Category: Alumni Magazine

On Saturday, October 23, 2021, members of Dority International Alumni Association, Class of 1997, presented basketball equipment to Dority International Early Learning School (previously known as Dority International Secondary School).

The equipment was presented during the school’s SS3 graduation ceremony.

Engr Emole Kalu Onumah delivered the opening remarks of the graduation and the Chairman, Pioneer Set, Engr Okey Onye gave a keynote speech on how to succeed at the next level.

The proprietress, Mrs Zovannah Onumah, and the Secondary School Coordinator, Mr Bright Adawisi, received the sports equipment from Engr Okey Onye, and the Secretary, Pioneer Set, Mr Ikenna Ohiaeri.

Below are pictures from the event and a thank you letter from Mrs Zovannah Onumah.

 

Mrs Zovannah Onumah’s Thank You letter

The Pioneer Students
Class of 1997

Dear Sirs/Madams,

The management, staff and students of Dority International Early Leaming School wish to thank you for your donation of tile basketball equipment to the school.

This will go a long way in improving our sporting activities as many students are interested in playing basketball.

We are very appreciative of this very thoughtful and kind gesture. We are happy that you still have the interest of your alma mater at heart and also made effort to reach out to us In this manner.

We are very proud of you. Thank you once again!

Sincerely,

Mrs Zovannah Onumah (PRINCIPAL)

 

AN OPENING REMARK PRESENTED BY THE DIRECTOR, ENGR. E. · ONUMAH ON THE 2021 GRADUATION CEREMONY OF 24TH SS 3 GRADUATING CLASS HELD ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2021.

The Guest Speaker,

Our wonderful parents,

Our diligent graduating SS 3 class of 2021

Distinguished guest,

Our hardworking staff Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Today marks the end of an era for all the graduating Dority International Early Learning School Students sitting here–the end of a compulsory school for all of you and your last day at Dority International Early Learning School.

As you all say farewell to your friends, teachers, coordinators, staff and the school administrations and close the door on your high school,you also will be opening another door to your future.

A future we do not know much about now.

You all are today standing at the brink of your future.

Some of you are wondering how your lives are going to turn out.

It is okay to wonder but I think it is more important to realize that your future is not just something that happens to you; it is what you create.

The question is how do you get started with this journey of life when you have no idea of where you are going?

The answers reside within one of the grander fundamental principles of physics, the first law of motion: An object at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force to get started.

You need to become the outside force that starts the mental and physical ball rolling which overcomes the inertia of inaction and indecision and begins the development of real creative momentum (your life journey).

The strength to move and keep moving must come from within you.

The key to making progress is to realize how to take that first step.

Analysis of yourself is essential to an understanding of how you tailor the knowledge you have acquired in this school to your future desires and goals in this journey.

ln this journey grab hold of the things you are interested in, that fascinate you and dive deeper into them to see where they lead you.

It will really help you to uncover the secrets about yourself and about the world around you.

You should keep your curiosity aimed at something constructive, something other than mischief.

Let those feelings be your guide in this journey.

The ultimate aim is to rise above the whims of fortune not to control your faith but to choose meaningful achievable goals and forge life free of regrets.

When people who have achieved public successes write about their lives, often their experiences get chatted like a purposeful lineal climb up a mountain towards a summit of achievements.

Life journey is not a straight line; it is a path that has many turns.

Some turns are wrong, some turns are right, some turns are wearied but then become right with time.

Wrong turns are part of your life journey.

Everyone of you needs to give yourselves the space to screw up in pursuit of perfection in your life journey.

Screwing up is learning.

The trip down any path of creation is not A to B, that will be so boring because that is predictable.

It is A to somewhere beyond zebra.

That is where the interesting stuff happens, the stuff that changes us.

We pursue the things we do, precisely because, we can’t know the outcomes ahead of time, if we know exactly what the outcome will be, why would we proceed?

What would be the point?

One sets out with an intention, but what really happens comes about with working hard effectively.

You all must loosen your tolerance with yourself to make mistakes in this journey.

It is the only way you will learn, the only way you will grow, the only way you will make anything truly great out of this journey, for mistakes are the pillars of success if well taken.

Try to be the best you can be; never seize trying to be the best you can be.

That is in your power.

