Indeed,“The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth.” ― Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus
Methodist Boys High school (MBHS) Lagos is a secondary school for boys in Lagos island, Lagos; located in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria which has proven an undeniable track record for excellence and raising great men.
With its establishment over a hundred and thirty six century ago, MBHS has maintained its reputation in delivering quality education and has historically raised over 30 notable Old Boys in Nigeria. Including the renowned Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe, First Governor General and President of Nigeria and Mr. F. B. Cardoso First Nigerian Accountant General of the Federation. It has repeatedly produced notable scholars and professional, who are movers and shakers of society in all spheres of human endeavour
Founded in 1878, it was the second secondary school established in Nigeria The leaders of the Methodist community, including Charles Joseph George, met in 1874 to discuss founding a secondary school for members of their communion as an alternative to the CMS Grammar School, Bariga Lagos. After a fund raising drive, construction of the building commenced and the Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos building was completed in June 1877.
On March 14, 1878 the new school was formally opened, with Rev. W. Terry Coppin as the first principal of the school. The first batch of students was taken in in April 1878. There were 12 names on the roll. Among the twelve boys was George Stone Smith, the first on the list and therefore the Senior Foundation Scholar. There were in addition to these twelve boys, six mission agents in training. By the end of the year the number on roll had increased to 23 boys and 7 agents and work had commenced in earnest. Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos thus became the second secondary school in Nigeria, after the CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos founded in 1859.
MBHS Lagos and CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos subsequently teamed up to provide take off students for Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos founded through collaboration of the Methodist Church Nigeria and the Anglican Communion in Nigeria, in 1932. And the motto of the school is
“Non Sibi Sed Aliis”
meaning “Not For Us, But For Other”
The current school hymn is Land of Our Birth,
Beyond the school motto, the school slang Dada o l’ogois popularly used for salutation among the current and old boys of the school. There is a long history about the slang of the school and it is still in use to date, spoken and whistled, in the school and among the old boys.
The uniform of the boys is made up of short for juniors and trousers for seniors, long sleeve shirt, school tie of blue, gold and maroon colours and a jacket, all of white colour. A maroon blazer is normally used for ceremonial events. The school has four houses into which the entire students’ population is distributed randomly for the purpose of annual inter house competition. The houses are Didsbury House, Handsworth House, Kingswood House and Westminster House. This was the cradle of great sportsmen who came out of the school. One of them is Mr. Sunday Oliseh who was at one time Captain of the Green Eagles, the senior national team, of Nigeria. The school won the Zard Cup for Secondary Schools in 1948 and the Principal’s Cup for Secondary Schools in Lagos State in 1961 among other laurels. Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos took off on Broad Street, Lagos and remained on the site for over 100 years. Subsequently, a 60 hectare parcel of land in Ojoo, Lagos Badagry Road, Lagos State, was allocated to the School by the Lagos State Government for the purpose of expansion and better suitability for learning. Though significant development was made on the new location towards the relocation of the School planned for 1982, the new location was eventually taken over by the Lagos
State Government and now serve as the permanent site of the Lagos State University.
In 1983, a new location of 5.7acres of parcel of land in Victoria Island, Lagos, was allocated to the school as a partial compensation for the Ojoo Site, Badagry, Lagos State, that was taken over by the Lagos State Government for the use of the Lagos State University. The School operates on the Victoria Island site. The Old Boys’ Association was established early enough to play a crucial role during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the School held in 1928. The first student on the list at take off of the school who was the Senior Foundation Scholar, George Stone Smith who later became Dr. Orishadipe Obasa, served as the first President of the Association. In appreciation of the qualitative education received from the school and to give back towards improved infrastructures for the current students, the Old Boys’Association built the Centenary Hall to mark the 100years of the school, built a Chapel, donated staff quarters and many more to live up to the school motto.
Principals of the School from 1878 till Date
Rev. W. Terry Coppin 1878 – 1883
Rev. George W. Baxter 1883 – 1884
Rev Edmund Tomlin 1884
Rev. M. J. Elliott 1885
Rev. J. H. Wellington 1886 – 1889
Rev. W. B. Euba 1889 – 1896
Rev. J. H. Samuel 1896 – 1902
Rev. W. B. Euba 1902 – 1912
Rev. A. W. Moulton Wood 1912 – 1918
Rev. H. W. Stacey 1919 – 1927
Rev. J. A. Angus 1927 – 1932
Mr. J. T. Jackson 1932 – 1943
Rev. W. Roberts 1943 – 1946
Mr. A. B. Oyediran (Old Boy) 1947 – 1955
Rev. S. A. Osinulu 1956 – 1962
Mr. D. A. Famoroti 1963 – 1978
Mr. O. O. Soewu (Old Boy) 1980 – 1981 and 2004 -2005
Chief. A. A. Osuneye (Old Boy) 1981-1989
Mr. E. F. Olukunle (Old Boy) 1990 – 1994
Prince. S. O. Saibu 1995 – 2001
Mr. Ademola Johnson (Old Boy) 2001 – 2004
Rev. S. A. Ogunniyi 2005 – 2007
Mr. J. A. Oyegbile (Acting) 2007 – 2008
The Rev Samuel O. Osinubi 2008 – 2009
Mr. F. F. Akinsete (Acting) – 2009
The Rev. Titus Kayode Fatunla – 2009 to 2012
The Rev. Phillip Okunoren (Old Boy) – 2012 to October 2015
The Very Rev. David Oyebade – October 2015 to date
NOTABLE OLD BOYS.
Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe First Governor General and President of Nigeria.
Chief Adolphus Wabara Former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Chief H. O. Davies Queen’s Counsel and one of the Founding Fathers of Nigerian Politics
Justice Atanda Fatai Williams Former Chief Justice of Nigeria
Mr. F. B. Cardoso First Nigerian Accountant General of the Federation
Brigadier General Mobolaji Olufunso Johnson First Military Governor, Lagos State, Nigeria
Commodore Adekunle Lawal, Second Military Governor, Lagos State, Nigeria
Professor Oladede Ajose First African Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University
Professor Gabriel O. Olusanya – Diplomat, Ambassador to France
Professor Lateef Salako – National Merit Award Winner, Professor of Medicine
Chief Olusegun Osoba – First Civilian Governor, Ogun State, Nigeria
Otunba Sir. Olu Awotesu – Federal Minister of Agriculture, Legal Luminary
Professor Hezekiah Oluwasanmi – Former Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Chief Onafowokan – The first Nigerian Architect.
Professor Lateef Akesode – Former Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University
Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi Federal Minister, Author, Playwright,
Mr. Fola Adeola – Co-Founder and First Chief Executive Officer, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc
Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya – General Overseer of Mountain Of Fire And Ministries
Aligned to its mission, MBHS will continue to project equality in the treatment of all students no matter the race, colour, religion, or social status.
