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Speech by Mr Prince Boston-Griffiths (Regentonian) Grand Chief Patron of our Dinner and Dance on 3rd May 2015 at De Vere Resort Venues, Wokefield Park,Wokefield,Reading in honour of our School 170th Anniversary
Good evening everybody and happy anniversary.
Fellow Regentonians, Ladies and Gentlemen all.
I would like to record my gratitude to the members of the executive who have been so gracious enough to invite me to perform this role.
It is with great pride and joy that I accept this singular honour of Grand Chief Patron for this institutional milestone in celebrating the 170th Anniversary (Septendecintary) of our beloved “Alma Mater”
First and foremost let us thank God for the early missionaries who went to establish the school with its unique religious settings.
I attended the Grammar School for six years. I was attracted to the school through family connections as most of the Boston-breed attended the Grammar School, and my father being a versatile instrumentalist was band leader.
During my scholastic days I was generally very active. I represented the school in games and sports. I played football in the junior team under the captaincy of James Comboh and athletics-running the individual hurdles event and the 4 x 100 yards relay in the team-made up of Walter Nicol of blessed memory, Kingston Evans, Claudius Coker (alias Sony Pikin) and myself.I was a scout of the First Freetown troop under the troop leadership of Christopher Bart-Williams.
After completing my secondary education, I joined Barclays Bank and served the bank for a number of years. I was awarded a government scholarship to the United Kingdom to pursue a career in banking. After successfully completing the “Professional Bankers Exams” I was awarded the accolade of “An Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers” and subsequently a Member of the British Institute of Management.
I was recruited from London to Sierra Leone to serve, and was eventually appointed “General Manager” of National Development Bank for a number of years.
On my return to the United Kingdom amidst the vistavision on the focus of my future, I thank God that my decision to uproot paid off. My transition was smooth when I came, though I was faced with the vicissitudes of life in a foreign land, but for the support of Professor Christopher Lynch and Mr James Allie I weathered the storm.
Fellow Regentonians, tonight’s (Septendecintary) celebrations has not quite been muted by the absence of the Principal and his wife. We cannot underscore the event as we do understand why he is not here with us tonight, as the Secretary General clearly spelt out at the Thanksgiving Service the reasons for his absence; whereby, the Principal himself expressed his personal disappointment, nevertheless, we are optimistic that he will make it at a more convenient time and we will all be ready to offer our support both morally and financially.
With that been said, it is now devolved on me to succinctly present the annals and overview of our beloved School being — “PRIMUS-INTER-PARIS”
With that been said, it is now devolved on me to succinctly present the annals and overview of our beloved School being — “PRIMUS-INTER-PARIS”
The Sierra Leone Grammar School was founded on the 25th March, 1845 as Church Missionary Society Grammar School. It was the first secondary school in Sierra Leone and the first in Sub- Saharan Africa. The Grammar School was founded as a feeder school for Fourah Bay College which was founded in 1827 by the Missionaries -to share knowledge, education, discipline and guidance of their students.
The school progressed so rapidly that it developed a reputation for excellence in education throughout the colony and elsewhere in Africa whereby many prominent West Africans came to be educated.
The first Principal was Rev. Thomas Peyton from 1845 to 1852, and the first African Principal was Rev. James Quaker from 1861 to 1882.
Since 1845 up-to-date we have had 15 principals- inclusive. It is important to note that being a Church School we have only had two principals outside “the Clergy of Holy Orders”. Firstly, Mr Frank B. Woode during whose tenure I was a pupil, and secondly, our present principal Mr Akiwande J. Lasite.
Post Independent Grammar School: is just a generational thing. “Age shall not weary nor the years condemn”-and we will remember them.
We should not discriminate the era of those who went to the “CMS” Grammar School and now-the Sierra Leone Grammar School. It is a matter of “the old order changeth yielding place to the new” a brother-hood of men. I will give you a simple analogy as an example: I am a humble banker–but my son is a “top class Heart Specialist—with a Doctorate in Medicine”-he belongs to another generation from me, but I cannot draw a red line between us as naturally we are of the same stalk—again it is matter of “age before beauty.” Therefore, as Regentonians we are all like a family.