The toughest part about trying is to appreciate failure and how to use it to continuously keep trying.

Never feel ashamed for trying and failing for he who has never failed is he who has never tried.

In fearing to fail, we fail to try.

Persistence, persistence is the key.

If you are not failing, you are not pushing your limits and you are not maximizing your potentials.

Your ships of life are safe in harbour.

But that is not what ships are for, so set sail on the stormy sea of life.

Failure will not overtake you if your determination to evolve as effectively as possible is strong enough.

Failure is inevitable in this journey of life but let its inevitability shape your lives and inform your future actions.

Ignore all obstacles at your feet.

There are bound to be hiccups here and here but don’t worry about failure, rather worry about the chances you missed when you did not even try.

Keep your eyes on the goals in front of you for where dry desert ends; green grass grows.

Each obstacle should be considered as mere detours to your goals.

Obstacles are necessary for success.

Victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats.

Each struggle, each defeat sharpens your skills and strengthens your courage and your endurance, your ability and your confidence.

Obstacle is a comrade-in-arms forcing you to become better.

Always look up in the light when all you can see is darkness.

Focus on what you have and what you could do with it.

Do not allow lack of resources to stop you from achieving your goals in life.

Let every tool in your “tool bag of life” be a hammer.

Success is a state of mind.

We are what we think.

All that we are, arises from the thoughts we make of the world.

The difference between those who succeed and those who fail lies in differences of habit.

Good habits are key to success.

Bad habits are the unlocked doors to failure.

We sabotage our own endeavours with negative reinforcement: – “I am useless at this”, ‘no one is interested in my opinion” and so we need to change the way we think.

Take initiative to always try to see the hidden positive depth in everyone you will meet and everything that you ventured to do.

Hidden beauty lies beneath the most mundane hills that you transverse everyday.

There is more to anything that you can see let not the surface define you or anything.

But you have to decide to step out to discover those hidden beauties.

Find the list of interesting things that will send you deep down various rabbit holes for exploration.

Your budding obsession is a thing of value not a trifling thing to be dismissed. Paying heed to your secret thrills will be the thread that will continue to positively weave together your life journey.

Take risks, not avoiding but embracing change and realizing that life is a much more enjoyable experience with an adventurous mindset.

Do not lose focus and never derail from your goals, continue to seek knowledge with diligence and signifying attitudes. Shun every distraction.

Please my flowering Doritians do not be in a hurry to succeed.

Do not barrel through life virtually unaware of what is going on around you.

Practice the art of patience for nature does not act in a hurry.

You need to take time each day to slow down and be people of grace and gratitude.

Sharing an attitude of gratitude not only makes for a nicer world but also makes for a happier, healthier and more successful life.

You all should build your life castles one brick at a time for small attempts repeated, will complete any undertaking successfully.

What is more essential is learning the rudiments of whatever you have decided to do.

Passing the earlier stage of life is like climbing a ladder.

It requires a lot of courage and determination.

Dream big and explore all available opportunities to actualize your dream.

As you all walk through the school gate the last time as students of Dority International Early Learning School be grateful for what you have.

Share it with generosity and continue to replenish it.

Look up to the future.

Do not dwell on past successes and failures .

Successful people focus on those few goals that will make them better in the future.

Practice continuous learning.

People with a positive attitude of learning stay on top of what is going on in their field of interest.

They recognize that they cannot remain successful without learning about new developments for nothing is immune to the process of change.

Everyone of you has something valuable to contribute to Nigeria and the world.

Each of you will climb your separate mountain to reach your own extended view.

Believe in yourself.

Self-confidence and determination are the keys to attaining greater heights in life.

The world is full of possibilities.

In conclusion, graduating class of 2020/2021, I wish you all the best for the future.

Congratulations!

Farewell!

Represent us well.

Network with other alumni and give back to your community.

Come back and mentor the students you are leaving behind.

To our supportive parents, we are giving you back your children.

The same children you entrusted in our care.

We give these children back much taller and much older and a whole lot smarter.

It has been our pleasure to watch them grow and learn day by day.

We have all become family members.

The school will always be interested in these children, their future, wherever they may be and whatever they may do and whoever they may be.

We look forward to the day we will hear their names linked with great accomplishments.

