WHICH Primary Schools Did you attend in Benin?Ebenezer (Private ), Ebenezer (Public ) ,Emotan UDDS, Ogbe ,Arinze ,Ogbe Igbuya, Asoro,Uwa ,Uvbie,George Idah, Ugbekun, Iden,Greater Tomorrow, Igbinedion , Word of Faith (GRA) , Word of Faith (Others ) St Rita’s, Federal Staff School , Egba, ,etc?Which ever one you attended played a larger role in the Secondary School you attended .I attended Arinze Primary School in Isemwenro ,Benin .I do not remember all my teachers , but I remember Mrs. Obazee .I do not know where she is now , but I will never forget her for her passion to help young kids learn and her advice .She told us for the first time Every one is the architect of his own fortune and misfortune .My mother taught at Ogbe Primary School, Ivbeyeneva ,Ogbe Igbuya and retired at Ugbekun ,since about 2009/ 2010.As we speak my mother has not been paid her gratuity.
Benin was sweet when we were younger .The only fight we knew that involved many people was a football fight called ,”challenge ” or “choosing”.It is either the girls were playing “Osiwe” or the boys and the girls were playing “Iye Mababa”.This were for the Ajekpakos ,for the Ajebotas , they had their indoor games .
You started your school with “My first Copy Book” .Then you read “Queen Primer”. You read good stories from Macmillian Readers .Stories like “Simbi”.SMO Aka was the king of books in Benin .He wrote many books that shaped the fate of many young boys and girls .One of which was My Father’s Car, a comic prose ,written in fluid and flawless diction.He also wrote Mid Day Darkness , a riveting thriller reminiscent of James Hardley Chase.
Some us fell in love with Literature in Secondary School. I read the Complete Works and Shakespeare and Lamb Tales from Shakespeare. In Niger College that I attended our literature teacher was very strict and no nonsense. She dressed very well and carried herself with poise and grace .We did not know as Young boys and girls the difference between being strict and being wicked .So we called her Lady Macbeth .By Far the Literature Teacher who influenced my Life the most is the owner of Standard Lectures and Schools-Pastor Mike Omoregbee, who gave an indepth teaching of literature in a manner unprecedented. He later inspired a generation of young boys and girls , who are now bosses in their respective endeavours. He is the teaching till today and he even played the lead role in “Invasion 1897”, produced by the Guvnor ,Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen. We have asked Lancelot to contest for
Governor,but he wants to be a Guvnor for all seasons.
In Niger College that I attended ,Mr. Amadasun requires special mention for his passionate teachings. He thought us French and he was very down to earth ,as he made his students his friends .As a French Teacher ,the State Government actually sponsored him to France ,where he saw the inscription in Charles De Gaulle International Airport : See Paris and Die.Bonjour Mademoiselle, Serva?Serva Bien Merci, et vu, tre bien See how I can speak and write French .Where are our French Teachers ? He was the one who taught me and my friend Osasu Usenbor how to play chess .He also gifted to Nigeria his two sisters -then Rosemary and Rita Amadasun , who have both represented Nigeria in the Chess Olympiad.At a time , Nigeria’s No. 1 and No. 2 (Female) in Chess were the two delectable sisters mentioned above, leaving the rest of Nigeria to fight for No. 3 downwards .Mr. Amadasun is retired at the Edo State House of Assembly unsung and unheralded, but he will never be forgotten.
Attending a secondary School in Nigeria, particularly in Benin City in the 70s, 80s and 90s ,was quite entralling There were standpoints of reminisce that I will never forget,they Include :
1 The Super Principals:
Every generation had its Super Principals .In our generation in Benin ,it was F.O. Izegaegbe ,Joseph Itoto (who later became Nigeria’s Minister of State for Internal Affairs ), Reverend P. U .B. Obakpolor,,Mrs Asemota,Mrs Adagbasa ,Mr. Ayela Uwague ,Mr Iyamu ,Mr. Omoregbee (father of Pastor Mike Omoregbee ,owner of Standard Lectures & Schools ), etc .They were disciplinarians that were loved by all ,though they were quite Stern and resolute .
