The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, and other prominent alumni of Nigeria’s Federal Unity Colleges have urged the Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) to take the lead in restoring educational standards and strengthening national integration.

They made the call on Saturday at the association’s 50th Anniversary Plenary and Annual General Meeting in Abuja, held under the theme, “Over 60 Years of Unity Schools: Preserving National Unity and Reimagining Education for Nigeria’s Future.”

Musa, represented by Major General Garba Abdullahi, described USOSA as a strategic national asset whose members could contribute significantly to Nigeria’s peace, stability and development.

He noted that the Unity Schools had, for more than six decades, brought together young Nigerians from different ethnic, religious and geographical backgrounds, helping them develop relationships that transcend regional differences.

The minister said the experience of studying alongside people from diverse backgrounds demonstrated how education could strengthen national cohesion and counter divisive tendencies.

He, however, cautioned that the country could not rely solely on the achievements of previous generations, stressing that national security was closely connected to human capital development and the quality of education available to young people.

Musa challenged USOSA to promote national unity, support institutional innovation and establish sustainable endowment funds to finance and maintain laboratories, libraries, hostels and other essential facilities in the colleges. He said such initiatives could reduce the institutions’ dependence on limited government funding.

The President-General of USOSA, Michael Magaji, said the association’s anniversary offered an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and strengthen its contribution to Nigeria’s education sector.

Magaji, whose tenure was approaching its conclusion, thanked members, former leaders, volunteers and partners for helping build the association into a national network of alumni, including an increasingly active diaspora community.

He urged members to become more involved in education governance and national development, arguing that their experiences and professional positions placed them in a strong position to contribute to public service.

He also disclosed that USOSA had partnered with BudgIT, a civic organisation focused on public finance and budget transparency, to monitor expenditure and promote accountability in Federal Unity Colleges.

Magaji said the association’s impact should ultimately be measured by improvements in the lives of its members and the schools they attended.

The keynote speaker, George Uriesi, Managing Director of Ibom Air, called on the association to take responsibility for restoring the academic standards and boarding-school experience that once distinguished the Unity Colleges.

Uriesi recalled that the schools were established to expose young Nigerians to the country’s cultural and regional diversity at an early age, enabling them to build friendships and understand people from different backgrounds.

He expressed concern that overcrowding, changing student populations and deteriorating educational environments had weakened the standards of the institutions.

According to him, the decline had also raised concerns among alumni who wanted their children to benefit from the same educational experience they had received.

Uriesi urged USOSA to develop a long-term strategy for restoring standards across all Unity Schools rather than concentrating on individual colleges. He said the association should establish measurable goals to ensure that future generations received quality education and meaningful exposure to Nigeria’s diversity.

The Unity Schools were established to promote national integration by bringing together students from different parts of Nigeria. Stakeholders at the meeting maintained that restoring their standards would require sustained collaboration among alumni, government authorities and other partners.