It gives me
great pleasure to welcome you to this Blogspot of Sigma Club, University of Ibadan. Founded in 1950, Sigma
Club evolved out of the aspirations of certain six undergraduates of the then
University College, Ibadan to establish a students’ organization which will not
only teach students how to dance and socialize, but will also be sufficiently
involved in philanthropy. It is worthy of note that before the founding of
Sigma Club, two Clubs had already existed, they were the Dancing Club and Social
Circle.
The
challenge of our founding fathers to ensure that the Club’s philanthropy is
sustained over the years awakened their zeal to formulate programmes that will
serve as fundraisers for the Club’s charitable causes and this gave rise to the
birth of Havana Musical Carnival in 1955.
As
we are all aware, Sigma Club is the oldest surviving students’ organization in
Africa, South of the Sahara and we define ourselves in terms of socials and
philanthropy. Though it is for its social functions, especially Havana, that
the Club has been more renowned, it has over the years been involved in various
charitable courses like donations to the leper settlement in Uzoakoli (Umuahia,
Abia State), Ibadan Motherless Babies’ Home to mention a few.
Change
is the only constant thing in life. As everything changes, we try to change and
move with time. Of course, this is no deviation at all, because all other
functions of the Club still remain as they are.
In
this period when moral decadence and lack of orientation about the labour
market are the ‘order of the day’, there is an urgent need for the Club to
delve into bringing to the public, various ways of dealing with these issues
confronting us as youths- the most delicate portion of the citizenry. This
informed the Club’s decision to inaugurate the Sigma Public Lecture in the year
2000.