By Eric King-
A special prize has been donated by the Society of Old Augustinians to a victim of the Greenfell fire at the Usuline College Prize Day on Friday.
The Greenfell fire was caused by a malfunctioning fridge-freezer on the fourth floor on the 14th of June, 2017. It spread rapidly up the building’s exterior, bringing fire and smoke to all the residential floor, caused by the building’s cladding.The Grenfell Tower Inquiry following the tragedy commenced on 14 September 2017 to investigate the causes of the fire, and other related issues.
The prize was donated in memory of Vincent Chiejina, who was killed in the Grenfell Tower Fire in West London two years ago. Vincent, a student at St Augustine’s College in Westgate between 1973 and 1976. excelled at Mathematics and won the St Augustine’s College Prize for Maths in 1976. He went on to study Electrical Engineering at Sheffield University.
Vincent lived in a flat on the 17th floor of Grenfell Tower, and tragically died along with abut 80 other people in the fire that swept through the tower block on June 14, 2017. Former classmates say he was very kind and went out of his way to help others. His sisters Obi and Maria Chiejina, also paid tribute to him, describing Vincent as a selfless and caring individual who would never reject anybody just because they were less privileged than himself
Front: Maria Chiejina and Obi Chiejina . Back: Andrew Sharp, James Cole and Keith Fenton
Image: St. Augustine’s College
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Vincent Cheijina in the 70’s Image: St Augustines College
On behalf of the Old Augustinians, Andrew Sharp OBE, paid tribute to Vincent: “At school, friends and teachers remember Vincent as an intelligent, quiet, obedient and a hard-working student. Always kind and respectful to those around him.”
Sharpe also paid tribute to his family and congratulated the prize-winning students at the Ursuline College for their achievements. The prize for Mathematics was presented by Vincent’s sisters, Obi and Maria Chiejina to Year 9 student James Cole. Of the other Old Augustinian prizes presented, the Stephen Owusu-Ansah Community Cup for kindness to fellow students was presented by his widow, Ade Owusu-Ansah and Old Augustinian, Keith Fenton to Year 7 student, Emanuela Samadi