PALM WINE ADVENTURE
I was born on May 6, 1959 and lost my sight at age five to what at the time was diagnosed as malnutrition conjunctivitis. For several months after I turned five, I attended a public primary school in my part of Ibadan, Kobomoje to be specific. It was in 1966 that I was admitted into the Pacelli Primary School in Lagos, one of the premier schools in the country at the time for education of visually impaired youngsters. This was a boarding school run at the time by the Irish Catholic Sisters of ..... Read More
THE UPPER 5 LESSON
In the early days I don't have a particular scenario to remember except that I had to force myself to Carr House from Swanston. Perhaps only for regular and continuous harassment by seniors, due to the activities of my immediate elder brother who left in 1971- EshyMiliki.
I remember a particular event in Form One. My House Teacher sent me to Oloko only to be cajoled by a Form 2 student from Swanston House. I eventually lost the one pound given to me for the purchase. I carried the long bench ..... Read More
PRIVILEGED
Born on 15th December to the family of Dr. Zacchaeus Adekunle and Mrs. Olufunke Esther Adejumo in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria, I attended Luba Private School, Ijebu-Ode as a boarding student. I was the first student from this school to have gained admission to Government College Ibadan. That time students who successfully gained admission into secondary schools were called out at the assembly ground, and the names of respective secondary schools were also mentioned. When it got to my turn on that ..... Read More
FLIGHT FROM SWANSTON
As a 7-year old living at number 37, Ajao Road, Surulere, Lagos, our apartment overlooked the back gardens of Pacelli School for the blind. I used to stand for hours on end looking at blind children playing and having fun despite their physical challenges. I suppose this initial contact was responsible for the sympathy I immediately had for Nurudeen Amusa when we met in January 1972.
My name ABODUNDE OLUBANJI came up in Swanston House and Class 1B. After the first term holiday, I was posted to ..... Read More
BUILT ON THE ROCK
My name is Olabopo Bamidele Remilekun Williams hence otherwise known as OBR, Willie or OBRat. I must have been one of the smallest in our set competing with the likes of Adegbola and Abodunde. Although small in stature, we were never small in abilities or we would not havebeen in GCI. I was in Grier House with my best friend then, the late Badmus (Baddy). He is fondly remembered as we do Kila, Amos, Kufo, Aloba and few others. They shall all be remembered for good.
GCI, our school, was ..... Read More
OKONJO ON MY MIND
I Still remember to this day that I had specifically requested to be placed in Grier House (Dad was an old Grierson). This wasn’t a source of grief, I was going off to GCI. So, on that January day, my mother and I motored from Lagos to Ibadan. I was somewhat apprehensive of leaving my folks and going off into this great unknown as it were; however, the excitement of going off to secondary school, the very idea that one was now a “big boy” more than made up for any twinge of fear or ..... Read More
NO OPPORTUNITY TO SAY GOODBYE
After the interview, we returned the following January to begin Form One. Fortunately, Suntana and I were both in Grier House and we hit it off immediately. In fact, upon our arrival, when we discovered that we had been assigned to different rooms in the house, we immediately corrected the egregious accommodation arrangement and promptly moved him into the same room with me. We were soon acquainted with the new order by the senior whose bed we had commandeered, in a most understanding way of ..... Read More
EVOLUTION
Junior Forms (1 & 2)
These years, for me, were a blur. More like being herded around, controlled by senior boys and being strictly regimented along the lines of time to sleep (lights out) and wake up bell at 6 am, sweeping chores till 6.30 am, hurried bath (or not) and dining hall at 7, assembly at 8, classes at 9, lunch at 2, siesta at 3, afternoon prep 4-5; then 5-6 as the only free time to play football or see your paddies in the other region before supper time at 7 pm and then ..... Read More
MBE-COLLEGE MAHA CENTRE – A PROSE POEM
Within the grounds of Apata-Ganga W Crest rests centrally at the Main Gate With manicured lawns either side of the road leading into the school. From time immemorial, School of our pride, Built on the Rock Created excellent pastures, polishing boys to men.
For students, ascending the heights Brought forth desire of excessive might, A hidden promise of future ecstatic delight.
In our time, the interview for boys of the future, Was a 3-day affair, with Latin added to the mixture. Laying the ..... Read More
PROVIDENCE
After gaining admission into several secondary schools including Igbobi College Yaba, ljebu Ode Grammar School, ljebu Ode and Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro in 1971, I attended the interview for admission into Government College Ibadan which lasted a couple of days but this coincided with the letter of invitation from and interview for admission into King’s College Lagos. Hence, I attended a late interview at King’s college Lagos the following Monday. I found it shoddy unlike the ..... Read More