I was a guest of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the gubernatorial candidate of Action Congress in Ekiti State at the re-union dinner of his alma mater (Christ's School, Ado -Ekiti) recently and memories of my schooldays came flooding. The Dinner was well attended by old boys of Christ's School most of who have reached the apogee of their careers in various fields of human endeavor. I was at the dinner with Yemi Adaramodu, head media of Kayode Fayemi campaign organisation who is also an alumnus of Christ's School. Also at the dinner were, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka the running mate of Dr. Fayemi in the April 14 elections and her husband Engineer 'Lanre Olayinka. During the dinner, Dr. Fayemi who was accompanied by his wife, Bisi was specially recognized and highly honored as a proud product of the School. Dr Fayemi, his wife, his deputy and her husband and, the school principal, who were members of the high table, opened the floor and they danced to beautiful renditions from a live band. It was a swell occasion with the shouts of 'Up School' which is the greeting format of the school renting the air. There is no doubt that the Old students of Christ's School are very passionate about their school and they are one of the best organized alumni in the country. They made me green with envy because I attended other schools though I am also proud of my secondary schools even if they are not as popular as Christ's School.

But the aspect I enjoyed and cherished most at the dinner was while members of the high table and others were dancing, I, Yemi Adaramodu and another old boy of the School and an aide of Dr. Fayemi, Gbenga Agbeyo started gisting about happenings during our school days.and I discovered that their experiences were similar to mine and to those of our peers in other schools at that time. I attended Awo Community High School, Awo- Ekiti and Ola- Oluwa Muslim Grammar School, Ado Ekiti between 1976 and 1981. The experiences ranged from senior/ junior relationship, boyfriend /girlfriend relationship, teacher/ student relationship, sports, social activities and character and idiosyncrasies of certain students. Agbeyo who was then known as 'akatamata' remembered and described vividly the character of certain students at that time especially the 1975- 1980/81 set. Christ's School was very popular all over Nigeria and is still popular as an elite school but the general decay that had befallen the education sector of recent had taken its toll on the excellence that Christ's School was known for. In fact this triggered off memories of our school days and by the time we left the dinner, we were all reeling with laughter on one hand and gripped by sober reflections on the falling standard of education generally on the other hand.

Agbeyo and Yemi started the discussion by remembering with nostalgia the academic exploits of Christ's School products at that time. The school in the 70s and up till mid 80s recorded almost 100 percent distinction or Grade 1 as the case may be. The existence of H.S.C enhanced the academic prowess of the School. This also helped in sports. It was almost taken for granted that 90 percent of Christ's School students would secure admission on merit to higher institutions compared to other schools that may not record more than 5 percent.

The gist moved to senior student/ junior student relationship and I discovered that it was the same experience with my schools, where bullying was the order of the day. For the slightest provocation, your seniors would descend on you mercilessly and God help you if your College father was not strong like being a school prefect. Having a 'college mother' then was a gateway to having a girlfriend because as a male student, your college mother would have a college daughter and so 'a college son' and 'a college daughter' almost always became one. My own college father who was about ten years older than me, fleece me of all my beverages on the pretext that he was using it to help me woo a girl. The nicknames of senior students at that time were interesting and scary. In my own schools, there were names like Sir Civility, Ayenco, Tregido, Janta, Openido, Dr.Opaculum, Takuraku, Ojee, Molecule, Atom, Walata, Weleke, Mansa Musa, Alooma,Oboje, Bruce Lee, David Chang, , Koleele ,Dagama, Ajelo ,Ayolo etc. I had many nick names myself. I was known as 'Actor' in my first secondary school, while I later changed my nickname to 'Morrocco' in my second secondary school. In Christ School, Dr. Fayemi was then known as 'current affairs' because he was versed in current issues. You have other nicknames as 'easy wheezy', jegenson, atuma rokeke,eddy, oyee, jaguu,Onbolus etc. Nicknames in those days were adopted after known movie stars, countries and names of objects in biology, geography, physics and the arts. But these days, our students prefer to adopt weird names like destroyer, capo, don, killer, mopol etc. An interesting character in Christ School was the one they called 'atuma' because of the way he walked. He was exactly like the modern day 'Boy Alinco' in the popular comedy, (Papa Ajasco) who always dance- walk. Atuma would not walk straight, no he must dance with students hailing him 'atuma rokeke'.(atuma please dance walk). The equivalent of Atuma in Ola Oluwa grammar school was a student called 'Nzorro' a word he coined from the balm ointment, Zorro. He now added letter 'N' before Zorro. During games in the evenings, Nzorro, a six footer, who imposed himself as the school's goalkeeper would make acrobatic walk to the field to the admiration of fellow students. Shouts of his compound names, Nzoro- Erico- Eregede- Garagirigoro- would rent the air. He would then ask the students 'are beans ready, and is eba ready? 'The most interesting part about Nzorro, is that with every word, he would freeze as if electrocuted and students would be thrown into a frenzy. But Nzorro never made a good goalkeeper because just like the clownish goalkeeper of Tanzania called 'Pondamali' about the same time, he was too unserious and playful to effectively man the post. It was so bad that he once conceded as many as 5 goals in a match. So Nzorro and Atuma were similar in Character and each school at that time has these characters and many more.

