Christ the King College, Onitsha

Christ the King College, Onitsha

Christ the King College, Onitsha (CKC), popularly known as CKC Onitsha, or Amaka Boys, is an all-boys secondary school in Onitsha, Nigeria. It is ranked the number 1 (the best) high school in Nigeria and 36th in the top 100 best high schools in Africa as of February 2014 when Peter Obi was governor of the state. It was founded on February 2, 1933, by the late Archbishop Charles Heerey, CSSp, and his fellow Irish missionaries. Bishop Heerey remained the proprietor of the school until his death in the spring of 1967. The chief mission of the school is to develop indigenous manpower and leadership skills from the vast pool of Igbo youths and in a Roman Catholic tradition and environment. The first principal of the college was Rev Fr. Leo Brolly and the first student to be admitted into the college was Peter Charles Obi Nwagbogu

CKC was affected adversely by the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970). Most of its infrastructure was destroyed.The school was taken over by the East Central State Government in 1973 and renamed “Heerey High School”,after its founder. However, following representations by its alumni, the school’s name was changed back to its original name, “Christ The King College (CKC)” in 1976, and the pre-war first indigenous principal of the school, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Tagbo, was also brought back that year to reorganize, rebuild, and re-energize the school. CKC was finally returned to the Catholic Mission by the state government lead by governor Peter Obi on 1 January 2009.

CKC is located on Oguta Road in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Its motto is Bonitas, Disciplina, Scientia (Latin) (Goodness, Discipline, and Knowledge). The school’s colours are White and Royal Blue. The college has active alumni associations in Nigeria (Abuja, Benin-City, Enugu, Lagos, Onitsha, Owerri, and Port-Harcourt), and in the United States (“Christ the King College Onitsha Alumni Association USA”).

Throughout the years prior to the civil war, the school’s population was pegged at 600 to ensure appropriate student/teacher ratio and high-quality education. After the civil war, in the 1970s, the student population ballooned to over 4,000. However, following years of reorganization, the school’s student population is now 2,597, split between (Grades 7- 12); Junior Secondary School (1,350) and Senior Secondary School(1,247).

List of principals

1st Rev Fr. W.L. Brolly: 1933–1937
2nd Rev. Fr. M Flanagan: 1938–1941
3rd Rev. Fr J. Keane: 1942–1943
4th Rev. Fr. A. Callaghan: 1943
5th Rev. Fr. M. Flanagan: 1943–1948
6th Rev. Fr. M. Clifford: 1949–1953
7th Rev. Fr. W Butler: 1953–1954
8th Rev. Fr. J. Keane: 1955–1956
9th Rev. Fr. J. FitzPatrick: 1956–1963
10th Rev. Fr. N. C. Tagbo: 1963–1972 (First indigenous principal)
11th Chief A.A.O. Ezenwa: 1973–1974
12th Rev. H. Chiwuzie: 1974–1975
13th Mr. P. E. Ezeokeke: 1975–1976
14th Rev. Fr. N.C. Tagbo: 1976–1985[10][non-primary source needed]
15th Mr. M. N. Enemou: 1985–1987
16th Rev. Dr. V. A. Nwosu: 1987–1996
17th Mr. J.E. Chukwurah: 1996–1997
18th Mr. E. C. Umeh: 1997–2000
19th Chief N. E. Olisah: 2000–2008
20th Chief A. Obika: 2008–2009
21st Mr. E. Ezenduka: 2009–2010
22nd Rev. Fr. Charles Okwumuo: 2010–2019
23rd Rev. Fr. Dr. Celestine Arinze Okafor: 2019–present
Source: Honor Roll of CKC Principals, 1993–2011[11]

Notable alumni

1:Olisa Agbakoba (b 29 May 1953) lawyer, former president of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, and human rights activist.

2:Justice Anthony Aniagolu, justice of the supreme court of Nigeria and chairman of the 1988–89 Constituent Assembly

3:Justice Chukwunweike Idigbe, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria

4: mr Peter Obi (b 19 July 1961)former governor of Anambra State and labour party presidential candidate in 2023 election.

5:Archbishop Valerian M. Okeke (b 20 October 1953) Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Onitsha since 1 September 2003. Not current if he still there.

5:Dr. Pius N.C. Okigbo (6 February 1924 – 2000) economist from Ojoto

6:John Munonye (April 1929 – 10 May 1999), one of the most prolific Nigerian literary writers of the 20th century, and author of The Only Son (African Writers Series) among many others.

7:Justice Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa (b 22 September 1924) (retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria), former Chairman of the Human Rights Violation and Investigation Commission (popularly called Oputa Panel)

8:Prof. Patrick Utomi (b 6 February 1956) Founder Lagos Business School, African Democratic Congress presidential candidate (2007)

9: Dr. Peter Odili (15 August 1948) Former Executive Governor of Rivers State (1999-2007)

10;Ezeolisa Allagoa 1st Indigenous Chief Judge of Old Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Nembe

11:Mr Oseloka H. Obaze, (b 9 April 1955) Diplomat, politician and author.

12:Justice Peter N. C Umeadi, (b 4 July 1955), former Chief Judge of Anambra State. and APGA presidential candidate in 2023 election.

13: Willie Obiano. Immediate past Governor of Anambra state

14. Barrister Onyechi Ikpeazu

14:Arc. Frank Nwobuora MBANEFO, (1927-2015), Class of 1948, renown international Architect and one of the founding members of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, of which he later became a Fellow and National President. He helped set-up the science and geography lab in CKC in 1948 and was the science tutor, before heading to England in 1950 to study architecture. He was member of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and two-time Vice President – AFRICA of the CAA (Commonwealth Association of Architects) in 1963-1965, 1974-1977. He was an influential past national president of the CKC Alumni and worked closely with Principal Fr. Tagbo in improving CKC after the Biafran War.

Etc