They exuded fear and tremendous respect among Students, who would run into their classes upon seeing them or even their cars .
These were not ordinary men ,but enigmas traversing several schools .They instilled disciplines in a way that shaped the lives of Many
2.The Mystery of the Boys and the Girls :
Make no mistake about it ,the excitement of going to school those days ,was not just the academics ,but about the boys and about the girls .One funny aspect of this story ,is that much didn’t even happen between them.It was mostly talk ,talk ,talk ,fantasies and infatuations.
In those days ,a boy trended when he was intelligent ,same for a girl .The most Intelligent boy, most likely ended up as the Head Boy ,while the most Intelligent girl ,most likely ended up as the Head Girl.You have to be a good writer of letters to have the best girls , else you will end up with ground nut or orange seller.
Though ,there were Private Schools ,then the best Students emerged from Public Schools .
In Benin ,I C.C.,Edo College ,Idia College and St. Maria Gorretti , Edokpolo Grammar School, ,Eghosa Boys, Idia College ,Adolo College , Western Boys ,Word of Faith ,Igbenedion ,Greater Tomorrow,Niger College Western Boys , Edokpolo,were the dominant schools .
I.C.C. Boys and St. Maria Gorretti Girls Mostly get along and Edo College Boys and Idia College Girls mostly get along .Some Privates Schools held sway like Word of Faith, Greater Tomorrow , Nosakhare Schools, Igbenidion Education Centre (,the first Private School to bring Dr Martin Luther King 111 ,land the American Ambassador to a School in Benin City) , Some Federal College Girls, Benin had bigger fishes to fry ,some of them ended up in Hall 3 or Hall 4 ,UNIBEN.
A funny scenario happened when a Niger College Boy ,told a St. Maria Gorretti Girl ,”Hello ,how are you ?Can I know you? “,the St Maria Gorretti Girl said ,”I have suffered ,so you have the guts to talk to me ,when you are not from I C.C.?”.In actual truth those were just mirages ,as we are all doing well in Life, in respective of the School you attended .It is not the School you attended that Matters ,it is what you make out of it.
3 ,The Inter House Sports and the Principal Cup Competitions :
This was a very strong component of the School System ,for the good and for the bad.For the good ,the School was divided into Houses usually with colours like blue house ,yellow house ,etc for sprints event ,long jump shot put and even javalin .It was very competitive.Most of Nigerian Successful Athletics Stars and footballers all started from here.Chief Ayele Uwague -a super Principal , won medals for Nigeria severally through the School Sports Federation.We also had the Youth Sports Federation , that was a major incubator for Nigeria’s successes at Sports ., just like the Principal Cup.The Most interesting Interhouse Sport in Benin then , were those of I .C C. and St Maria Gorretti, Edo College ,Western Boys ,Idia College ,Imaguero College ,because Osayomore Joseph ,the musician always played yearly.The Principal Cup-football competition among secondary schools , provided the fulcrum of the Golden Eaglets -the Nigerian U-17 Team .
In Benin Edokpolo Grammar School dominated the Tournament ,they had the best goal keepers like Maleke and Andrew Aikoumoegbe ,who later played for Nigeria.It was a frenzy period at the then Ogbe Stadium now Ogbemudia Stadium!
The Bad :Party after Party:
The Inter-house Sports in Benin also had the Bad Boys Milling around to cause havoc.Who will forget Kindness ,Azad,Dauda (,Now a Vigilante Commander ) and Co. You could just be walking with a girl and they will tell you to “vamoose” and leave the girl behind .
