The Old Masters
While the names of a number of the foundation masters as well as those of a few others who taught in the School in the first decade of its existence have appeared from time to time in this narrative, a few more notes are assembled in the present chapter on these masters. Unfortunately memory becomes dim after forty years that one has passed through an institution. Lapses and imbalance can therefore be expected in an account like this for which one must crave the indulgence of the masters ..... Read More
School Motto
Learning to Serve
How did you get your GCI nickname?
Nicknames were an important part of school life in GCI. Most of us had a nickname,most of which came from parody on real names or the student's habits. Some were heart-lifting and some cruel. Most of such nicknames followed you through school ans even through life. How did you get your nickname? Share your special story below!
Field House Chronicles..... MO TI GUN!
Recently our set, the last set, had its fortieth Reunion of entering into GCI. I was extremely happy to see Funsho Obilade, a fellow Field House classmate. I hadn't seen him for over thirty years!
Now the reason for this short digression, is to relate one of my escapades. Which due to its 'traumatic' nature, I had 'forgotten' over time! Funsho brought the memories back.
When we got into School, we ate on House grounds. That is our three meals were eaten in our prep room in Field House ..... Read More
Conflict Resolution
The wife of a senior auxillary member of staff went into a big fight close to our dormitory with his mistress. They both went hard at it, and such was the ferocity that they both stripped themselves naked. I have never seen such beauty in any wrestling contest. For the fight, I was one of the lucky ones who intervened.
I held on to the more attractive one as she struggled in rage. The more she struggled, the more tightly I held on to her. Peace, at all cost, was my motive and I had my hands ..... Read More
GCI found me a new family
I read a piece from Ekundayo Awe (1976), (http://www.gcimuseum.org/content/field-house-blues-abe-and-locker) on his locker experience, and it just brought this smile on my face and made me wish I could turn back the hands of time to experience my one year at GCI like 5 times over. Much as it seemed a "nasty" experience, so is masochism to the masochist: you just can't get enough of the "pain". GCI had an excellent blend of pleasure even in pain.
Let me set aside the bewilderment of finding ..... Read More
Ni'idi usu
It was a Saturday morning, in the 3rd Term of Form 3, 1978.
The newly constructed wing of the Dining Hall had just opened, to accommodate the new HSC students.
Yam was served for breakfast. Olusegun Oyediran was the Messboy at Table 22?, as I was at Table 18.
Apparently Kayode Agbaje-Williams had been unhappy with his messboy , Segun Oyediran, who had served him the ends of the Yam tuber (Apari Isu), on previous occasions; and he had made it known to Oyediran, never to repeat it ..... Read More
School Teur
Teur - yes that is the right spelling, is a French word that means teacher. A junior boy is assigned a Teur for mentorship and preparation for the House Test. The person who comes first in the House Test is declared House Scholar for the year.
The school teur is normally a Form Four student. You called him "My Teur" and he called you "My Boy". You also belonged to a nuclear family of related teurs. The Boys in your set in the family were also your Boys.
Source : The Nigerian Nostalgia ..... Read More
Thank You NEPA; Up You!
NEPA, the then Nigerian Electricity Power Authority, was notorious for its sickening inefficiency and massive corruption. And most times, it attracted opprobrium upon itself from Nigerians, for obvious reasons. However, this same NEPA saved me at some point in GCI. Please permit me to share what happened with you today.
Majority of my classmates (1973 (A) set) in Carr House, were not known to be great in the GCI social circle. I believe we just didn�t know how to be social, but, a few of us ..... Read More
The Legend of Agbonkankan
The story is told that there was once a time in GCI, when the firewood suppliers for the school kitchen failed to fulfil their promises. There was thus a worrying scarcity of firewood and also fears of how the students would get fed. A certain boy looked beyond the fear; he got himself an axe and one morning headed for the school plantation. There, he hewed down whole trees and by the end of the day, delivered to the school kitchen , sufficient firewood to keep the school kitchen supplied, some ..... Read More