“The Gregorians” (Old boys of St. Gregory’s College, Keffi Street, Obalende, Lagos) are entitled to bragging rights over their astonishing rescue of their alma mater from the pits of hell to heavenly glory.
However, they are not the only winners. The real winner is our nation. They have re-soundly demonstrated that where there is a will, there is a way. What it takes are dedication, commitment and discipline.
However, you must first dump the “Nigerian factor,” which is merely an excuse and metaphor/synonym for mendacity, delinquency, untrustworthiness and reckless self-indulgence at the expense of public funds (not excluding donations by private individuals to what they consider to be a worthy cause).
The results speak for themselves. The College is back in top form. It is now almost as great as King’s College, Lagos !! The Chapel is truly magnificent – an architectural masterpiece and sacred sanctuary blessed with the palpable presence of the Almighty.
Even the Pope who is the ultimate proprietor of the College has given it the seal of approval – as fit for purpose in the pursuit of Catholicism.
The student population has been severely pruned down; and the teachers have regained their confidence and authority. The old boys are unrelenting in donating more and more funds to cater for science equipment as well as sports gear.
Indeed, erudite Dr. Michael Omolayole recently donated a science laboratory for which he deserves kudos. He is not alone in this endeavour of redemption.
The only setback and challenge are that the College is hemmed in by rapidly deteriorating female police barracks on one side and another one for married couples across the road.
Both of them are real eyesores. All these are in addition to shanty petty-trading stores, which have overtaken half of the main road (St. Gregory’s College Road) and turned it into a traffic nightmare for motorists.
It is self-evident that the shops are owned by wives of police officers who have secured immunity from being arrested by the police (their own very husbands !!) They dare not close the shops. Else they would face hell fire in their poxy bedrooms.
In the adjoining streets – Odo Street; Ajeniya Street; Eleshin Street; Toyan Street; Mosalashi Street, etc. the social workers and the denizens of the night still ply their trade.
For several generations, St. Gregory’s College boys performed better in Biology than their King’s College peers. We have always suspected that it had something to do with their precocious adventures (or misadventures) at the Arcade night club directly behind their College.
That was where the likes of Mike Enahoro, the all-round super sportsman, and the legendary Victor Uwaifo first advertised their exceptional talents and phenomenal genius as well as dexterity and mastery of a wide range of musical instruments. They somehow managed to pull the wool over the eyes of the Roman Catholic fathers who were expected to be their guardian angels within the strict confines of the boarding house.
Anyway, CNN recently quoted the following data downloaded by the United States of America National Centre For Health Statistics on 22nd June 2017.
“Among teen females aged 15 – 19, 42 per cent had ever had sex; and among teen males, the per cent was 44 percent.”
Let me backtrack to my tribute to Professor Theo Ogunbiyi whose favourite subject while he was a student at St. Gregory’s College was Biology.
His interest in anatomy cascaded (or escalated) and provided sufficient pathway to glittering success in medicine where his area of specialisation was surgery. He has been enjoying blissful retirement for several decades thanks to the TLC (Tender Loving Care) of his devoted wife Heidi.
Professor Ogunbiyi’s birthday was a blast. I must not fail to add that seated right next to me was the formidable Mrs. Dupe Olusanya (nee Dallas) who celebrated her 83rd birthday a few days earlier.
As feisty as ever, she is an amazing and awesome encyclopaedia on the authentic history of Lagosians and an unrepentant “Proudly Lagosian !!” Just across the table from me was Mrs. Agatha Da Silva, the widow of my late cousin Dr. Colin Da Silva who was a neuro-surgeon.
She is a Swiss national (like Heidi) and the Swiss cheeses-eder, blue cheese and camembere, that were served in generous slices did not escape delicate (key-hole) surgery before consumption.
The night was far gone when Chief Olabode Emanuel handed over to me a stack of London newspapers of the previous Sunday – “The Mail”; “The Sunday Times”; “The Observer”; “The Telegraph” etc. I was about to savour them when I decided to accord the local newspapers the right of first refusal. It was bad news galore.