Thank you for sharing such wonderful children with us and thank you for your encouragement and support.

Thank you all.

AN ADDRESS TO THE GRADUATING STUDENTS OF DORITY INTERNATIONAL EARLY LEARNING SCHOOL, ABA, PRESENTED ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23^ND, 2021 BY ONYE OKECHUKWU EMMANUEL.

TOPIC: HOW TO SUCCEED AT THE NEXT LEVEL – TERTIARY INSTITUTION EXPERIENCE.

 

The Director, Engr. Kalu Emole Kalu Onumah

The Proprietress, Mrs. Zovannah Onumah

The Senior Coordinator, Mr. Bright Adawisi

Other Coordinators and Teachers of this great Institution

Our dear Parents

Graduating Students

 

At the very outset I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Management of Dority International Early Learning School for inviting me to this occasion.

I consider it a great privilege and honor given to me as an alumnus of this school.

It is said that reminiscence of the past should be done as long as it gives pleasure and happiness.

And this is what exactly happens with me when I remember my Alma Mater…. a place I left about 24 years ago.

I am very grateful to my parents for having chosen this school, which even after about 30 years of its existence still stands rock-solid to its motto, ‘Sursum Ad Summun, meaning – Rise to the highest.

We are assembled here today to celebrate excellence.

This is rightly so, for this institution has been an epicenter of academic excellence.

It has been the cradle that fostered the development of men and women who have gone on to be Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Politicians, leaders in businesses, science, arts, technology, sports and civil society.

In an era when crassness, crudity and mediocrity seemingly rule all aspects of our social and cultural expression as a nation, I am extremely proud to be associated with today’s celebration of achievement.

The first thing that strikes my mind reminiscing my school days is all about activities and tons of activities, apart from academics.

I, as a young lad, spent most of my time in school taking part in different extracurricular activities, sports, technical projects for Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS), Social activities, going to the library, cleaning and tidying up the premises, painting and washing the classrooms every Friday.

I want you to understand that you are blessed and privileged to be here.

The glory of God is equally given to everyone, we all have similar brains and the fact that you are standing here means that your parents love you and are supporting you fervently, moreover, those wonderful and caring teachers are still here, therefore I say to you: YOU CAN DO IT, YOU CAN DO, IF YOU SET YOUR MIND TO DO IT.

Dear Graduands, I believe the question in your minds right now is – How do I succeed in the next level; the tertiary institution experience.

The biggest lesson I have learnt in life is how to discipline myself.

I mean, self-discipline has a greater meaning and wider connotation.

It’s not just merely coming to school in time, it’s more about; disciplining your body, mind and soul. In other words, discipline yourself physically, mentally and spiritually.

I always harp on the saying that “Discipline is the Foundation for Knowledge”, however much of knowledge you have, would be of no use if you didn’t have discipline.

Remember, when you are in college, your parents are not there to guide you.

Visualize yourself constructing a building called knowledge, on the concrete foundation of discipline.

If the foundation is weak the building may collapse over time.

Therefore, the first step in succeeding in the next level is self-discipline.

Just like discipline, attitude is another factor that determines success in college.

One student gets up with the alarm clock and cheerfully prepares for the day, planning to study for a couple hours between classes, go jogging later, and see a friend at dinner.

Another student oversleeps after partying too late at night, smoking and taking lots of alcohol.

He decides to skip his first class, somehow gets through later classes fueled by fast food and energy drinks, while dreading tomorrow’s exam, and immediately accepts a friend’s suggestion to go out for another party tonight instead of studying.

This is a typical situation of two students in a tertiary institution.

Work to stay positive and surround yourself with positive people, and you’ll find yourself motivated to carry out the activities that will help you succeed in your courses.

The third step in succeeding in the next level is making a good career choice.

During our career day in school, we didn’t quite know what we wanted to do with ourselves once we left school. At that time, we didn’t have much of a choice.

Either you became a Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer or Accountant.

It was easy to choose any of these courses.

However, getting the required Jamb score could keep you at home for more than five years.

I chose to become an Engineer because of my love for mathematics, and I have never regretted my decision.

Therefore, my advice for you today is to know that it is very important for you to do what you like to do.

Some of us have a passion for a particular thing or a special skill which we have developed over the years.

