REFLECTIONS
Reflections from Government College, Ughelli
It was a crisp January morning in 1969 when my uncle led me to the public taxi station in the modest town of Auchi. That singular moment, innocent and unassuming, marked the beginning of a journey that would etch itself indelibly into the architecture of my becoming. Seated at the rear of a creaking lorry swaying precariously over war-ravaged roads and splintered bridges, I was not overcome by fear. Rather, I was quietly exhilarated by the promise of new beginnings and the unfamiliar path to Old Glory Government College, Ughelli (GCU). Though the journey to Benin and onward to Ughelli would span nearly twelve hours, time itself seemed irrelevant to a boy brimming with wonder and the naïveté of youth. What mattered was the distant call of purpose, and I followed it.
In retrospect, what appeared to be a mere schoolboy’s rite of passage soon revealed itself as a sacred threshold into identity, discipline, and destiny. It was barely two years after the commencement of the Nigerian Civil War, a time when the scars of national rupture were still fresh and silence hung heavily across the land. And yet there I was, a curious teenager embarking on a pilgrimage from the heart of Auchi to the intellectual sanctum of one of Nigeria’s finest institutions. I had not yet grasped the magnitude of what lay ahead. I could not yet fathom the profound transformations and unforeseen opportunities that the ensuing five years would inevitably unveil. I simply knew I was stepping into a world that would refine my character, sculpt my convictions, and awaken my vision. It was not just a physical voyage. It was the quiet unfolding of a life summoned to purpose.
Welcome to Warri House
As if it were yesterday, I still remember crossing the gates of the Appian Way (the gateway to GCU), uncertain, judging from my wide-eyed look, and unsure of what to expect. The beautiful trees (shrubs) and tall trees on both sides of the Appian Way nodded in the evening breeze, which seemed to whisper, “Welcome to Government College, Ughelli.” I was taken to Warri House, where I was greeted by senior boys who seemed to smile at meeting a “Johnny just come” potential victim for their youthful adventures in bullying for the next year. The new students (boys) were called fags, dirty stinking fags with very long tails. To be clear, the apparent air of confidence that the senior boys showed was both intimidating and inspiring. Intimidating for not knowing what to expect, but inspiring for not knowing what to expect. The first few weeks hit me like a ton of bricks. We were introduced to the brine or no brine initiation and welcome to Warri House and GCU ceremony, which by itself could be fun, but for the nasty taste of the salty water.
I remember reciting Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star for my presentation. After my recital, the question of Brine or no Brine was posed to the Warri House boys in the Prep Hall. I heard scattered and light shouts of “brine”. I was asked to step forward, which I did sheepishly, to receive my cup of salty water. The next several weeks were a period of familiarization with classmates in Warri House and my assigned classroom, Alpha. Being so far away from home, I became homesick, especially because of the bullying and intimidation by the senior boys. The thought of quitting and going back home crossed my mind a few times.
Life Outside Warri House and the Classroom
Participation in sports like Cricket, Soccer, and inter-house athletics became an escape route from the constant bullying. Some of my most memorable recollections from GCU include the favorite career advice from my Mechanical Drawing Teacher – do not buy cheap tools, as they become more expensive in the end. From our Geography Teacher, Mr Eyike, the only one with the beard of wisdom that he claimed he can rub on the student to become intelligent. How about my literature teacher, Mr Ogboduma, who believed that literature was God’s gift to humanity. Lovers of literature are lovers of life, he said.
I remember Monsieur Oboh, who took us on a trip to the Republic of Benin through the University of Ibadan and Igbobi College. Learning to speak French with the natives was fun, and eating baguette bread with condensed milk was an experience of a lifetime. The soccer coach, the late Dr. Itsueli came with an overabundance of energy. He pushed us beyond the limits of our capability until we believed we could beat any school from James Welsh Emevor to Hussey College, Warri. The most memorable soccer game was playing against Hussey College with the likes of Thompson Usiyen and Damian Ogunsuyi. As a class 3 student, the wizardry of Thompson and Damian was mesmerizing. Although we had a future SAN, Olisa Agbakoba, on our team, we couldn’t hold it against Hussey College, but the memories of that encounter remain.
Although we were supposed to do five years, we were the first class that did 4.5 years of high school. I served as the Warri House Deputy Head of House with a Housemaster from Wales, Mr. Watson. I remember vividly how we caused the “E.K. Clark must Go” demonstration to bring General Osaigbovo Ogbemudia to our Assembly Hall to lecture us about discipline and behavior. I remember the one line from my GCU days from Ogbemudia – whereas the distance between us was short, it would take a lifetime to get us to the stage where Ogbemudia stood.
Soon, GCU wasn’t just a school anymore – it was an incubator in which character was formed, values inculcated, and lifelong friends made. In hindsight, I now understand how much those early years shaped me. Now, as a much older man, with the battle scars —and some victories — of life, I frequently think back to those formative years at GCU. The world has changed. The school itself might not even resemble its former glorious self. And the legacy remains — inside of me, inside of my classmates, and inside the values we continue to hold dear: excellence, discipline, and service. I was just an Ogbona Etsakor boy, fascinated by the unknown, unsure, who walked into a cultural soup that has remained with me till today. I have become an adopted member of the Delta State Association in North Carolina because of GCU.
Like many of my classmates, GCU found us, molded us, and shaped us. Although GCU was hard, we learned to deal with adversities because of the lessons learned. In GCU, I entered a world that was outside my reach, I met a system with a firm hand and an open door. It challenged me and readied me for a world I could not have imagined. Several decades later, I still look back and appreciate several of the lessons learned during those times at GCU. So, nowadays, whenever I hear someone say, “Hindsight is 20/20,” I smile, because now, I see clearly. I see how that journey across the old Midwest, from Auchi to Benin, Benin to Sapele, Sapele to Warri using pontoon boats and ferries, eating smoked fish along the way, was more than just a change of location. It was a rite of passage into a new life, for which I am grateful.
Dr. Charles E. Orbih, Ph.D., Professorial Chair of Entrepreneurial Management & ICT Innovation, EdSea Business School/Haggai International Bible College. Recipient of the Global Legacy Leadership award from ACILC. Inductee into the Black History Achievement Hall of Magnum Opus Allegheny County. Distinguished Mariner Award for Government College, Ughelli . African Community Services Award
