GRATITUDE: As we leave the penultimate month of 2024, we express gratitude to God for his blessings to us at the Heights and in our various Parents’ Association branches. I thank all of you for being dedicated to the College and for supporting our Jesuit Memorial College community morally, spiritually, and financially. 
We are grateful to you all for your presence and active participation during our Sixth Annual Inter-House Sports Competition which took place on November 16, 2024. We thank the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Kingclovis Okereke, for an excellent job throughout the Inter-House Sports Competition. He was one of the first parents to arrive the venue, and he was one of the last parents to leave the venue. Also, through team spirit, he set up a committee of 14 friends (including some from various parents’ associations) to donate sports gears to JMC worth N3,214,000.00. An additional donation of one million naira was given to support Our Lady of the Way Chapel Project.
Donation to JMC from Chief Kingclovis and Friends
| ITEM | QUANTITY | COST PER ITEM (NAIRA) | TOTAL (NAIRA) |
| Soccer balls | 40 | N17,500.00 | N700,000.00 |
| Volleyballs | 20 | N16,500.00 | N320,000.00 |
| Basketball | 20 | N18,000.00 | N360,000.00 |
| Pumps | 2 | N12,000.00 | N24,000.00 |
| Football Jerseys | 60 | N8,000.00 | N480,000.00 |
| Basketball Jerseys | 28 | N13,000.00 | N364,000.00 |
| Volleyball Jerseys | 12 | N13,000.00 | N156,000.00 |
| Hose | 105 | N4,000.00 | N420,000.00 |
| Goal Keeper’s Gloves | 2 pairs | N15,000.00 | N30,000.00 |
| Crystal of the School’s Jerseys | 105 | N2,000.00 | N210,000.00 |
| Branding the Jerseys and Logistics to Lagos Airport and Haulage | N150,000.00 | ||
| Total for sports items = N3,214,000.00
Donation to Our Lady of the Way Chapel Project = N1,000,000.00 Total donation from Chief Kingclovis Okereke and friends = N4,214,000.00. |
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We thank the various Parents’ Association branches who supported us in some aspects of this year’s Inter-House Sports Competition. May the Lord reward your generosity.
| Lagos Parents’ Association | N1,500,000.00 to sponsor the sports’ brochure |
| Warri Parents’ Association | N715,000.00 to sponsor the Sports Clinic and the Red Cross International |
| Abuja Parents’ Association | N1,500 000.00 to sponsor the sports medals |
| Owerri-Onitsha-Umuahia Parents’ Association | N300,000.00 to sponsor the hiring of sound equipment |
| Port Harcourt Parents’ Association | N1,500,000.00 to sponsor the feeding of the Phoenixes and athletes of invited schools |
We thank Dr. Ifeanyi Nwafor, the CEO of Metro Digital for donating the following to JMC: 7 units of SLTV Decoder, 7 units of Satellite Dish, and 7 Units of LNB. Each decoder has been activated with a 12-month free subscription, and to be continually renewed upon expiration by Metro Digital. These will serve the Students’ Dining Hall, Girls’ Hostel, Boys’ Hostel, School Clinic, Staff Lounge, and Administrative Centre. Dr. Nwafor, a JMC parent, writes, “We have been following the activities of your school for some time now and have seen the significant impact you are making in the society, with respect to the training of the leaders of tomorrow. We at Metro Digital are certainly moved by these efforts.” We are grateful to Dr. Nwafor.
CONGRATULATIONS: We congratulate the Inter-House Sports Champion of 2024—Gonzaga House. We also congratulate all other Phoenixes of Joseph House, Teresa House, and Loyola House for their graceful and gracious game spirit throughout our sports festival. Thanks to all staff who guided and coached them and thanks to all members of the Local Organizing Committee.
ALL SAINTS DAY: Friday, November 1, 2024 was class free day at Jesuit Memorial College, as we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints Day. The Principal Fr. Alex Irechukwu, S.J. celebrated the Mass for the Phoenixes before they began their activities for the class-free day.
ALL SOULS DAY: The month of November was devoted to praying for our beloved loved ones and our beloved 60 Angels, In the Book of Remembrance, Phoenixes and staff inscribed the names of their departed relatives, as well as the names of our 60 Angels, departed Jesuits of our Province, and departed staff. The Chaplain, Fr. Uche Oguike, S.J., started the celebration of the Mass for the Dead on November 2, 2024 (All Souls Day).
“CURBING RISKY BEHAVIOURS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE”: We congratulate Phoenixes who participated in the 20th NISSMUN Conference at Abuja FCT from October 28 through November 1, 2024. The theme for this year’s Nigerian International Secondary Schools Model United Nations (NISSMUN) Conference is “Curbing Risky Behaviours Among Young People.” Students of our sister school Loyola Jesuit College (LJC) Abuja were also present at this conference. So it afforded some networking with LJC students and other students across the nation.
PROVINCIAL VISITS JESUIT MEMORIAL COLLEGE: The Provincial of the North-West Africa Province and Chairman Board of Trustees, Very Rev. Fr. John Ghansah, S.J., visited the College Community from November 13, 2024 through November 17, 2024. As part of Cura Personalis, he met with the academic and non-academic staff during his visit. He also graced our 6th Annual Inter-House Sports Competition. We thank him for the quality time he spent with us. He encourages JMC to continue to move to greater heights. He is also recommending that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) take up the challenge of developing the staff quarters, as was done by the PTA of Loyola Jesuit College in the construction of the 60 Angels Staff Quarters.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN OF JESUIT MEMORIAL COLLEGE (2024-2029): The Five-Year Strategic Plan of JMC has been endorsed by the Provincial and Chairman of the JMC Board of Trustees, Very Rev. Fr. John Ghansah, S.J. Thank you all for your input during our time of discernment as well as collection and collation of ideas. With your prayers and support, the strategic plan will be executed by all of us Deo volente. Physical and soft copies of the strategic plan will be distributed to parents and stakeholders.