The gist took us to the exploits of Christ's School in sports at that time. We discussed about how Christ school was so good in football, volleyball and field and track events. In one year in the 70s, Christ School won the principals cup under the then Western region beating Mayflower College Ikenne. Christ's School squad then was as good as the National team of today. It was in that squad that were the likes of, Atta, Tonee, Aroo, Lagado, Pisco(striker), Micky Jaga(Goalkeeper), Zargon ,shobi, director ,olaye a.k.a deadrun, Oyeboboo(Tanwa) who captained the winning squad and now Principal Christ's School (Juniour School) etc. After their set were, Rasheed, Pius Aludo, Koji (Olagunju), lawi(goalkeeper) etc. Other notable sportsmen in Christ's School then were Sholay ,Obasco senior,aristo, batoto, piccolo, hmo, ukulele,riro- (Soji Omotunde now a Director in The Nation Newspapers). We recalled how Christ's School used to trash other schools in Ekiti then in (football especially) with a margin like 10 goals to nothing. Only few schools like Acquinas Akure, Oyemekun Grammar School, Ondo Boys High School, and Victory College Ikare and in a particular year, Eyemote High School, Iyin Ekiti and Egbeoba High School, Ikole- Ekiti gave Christ's School a good fight. We also lamented on how talents of footballers were wasted at that time. We were asking where were those skillful footballers of that time like, 'Okuru', Eweje (look at blood!), Efon (mosquito), Azeez, Otakoraye & Olambo of Ado Grammar school, korope of EBHS Igede, Sabale, Santana of VCI Ikare, Pele of EKPACO Ido Ekiti...etc. These were players who were as skillful as the Okochas and Kanus of this world.

The discussion moved to how students gave nicknames to teachers in those days. Teachers who suffered most from Christ's School students were those who had great difficulty in speaking fluent Yoruba other than Ekiti dialect. There was a teacher they nick named 'peripe' which is Ekiti name for dry palm fronds. In my own school my Agric science teacher who taught most of our fathers in modern school then was nick named 'Baba Agric'. A particular teacher in Christ's School was fond of venting anger on students whose mothers refused to marry him when they were dating. One example was an incident where the teacher told a student, your mother was my girlfriend but she did not marry me I know she must be regretting now, so who is your father now? When the student answered that 'my father is Justice XYZ, the teacher became furious and said and so what, am I a criminal? We laughed our heads off at the dinner which is a memorable one. This is calling on other alumni of other schools like my own to emulate the spirit of oneness and camaraderie of Christ's School alumni. But we kept on asking, where are these characters now?

Jamiu is a media consultant and columnist. hakeematus@yahoo.com

The picture of the library on one of these pages has made me to remember an incident in our class 4b opposite the library in 1969. There was a "serious fight" in our class that took all of us to Oturas office -a first and only experience for me because I used to be a "law and order" student. But what caused the "fight"?

We had two very contrasting classmates who could not stand each other and decided to let each other into the "secret" by way of their fists. The first one a girl from the "girls section" known as Solanke was a bit tall, had a very good command of Oloketuyis English and was a women-rights activist-in-waiting! The other pugilist was a rugged and relatively huge day student known as Fajuyi who was regarded as a bully by many of us (behind his back of course!) and who could not be challenged by most of us physically. Yes until the day Solanke decided it was time to do so.

Something about the window led to some hot exchanges of words and I remember vividly Solanke calling Fajuyi "INNOCENT GONGO" - and you could hear a pin dropping in our class everyone suppressing what could have been rocking laughter. Of course Fajuyi decided to launch a "shock and awe" attack on Solanke who decided to respond in kind. You surely will not find it difficult to imagine the state of our classroom both from within and to passersby. From no where either Otura or the VP or one of these no-nonsense teachers emerged with an invitation to the whole class to Otura's lunch of "bo sokoto re bo pata re". Today I still call some people "innocent gongo" because of that incident.

Unfortunately I have not heard about SOLANKE, FAJUYI OR LAMIKANRA with whom i shared a sitting bench in that class. I hope we can trace each other through this website one of these days. I also pray we are still all alive and doing well in our various occupations. Amen

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was 1969 and class 4b again. it was a class we used to call pre-WAEC or something like that. We had just come together in that class and we were certainly trying to know each other as a merger of different parts of class 3.