We the good boys used to leave early like 5pm, that is when the Bad Boys show up.Rape was rife.Then Gang Fights .They used to say ,”Person we no strong no dey go Western Boys High School Inter House Sports. ”
The Clubs ,The Central Bodies and the Lit Parties :
Secondary Schools were very organized by the Students themselves. There were major clubs like LDDQS,Drug Free Club ,NEPEC ,Farmer’s Club, Geographic Club and Press Club.In my school-a mixed school, they were doing screening for would be Members of the Press Club and they asked a boy what is Press ,he simply answered,turning to a girl :”Press is ,you press me ,I press me “,laughter erupted in the Hall!I remember two persons in the Central Body of the Nigerian Economic and Political Enlightenment Club Central Body .Mitchelle Eboigbe of ICC , who was the Chairman , Osariemen Ebowonyi of St Maria Gorretti , who was the President of St Maria Gorretti.As 17 & 18 Years Old we organized a symposium to calm the violence in schools tagged “Peace in Our Society”.We even went to EBS where we were granted interviews.I wonder how we did it at the age , seeing how children of our age today act .
If you didn’t make it as a Perfect of the School or an Official of Club in your School ,then you were not in the Mix.I find that most Leaders in School then, are the same Leaders in the Society.There were keenly contested elections .Your success as a President of your Club ,depended on how you rose in the Central Body of the Club.
Then the Lit. Parties, Disc Jockeys ,good food ,assorted drinks and students from all around the City ,moving from school to school ,it was really fun.
Study ,Study , Study:
Teachers never missed their Classes .They appeared neat and were disciplinarians.We wrote our exams ourselves and there was dignity of labour.
Not the trend today in some schools ,during exams., where you hear “No. 1 “A”,No 2 ,”B”No 3 “C” No. 4,do it yourself”.I remember a Student doing so well in my School and he was sponsored to the Seoul Olympics in 1988 ,by the Federal Government.It is not today ,that two best graduating Students in a University ,both shared Five Thousand Naira or one in another University being given 20 Tubers of Yam.
There was camaderie, as we walked in Groups to and from Schools and we read after Schools .We did debates and quizzes.We were thought French , History , Chess and Edo Language.I wish to commend Mr. Amadadun (who later retired as a Director at the Edo State House of Assembly ) who thought me how to speak French and how to play Chess .His sisters Rosemary and Rita Amadadun were Nigeria’s No. 1 & No.2 (Female ) in chess, at some point and he taught them how to play too .
The Lecture Houses:
In Benin those days ,Young Intelligent Men set up.Lecture Houses to fill the gap in the failing Education System.Falamo of Fabiyi Akpata ,the Dou of the Golden Touch ,Pastor Mike Omoregbee (,who later played Ovaramwen Nogbaisi in the Block Buster,”Invasion 1897,produced by Lancelot Imasuen ), of the very standard , Standard Lectures ,Vincent Akhere Esq . Of UNIBOUND ,the late Mclive Aghator of UNILEC ,Solid Foundation etc.
Of all the Lecture Owners ,only Pastor Michael Omoregbee of Standard Lectures is the last man Standing. Infact he now has upto 7 Lecture Centres in Benin ,by the way the Lecture also groomed me and I still teach English and Government part time there. At thoses Lectures,it was dress to finish or book to finish ,depending on your focus.The Young Boys and Girls that taught in the Lectures are mostly doing well in life ,which shows that knowledge is Power.
The Fellowships:
We can not conclude the golden days of Secondary Schools in Benin with out talking about the Fellowships dominated by Scriptures Union and NAFEST. Those who led the Fellowships of those are also the Pastors of today.
The Prefects :
Being a Prefect in Secondary Schools in Benin was a thing of pride and prestige.Though Prefects were appointed. There appointment was purely based on Merit and as Students we could all see the Transparency of the Process.The Most Intelligent Boy or Girl was the Head Boy or Head Girl ,the neatest boy or girl was the Sanitory Prefect ,The Most punctual to School was the punctuality Prefect and the most responsible big in size boy was the Labour Prefect .
How can we have those Days Back ?
About the Author:
Douglas Ogbankwa Esq., @ douglasogbankwa@gmail.com , a Lawyer and Writer and Policy Analyst is the Founder of Benin Writers’ Society and the Director of Strategic Communications to the President of the AfricanBarAssociation (AfBA)..
