THE UNVEILING: ST. AUGUSTINE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION NEW LOGO

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It is with great joy in my heart and gratitude to God Almighty that I welcome you to this unique event on behalf of the Proprietor, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, the Governing Council, the Management, Staff and the entire student body of this citadel of learning.

As a preamble, The Institute (now College) was established in 1971, while Archbishop John Aggey was the Archbishop of Lagos and President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, (CBCN). It was an initiative of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, SHCJ, led by Sr. Catherine Hallahan. It was adopted as a joint (ecumenical) project of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and the Christian Council of Nigeria CCN (Protestant), and jointly owned by them. The CCN withdrew sometime in the late 70s or early 80s, leaving the CBCN as the sole owner. The CBCN ceded sole ownership to the Archdiocese of Lagos in the early 90s. The Archbishop of Lagos thus became the Proprietor. It was then popularly known as Teacher’s Institute of Moral Education (PROJECT T.I.M.E).

While still maintaining its initial aim, the College has grown for over a period of 50 years to offer other programmes such as Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) and B.Sc/ B.Ed programmes in affiliation with the University of Ibadan.  It also offers Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PDE), Diploma in Catechesis and Professional Diploma Certificate in Computer Science. The College has equally been repositioned to embrace technology and best global educational practices in both pedagogy and infrastructure. It presently has a state-of-the-art internet facility with an E-library, more conducive classrooms, science laboratories as well as more engaging and enriching co-curricular facilities and activities that foster students’ talents and promote their holistic development. Teaching methodologies and teachers’ professional development have also greatly improved.

Our gathering today is aptly summarised in Mark 2:21-22: ” No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old cloak, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins and then both the wine and the skins would be lost. But new wine is for new skins!”  In the same vein, the new developments in the College has necessitated a total rebranding that will not only reflect the core values, vision and mission of the College but one that will reflect and project its current status. One of the steps towards achieving this goal is the redesigning of the College Logo to evolve with the new trend in the College and accurately present it to the outside world. The question that might come to mind however is: why must it be a logo?

With the new development in the College, the old logo is no longer representing it accurately. Every business or institution evolves and so should every logo. The updated logo is meant to become the new face of the College and project what it stands for.

Experts in logo designs including Lance Reis, the CEO of Kickass Designs (2021) have argued that a logo is the central element of an institution’s brand. It is literally the face of the brand and usually the first thing people remember. It gives an institution an identity and acts as a memory cue for people to identify the institution. It communicates things that words cannot, matching the brand identity with the mission statement. It also builds trust and professionalism and sets people’s expectations about the institution’s beliefs and operations. Specifically, a logo sets the stage for all other branding such as the letter head, website, business cards, flyers, signposts, social media, admission forms, certificates and all business documents. More importantly, an institution’s logo is placed anywhere and everywhere to advertise its brand. It is one of the universal ways to consistently and successfully convey the brand message.

It is on this note that the Proprietor, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, graciously approved the redesigning of the logo as well as its formal launch to the public at this remarkable event.

I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to His Grace for taking time to critically look at the Management’s proposal, for his input into the design of the logo and for always being there for the College as it strives to achieve its vision. His unwavering support, both morally and financially have kept the College going. My appreciation goes to our highly esteemed members of the Governing Council for their constant cooperation and support. You have been our pillar and source of inspiration. I also thank all the dignitaries present here today. We value and appreciate your presence and anticipated support. May God never forsake you at your time of need. I give kudos to the Management team and staff that have worked day and night to make this day a reality. God bless you mightily. I cannot forget my ever-supportive students. They have contributed immensely to the success of this event. I want to thank, in particular those that participated in the competition for the design of the logo and congratulate the two that eventually won. As you are all willing and proud to contribute to the growth of the College, may the Lord continue to abide with you in all your endeavours both now and forever.

Once again, I welcome you all to SACOED and thank you for being a part of the God chosen people that share in its vision to bring light to the world.