There was one Adeodu a relatively short fellow very exhibitionist in many ways but whose intelligence was untouchable.one day a new teacher was posted to our class who did not understand yoruba(a west indian or an asian). Adeodu who had a seat in front of the class decided to entertain with various comments usually made up of one-liners in yoruba but all directed at the tutor. He and the class had good laughs --and a good time while it lasted.

As usually happens Adeodu got bolder and decided to add physical copycat gestures describing the man when the back was turned to the class facing the board.to perform his pantomime Adeodu had to back the teacher too while entertaining the class with gestures (while the tutor kept writing notes on the board). Usually Adeodu would turn in time to sit down and look all serious writing his notes. But one day things took an ugly turn. The tutor looked backwards at the class earlier than expected and quietly watched Adeodu demonstrating his usual gestures. We could not warn him early enough though we tried with some sudden coughs which were all in vain and which were too late any way. Then Adeodu turned around to see the burning charcoals where the tutors eyes and mouth used to be.

Immediately Adeodu turn the full circle back to us his classmates with his famous words in yoruba--- E BAMBEE!(PLEASE APPEAL TO HIM ON MY BEHALF) and we all started laughing. After that day we taunted him with those words.

I remember that Caleb Ige and Deola Egbebi used to remind the class about the incident from time to time too.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Around 1969 one of the Ademiluyis who was fond of "stealing away" (a beautiful coinage for unapproved exits to town) was caught in town by the famous F.A. Daramola who became housemaster for Dallimore after Otura.

Ademiluyi was dealt with on the spot with rhetorical questions and dirty slaps before being brought back to school in Mr Daramolas car - that old fear-inducing jallopy!. On getting to school Ademiluyi told his friends what happened to him and like wild fire the" news" soon spread through the school. By the next Friday assembly which was to be conducted by F.A. Daramola the students already knew that the Ademiluyi incident would be the focus of discussion and were also ready for him.

As he started reeling out the incident, students patiently listened to him till when he repeated his rhetorical questions to Ademiluyi but which this time around were answered by students as follows:

Daramola: Ademuluyi! lugboro?

All students : gboo!(sound of a slap)

Daramola was surprised but did not want to show it so he cotinued

Daramola: Ademiluyi! lukoyi?

All students(again): gbaa!(another sound of a slap)

Daramola became a bit confused and the students concluded the story for him by saying in unison as follows:

All students: Ademiluyi! loganjo? gbuu!(with an eruption of laughter)

it was then that Daramola realised that he was reading the scripts of what had become stale news -as many teachers usually do!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mr V. Daramola our dreaded arts teacher just got promoted as VP about 68 or 69 with an office beside that of Otura.

In case we did not notice the brand new fan on the ceiling when we were in his office he called one of us and said "Bo si beyi! Se ogiri yen lekanna. Ko je ki fanu yen ma fe si mi lugbaya!"

From that day students started to call him" LUGBAYA! "

WHAT MADE CHRISTS SCHOOL TICK?

Once you are admitted and reports in a house, a regimen of discipline begins. First of all, you are welcomed and granted a week of grace ( O what an ass) during which no senior would punish you. Thereafter, you begin to learn songs that would be song in morning devotions. You are given specific tasks. You must know the first and last stanza of every popular hymn...From 'Christ is our corner stone, O Jesus I have promised, Stand up Stand up ' etc.

You would be supervised by form three students ( nothing like JSS or SSS) Only O and A levels. Seniors would start testing you at hostel level in Maths and English which would then give the seniors an idea of the potentials of the new intakes.

You are given book, teeru ( baft) uniform and serious work starts. Apart from the house work, there is compound work, supervised by Labour prefect through the Class captains. No teacher comes to supervise you at work. Prefects and seniors run the school leaving the staff for the serious work of academics.

School punishments are in grades: Imposition for light offences like: Rudeness to seniors, absence from prep etc. This is administered by the SP. It attracts a punishment that would take about an hour to execute. For more serious offences like rudeness to teacher, absence from lesson, you bag Detention. This is a one week work either in the kitchen or working as local tipper. This is administered and controlled by the Principal.

Very serious offences would result in suspension or dismissal but these were very far in between. You are retained in the school to be tamed. There was no fence around the school but incidents of stealing out was far in between because if you are caught, you are in soup. Some smart guys would still go to Dallimore street (Kafe) to buy food in the night.

There were no day students hence it was very easy to spot any Christ's School student if found in town. We did not have fantastic facilities but we had fantastic etiquette. You are taught to read and do your assignments. Time management was taught without our teachers having the opportunity of reading HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW.

By the time you have spent a session in Christ's School and if there is no change, then you can hardly make it elsewhere. Remember also that Christ's School admitted the best of the bets from all the schools around. When these rookies are now drilled for five years, you can now understand why the results were usually excellent. Distinction in School Cert was commonplace. Dr. Kayode Obembe, Miss Wura Olaore had Agg 7 while the late Aribatishe had AAA in HSC which was the best result in West Africa in HIS time.

