First Night In GCI

Our first night in GCI witnessed a most dramatic event - as aforementioned, our warm and welcome reception and quick settling down. We were instructed to assemble in the prep room of each House for our first assignment, a Dictation test. At the appointed time of 9.00pm in Grier House, we all dutifully assembled, starry-eyed.

Like a bolt of lightning, a man suddenly jumped into the prep room through the window and immediately ‘opened fire’. The dictation had begun!!! Woe betide the dull-witted and unprepared. “He took no prisoners”. He waited for no one. It was everyone to his own. That ‘spirit’ was no other than one Mr. Adedeji who we later joined others to call, ‘Young Ade’ on our admission into the school. He was one of our more vibrant teachers who taught us Mathematics. Incidentally, at one of his classes he identified one of us who had written nicknames in his exercise book. Please welcome the ‘Asamba Roller’, ‘Boy Jingo’, ‘Ekure’ aka Akoms solo solo”. (now Dr. Akomolafe). Our Mr. Adedeji reeled out the nicknames one after the other.

Back to our dictation test episode -- ‘Young Ade’ waited for no one and wasted no time -- he went right through his assignment for the night in about 45 minutes and just as he dramatically appeared, he simply vanished into thin air. We got our first baptism of fire in a most emotional fashion.

The following day, classes started in earnest. We had all been well tutored on the arrangements and procedures. We had the entire school to ourselves because the old students on vacation had not resumed save for the few seniors who had been ‘conscripted’ to assist the school authorities maintain order and show us the ropes.

As regards the lessons, all of us, I would say, were quite familiar with Mathematics and English, which were basic subjects, but Danish was another kettle of fish strange to initiates like us who did not have the basic knowledge of Europe and Europeans. We had difficulty in grasping and passing the subject.

I hereby challenge my colleagues to travel back on memory lane and unlock the following ‘jibberish’ — “Hvard hedder Lise” No trophies for those who got it. God bless Ms. Newhardt. I thoroughly enjoyed my one-week holiday in GCI, the school of my dreams. When Saturday crept in so quickly, and it was time to depart and say our goodbyes to all our new-found friends, it was with very heavy hearts.

We had so thoroughly savoured the company of one another, we did not want or wish it to end. For the few lucky ones among us, we reconvened a few months after. For the majority, it was the end of the journey - never, ever to meet again. What a pity! But isn’t that what life is all about . . . meeting and moving on?

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ADEREMI Bowofade
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