"One often needs to guide the younger ones and having a network of reliable and trusted friends comes in handy".

Mom took my older sister (Yemisi) and I to several secondary schools’ entrance examinations and interviews. I cannot even remember how many, but I recollect trips to Christ School, Ado Ekiti, Olivet High School, Oyo because we simultaneously spent time to visit historic sites in and on the way to the towns.

Unknown to me, dad had already decided that I would attend Government College, Ibadan (GCI) which is his Alma Mata. He got involved in the process when I was selected for interview in GCI. He arranged for my sister and I to stay with the Principal of the school, Chief J.B. Ojo (also a GCI Old Boy as himself) for a few extra days after the 1-week interview process was over. In retrospect, this move might have sealed the deal even though I believe I would have been admitted based on my performance. The moral of the story to me as I got older and wiser is that one often needs to guide the younger ones and that having a network of reliable and trusted friends comes in handy.

GCI interview was the most rigorous but most memorable of all. We spent 1 week learning new materials including German and new sports. We were tested on the new materials at the end of the week in order to assess the ability of each student to assimilate and learn.

I ultimately got admitted to all the secondary schools I had interviewed in including Kings College, Lagos and Igbobi College but the dice was already cast in GCI’s favor.
Deji Otegbeye, Grier House, Captain of Cricket, 1975; his dad, Dr. Tunji Otegbeye was of the GCI Class of 1942).