The Ogirrua of Irrua Kingdom and the Okaijesan of Esanland, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji W.O. Momodu II, JP, CON, a prominent traditional ruler in Edo State, and his Traditional Council of Chiefs, have commended the Annunciation Catholic College Irrua Old Boys Association (ACCIOBA) for their unprecedented rebuilding and transformation of their alma mater, Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua into a state-of-the-art secondary school in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by High Chief Chris Igene, Ph.D., the Enakhe of Irrua Kingdom, on behalf of the monarch and his chiefs, the Ogirrua noted that the secondary school, founded 70 years ago, has reclaimed its position as a leading institution in the region. The palace expressed admiration and appreciation for the wonderful initiatives undertaken by members of ACCIOBA leading to the complete rebuilding and revitalization of the premier secondary school in Esanland.
According to His Royal Majesty, “We commend ACCIOBA and its members for their outstanding commitment to reconstructing the school’s dilapidated structures and building critical infrastructure such as roads, boreholes, science laboratories, dormitories, dining hall, auditorium, streetlights, staff quarters, and a center for entrepreneurship. These efforts have transformed Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua into a pivotal citadel of learning with modern facilities in Esanland, Edo State, and Nigeria.”
He further added, “the establishment of poultry and animal husbandry units has made practical agricultural education more engaging and effective for students. Additionally, the provision of a power source and a medical center staffed with trained professionals ensures quality healthcare for both students and the surrounding communities, making a real difference in Esanland and beyond.”
The revered traditional ruler prayed for continued blessings and protection from his ancestors for the old boys of A.C.C., Irrua, and urged former students of other schools within his kingdom to emulate the dedication demonstrated by ACCIOBA.
In a letter to the Irrua Palace, the Global President of ACCIOBA, Dr. Joseph Adonor Ohens, assured the palace, the Irrua Community, and the government of Edo State, that ACCIOBA is committed to supporting ACC in perpetuity. He indicated that an education endowment fund instituted by ACCIOBA to make ACC second to none in the country in terms of infrastructure and staffing is now N300 Million richer, with a sustainable plan to making it N1 Billion in ten (10) years.
He assured the Irrua monarch and his chiefs that the old boys and their families are deeply committed to transforming ACC into a 21st Century center of excellence for post-primary education in Nigeria.
According to him, “over the past four years, ACCIOBA has invested more than N3 billion to reconstruct the school into a modern secondary school comparable to high schools in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.”
He added that, “the New ACC campus now features a network of solidly concreted roads, rehabilitated classrooms, science laboratories, a school library, the principal’s house, new academic staff quarters, youth corpers’ lodge, a 20-bed medical center, sisters’ convent, a center for entrepreneurship, poultry and fishpond units, four boreholes, an ultra-modern 600-capacity hostel, an 800-seater student cafeteria, among other completed or ongoing projects.”
Dr. Ohens, a versatile journalist, legal scholar, and healthcare executive based in the United States, emphasized that ACCIOBA has become a committed catalyst for academic, economic, and community development in Edo State, particularly in Edo Central.
He informed the palace that the old boys look forward to inviting the monarch and his chiefs, the Executive Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and the Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, to commission all completed projects on Saturday, March 28, 2026. And he hopes that would include a N450 Million Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Center ACCIOBA plans to build next as part of its ACC Rebuild Project.