1. Front page headline: “Sunday Independent”
“Stakeholders seek drug, medical tests for political aspirants”
· Say Tests Will Ensure Only Sane, Fit Candidates Emerge
· Want Test Extended To Security Operatives, Other Public Servants.
2. Front page headline of “The Nation” newspaper of April 23, 2022
“Curious neighbours rescue prostitute from ritual killer”
3. Front page headline of “Saturday Telegraph” of April 30, 2022
“60% of Adamawa women give birth at home due to poverty and religious beliefs”
· No fewer than 60 per cent of Adamawa State women give birth at home due to poverty, religious and cultural impediments.”
4. Front page of “The Nation” newspaper headline:
“Law and public power – licence to loot? (By Gabriel Amalu)
“Two developments during the penultimate week, gave Nigerians cause to worry about the sincerity of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government’s avowed fight against corruption.
The first was the pardon of two convicted politically exposed persons, former Governors Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State. The pardon elicited anger and unleashed commentators asking the federal government to also release other persons in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centres, convicted for lesser offences.”
5. Front page headline of “The Nation” newspaper on April 23, 2022.
“How my wife’s death at 53 nearly destroyed me” – Professor Jide Osuntokun
“Thousands of Nigerians who could have built the country are outside the country doing menial jobs all over the world, up to India and Pakistan.
You will find Nigerians who eke out miserable existence. It is really sad. I’ve written extensively on it that the structure we are following is the wrong structure.
If we had remained a federation like our forefathers negotiated a federation of strong federating units, not the kind of what we have where the centre holds all the power and all the resources, we would not be in this grotesque situation.
The centre that does not have resources is the one holding all the resources of the country, and it is distributing them the way it wants. Our country is completely upside down. This is the problem. Whoever captures, the centre captures everything. The structure we have in Nigeria is wrong. It will not take us anywhere.”
Read also: Gregorians are not the only champions (2)
6. Front page headline of “Sunday Independent” of May 1, 2022.
“Nigeria doesn’t need popular but determined candidate for president” -Stanley Usifo.
“If Nigerians want things to work, we don’t need people that are popular. We need people that are determined; people that are ready to work, not those that have been there but people can’t see what they have done.”
7. Front page report in “The Nation” newspaper of 13th March 2022.
Headline: “Lagos dispatch rider caught with child inside delivery box”
“A yet to be identified dispatch rider in Lagos State has been apprehended with a baby found in his courier box.
The undated video sighted by The Nation has since gone viral.
Checks conducted by the Nation showed that the Sangotedo axis, comprising Ajah, Abijo and Lekki environs are some of the areas notorious for criminal activities in Lagos.”
8. Front page headline in “Daily Independent” newspaper on 15th April 2022.
“Man in police net for allegedly smashing daughter’s head on the floor”
9. Front page headline in “The Nation” newspaper on April 9, 2022.
(a) “I watched helplessly as 13 herdsmen slaughtered my husband like goat” – widow
(b) “suspected yahoo boy dies after money rituals”
10. Front page headline of “The Nation” newspaper of March 12, 2022.
“Tearful returnees from Mali; Cote d’ivoire; others recall ugly experiences with human trafficking ring.”
· Pregnant under-age victim loses twin babies after profuse bleeding.
· I don’t think I can ever have a child, laments another.
· How men used cucumber to deflower minors – Survivor.
· Some lost their wombs, contracted veneral diseases – Returnees
· Experts: how ratification of free movement protocol can curb irregular migration.
According to Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952).
“Development is a series of rebirths”. St. Gregory’s College has certainly undergone a remarkable rebirth.
The last word belongs to Shakuntala Devi (1929 to 2013).
“Education is not just about going to school and getting a degree. It’s about widening your knowledge and absorbing the truth about life.”
