The President-General of the Association, Mr Leonard Ugwu, made the appeal while speaking to newsmen on Sunday in Enugu on the need to return academic excellence to the school.

Ugwu noted that the government needed to assist the school and its old boys in restoring public water supply, electricity as well as refurbishing some staff quarters and hostel facilities.

“We are also having some security issues especially where unscrupulous elements use the school as a thoroughfare while engaging in all sorts of unholy acts in the premises of the school,’’ he said.

He noted that the association had recently  rehabilitated two hostels in the school, lamenting that “”during my days in the school it was fully boarding, but today there is no single boarding student.”

Ugwu said the association, which had  illustrious men in sub-sets and branches in major cities in the country and abroad, had decided to pay-back to the society by seeing that their alma mater returned to its former glory.

“”Since February 2017, when my executive of the association took over, we have been able to mobilise our old boys within and outside the country to reposition the school for greatness once more.

“”We have built a perimeter fence, rehabilitated administrative and laboratory blocks, some dilapidated classrooms and built new toilets and renovated old toilets while doing extensive plumbing work to reticulate waters in these toilet facilities.

“”Presently, we are building a modern institution gate and its facilities such as CCTV, conveniences attached to it to ensure we secure the school properly,’’ he said.

He said the 1991 set of the association for three years running had been holding educational and mentorship workshops for students, teachers and parents.

“These workshops had led to “tremendous reawakening in academic performance.

“”We must thank the Post-Primary School Management Board (PPSMB) for assisting in bringing up the academic standard of the state and for the first time in decades, the school came first in a statewide essay competition in 2018.

“”Before 2017 only about 20 students took their terminal WAEC and NECO exams in the school.

“But presently, we have over 150 students doing their WAEC exams. This shows restoration of confidence in the school,’’ he said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the school, established in 1958 and had its first graduates in 1964, had produced notable national names in sports such as C.O.C. Chiedozie, Christian Chukwu, Jay-jay Okocha, Innocent Egbunike etc.

Other illustrious sons of the school included: King Jaja of Opobo and Chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Dandison Jaja; Chief Chinedu Ani, proprietor of Coal City University, Enugu.

Others are Messrs Ben and Emeka Etiaba and other great professionals within and outside the country.