About Us

Sixteen years ago, a 1972 alumnus of Doherty Memorial Grammar School, Rotimi Ogunsuyi, recognized
the untapped potential of social media—even in its early form. Though Yahoo Groups was still a basic
platform at the time, he saw beyond its limitations and embraced it, not for personal gain, but as a tool to
reconnect alumni and rally them around a common purpose: giving back to their alma mater.
Doherty Memorial Grammar School, established in 1955 through a strong communal effort, sits nestled in
the hilly town of Ijero-Ekiti in Southwestern Nigeria. Over the years, the spirit of that founding
community has continued to live on through its alumni.

The North American Zone of the Alumni Association held its inaugural meeting on August 16, 2009, via
teleconference. From that point on, alumni regularly convened through monthly conference calls, using a
shared telephone bridge.

During those early years, reports and photographs from alumni who had recently visited the school
revealed a sobering reality—the beloved institution had fallen into serious disrepair. Moved by what they
saw, the newly formed North American chapter quickly mobilized.

In its first year, the zone proposed five key projects:

1. Supplying science laboratory equipment

2. Providing functional toilets

3. Repairing classroom windows and ceilings

4. Landscaping the campus

5. Purchasing and shipping a riding mower to the school

6. ​

Within just a year, the North American Zone had successfully completed several of these initiatives.
Others were brought to fruition through collaborative efforts with alumni in Europe and Africa,
showcasing the power of unity and shared vision across continents.