INTERVIEWS OF CANDIDATES FOR JMC: After the release of names for interviews on March 1, 2025, the interviews of candidates for Jesuit Memorial College began from March 5, 2025 through March 22, 2025. I thank the Principal, Fr. Alex Irechukwu, S.J., the Director of Admission, Mr. Martin Kundari, S.J., and other members of the interview team for the good and diligent work they have done in this very important process of admission of prospective students for JMC. The provisional admission list was released on March 31, 2025.
President
FORTY DAYS LENTEN JOURNEY: The JMC Community began its Lenten season on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Mass was celebrated for the students and some staff in the morning. Another Mass was celebrated for Jesuit Loyola Academy and other staff in the afternoon. Every Friday of Lent, the Chaplaincy organizes Stations of the Cross for the Phoenixes and staff who prefer to stay back for stations of the cross instead of going to their distant parishes.
GRATITUDE FOR DONATIONS TO JMC: We thank the parents of the Class of 2025 for their gift of five million naira (N5,000,000.00) for the advancement of Our Lady of Way Chapel Project. We also thank the Parents’ Association Planning Committee of the Class of 2025, Chaired by Dr. Peter Onuegbu, for inspiring generosity for a legacy gift towards Our Lady of the Way Chapel. We thank an anonymous parent donor for the donation of three million naira (N3,000,000.00) for the Our Lady of the Way Chapel Project. We also thank Mr. Nnamdi Okam for his donation of two million naira (N2,000,000.00) and Mr. Nnazoba Dunu for his donation of one million naira (N1,000,000.00) towards the capital campaign for the provision of green energy in the students’ hostel. We are grateful to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Ozoude for their support of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000.00) towards Our Lady of the Way Chapel.
FUNDRAISING GALA FOR SOLAR ENERGY AND INVERTERS IN HOSTELS: There is a plan for a fundraising gala for solar energy in the girls’ hostel and boys’ hostel. The Abuja Parents’ Association and the Parents Teachers Association of JMC will synergize to anchor the gala/dinner night at Abuja, FCT. Please all parents should support this gala night event. The date and venue in Abuja will be communicated later by the Planning Committee. Two parents have already given three million naira (N3,000,000.00) to inspire the process.
BOOSTING OF THE SCHOOL FARM: To cushion the rising cost of food, we have boosted the school farm with new layers (over 1000), about 4000 fish, 508 yam tubers, 4000 pineapples, pepper, tomatoes, watermelon, cucumber, and pumpkin. We also hope to introduce banana suckers. We thank Mr. Belema Festus Abibio (a professional farmer and a parent) for offering consultancy services to JMC pro bono. We also thank the Farm Manager, Mr. Kpobari Maale, and his team for the new developments in the school farm.
NOVICES’ COMPLETION OF APOSTOLIC COMMUNITY EXPERIMENT: Mr. Justin Bonayiri, n.S.J. and Mr.JohnPaul Baluze, n.S.J. have completed their apostolic community experiment at Jesuit Memorial College. They arrived at JMC from the Jesuit Novitiate, Benin City on January 6, 2025, and they returned to Benin City on March 12, 2024. We thank them for the warmth they brought to JMC and for sharing their talents with the Phoenixes. They were involved in different facets of JMC life: Media, Admission Office, Chaplaincy, Jesuit Loyola Academy, Barbing Saloon, Sports, to mention but a few. One of their projects was the construction of the school’s incinerator and decomposition pit in collaboration with the Facility Manager, Mr. Samuel Ogwuche. We thank them for this project as well as the separation of refuse bins for biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and glass/metals.
PTA EXCO AND PTA GENERAL MEETINGS: On March 14, 2025, the National Executive Council of JMC PTA met in the Administrative Centre of JMC, while the PTA General Meeting took place after Open Day on March 15, 2025 at the Dundon Court. The meetings were chaired by Fr. Aghadi Onu, S.J., the Acting President during my medical leave, and he shared the suggestions made during the meeting. Thus, we will look into the modality of the Inter-House Sports Competition to make it a more joyous celebration. The guest/retreat house proposal for the staff quarters is a good project for the PTA to also consider in the development of the staff quarters. Renewable energy in the hostels is also on the pipe-line, and it is the main goal of the Fundraising Gala that the PTA is planning, under the direction of Abuja Parents’ Association. The School Management will look into the other issues raised during the meeting. We appreciate all your suggestions and thank all the parents and teachers who attended the meeting. The next PTA meeting is billed for June 28, 2025.
ATTENDANCE AT PARENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS’ MEETINGS IS MANDATORY: Parents are reminded that Parents’ Association meetings are compulsory. Remember that active membership is required for clearance for graduation of your ward. Below is an extract from The Constitution of the Parents-Teachers’ Association:
For all parents of this Association, at least 69% regular attendance, active participation in the Association activities and full payment of levies and dues are necessary requirements for the collection of diplomas after graduation (Article XI—Meetings—The Constitution of the Parents-Teachers’ Association).
