It was indeed an emotion-laden reunion for many of the dignitaries who graced the grand ball. Many battled valiantly not to betray emotions as they heartily shook hands, hugged and exchanged banters.

They recalled events that happened, during their days in school, when the today's men were youngsters then. Some of the events they recalled that evening played out when many of them were oblivious of what fate and the future held in stock for them.

The event was the 60th anniversary of the Anwar-ul-Islam College, Agege, held at Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos. They have all become celebrated personalities in their chosen fields owing to the success of the training they have received as students of the college.

Beyond merrymaking, the 60th anniversary was also meant for the launching of a N250 million Endowment Fund for their Alma Mater.

Anwar-ul-Islam College, Agege, Lagos, holds the enviable record of being the oldest secondary school founded by an Islamic association.

The college was founded in 1948 by the Ahmadiyah Muslim Mission in Africa, becoming the first Muslim secondary school in the whole of West Africa; with the motto: Aut Optimum Aut Nihil, meaning "either the best or nothing."

The school was founded at a time that the population of Muslim students in secondary school was unimpressive, partly because of the indigent background of many promising youngsters but enrollment was not limited to Muslim students as its long list of Christian ex-students reveals.

However, the school, it was gathered battled many daunting challenges over the years before attaining the enviable heights it attained during its glorious days. One of them was lack of Mathematics teacher and it got to a stage that the school authorities had to approach the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) office for a Mathematics teacher.

Expectedly, WAEC sent a Mathematics teacher to the school but it turned out that the young Monsur Kenku, a student in the school, was more gifted in the subject than the teacher, whom WAEC sent to the school.

"We told the teacher to stop coming to teach us because he didn't know much. So Kenku started teaching us. These were some of the challenges we had then," recalled Adamson who retired from the academia as acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB) Ogun State.

The school went on to produce top personalities, which include Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, the Kekere-Ekun siblings, Dapo Sarumi, Musiliu Obanikoro, Femi Pedro among many others. A good number of other products of the school are leading lights in their chosen careers.

However, nothing on the campus of the school that can match the history that has played out within its four walls.

Before the well-attended dinner, ex-students undertook a historic procession/match past. The procession took off from the school's initial site at Olushi Street, Lagos Island and terminated at the Anwar-ul-Islam Central Mosque, at Ojo Giwa Street, also on Lagos Island, Lagos. There, a special cum symbolic Jumat prayer service was held to kick off the weeklong celebration.

The old boys had earlier listed some of their interventionist plans revealing that members of ACAOSA were more than ever before resolved to pull resources together and return the school to its erstwhile days of glory. They stated that they were determined to ensure that the school takes its deserved pride of place among peers in the educational sector.

The Gala Night at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Ikoyi, lived up to expectation as it was well attended by distinguished ex-students of the school, attendees matched their verbal resolve to return the school to the path of glory with concrete commitments.

Many ex-students of the school received awards as good ambassadors of the school and for being pillars of support to the school over the years. Among them were former Communications Minister, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd) and Femi Pedro, former Deputy Governor, Lagos.