Our Lady’s Special Science / Secondary School Nnobi was established in 1958. It was founded when a serious need to decongest the populated CKC Onitsha arose. Hence, students who passed CKC are admitted straight to Our Lady’s as a sister Campus. It began primarily as a boarding school for boys only. Founded by the Roman Catholic Church during the visit of Rev. Fr. Greoetis to Nnobi, she has, as her Pioneer Principal, Rev. Fr. Ohdenahoe who with the pioneer students then, labored vigorously to set up the structures (the Present Junior Academic Block, Library and Junior Staff Room Block, the present school hall, the kitchen and the present girls’ hostel) and set our noble institution on the part of greatness for which she has become a reference point for years now.
Nine years into her nascent life, the activities of this citadel of learning was interrupted by the Nigeria/Biafra Civil War. This historic event brought a turning point in the life and mission of the school. Though the school resumed after the war in the 1970s, it is no longer a Catholic Mission School but a public government school because of the takeover of schools by the then Nigerian Government.
Since this Special Science arm of the school comprised only the senior secondary section, the junior section and non-science students were separated from the science students. Over a period of time, this separate arrangement was transformed into two separate schools that still operated in the same school compound, though with separate entrance gates and school principals. It was a very challenging moment for the unity of Our Lady’s Nnobi. At one end is the College section, which is comprised of nonscience senior students with junior students – male and female- while at the other end, separated by a dwarf fence, is the Special Science section, which is comprised of senior science girls students only. This experiment with its challenges continued till around 2005 when the need arose for the unification of the two schools as a result of the scrapping of special science schools. This was finally realized in five years’ time when Providence directed the then Governor Peter Obi to effect the handover of schools to the church, her original owners.
It is worthy of note that since after the civil war, our school with other schools of similar fate was completely under the management and control of the State Government, with Rev. Fr. Joseph Tobin as the last Missionary Priest and Principal from 1965-1967. In line with some biblical facts, the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha was deprived of her flourishing center of learning for 40 solid years. Thank God still it was not infinite. We still owe great thanks to the past State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi who in 2010 took the momentous and historic decision to revert the schools to its original owners. In doing this, he noted as follows: “the collapse of education in Anambra State is directly connected with the takeover of schools owned by missionaries, churches and voluntary organizations in 1970. (Vanguard Newspaper, 22nd Nov. 2011).”
This handover of schools to the original owners arouses a new era in the history of our dear school. Obviously, what was taken away from you for forty years cannot be returned intact. This era, therefore, was marked with five R’s: Rebuilding, Regeneration, Renovation, Restoration and Revaluation of values.”
To properly reposition the institution to the initial vision of the Archdiocese, the Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev Dr. Valerian Maduka Okeke, in his episcopal wisdom, introduced the appointment of Priest as school Managers and school Principals.
With Our Lady’s back to its original owners, the task of Rebuilding, Regeneration, Renovate, Restoration and Revaluation of values took off with support from both the State Government and Catholic Mission. Under the tenure of Fr. Lawrence Ezeolisa as Manager and Lady MaryRose T. Okoye, as Principal, a hostel for the boys’ wing took off with the financial support of our superiors. This was necessary since by accident of history, the original boys’ hostel area was taken over by the female students. Under their tenure still, the school clinic was built and commissioned by the State Government. The boys’ hostel was completed under the tenure of Fr. Peter Olisa and Lady Theresa Ezinwa. Under their tenure still in 2015, male students began to habit the hostel. Within their tenure also, and through the assistance of our superiors, four dilapidated hostels for the girls were renovated. From 2014-2016, three major projects were on: re-roofing of the one-story Junior Academic Block, renovation of the school science laboratory, and building a new one-storey block for Senior Students.
Under Lady Theresa Ezinwa and Fr. Michael Uchenna Idoko, the work at the senior block and school science laboratory was completed, water channels/gutters by the hostel area were constructed, a good number of refectory benches and tables were constructed, a new PTD assisted 584 feet borehole and 28,000 gallon iron reservoir tank was constructed, together with the introduction and commencement of 5-in-1 cultural dance from 2016-2018.
Under Lady Cornelia Ukamaka Okeke and Fr. Michael Idoko (2018-2019), efforts were made to intensify the student’s refectory culture by providing and monitoring the use of the refectory utensils; modern WC and urinary was constructed for the students’ use; Principal’s apartment was renovated and tiled, a second borehole-565 feet deep with mini overhead tank containing 10 pieces of 1,000 gallons was constructed. The journey of rebuilding has started; and is ongoing. A lot has been done; a lot is yet to be done.
With Fr. Vincent I. Nwanosike as manager and Lady Cornelia U. Okeke as Principal, the standardization agenda, as demanded by the Archbishop, Most Rev Valerian Maduka Okeke, has kicked off in earnest. This agenda is aimed at making Our Lady’s Secondary School a home for holistic formation and the best in Sub-Saharan Africa. There is now a new Master Plan bearing the new face of Our Lady’s. The execution of this project had also kicked off with intense human and academic formation. Structurally, the new security house is completed, while the dilapidated Principal’s and coppers’ lodges as well as the boys’ hostel and the senior academic block were extensively renovated.
The joy of Our Lady’s is that our students have imbibed the discipline it takes to achieve a balanced personality in terms of academic excellence and sound character. The hope and prayer of Our Lady’s is that the old student body (Old Boys and Girls) will one day be too formidable as an association and be prosperous enough to give and support their Alma Mater.