To Rochas Foundation with Love from Celia Jarvis

Looking back, it is hard to remember my perceptions of Nigeria before I visited.  Like most people from the West I watched Sky News and probably associated that part of Africa with images of guns and tales of poverty set against a backdrop of corruption.

As a born and bred British citizen, stepping off that plane I was in for a huge shock...the people were friendly, the weather was warm, the food was delicious (I gained 10Ibs in three months) and my work colleagues quickly became like family to me.

Part of my role, while in Nigeria, was to visit the Rochas Foundation Colleges- a group of five schools situated in Ibadan, Kano, Ogboko, Owerri and Jos.  The colleges were founded by the current Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, at the beginning of the new millennium as a way of giving something back to his community.

Before meeting the pupils of the Rochas Foundation I had been briefed that many of them were orphans who had come from families where food was scarce and as a result the majority schooled during the day and then had to work all night at the local market.

 I was expecting to meet tired, sad children in need of a bit of comfort: once again, what I found was very different.

Pupils of the Rochas Foundation are bright, vivacious and outgoing. They know they have been blessed with brains and are determined to put them to good use. Having sat in on their lessons and spent hours with their teachers I can confirm that the curriculum offered is on par with any private school in the UK or the USA.

Aside from the key subjects of English, maths, science and geography there are lessons on economics, politics, drama, art and religious studies.  Extra-curricular activities consist of the debate team, dance and choir.  Not only do Rochas alumni sing, but they also produce their own music, write their own lyrics and choreograph the accompanying dance routines! I was in awe of their creative talent.

The five Rochas Foundation Colleges really are turning out the leaders of tomorrow, children who in years to come will be able to solve Nigeria’s problems and direct the country into a safe, stable and prosperous future.

Some say that Nigeria’s greatest resource is its oil, others argue that Nigeria’s future wealth lies in its minerals, but I disagree with both of them.  I believe that Nigeria’s greatest assets are the pupils of the Rochas Foundation who have the talent, the education and the determination to bring about lasting change for the future of their country.