In this work, Lanre Idowu, in the main, gives account of his stewardship as the President of the Baptist Academy Old Students Association (BAOSA) from 2016 to 2021. An exercise in personal and institutional documentation, it is the story of Baptist Academy and its products, BAOSA and its members, and their bid to supplement the institutional standing of their alma mater. It is the story of the human condition—of hope and anxiety, of sadness and joy. It is an account of what is possible, which will resonate well with many faced with the task of legacy building, particularly in the education sector. In an era of renewed interest in the role and place of alumni associations in the growth and development of their alma mater, IN THE SERVICE OF BAOSA lucidly demonstrates the imperative of such stewardship and reminds all how arduous it is to build a sustainable legacy. 

“Going through the book shows the level of dedication and commitment that Mr. Idowu devoted to the affairs of BAOSA national body during his tenure as president. The lifting that Baptist Academy has achieved in the last several years among the legacy schools and other notable secondary schools in Lagos and environs is worthy of envy by schools of comparable standing and emulation by upcoming schools. In this era of school population explosion and dwindling resources, secondary schools need the assistance of their alumni for growth and development and for augmentation of the meagre resources that proprietors and parents can muster. This book, In the Service of BAOSA: A Journey in Stewardship, has not only demonstrated how such stewardship could be rendered but also the imperative of it. The book is a must read for all alumni of secondary schools anywhere in Nigeria to awaken their sense of responsibility and gratitude to their alma mater; and those who are in their senior classes in secondary schools, to inculcate in them the sense of duty and appreciation they need to develop toward their schools, even before they get called upon to perform their obligations. For those who have left school a while but never felt an urge to look back, much less of giving of their resources or time to their alma mater, this book will serve as a good stimulator. All the attributes of good writing that the book possesses, simplicity, clarity, and ease of understanding recommend it to all levels of readers. I, therefore, recommend it to all and sundry for entertainment and wisdom. —Idowu Sobowale, OON, LAA, excerpted from the Foreword. 

Contents: Dedication/Foreword/Preface/Acknowledgements/ 

SECTION ONE: STARTING OUT/Chapter One: Baptist Academy Of My Time/Chapter Two: Class Set As Take-Off Point/Chapter Three: A Sense of History At 40/Chapter Four: National Duty Beckons, Again/ 

SECTION TWO: THE PRESIDENTIAL YEARS/Chapter Five: Confidence Building/Chapter Six: The Case for Alumni Awards/Chapter Seven: Consolidating/Chapter Eight: Engaging the Convention Leadership/Chapter Nine: Deepening the Ties/Chapter Ten: Clarifying Our History/Chapter Eleven: Commencing the Third Year/Chapter Twelve: Completing the Third Year/Chapter Thirteen: A Peculiar Year/ 

SECTION THREE: LIFTING THE BAOSA BANNER OUTSIDE/Chapter Fourteen: Engaging Like-minds/SECTION FOUR: DEATH IN THE FOLD/Chapter Fifteen: Grieving Together, Praying Together/Chapter Sixteen: Reflection on Group Life Insurance Cover/SECTION FIVE: POSTCRIPT/Chapter Seventeen: Looking Back, Looking Forward/APPENDIXES