Each individual has different goals, talents, interests, and values. In other words, there are certain careers each individual should not pursue and others where they’d excel and be satisfied.

Every career needs skills, but some more than others.

Sales and Marketing, nursing, teaching and investigative reporting careers need you to be great at communication.

Being a sports coach or a firefighter need you to have a level of fitness and you’ll enjoy these careers if you enjoy physical activities.

Determine what you would enjoy and excel at by taking career assessments tests, receiving career counseling, and conducting thorough self-evaluation.

If you’ve assessed your strengths, skills and interests, you should have a list of careers to think about.

Gradually narrow down your list of careers.

Aim to choose careers that match your qualifications so far (or pick them if you genuinely want to build up any needed qualifications over time).

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day – you can always do extra courses or learn part-time if you need to.

While we try to choose a course based on our love for one subject or the other, we shouldn’t forget that having a skill is very important, as your skill could bail you out in future.

We spent quite a lot of time in the DISS Library reading anything that caught our interest.

This helped us to widen the sphere of our knowledge and to understand things better.

Every day we learned something new and did something productive and never wasted time.

Dear graduands, I didn’t do things alone, we worked as a team. We had very good teams within the class, with parallel classes.

As pioneers, we had no senior classes.

However, we had juniors and dedicated teachers.

We had a good rapport with everybody, and United we stood.

The reading habit helped us greatly as we progressed in life.

Studying moves us closer to success in a difficult course, while sleeping and not studying may completely prevent us from graduating.

Successful students have goals.

If you want to succeed in the next level, you must have a goal.

A goal is a result we intend to reach mostly through our own actions.

Students who have long term life and career goals see the tertiary institution as one step towards achieving their goals.

This can set a purpose and a direction for students.

It can increase students’ day-to-day and semester-to-semester motivation because they see that each course is part of a greater whole that will help them in the future.

This can also help with persistence, with keeping at it when things are tough.

There will be challenges during your college career.

There may be times you feel like giving up or you just don’t feel like going to class, reading your textbook, or writing that test or exam.

Having that purpose, that long term goal can help you decide to move past that challenge and keep going. We call this resilience.

Finally, thinking about your goals gets you started, but it’s also important to think about priorities.

We often use the word “priorities” to refer to how important something is to us.

We might think, this is a really important goal, and that is less important.

Maybe you give top priority to passing your courses and medium or low priority to improving on your piano skills.

So what does that mean—that you never play piano again, or at least not while in college?

What about all your other goals — do you have to ignore everything that’s not your top priority?

And what happens when you have to choose among different goals that are all on your top priorities?

The question of priority is really a question of what is more important at a specific time.

It is important to do well in your classes, but it’s also important to have a social life, learn your piano and enjoy your time off from studying.

You shouldn’t have to choose between the two — except at any given time.

Priorities always involve time: what is most important to do right now.

Time management is mostly a way to juggle priorities so you can meet all your goals.

When you manage your time well, you don’t have to ignore some goals completely in order to meet other goals.

In other words, you don’t have to give up your life when you register for college—but you may need to work on managing your life more effectively.

Dear graduands, the valuable lessons which have been instilled in us by our wonderful school have also brought me to where I am today.

I wish you all the very best in your future endeavours. ‘May you sail in the ship of ambitions and anchor in the harbour of success’.

You can be great scientists and even greater than Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.

You can be great Philosophers and even greater than Plato, Socrates and Aristotle.

You can be great inventors and even greater than Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and Carl Benz.

You can be great innovators and even greater than Bill Gates of Microsoft, Steve Jobs of Apple and Larry Page of Google.

I am quite optimistic that Nobel Laureates in both Sciences and Arts will come from here.

And what better way to show gratitude to God than utilizing the very gifts He gave us to pursue knowledge with excellence?

And what better way of expressing thanks to our parents and teachers than for them to see us excel, succeed and become accomplished?

Therefore, I say to you, indeed the sky is not your limit but your starting point. Conquer your fears and you will be whatever you want to be.

Remember, wherever you go and whatever ends you pursue, you must always fulfill the trust reposed in you by your parents, your alma mater and your nation.

 

Thank you very much for listening

 

May God Bless you.

Onye, Okechukwu Emmanuel

(DISS Pioneer Class of 1997).