If the structure had remained, all the Olashores, Igbinedions, Jesuit Loyola, Gifted Children School etc etc would have been made to look like Amateurs.

What happened? Politics: Every child must go to school within five kilometres. Effect: Children without a mission or vision found themselves in our school.

Day Studentship made it easy for boarders to go to town. It made it easy for the vices of the city to creep into the school.

So many good products still managed to come out of our school but when I now see our badge on taxis in Ado, then something has gone wrong.

More details in subsequent submissions.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CHRISTS SCHOOL FOOTBALL GLORY.

From time immemorial, Christs School had always being done well in Secondary School football but had never won the ultimate Prize in Western Region, ( Thermogine Cup, later Principal's Cup) until 1975.

While the traditional games masters, Alagba, O Jesu, Otura drilled our footballers in the basics of 235 football, we always fell like a pack of cards on meeting the city schools...Iwo Baptist in 1971, Olivet in 72, Disqualified in 73 ( Olivet went on demonstration and the match date was changed to a Sunday....an abomination) Atakumosa bundled us out in 1974.

Late in 1974, one Adewale Adedeji, one time player of Ekiti Bomber and Agidimo club, came to the rescue with the tricks of modern football. 4-2-4, 4-3-3, Role of schemers, strikers etc etc.

We bundled out Loyola, Ibadan champions by a margin of ( wait for it 5-0), Abeokuta Grams 1-0 in semi before coming face to face with Mayflower in the final where we triumped 2-1. To those new students after 1975, that was when the old students bought that coaster bus to replace the old pako bus that Baba Idera had been driving from time immemorial. The same year, we made it double because we also won the volleyball championship.

This is important because Ado people would never support Christs school when playing, instead, they would support schools like Ado Grammar School. Reason: Christs School does not employ their children en masse. That was in the day of merit.

Some of my colleagues came from far and near...Emems, Udo, Anjorins from Ife, others like my senior Yemi Akeju from Osogbo, Paul Fasoro came all the way from Northmead School, Lusaka, Zambia where the father was a diplomat. One Akindahunsi came from London. Afun from Sierra Leone where the father was a diplomat. The Ikhekhua came from Midwest just like the Mohammeds.

You could see that Christs School in our days was truly metropolitan. That was what made Christs School tick. The standard of life at Agidimo was higher than what was obtainable in Ado. No telly then in Ado. We thus looked forward to our mates from the cities and abroad to get us informed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

DO MANGOES GROW ON TOP OF BEDS?

Our school had a lot of mangoes. The ones in the general places, the lawns are never allowed to ripe before being plucked but we usually go green in envy when we see those trees in front of housemaster's houses. You dare not go and pluck it. Thus we usually pray for rain and wind. At this time, the landlord will be indoors while students would come in the rain to collect ripe mangoes that drop and in addition, help themselves to some extras through plucking. At the slightest trace of the landlord, you must take to your heels.

In Mason House in 1975, some of my mates went to pluck mangoes in the night. They disturbed the housemaster Mr. Orewole, a very dedicated teacher, by throwing seeds unto his roof. The teacher was patient and allowed them to go back to the hostel. He tiptoed after them silently and caught them eating. Trust pupils.

After the first group was caught, the whispering 'hssmsssster' came to our Block Mason Block three. All lights immediately went off. With his torchlight, he started checking bed by bed. When he got to the bed of one of my friends and touched it, the mango which the culprit threw on his net fell down on him.

This brought the title: Does Mango grow on top of beds? Would you imagine that the teacher just punished the pupils on his own without expelling or suspending any? It did not even go beyond his level.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Funny that anyone can beat prefects. This is an indication of how things had degenerated after the UPE et al. During our time, on the day the new prefects are announced, the junior students, especially those one year below the prefects, are usually in for drilling. Woe betide you if you come late to Dining hall, chapel or prep. When power 'is shacking' these new prefects, they are ready to flog, beat and punish any eering student in order to assert their authority. You would understand that in our era, seniors and prefects run the school. Teachers are only final arbiters in serious cases.

Can you then imagine the rot that set in when Agbebi, as I learnt during his era ( 75-79 or thereabout) would come into the Chapel drunk in the morning? The presence of Ogunlade ( Otura) to any hall brings an awe. You would hate to miss any assembly he addresses. On saturdays, after the inspection, he would tell us stories about his stay in England, the difference in culture, contemporary issues like eclipse of the sun/moon/earth such that you can explain the concept vividly to your friends from other schools.

I still miss those golden moments. Who would ever forget the list of First 15 and Last Ten in each class? As a junior, intermediate or senior, you know the seniors that are hot ( gbona) and those on the brink but you dare not remind your senior he falls within the last ten in his class.