ICOBA 77/79 Set to Fund Third Review of Igbobi College Master Plan

Funmi Ogundare

As Igbobi College prepares to mark its centenary, the Igbobi College Old Boys’ Association (ICOBA) has announced that its 77/79 set will fund and lead the third review of the institution’s strategic master plan.

The initiative, according to the association, is aimed at positioning the college for its second century by developing a clear, sustainable strategy and strengthening its capacity to respond to the demands of a changing educational environment.

The National Publicity Secretary, Femi Bankole, in a statement explained that the master plan, originally developed by ICOBA, in partnership with the college’s board of governors, will be reviewed to assess implementation, identify gaps and emerging priorities, and establish a practical roadmap for the next phase of the institution’s development.

“The exercise is expected to receive technical support from leading management consulting firms, including Phillips Consulting and Andersen Consulting,” he stated.

Speaking on the initiative, the 12th President of ICOBA, Chief Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, described the review as a critical intervention at a pivotal point in the history of the college.

He said, “Igbobi College is approaching its centenary, and we have a responsibility to ensure that the institution enters its second century with clarity of purpose, a sustainable strategy, and the capacity to compete with the best.”

He stated that the involvement of the 77/79 set was significant because of its historic contribution to the origins of the master plan.

He added, “we are particularly pleased that the 77/79 set, which played a historic role in developing the master plan, has stepped forward once again to fund and lead this important review.”

The Chairman of the Board of Governors, Sir Babatunde Emmanuel Sobamowo, said that the exercise should focus on achieving measurable outcomes rather than merely producing another strategic document.

“This is about more than reviewing a document. It is about defining the Igbobi College we want to hand over to the next generation,” he said.

Sobamowo said the board would collaborate with ICOBA, the 77/79 set, the college management and other stakeholders to ensure that the outcome of the review was ambitious and implementable.

Also speaking, Chairman of the 77/79 Set, Dr. Ebun Bamgboye, described the initiative as a continuation of the set’s longstanding commitment to Igbobi college.

“Our generation was privileged to contribute to its origins, and we believe it is only fitting that we help ensure it remains relevant to the realities and aspirations of a college approaching its centenary,” he said.

The review will build on a renewed 10-year Master Plan developed by Dr Segun Fayemi of ICOBA North America.

The association said the exercise will assess implementation of the existing plan, identify strategic gaps and emerging priorities, establish investment priorities, strengthen governance and accountability, and develop a phased, costed and measurable implementation roadmap.

It will also focus on aligning the college’s infrastructure, academic standards, technology, student experience, financial sustainability, governance and brand positioning with the requirements of a modern and globally competitive secondary school.

ICOBA said that the review would provide an opportunity to determine the kind of institution that should be handed down to future generations while preserving the heritage and traditions that distinguish Igbobi College.

The association added that the third review was intended to serve as a bridge between the college’s distinguished past and its ambitions for the next century by strengthening its educational offering, facilities, governance and institutional capacity.