By David J abati
Certain misguided mischief makers and social-media rebels were at it again. This time, they unfortunately directed their diatribes at the wrong sect – The Bo Government Secondary School and its envied Association, the Old Bo Boys Association (OBBA), all in the name of politics.
The video postings, on social media of the 2019 OBBA celebration, which include cross-country and other activities by certain impudent elements in our society at a time when the country is grappling to contain the novel Coronavirus, can only be described as a calculated ploy to taint the good image of the school and Association.
Those ill-advised social media users were only trying to convince readers and viewers of their postings that Bo School Boys are not complying with the measures proclaimed by the government in fighting the deadly COVID-19 or to appear as though OBBA is not a law abiding Association. That is far from the truth.
“Manners Maketh Man” is our school motto, and Bo School Boys know when and how to do what. One may have his or her misgivings about Bo School and OBBA, but the fact is that Bo School is and will ever remain to be a training ground for future leaders in every sphere of society. The typical Bo School Boy cannot behave in any disorderly fashion let alone celebrate at a time when the country is mourning.
We felt somewhat crestfallen for not celebrating this year’s OBBA. Like the President of OBBA, Dr. Alpha Tejan Wurie, said on a TV interview, this year’s celebration was going to offer an opportunity for the school to showcase its recent interventions and development and to continue preaching national cohesion, but not… The Coronavirus outbreak could not allow that to happen. Therefore, circulating those old video clips by detractors, purporting that we were in a celebrating mood during a government proclaimed State of Emergency and partial/inter-district lockdown, can only be seen as a mere provocation.
This piece is therefore designed or intended to put the records straight, because, as I write, there are people who still believe that we indeed celebrated this year’s OBBA, which is completely untrue and misleading.
Let me conclude this short piece by republishing the Public Notice issued by the National Executive of OBBA.
“The National Executive of OBBA is concerned about the viral circulation of an old video of OBBA members during the 2019 OBBA@90 Marathon event, which took place all over the country. This is totally fake and mischievous and not worth sharing.
The National Executive wants to make it clear that no such event took place during the current State of Emergency period. OBBA is an Association that respects the rule of law.
The Association is very disappointed about this unfortunate act to tarnish the image of the school and Association.
We encourage all our members to stay safe and law abiding.”