The present administration of Atani Welfare Union World Wide ably led by Mazi Barr Sir Kenneth Okwuobasi Ogbonna KSC JP has fulfilled his promise to give Atani Community a Secondary School. It should be recalled that during the campaign tour of branches, he promised to champion the establishment of a government owned secondary school in the course of his administration.
According to him, “Atani was one of the villages if not the only village in Aro that does not have a secondary school in Arochukwu .
On assumption of office as PG of Atani Welfare Union, he went swung action and set up a committee headed by the 1st Vice President General, Mazi Oba Nnaemela and made up of Mazi Jombo Ajunwa; Mazi Nnamdi Elekwa (Ikemba Atani); Mazi Kelechi Oji ; Mazi Enyinnaya Harbour and Mrs Stella Obialo to drive home this vision of his.
On the 29th day of August, 2024, a team of officials from the Ministry of Education Umuahia came on an inspection visit to the proposed site. The Inspection team was very impressed with what they saw on ground that they did not waste time in granting approval to the application by Atani Community through the Welfare Union and approved the commencement of the school from the 2024/25 academic session.
The pioneer principal is Mrs Ngozi Nnanna Kanu The Ministry also posted two other teachers who are today being complemented by twelve other teachers ( PTA Teachers) employed and being paid by Atani Welfare Union World Wide.
Atani Community Secondary School is no doubt the fastest growing secondary school in Arochukwu Local Government Area if not Abia State and the school barely two months old has about one hundred and forty students in JSS 1,2 and 3.
The Welfare Union has sown and distributed free of charge School uniforms to 100 students and is making efforts to take care of the remaining 40 students soonest.
In an interview session with our correspondent, The President General of Atani Welfare Union World Wide Mazi Barr Kenneth Okwuobasi Ogbonna KSC JP expressed joy that at the development. He made known that this has one of his visions and that he gave it his all. In his exact words, he stated, “I am elated; I am excited and I thank God Almighty for making this dream come true. I appreciate the Eze Ogo Atani, Mazi Charles Kanu Okoro and Atani Cabinet for the support and encouragement; I thank the Committee lead by My VP 1 for driving the vision; I thank Umu Atani for the tremendous support so far.”
On the challenges facing the School, the PG has this to say: “The school like every new school is grappling with a lot of challenges. The school is operating in two sets of classroom blocks at Atani Primary School site and therefore need accommodation. They also need desks for the students, books for the library and equipment’s for the laboratory; chairs and tables for the teachers, furnishing of the staffroom and the Administrative block housing the Principal and Vice Principal’s office amongst other pressing needs.
We are therefore appealing to public spirit Umu Atani and Aro, The Arochukwu Education Committee and the Local and State Government to come to the aid of the new upcoming secondary School.
