The Death of A Chicken
It was sometime in June or July 1968, our School Certificate year, and we were busy preparing for that most important first external examination which one and all approached with determination. Back then by tradition, GCI WAEC candidates studied hard without being prompted. I recall that a particular Carr House classmate who is now a medical doctor and a participant in the story that is about to unfold, refused to take a shower for the duration of our WASCE papers. I am not mentioning names. ..... Read More
GCI And Great Expectations
Let us go to the model college
Let us go to the model college built on the rock
Let us visit the Rock
Let us visit Government College Ibadan
Government College Ibadan, I salute you
A college with imagination and vision
A college with a tradition and mission
A college that does its students proud
Your products serve to confirm the claim
I salute the rock
I salute the spring board to world fame
I salute Government College Ibadan
Government College Ibadan
Don't we all ..... Read More
Thank You, Chief J.B.O. Ojo, Our Dear Principal!
I remembered Chief J.B.O Ojo (1940, Swanston House), GCI Principal (1968 - 1974), recently, and I decided to do a short tribute to him. But, before I go on, please permit me to state that this effort is not intended to draw attention to myself in any way.
It�s simply intended to honour Chief J.B.O Ojo, a perfect gentleman, a foremost educationist, renowned sportsman, astute administrator, and an ardent lover of people, who I owe a debt of gratitude, for making it possible for me to attend ..... Read More
Farewell 'Abod'
Farewell Gbadebowale Wayne Aboderin;
Farewell 'Abod'
I speak with a pained heart on behalf of we the former classmates of Gbadebowale Wayne Aboderin, at Government College Ibadan during the period 1970 -1974. We're extremely saddened and gutted by our loss. Our hearts go out to Titilayo (his wife), Cherelle and Nicole (his two daughters). Abod as we fondly call him, was a positive non-conformist as well as an epitome of humility, honesty and generosity. He was a cheerful giver per ..... Read More
Eulogy For Dr Paul Kehinde Joseph (1951 - 2018)
Eulogy For Dr Paul Kehinde Joseph 1951- 2018
I write as a representative of a Class Set united in grief but determined to celebrate the life of PKJ as we addressed our classmate Paul Kehinde Joseph; a loving father, a remarkable friend, a wonderful brother, a consummate doctor and a universal lover of humanity. I used the word grief advisedly for, at 67, PKJ was in the prime of life and not aged. No one would have minded obliging him a lifespan of 80 years or more in good health but ..... Read More
What It Takes To Be The Young Girl Of An Old Boy
It appears the phrase "Old Boy" is unique to GCI as I haven't heard it being used by other Secondary Schools. Rather, the pattern is "Old Student" in other schools.
This now takes me to an experience I had one day while in the service of Oyo State Government. I was passing by the Post Office at the Oyo State Secretariat premises when suddenly I heard a call, "Young Girl" . I looked back immediately because I knew that must be an Old Boy of GCl referring to the wife of one of ..... Read More
The Wooing Ultimatum
My first big scare in GCI happened in Form One when we were barely six months old in the school. There was a drama presentation to which pupils from some girls schools, including Queen�s School, St. Theresa�s College and Yejide Girls� Grammar School were invited. On the D-Day, the Form Five students in my room, called the Form One students � three of us - and issued us an ultimatum to get ourselves girlfriends or face a sanction.
I summarise the ultimatum as best as I can as follows: ..... Read More
Providential Escape From Tanning
This incident happened in my second year. The convention was that for every three school punishment, you qualified for one detention. Both school punishment and detention involved manual labour to be done by the offender. For school punishment, you were free after undertaking the manual labour meted by the school authority.
For detention, after carrying out the manual labour, you were detained (not locked up) at the school office until 6.00pm in the evening. If you got three detentions, you ..... Read More
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 ..... Read More
Rebellion Against Punishment
Rebellion Against Punishment: Turning The Tables!
Nothing quite prepared me for the harrowing experience I encountered in my first year at GCI. Before this time, I had lived a relatively sheltered and pampered life in Lagos. Now, if the endless punishment from the senior boys was somewhat manageable, not the severe Apata-Ganga cold that we all had to wake up to very early in the morning for road work, House work, or worse still, grass-cutting.
I did some self-introspection and I ..... Read More