Anglican Diocese of Lokoja Rebukes Alumni Over Misconceptions on Crowther Memorial College Proprietorship

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The Anglican Diocese of Lokoja has strongly condemned the recent attack on the Anglican mission and the misconceptions propagated by the Old Students Association of Crowther Memorial College, Lokoja, regarding the school’s proprietorship. The Diocese described the actions as unwarranted, absurd, inglorious, and gratuitous.

Most Revd Emmanuel A.S. Egbunu, Diocesan Bishop and Proprietor of the college, responded to allegations by the alumni claiming that the mission is running the school without due process. He emphasized that the primary responsibility of an Alumni Association is to give back to the institution that shaped them, not to engage in baseless accusations or unnecessary confrontations.

Reflecting on the legacy of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), Most Rev. Egbunu expressed gratitude for Crowther Memorial College's 61st anniversary. He recalled that CMS, which established Nigeria’s first secondary school, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos, in 1859, later extended its efforts to Lokoja with the founding of Crowther Memorial College. He regarded this development as a proud moment in the school’s history.

The Bishop also highlighted other missionary schools with similar heritage, such as Offa Grammar School (founded in 1943) and Holy Rosary College, Idah (established in 1957), and noted that Crowther Memorial College shares the same legacy. He urged the alumni to familiarize themselves with the operational principles of such institutions.

Most Rev. Egbunu lauded the past contributions of the Alumni Association, which had received commendations from the Diocese for supporting the school over the years. However, he expressed disappointment with the current Executive Committee, accusing them of prioritizing personal agendas and spreading unfounded accusations during the school’s anniversary celebrations.

He criticized the alumni's alleged harassment of students, labeling it as behavior unbecoming of graduates of a mission school. He also questioned why the association failed to recognize recent efforts to improve the school, including the repurposing of abandoned hostels and the Diocese’s generosity in hosting government offices on the premises for over two decades without compensation.

Most Rev. Egbunu condemned the alumni’s demand for the Anglican mission to relinquish control of the college, describing it as a misguided and absurd move. He noted their failure to appreciate the role of the school as a place of worship and community service, emphasizing that the premises had long been used for various purposes, including funerals and other events, without issue.

The Bishop called on the alumni to emulate the conduct of associations from other mission schools, which maintain respectful relationships with their proprietors while making meaningful contributions to their alma mater.

He urged the association to abandon blackmail and focus on constructive engagement, stressing that alumni associations are not meant to take over ownership but to enhance existing structures. Most Rev. Egbunu appealed to well-informed members of the alumni to guide their peers towards decency and responsibility, ensuring their actions reflect positively on the school’s legacy.

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