Eko Boys High School

Eko Boys High School Lagos was founded 13 January 1913 by Rev. William Benjamin Euba, a teacher and master of religion at the Methodist Boys High School, Lagos. He was the former principal of Methodist Boys High School, Lagos, for seventeen years before establishing Eko Boys High School. It was with a desire to establish an African Institution that would provide educational opportunities for the less privilege citizens of Lagos that Rev. Euba established this school. The school started with 28 students at 30 Broad Street, Lagos, next building to St. George’s Hall, Lagos, opposite the Methodist Boys High School. After a few months, the number of students have increased so considerably that the premises could not accommodate them. A new premises had to be sought for. Rev. Euba succeeded in obtaining a new premises at Oil Mill street Lagos, the school moved to the new site the same year on October 14, 1913. This new site was to be occupied by the buildings of Baptist Academy. Among the students then were late Magistrate Adebiyi Desalu and Francis Euba, Orlando Martins, E.A Ewedemi, A.B. Soares, J.S Mc Gregor and Lawson of Salvation Army. In another 10 years the school was progressing both in the fields of education, sports and religion. When the lease of the property expired in June 1924, the landlord was not willing to renew it, and the principal was faced with the problem of where to relocate the school. With friends and some important people gathering heads together, knowing the school cannot be run on commercial basis, some estate agents were approached but no encouraging results were forthcoming. But when the principal was on the verge of total frustration, he saw the beckoning hands of Late Joseph Henryson Doherty, ace merchant of Alakoro who offered to the principal a plot of land at the junction of Andrew and Ricca streets in okepopo, Lagos. The principal quickly put up a temporary building of corrugated iron sheets to house the students. on the morning of July 21, 1924 the school moved from Oil Mills street to Ricca Street. In appreciation of the kindness and the financial help, the school therefore named one of the school houses Henryson House. The founder Rev. Euba retired shortly after the registration of teachers started on the occasion of his birthday celebration on August 23, 1927, when he was 70 years old. He announced at the close of the occasion organized by the school, his retirement from all the activities of the school and handed over all the future management in the hands of Mr. Obadiah Edwards Roberts who he had much pleasure in appointing the principal of the school. The education officer, in his special report which was made after the school had moved to Ricca on 10 August 1928 said “The school is held in two rugged constructed corrugated iron building. Screens are provided between all classrooms and there is a general atmosphere of intelligent organization which is seldom found in non-assisted schools” On October 8, 1931 the founder practically handed over to Mr. O.E Roberts absolutely the proprietorship of the school in a declaration that run thus “I William Benjamin Euba, founder and proprietor of Eko Boys High School, Lagos hereby decide to assign all and singular my interest in the said school to my assistant Mr. Obadiah Edward Roberts the present principal of the school, absolutely in consideration of his services to the school and pecuniary expenses incurred by him on behalf of the school and otherwise to the intent that henceforth the said Obadiah Edward Roberts shall enjoy the whole and full benefits and advantage of the said school and the future profits thereof as fully as I have done hitherto. And Mr. O.E. Roberts shall use his best endeavour to maintain as he has done in the past the reputation of the said school”

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