DEMISE OF PIONEER STAFF: On November 21, 2024, we lost one of our pioneer staff—Miss Charity Amadi. She was a very committed staff and our Farm Manager. She died in a hospital in Port Harcourt at the age of 45. May she rest in peace. May God strengthen those she left behind, especially her son, Chibuike, her siblings and family members.
NEW EXECUTIVES OF ABUJA PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION: On November 2, 2024, the Abuja Parents’ Association met at The Pearl Jabi Lake Hotel, Abuja for the orientation and induction of new parents and election of new EXCO. The electoral officers were Mr. Adetokunbo Ihensekhien and Arc. Abioye Ayeni. We thank them for a free and fair election. These are the new EXCO members of Abuja Parents’ Association:
Chairman: Sir Kingsley Obialor
Vice Chairman: Engr. (Mrs.) Jane-Frances Agba
Secretary: Mr. Korede Olafusi
Asst. Secretary: Dr. Bernard Ebruke
Financial Secretary: Mrs. Nwanneka Onyekanma
Treasurer: Mrs. Abiola Ola’Nicholas
Welfare Secretary: Mrs. Amaka Nwaigwe
Asst. Welfare Secretary: Mrs. Ngozi Agwu
PRO: Mrs. Melanie Nwankwo
Social Secretary: Mrs. Tolulope Adebisi
We thank the members of the former EXCO, led by Honourable Commissioner Chaka Chukwumerije, for their generous and successful leadership during the past two years, and we congratulate the members of the new EXCO as they commence their two-year tenure.
NEW EXECUTIVES OF PORT HARCOURT PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION: On November 23, 2024, the Port Harcourt Parents Association had their quarterly meeting at Corpus Christi Cathedral Hall, Port Harcourt. During the meeting, they had an election and elected a new leadership team for the Port Harcourt Parents’ Association. We thank the past executive for their dynamic leadership during their two-year tenure. We congratulate the new members of the executive as they begin their two-year tenure. Some members of the previous executive were re-elected for another two-year tenure. Below are members of the new PA executive.
Chairman: Chief Kingclovis Okereke
Vice Chairman: Mrs. Alice George
General Secretary: Barrister Juliet Ogbonna
Assistant Secretary: Mrs. Ogo Ekwale
Financial Secretary: Mr. Patrick Nnamani
Welfare Secretary: Mrs. Amaka Umeji
Assistant Welfare Secretary: Mrs. Patricia Ohaeri
PRO: Mr. Ejike Aroh
We thank the electoral officers, Dr. Peter Onuegbu, Mrs. Chineye Onunkwo, and Mrs. Amaka Ochi, for conducting a free and fair election. One of the fruits of the Port Harcourt Parents’ Association meeting was the emergence of a need to establish an Angel-Angelee model of mentorship in which older parents will be assigned to mentor newest parents of the Port Harcourt Parents’ Association.
60 Angels Memorial Day: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 is the 19th memorial of the demise of our 60 Angels. It is a day to mark “Never Again” and to inspire “Hope Reborn.” As customary, I appeal to all Parents’ Association branches to plan for a befitting remembrance day with the booking of Holy Mass and participating in it in a chosen parish in your respective cities. Additionally, you could also carry out a charity activity, tree planting campaign, and candlelight procession. Here at JMC, we plan to have Mass for our 60 Angels at 9:00 A.M. Later in the day, there will be a production of Drums of War, a drama by Bakare Ojo Rasaki and musical performance by the Sixty Angels Symphony Orchestra (SASO) as well as an evening candlelight procession. You are all welcome.
PLAN B AND PLAN C FEE PAYMENT BY DECEMBER 27: For smoother operations, we strongly recommend that parents and guardians who opted for Plan B or Plan C mode of fee payment should pay before December 27, 2024. This will give the Bursary adequate time to generate the proof of payment and clearance slip and then revert to you before the return of the Phoenixes to campus. It will also be a wise way of saving your fund as it has shown that fee payment after Christmas vacation is not favourable to many families worldwide. Please remember that the resumption date is January 7, 2024.
CHAPEL UPDATE: We are approaching the finishing stage of the roofing of Our Lady of the Way Chapel. We thank all donors who have supported project thus far.
AUGUST VISITORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA: Inspired and impressed by our alumni at the University of Alberta, Canada, a delegate Mr. John Gregory from the university. accompanied by Mrs. Ngozi Egona and Ms. Rachel Achewang, visited Jesuit Memorial College on November 26, 2024. The University wants a better collaboration with JMC. We thank our alumni for being good ambassadors of JMC.
CHRIST THE KING SOLEMNITY: We ended the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year with the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ King on November 24, 2024. In honor of Christ the King, the Phoenixes actively participated with songs of worship and drum sounds in a short procession from the Tent via the road behind the Administrative Centre to the Dundon Court. We ended up with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Dundon Court. As we begin the last month of the year and a new liturgical year (Cycle C), my prayer is that we will all end 2024 with gratitude to God and with openness to welcome God, who is Emmanuel, into our hearts and homes. Best wishes for Christmas and a prosperous new year.
AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM
(FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD)