Christ the King College, Onitsha explained

Christ the King College, Onitsha
Former Name:Heerey High School
(1973-1976)
Motto:Bonitas, Disciplina, Scientia (Latin)
Goodness, Discipline, Knowledge
Type:Private Non-profit All-boys secondary education institution
Established:2 February 1933
City:Oguta Road, Onitsha
State:Anambra
Country:Nigeria
Coordinates:6.1428°N 6.7909°W
Religious Affiliation:Roman Catholic
Founder:Archbishop Charles Heerey
Headteacher:Celestine Arinze Okafor
Students:2,597
Colours:Royal Blue and White
Website:http://www.ckconitsha.com/

Christ the King College, Onitsha (CKC), popularly known as CKC Onitsha, or Amaka Boys, is a Catholic all-boys secondary school in Onitsha, Nigeria. It is ranked the top-ranked high school in Nigeria and 36th in the top 100 best high schools in Africa as of February 2014.

CKC was founded on February 2, 1933, by the late Archbishop Charles Heerey, CsSp, along with Fredrick Akpali Modebe and his wife Margret, who (like in the other schools they founded) not only provided the land, but also built the first administration block and the first hostel accommodation. Heerey remained the proprietor of the school until his death in the spring of 1967.

The chief mission of the school is to develop indigenous manpower and leadership skills from the vast pool of Nigerian youths and in a Catholic tradition and environment. The first principal of the college was Fr Leo Brolly.[1]

History

CKC was affected adversely by the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). Most of its infrastructure was destroyed. The school was taken over by the East Central State Government in 1973 and renamed "Heerey High School", after its founder. However, following representations by its alumni, the school's name was changed back to its original name, "Christ The King College (CKC)" in 1976, and the pre-war first indigenous principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Tagbo, was also brought back that year to reorganize, rebuild, and re-energize the school. CKC was finally returned to the Catholic Mission by the state government on 1 January 2009.[2]

The school

CKC is located on Oguta Road in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Its motto is Bonitas, Disciplina, Scientia (Latin) (Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge). As of February 2014, the school is currently ranked the number 1 (the best) high school in Nigeria, and 36th in the top 100 best secondary schools in Africa.[3] The school's colours are White and Royal Blue. The college has active alumni associations in Nigeria (Abuja, Benin-City, Enugu, Lagos, Onitsha, Owerri, and Port-Harcourt), and in the United States ("Christ the King College Onitsha Alumni Association USA").

School population

Throughout the years prior to the civil war, the school's population was pegged at 600 to ensure appropriate student/teacher ratio and high-quality education. After the civil war, in the 1970s, the student population ballooned to over 4,000. However, following years of reorganization, the school's student population is now 2,597, split between (Grades 7- 12); Junior Secondary School (1,350) and Senior Secondary School(1,247).[4]

Sporting and extra-curricular activities

The school plays association football, track and field athletics, handball, hockey and lawn tennis. Its football (soccer) team won the World Secondary School Championship in Dublin, Ireland in 1977.[5]

Houses

The dormitories are classified as school houses for administration, management and sports competition purposes. The current houses are: Tagbo, Brolly, Azikiwe, Heerey, Okagbue, Modebe, Arinze, Aniogu, Mbanefo, Orjiakor, Allagoa, Butler, and Flanagan.

The pre-civil war Houses were: St. Charles, St. Gabriel, St Williams, St Michael's, and St. Joseph.

School publications

List of principals

Source: Honor Roll of CKC Principals, 1993–2011[9]

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fr. Leo Brolly Founder of the TransCanada Province. June 1993. Spiritan Missionary News. 16 February 2012. Fr Leo, in those early years, was mostly associated with Nigerian-Catholic education. He laid the foundation of Christ the King College, Onitsha, still one of the finest high schools in Nigeria. He was principal there until 1939 when he became pastor at Ahiara..
  2. Web site: allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Anambra Returns 18 Mission Schools. Ujumadu. Vincent. 2 January 2009. AllAfrica.com. 16 February 2012. ANAMBRA State government has returned 18 secondary schools originally built by Churches to them as part of the state government's determination to strengthen its partnership with non-governmental organizations..
  3. Web site: 100 Best Secondary schools in Africa. 11 January 2012. African Views. 16 February 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130728161548/http://www.africanviews.org/pundits/2012/01/11/100-best-secondary-schools-in-africa/. 28 July 2013. dead.
  4. Web site: 2011 STATE OF SCHOOL REPORT BY REV FR. DR. CHARLES OKWUMUO PRINCIPAL/MANAGER. Christ the King College, Onitsha. 2. 22 February 2012. At present, the students' population of C K C stands at two thousand five hundred and ninety seven (2,597). A breakdown of this figure shows that the population of Junior Secondary (JSS 1-3) is one thousand, three hundred and fifty (1,350) while that of Senior Secondary (SSI-3) is one thousand two hundred and forty seven (1,247). Out of total population of 2,597 students, 2079 are day students while 518 are boarders. The figure for boarders does not include 15 students who are special (Blind) students.. 13 February 2011. 4 February 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150204134725/http://ckconitshausa.net/uploads/2011_STATE_OF_THE_SCHOOL_REPORT.pdf. dead.
  5. High School Football team. 10.31096/wua033-pls90b069.
  6. July 2011. The Amaka Gazette: A Journal of CKC-AAA, Inc.. Christ the King College Onitsha Alumni Association In America.. 12. July 2011. 22 February 2012. 4 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120704043656/http://ckconitshausa.net/uploads/2011_Amaka_Gazette__Huntington_NY.pdf. dead.
  7. 2011. AMAKA'S VOICE. 5. October–December 2011. 22 February 2012. 4 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120704042940/http://ckconitshausa.net/uploads/Amaka_s_Voice_-_CKC-AAA_News_Letter_Vol._5.pdf. dead.
  8. Web site: Father Tagbo: A Profile In Service And Leadership. C.K.C. Alumni Notes. Christ the King College, Onitsha. 23 February 2012. Rev. Fr. Nicholas Chukwuemeka Tagbo, (a.k.a. Onye Isi), clergy, educationist, administrator, poet, and mentor, is an eminent alumnus of Christ the King College Onitsha, and a member of the CKC Class of ’49.. 14 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140814223849/http://www.ckconitshausa.net/uploads/Web_-_Fr_Tagbo_-_Alumini_Notes_NC_Tagbo_Revised.pdf. dead.
  9. July 2011. HONOR ROLL CKC PRINCIPALS 1933 to 2011. The Amaka Gazette. Christ the King College, Onitsha. 12. 31. 23 February 2012. 4 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120704043656/http://ckconitshausa.net/uploads/2011_Amaka_Gazette__Huntington_NY.pdf. dead.
  10. Web site: Newswatch Magazine - In the News. Adah. Augustine. 30 May 2011. Newswatch Publications. 23 February 2012. Olisa Agbakoba, lawyer, former president of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, and human rights activist, 58, May 29.
  11. Web site: Book Review: The Great Judge: Justice A. N. Aniagolu - Biography of Hon. Sir Justice Anthony Nnaemezie Aniagolu. KWENU. 18 February 2012. In another breath, old boys of Government College Umuahia and Christ the King College, Onitsha will be thrilled to bits for different reasons about brief records of their World War II campuses. In fact, there will one day be a debate on who really produced Justice Aniagolu: "Amaka Boys" (CKC) or "Shining Ones" (GCU). I have the answer, but I do not intend to preempt the debate!. https://web.archive.org/web/20111124092824/http://www.kwenu.com/bookreview/moe/2009/aniagolu_the_great_judge.htm. 24 November 2011. dead.
  12. Web site: The Supreme Court And the Nigeria's Election Industry….. Okocha. Emma. 22 December 2009. 20 February 2012. We shall end this sad piece, as we borrow from Justice Chike-Idigbe, the cerebral former Justice of the Supreme Court. Â A legal luminary who made an Upper Class Honors Degree in Law, at King's College, London, in 1946. The first Nigerian to win the English Campbell Forster Prize for the best Paper in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure..
  13. Web site: Governor Peter Onwubuasi Obi. Who's Who Profile. Africa Confidential. 18 February 2012. Challenged Chris Ngige’s election as Governor of Anambra State, 2003; legal battles with Ngige, 2003-06; Governor, Anambra State, March 2006-November 06; impeached, November 2006; re-instated as Governor to finish original four-year tenure, June 2007..
  14. Web site: Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha. Nigeria. Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha. 18 February 2012. Secondary Education: Christ the King College, Onitsha (1967). His education was interrupted by a civil war in Nigeria (1967–1970). Through the inspiration of then Mons. Emmanuel Otteh (now Bishop of Issele-Uku) he became interested in becoming a Priest.. https://web.archive.org/web/20120620214257/http://www.onitsha-archdiocese.org/archbishop.html. 20 June 2012. dead.
  15. Web site: Vision and Policy in Nigerian Economics: The Legacy of Pius Okigbo . Mbanefo . Arthur C I . Part 1, Memoirs and Tributes . 3 . 18 February 2012 . 8–9 June 2001 . Pius had laid a very good foundation for his higher education at Christ The King College, Onitsha where he had a most brilliant academic career . https://web.archive.org/web/20140205232233/http://www.northwestern.edu/african-studies/docs/Working%20paper%2010.pdf . 5 February 2014 . dead .
  16. Web site: Justice Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa, an eminent jurist @ 86. amgboye. Adelanwa. 5 October 2010. Daily Trust. 24 March 2012. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, was named Chairman of the Human rights violations investigation commission (more popularly known as the Oputa panel) to investigate abuses during 15 years of military rule, which ended when President Obasanjo took office as elected president on 29 May 1999.. 17 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111117114713/http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3890:justice-chukwudifu-akunne-oputa-an-eminent-jurist--86&catid=11:law-pages&Itemid=18. dead.
  17. Web site: Mr Patrick Utomi. Who's Who Profile. Africa Confidential. 18 February 2012.
  18. Web site: Admin. 2016-11-09. ALLAGOA. (HRH) Justice Ambrose Ezeolisa. 2020-10-08. Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. en-US.
  19. Web site: CKC Onitsha Sends-Forth The 231 Strong Graduating Class Of 2016. 2020-10-08. Nigerian Voice.

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