In 1962 the school moved to the present location at Murray Town with tremendous opportunities for development. The school has always been responsive to new educational ideas, programmes and projects.
Regentonians can be found all over the world which reflects the school’s commitment to discipline and quality education for excellent service.
The Grammar School have produced a “string of illustrious firsts” over the last 170 years, for example, Sir Samuel Lewis—the first African Knight and Mayor of Freetown. The Most Rev, M.N.C.O. Scott—the first African Archbishop of West Africa, Mr Sylvanus B. Nicol-Cole- first Sierra Leonean governor of Bank of Sierra Leone. Dr Bob Thomas- the first President when Fourah Bay College (USL) Alumni Association was formed in Washington USA. Dr Gladius Lewis—first Sierra Leonean Professor at the University of Memphis, Tennessee, USA just to name a few. But of crowning glory, our own:- Sir Henry Josiah Lightfoot Boston, first Sierra Leonean Governor- General, first African to be knighted with the order of G.C.M.G. by the Queen, the first Chancellor when the University of Sierra Leone was inaugurated and finally he set a record as the first African to win the much coveted “Barstow Award” in Law in London. To know about more illustrious Regentonians , please get the 2015 calendar.
In September 2007, the School was granted “Independent Status”, that is, privatisaton, meaning that we are now managed by the Anglican Diocese of Freetown and the Regentonian Foundation. This gives the school more discretion over policies like tuition, recruitment, and teachers salaries-with no government subsidies, subventions and services.
Last year, the Grammar School being an institution of excellence had an educational success rate which was second to none. The school achieved a 100% pass rate at the last public examinations. They entered 175 pupils and 175 pupils passed in different levels. The Principal has encouraged the granting of scholarships to deserving pupils.
We would like to thank the Principal for his service and accomplishments in the last four decades. His devotion to duty and vision 2020, which is the maintenance and new projects in the infrastructural development plan approved by the board of governors.
As we are all proud Regentonians, we owe the school a debt of gratitude through the Principal; and I would urge all Regentonians to always consider the longest serving Principal as Canon Special. He is a Canon of St. George’s Cathedral, where I served as a sidesman until I came to London.
We are the pacesetters for others to follow. Our Thanksgiving Services, our ‘Dinners and Dance’ functions have always been very popular and well patronised – therefore, we thank you all for your support.
To mark the 170th Anniversary celebrations, the United Kingdom and the United States of America – Alumni Associations bought a brand new set of band instruments for the School; of which we feel very proud.
Last but not least, please let us don’t forget where we came from: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Ebola virus has been a great set-back to the educational system in our country as all the schools, colleges and universities were at a stand-still until very recently, we pray that God will eradicate this deadly virus so that the Nation can be back to normal.
Before I take my seat, I would like us to reflect on the last line of the chorus of our School Song : and I will epitomise with the light hearted adage :- ‘that those whom God have blessed – stay blessed’.
Then gladly let the chorus rise, and sound it every one.
School, School, School, School, School, School- God bless our Grammar School.
Floreat Regentonia- God Bless Our Grammar School. I thank you.
Regentonian named first President of Hague Institute for Global Justice
The Hague Institute for Global Justice has recently appointed Sierra Leonean born and a Regentonian Dr. Abiodun Williams #7331 (photo) as the first President of the Institute. Dr. Williams will assume the presidency on January 1, 2013. He is currently Senior Vice President of the Centre for Conflict
Management at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, DC.
In a press release the Board of The Hague Institute expressed their “sincere gratitude to the current Dean, Professor Willem van Genugten, for his important contribution in the start-up phase of the Institute. His dedication,vision and leadership have been of invaluable importance for the development of
the Institute’s approach, working methods and positioning.”
Bill Hamid (Son of a Regentonian)
We Would Highly Recommend Proin Gravida Nibh Vel Velit Auctor Aliquet. Aenean Sollicitudin, Lorem Quis Bibendum Auctor.
In his first-ever selection as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, Jurgen Klinsmann has called upon D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid to represent his country when the Stars-and-Stripes take on Mexico in Philadelphia on Wednesday August 10. On Thursday, the 20-year-old netminder met with the media to discuss the honor: