By Julius Nsikak
Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, one of Nigeria’s oldest and most respected secondary schools, is today wrestling with severe infrastructural decay that has left many of its classrooms unfit for effective learning. Several blocks lack ceilings, roofs are visibly damaged, windows are broken or missing, and lockers long condemned remain in use, a condition that alumni say has persisted for decades..
The deteriorating state of the school came under renewed scrutiny during the January environmental sanitation exercise in Oron Local Government Area, when the Ibom Ratel Movement publicly called for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the institution, located on College Road, Oron.
Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, is situated a short walking distance from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, a major federal educational institution, underscoring the school’s strategic location within an established academic environment in the local government area.
A Century of Legacy under Threat
Founded on September 18, 1905, by Reverend Nathaniel Boocock as the Oron Training Institute, the school was established by the Primitive Methodist Church to train young boys as teachers and ministers, laying the foundation for leadership and formal education in the region.
As of January 31, 2026, the day the call for rehabilitation was made, Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron was exactly 120 years, four months, and 13 days old..
By 1910, the institution had reached full enrolment and later produced some of the earliest Oron indigenes to pursue higher education abroad during the 1930s and 1940s. As the second-oldest secondary school in Eastern Nigeria, it occupies a significant place in the educational history of Akwa Ibom State.
From Missionary Control to Government Ownership
For many decades, Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, operated under the management of the Methodist Church.
The first time Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron was taken over by the government was in 1975, during the post-civil war era when the government took over management of most mission schools. The school was later returned to the Methodist Church.
In 2022, following sustained advocacy by the Old Boys’ Association, the Akwa Ibom State Government assumed control of the school. Despite a recent increase in the student population, stakeholders argue that infrastructure development has not kept pace with the school’s growth.
Over more than a century, the school has produced a distinguished array of leaders, scholars, jurists, public servants and professionals whose contributions have shaped national life across governance, religion, academia, diplomacy and sports.
Among its most prominent alumni is Chief Dr Clement Isong, the first Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and former Governor of the old Cross River State. The school also produced His Eminence Dr Sunday Mbang, the first Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, as well as Prof Eskor Toyo, a renowned Professor of Political Economy, labour activist and Marxist scholar of international repute.
The institution’s influence is equally evident in Nigeria’s judiciary and legislature. Justice John Inyang Okoro, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is an alumnus, alongside former senators Bassey Ewa-Henshaw and Nelson Effiong. In the anti-corruption sector, Barrister Ekpo Una Owo Nta, former Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), also passed through MBHS, Oron.
MBHS alumni have served Nigeria on the global stage, including Ambassador Umo Uweh Akan, a trailblazing Nigerian diplomat to Russia (Class of 1966). The school has also produced leaders in defence, academia and sports, such as Rear Admiral George Eyo (Rtd) of the Nigerian Navy, former Super Eagles footballer Etim Esin, Prof Peter Esuh, Nigeria’s first Professor of Marketing Communication and Rhetoric, and Prof U. K. Enyenighi, former Director of the Institute of Oceanography at the University of Calabar.
Beyond its male alumni, the school’s Higher School Certificate programme produced outstanding women, often referred to as the “Old Boys in Skirt.”
Notable among them are Mrs Edu Anwana Esin, the first female student of the school and the first female Chartered Accountant from Oro Nation; Barrister Atim Ekpo, former Solicitor-General of Akwa Ibom State; Deaconess (Mrs) Ubong Edet Bassey, the school’s first female principal; and Obonganwan Patricia E. Essien Obot, former Vice President of the MBHS Old Boys Association.
Ibom Ratel Movement Sounds the Alarm
Speaking on the condition of the school’s facilities, the Oron Local Government Area coordinator of the Ibom Ratel Movement, Mr Godwin Martin, expressed deep concern over the physical state of the school, describing it as inconsistent with the school’s historical status, even as it continues to function as a boarding school.
He explained that the Ibom Ratel Movement’s advocacy is aimed at drawing attention to public institutions requiring urgent intervention, particularly those that have made long-standing contributions to education and community development.
For the avoidance of doubt, Martin clarified that the Ibom Ratel Movement, part of the global Ratel Movement founded by Mr Martin Vincent, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, seeks to promote development across the nation and call for accountability where it is needed.
He described Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, as one of the oldest educational establishments in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, noting that it has produced numerous prominent leaders and distinguished individuals across the globe. The school, he added, was among institutions established in the same early missionary era like Etinan Institute, Etinan, and Hope Waddel Training Institution in Calabar.
Martin highlighted the many dilapidated classrooms, citing how an Oro son once single-handedly built a hall for the school. He called on the government and respected individuals at all levels to take significant action to restore the school to the standard it truly deserves.
He also pointed out that lockers are seriously damaged and teachers are few, noting that this is partly due to the distance some teachers must travel to reach the school. He said, “Sometimes teachers are few in institutions like this because of the distance from their homes. For example, a teacher may commute from Etinan Local Government Area to teach in Oron. It is therefore necessary to employ more indigenes or residents from nearby areas who are qualified, ensuring consistent attendance and stability.”
