My Great Alma Mata !
The School of My youth !
My school which taught me that when I eat Beef with my lunch , I must eat Fish at dinner ! And vice versa all through the School term. Not a single meal went without protein .
O my Great alma mata .
It also taught me that the head of fish is not edible,therefore, it must be cut off.
The cooks make do with them for only God knew what .
O ! My Great Alma Mata .
A school which taught me that every Sunday Morning , I must eat egg during breakfast and when I eat beans in the afternoon ,it must be with plantain
Whenever Rice is served ,it Must be with either orange or banana
.o ! My Great alma mata!
A school which taught me ,that when I deposit a small amount with the bursar ,I shall continue to collect weekly bursary .
This bursary well over My initial deposit .
This bursary not for feeding ,but for picnic with Friends at a nearby Flower garden !
O! My Great alma mata .
A school which ensure that I get Transport fare back home on every holiday.
Every Student got T.fare accurately calculated according to the kilometres to their state capital.
O, My Great alma Mata .
Back from Holiday , the school gate reminds and welcomes you back to your “Butter life”
So much so that every dinning table had 12 loafs of bread accompanied with a thin of Blue Band every Morning on week days . for a group of 12 students on each dinning Table with a Big bowl of ready made tea from the kitchen .
Pap is served with Bean cake one of the days on weekends .
O! My Great alma mata .
Kudos to all the diligent suppliers. I mean the Contractors who never failed for once .
They served the country with patriotism.
Weekly Inspection saw every student neatly dressed in white and beds laid in white bedsheets.
And as inspectors come into each hostel , everyone stood by their bed to be inspected.
O , My Great all Mata .
As the new week begins , you come back from class ,and there you are greeted with your toileries placed on your bed before you arrived .
Toileries comprising Omo detergent and Tissue paper for you!
O ! My Great alma mata !
How can I forget thee ?
A school which gave text books more than I could carry .
Every subject had more than 2 text books .
For instance , Geography had text books ,namely physical Geography ,Regional Geography , Map reading , ,English had 2 namely lexis and Structure , English Comprehesion .
Biology and Geography were made compulsory for every Student, be you in Science or Art class .
This is in addition with the Conpulsory English And Mathematics .
Christiana, another
passionate Classmate of Mine just reminded me how literature had numerous books with Wole Soyinka,Chinue Achebe and Ola Rotimi Dominating with “The Gods are not blame,
Trials of Brother Jero,
Eze goes to school,
One week one trouble,
Things fall apart,
The Concubine,
Julius Ceasar,
African Child among others. And we read all just for English literature .
All Textbooks were given out for free as the School fee was nothing to write home about compared to what we got .
This was so as all Federal Government Colleges were highly Subsidized by the Federal Government if Nigeria .
O my alma Mata ,what a Solid Foundation you are !
And as your note book is finished, you wrote to the store keeper for new notebooks.
After been taught how to write formal and informal letter by the English teacher , My first practical on formal letter writing was to the store keeper for “extra notebook “
O Great alma Mata .!
A School which knew that all work and no play Makes “Jack a dull Boy” ensured that every two weeks ,Social gathering must be organized , and Student are gather in the dinning Hall at night to party .
O ! My Great alma Mata !
I dedicate this Write up to My Class mates .
Ngozi,Kemi,Ifeoma.,Amakda,Chinenye, Rodah,Mercy Linda ,Emily ,Lucy,,Christy Samuel, Tom ,Angela, joy , Lawrence, Chukwudi ,Chikwedu ,Ibukun, ojochide ,Dayo,Abraham, Akubike , Toafiq ,Wale, Unekwu , Home and abroad, just to mention a few .
I reel out the Names ,to show how Unity in diversity “thrived ” then .
These were Students drawn from different Ethnic background across the country .
To all our principals and Teachers ,your heavenly reward have surely started on earth .
Federal Government College Ugwolawo !
My Great alma Mata ,
I love you !
Be you exalted !
Rashidat Yusuf
Writes from Abuja.
Yusufrashidat12@gmail.com