The seven Parents’ Association branches of JMC are Abuja, Akwa-Cross, Enugu, Lagos, Owerri-Onitsha-Umuahia, Port Harcourt, and Warri. Based on proximity to the place of domicile, each parent must join a Parents’ Association branch. In case of relocation, please get your PA Chairperson to write a letter to the Chairperson of the new branch you intend to join. In that letter, your PA Chairperson will state your attendance records, level of active participation, and dues paid to the previous branch. Thus, all Secretaries and Financial Secretaries of Parents’ Association branches are expected to keep good records and archives.
CLEARANCE ON TERMLY RESUMPTION: Please note that the school policy requires students to bring printed clearance from Bursary for check-in before resumption. No phones should be given to students to bring to the Bursary on resumptions. Information on the phone is not acceptable. From next term, there will be a fine or financial penalty of five thousand naira (N5,000.00) if printed clearance is not presented to the Bursary on resumption.
NETWORK WITH SAFEGUARDING COMMITTEE OF GONZAGA JESUIT COLLEGE: On March 18, 2025, five members of the JMC Safeguarding Committee visited Gonzaga Jesuit College, Okija (GJC) for networking with the Safeguarding Committee of GJC. The two schools wanted to learn best practices from each other as well as appraise and critique each other. Besides the focus on safeguarding, there was also networking between the Vice Principals Student Life of both schools, Chaplains of both schools, Child Protection Officers of both schools, Counsellors of both schools, and Head Teachers of the primary schools of both schools. The five staff that travelled from JMC are Fr. Uche Oguike, S.J. (Chaplain), Mrs. Stella Nwagwu (CPO), Mr. James Eyo (VP Student Life), Mrs. Frances Mezue (Assistant Head Teacher) and Mr. JohnSteve Okafor (Counsellor). They returned on March 19, 2025.
BOG AND BOT MEETINGS: The Board of Governors meeting took place at JMC on March 21, 2025, while the Board of Trustees meeting took place on March 22, 2025. The staff quarters project, the rising cost of energy, the formation of staff as Ignatian Educators, and the 20th Memorial of 60 Angels were some of the highlights of the meeting. The Boards are grateful to the parents and other stakeholders for their support towards the vision and mission of JMC. In consultation with the Office of the Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt, Dr. Tonte Joseph Davies (a parent), Arc Thomas Ogbonna (a parent) presented a feasibility study for the staff quarters development and the proposed residential layout plan to the Board of Governors. Arc Ogbonna has been researching and working on this pro bono. The BOG and BOT are happy that PTA is taking ownership of the staff quarters project (as requested by the Provincial), which will lead to greater cura personalis of the Phoenixes as well as enhance the welfare of JMC staff. Additionally, to mitigate the energy crisis, JMC is encouraged to work on alternative energy, which is in sync with our fundraising gala this year.
20TH MEMORIAL OF OUR 60 ANGELS: December 10, 2025 will be the 20th memorial of the 60 Angels and other victims of the Sosoliso tragedy. Through synergy with our mother school Loyola Jesuit College, we hope the “Hope Reborn” and “Never Again” themes will have a greater national ripple effect. The themes will be broadcast through storytelling. Students, staff, parents, and alumni are expected to participate actively in the 20th Memorial of the 60 Angels. We welcome ideas on how to plan this memorial at state, national, and global levels.
FORMING MEN AND WOMEN OF CONSCIENCE AND COMPASSION: On Sunday, March 30, 2025, the Chaplaincy organized a visit by the students of the Holy Family Society of JMC to a remand and orphanage home in Port Harcourt. We thank all parents and staff who donated towards this good cause. In a short time, a total of six hundred and twenty-seven naira (N627,000.00) was raised for the needy in addition to the five bags of rice donated by the family of Mr. and Mrs. Igwe Mba. Your generosity has made the world a better place and has deepened the holistic formation of our Phoenixes as men and women of conscience, competency, compassion, and commitment to the needy.
OUR LADY OF THE WAY CHAPEL: We, once again, thank the parents of the Class of 2025 for their gift of five million naira (N5,000,000.00), the family of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Ozoude for their support of five hundred thousand naira (N500,000.00) and an anonymous parent donor for the donation of three million naira (N3,000,000.00) for the advancement of Our Lady of Way Chapel Project. Plastering of decking and piping for electrical, sound, internet, fire alarm, and CCTV are ongoing in the chapel. Please make your generous donations to Jesuit Memorial College, First Bank 2024616041. THANK YOU.
Happy Salah to our Muslim brethren and Happy Easter in advance!
AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
(FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD)