCO. I look forward therefore to a regenerated WASCO. I look forward therefore to a revived WASCO. I look forward therefore to a restored WASCO. I look forward therefore to a redeemed WASCO. And I look forward therefore to a WASCO where greater men than us will arise from.’’
With the remembrance of the school by such alumni as Professor Esangubong Esitikot and Dr. Unyime Idem, WASCO is moving from mist (hopelessness) to sunshine (glory) to producing streams of secondary school leavers.
