Western Boys Mentored At Inter House Sports

   A student pours a sachet of water on           himself to cut down body heat after a         track race. 

   (Picture by Clementina Oyakhilome)

By Bernadette Idalu

Students of Western Boys High School, Benin City, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, received pep talks and mentorship which challenged them towards making inroads at harnessing and channeling their innate qualities on leadership, excellence, friendliness, and sportsmanship to good use to plug loopholes of a desensitized society. 

The students who adorned sportswear reflective of the colors of their individual school's house, took part in the march past and track and field events. They seemed oblivious to the lingering societal cash crunch and turn down in communal and economic activities. 

The annual inter-house sports activities of the school obviously gave students a breather. They turned up, highly spirited, oblivious of societal setbacks. They basked in the euphoria of the moment, pumped up by the adrenaline rush to compete, excel and win laurels for their houses.

Regardless of the thrills and frills, students were brought up to speed about the stark reality of the time when the Executive Principal, Western Boys' High School (Senior), Mr. Justice Aigbe, in his welcome address remarked, "If you are 16 and stop learning; you are old and dead. If you are 80 and still learning; you are young and alive. So, never stop learning."

Principal Senior School, Mr. Justice Aigbe delivering his welcome address.

Speaking from a vantage point, the principal declared that sporting activities go a long way at helping students understand important life lessons such as discipline, focus, dedication, hard work, teamwork, and commitment. "It is our responsibility to encourage students to take action rather than focusing on winning or losing."

Noting that the sporting feat was possible due to collective effort and dedication to assigned roles, Mr. Aigbe expressed appreciation to the game master, members of committees, the house masters/mistresses, and teachers. 

Chairman of the occasion and Secretary, Edo State Government (SSG) Osarodion Ogie Esq, encouraged the students to interact, interface, and participate in sporting activities. He also encouraged nonparticipants to applaud from the sidelines those involved actively in the track and field events. 

Osarodion Ogie who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SSG, Mrs. Deborah Enakhimion,  let out, "As we all know, inter-house sports is an extracurricular activity, reintroduced to all schools, by the Edo State Government, to ensure that outside academics, our students become all-rounders who are physically fit and mentally capable."

Unlike golden oldies where some student saw inter-house sports as avenues to be macho, students had a swell time mingling and catching up on fun with one another.