A JOLLY GOOD FELLA INDEED
Musa A Nurudeen is a blind boy who was admitted from Pacelli Primary School in Lagos. He attended Government College Ibadan with the 1972 Set as the very first blind person admitted into the school by the Principal, Chief J. B. O. Ojo. From his very first day he had to start the race and mingle with us. Sooner than later he had a good, kind accommodative and loving friend, Banji Abodunde, who decided to be his escort throughout
The school years and both were in Field House (Up Green!!!) ..... Read More
THE BLACK TANK AND OTHER MEMORIES
The Black Tank Mater W was an essential need and requirement which was provided by the Water Corporation, Apata in Ibadan. During our time in Government College Ibadan, we had a regular, constant supply from water the mains, which assisted in good health and clean environment. Whenever, there were interruptions on the regular flow during major repairs, we had an alternative as a reservoir in the Black Tank.
The Black Tank as fondly called happens to be located about 30 meters to Field House ..... Read More
MY ENCOUNTER WITH LATIN
This must have been sometime in late November or early December 1971 (those who remember correctly, kindly forgive me, this was over 50 years ago). I received a letter stating I would be expected to spend three days in the boarding house of GCI for an interview into Form One of this great college. Of course I was super excited as I had never spent a night out of my home without my parents. My mum hurriedly got a small portmanteau (yep portmanteau) packed for me with toiletries, decent clothes, ..... Read More
THAT 1971 INTERVIEW
Mannix (Imonikhe Ahimie 1B) lived a few blocks from me on the same street in Ikoyi in those days and we both attended Ireti Primary School, also in the same neighbourhood. When we both got invited for interview in GCI, our dads agreed with one another that his dad would drive us to Ibadan and that my dad would come and fetch us after the interview, three days later.
The interview days were an adventure. Mr. Arodudu (AroBlack) taught us those immortal Latin words, domini domino – domina – ..... Read More
THAT 1971 INTERVIEW
My earliest real thoughts about GCI started in 1971, when I was preparing to take the National Common Entrance Examination. I had assumed that my first choice of secondary school would be King’s College, Lagos. It was not to be. My mother, the actual form filler, filled in GCI. My father, it seems, had attended the school and this fact changed everything for me. If dad was an old boy (I doubt that I had actually ever heard the term “Old boy” at this time), then GCI was good enough for me. ..... Read More
Tastes and Tales: Dining Hall Adventures at GCI
My class set enjoyed what could easily be termed as the twilight of the glorious days of GCI, the central dinning hall was still in place and very effective. We ate meals that were worthy of princes. Breakfast was served with either cocoa or tea. Boiled eggs was constant on the menu. We even had corned beef. Lunch came with a serving of fruits. And there was more than enough for everyone. Dinner particularly on Thursdays was a delight. Fried plantain with vegetables. This also coincided with ..... Read More
The Finals of the Principal’s Cup in 1974 at Liberty Stadium. GCI vs Adeola Odutola of Ijebu Ode. The ema wule boys.
Standing from left;
Niyi Akande, the coach.
Wole Ladejobi (Nos.6, Carr)
Kayode Elegbede (Nos. 3, Powell)
Boye Oni (Reserve bench, Powell)
**Kalejaiye (Reserve goalkeeper, Grier)
Tunde Balogun (Nos.10, Field)
Wale Adeosun (Banco, nos. 5, Powell)
Kenny Awe (Nos. 1, Powell)
Wallace Rabiu (all the way, Powell, reserve)
**Ogunniyi (reserve, Powell)
Tunji Aboaba (reserve, Field)
Funso Ogunkeye (Tory, nos. 9, Field)
Kneeling down are:
Kunle Arogindade (Mascot)
Tolu Ojo ..... Read More
MORE SPIRIT WILL SOON ARRIVE
Smooth and shining cheeks, it seems, are not accorded any regard or recognition as boys attain puberty at Government College, Ibadan. While a group of boys in our class (the bearded ones) are secretly shaving their beards even when they are just whiskers, another group (the smooth ones) are busy rubbing mentholated spirit on their faces so they can grow beards and mustaches. Little do these boys know that mentholated spirit dries up the skin and destroys its natural defence and nourishment All ..... Read More
CARICATURE EGUBE
J.K., the exceptionally talented art teacher can be said to feel inferior to tutors with higher paper qualifications than himself at college. J.K. tends to be aggressive towards such "superior" colleagues of his at the slightest provocation.
Mr Egube, the chemistry teacher who is well-endowed with backward protruding buttocks, has been standing on the corridor of classroom 2 waiting patiently for J.K. to end his art class which has overshot by about 10 minutes. Because there is no sign of ..... Read More
In The Beginning
The article 'In The Beginning', authored by Olaleye Falore (1962), explicitly describes the history of Government College Ibadan from conception till birth and heralds the events of the first decade of GCI.
In the beginning?
Government College, Ibadan (GCI) was conceived as a Teacher Training College in 1929 when it was founded; but fate was, by providence, to change its status almost at birth to a secondary school ? a Middle School really.
The destiny of the new school revolved around ..... Read More