Detailing the school’s transition from Methodist Church ownership to government property, Martin highlighted key areas requiring intervention. These include the employment of more professional and capable staff, with preference given to indigenes, thorough renovation of classroom blocks including replacement of ceilings, provision of a conducive learning environment, and improvement of water facilities to prevent contamination and the spread of water-borne diseases.
Emphasising the issue of seating, he noted that most students in schools across Oron are forced to sit on the bare ground to attend lessons, particularly in primary schools, and stressed that attention must be given to this issue.
On behalf of the movement, Mr Martin assured that lockers would soon be donated to Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, to ensure that students are comfortable and provided with the safety they require.
Alumni Voices: ‘Nothing has Changed’
Adding his voice, Mr Daniel Effiong, an Oron indigene, commended the Ibom Ratel Movement for drawing attention to the deteriorating state of public infrastructure in the area, particularly Methodist Boys’ High School (MBHS), Oron.
Speaking on the condition of the historic institution, Effiong noted that MBHS is one of the oldest schools in the country, with roots dating back to the early 19th century. He lamented that the current state of the classrooms, hostels and other critical infrastructure reflects years of neglect.
According to him, most of the buildings are in advanced stages of dilapidation, prompting appeals to governments at all levels for urgent intervention.
“With the look of things, classrooms and blocks, including other infrastructure, are seriously dilapidated. We are pleading with governments at all levels to come to the aid of this school,” Effiong said, adding that many prominent political actors and influential figures in Akwa Ibom State and across Nigeria are products of the institution.
He further expressed concern over the safety and welfare of students and staff, particularly during the rainy season. “Everything is old and in need of thorough renovation in all aspects. Roofs are gone, and I wonder how students and teachers cope during the rains, if not that they are paying the price for failed infrastructure and poor maintenance,” he stated.
Alumni of the school also did not hide their displeasure. Mr Michael Okpong, an old boy who left MBHS in 1998 and a member of the Ibom Ratel Movement, said a comparison between his time in school and the present reality shows little or no improvement. He observed that although some blocks were constructed after he graduated, the general condition of the school has deteriorated further.
He described the situation as worse than what obtained during his student days, stressing the urgent need for upgrades classrooms, roofing and general maintenance. “We truly expected better for a school founded by missionaries and now owned by the Akwa Ibom State Government,” Okpong said.
According to him, government takeover of the school has not translated into meaningful infrastructural development. “Since the government took over, nothing substantial has been done. If it has been possible to upgrade some government-owned primary schools, it is expedient to do the same, if not more for a secondary school of this calibre, to keep it up to standard and worthy of Akwa Ibom State’s status as an oil-producing state, as well as Oron Local Government Area,” he added.
Similarly, another alumnus from the Class of 2003, Mr Joseph Ikpe, reiterated that there have been no visible improvements in the school’s infrastructure over the years. He maintained that virtually all the facilities within the school are in poor condition and called for immediate action.
Ikpe reminded the authorities that MBHS, founded in 1905, is not only one of Oron’s oldest schools but also among the oldest educational institutions in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria. He urged the government to recognise the school’s historical and educational significance.
He specifically called on the administration of Governor Umo Eno to align action with policy. “The government of Pastor Umo Eno should implement its educational development goals in line with the ARISE Agenda’s blueprint and priorities,” Ikpe said.
Education Funding and the Cost of Neglect
The context of these appeals can be understood against the backdrop of the 2026 Akwa Ibom State budget, which was presented with a total size of ₦1.39 trillion as “The People’s Budget of Expansion and Growth”. Of this, ₦31.6 billion was earmarked for the education sector, part of a capital-focused structure that gives 75 percent of the budget to capital expenditures and 25 percent to recurrent spending. That allocation, roughly 2.3 percent of the total state budget, has drawn sharp criticism from civil society and political commentators who argue that it falls well below the UNESCO benchmark of 15–20 percent of public spending recommended for education investment.
Critics contend that for legacy schools such as MBHS, which require urgent rehabilitation, the current slice of funds may be insufficient to meet pressing infrastructure deficits.
Public analyst, Dr. Essien Inyangette, says the strategy of prioritising capital expenditure overall is sound if it is directed to high-impact, visible works that benefit communities; however, he stressed that meaningful improvements in school infrastructure would require a larger and more targeted education budget, especially for long-neglected institutions.
With the state government advocating its ARISE Agenda as the guiding policy framework, concerned citizens insist that meeting international education funding benchmarks would signal genuine commitment to human capital development.
Education advocate, Dr. Daniel Umoh, further argued that closing the gap between policy and budgetary reality will be critical if schools such as Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, are to be transformed from symbols of heritage to centres of academic excellence befitting the state’s aspirations.
In the end, Methodist Boys’ High School, Oron, has become a mirror of the state’s education priorities. As budgets grow and policies multiply, analysts and concerned citizens say real commitment will be measured, not by promises but by the restoration of institutions that once defined academic excellence. Until action follows words, the school’s decaying structures will remain a silent indictment, and a call for urgent intervention.
This report was first published on 10th February 2026 in TheMail Newspaper.
