A key component to surviving and thriving in Aquinas is obviously staying out of trouble. But what happens if as it often does, trouble comes a calling? What then? Well, that is when the second survival key comes into play. The key? Having a buddy in the most senior class. The senior buddy role is pretty simple – to mentor you, keep you out of trouble and if the occasion demands, get you out of trouble.
I had one. A tall friendly chap in class 5 who was the son of a family friend. My mum practically handed me over to him when I arrived at Aquinas. “Toju aburo e o?” I remember my mum saying. My buddy did a good job by paving and smoothening the way for me for the challenging first few months in what was then a new environment.
But, NO buddy, I repeat, NO buddy, no matter how conscientious can save you from the wrath of the Jimmy Carters, the Ojimiwes, the Yellow man's and, the Abonzos of this new world. The only way not to fall foul of these famed troublesome fellas is not to encounter them. This is a tall order within the relatively small confined geographical space called Aquinas.
So how did I first encounter Jimmy Carter? Well, I have Tayo Akinrelere to blame for that! It turned out Jimmy was actually studying (I know, one of the rare occasions 😊) under an uncompleted staircase next to my class 1U. I think it was Tayo, trying to play a trick, who got the word round the class that “something” was happening under the staircase. Nooo…not what your dirty mind thinks! Naively and out of sheer curiosity, I shot out of my chair and ran out of class with a few others to see what was happening under the staircase. We all ran back to our class equally as quickly when we saw the ‘notorious’ Jimmy Carter there. Thus, began our wahala for the day. A story for another day. But thank you Tayo!
Part of the Aquinas experience is also learning the lingo. You often hear words like Aburi, akoti, rough packing, muturu, opi, etc. Doing a deep dive into the Aquinas lingo will also be for another day.
Aquinas is noted for her academic excellence. In my quiet moments, when I think of my time at Aquinas, I remember books like Kuye, Passport of Mallam Ilia, Trial of brother Jero, Ababio, Olaoye, Odunfa, Ndu & Ndu, Stan, Nelson, Okeke, Macrae New General Mathematics, Iloeje, etc.
There were many happy moments of my time in Aquinas. To pick one will be a daunting task. One of my favourite moments though happened spontaneously and fleetingly. Blink and you would have missed it. It happened when we were weeks away from leaving the school after a 6 year stay. The very first set to spend that long without repeating a class. We were planning our passing our ceremony or parade – our last hooray – and the senior prefect Ayo Isu at’ewa had called a meeting in what was then the school hall later library. The hall was packed as everyone wanted to be present. Ayo and the other prefects stood at the front of the hall on the center stage. I also took my place at the front as the laboratory prefect. Suggestions were flying left right and center on the day about how the passing out parade should pan out. There were different sets of students - the traditionalists, the conformists, the modernists, the revisionists, the progressives – they were all there, chipping in. Ofcourse songs are a big part of passing out ceremonies. Tradition demanded that one particular song was bound to be sung on the day … “O Aquinas, O Aquinas, my love for you, shall ne’er ne’er die, others are going, while others are coming, it is just the life in our school here, rose in the valley, where lilies are growing, my love for you, shall ne’er ne’er die!” This song had to be on the song list, otherwise, we would have given Mrs Aloba a heart attack. Every other song could be up for debate but not this one. ‘You sing it on your way in and you sing it on your way out!’ Another song that often made an appearance was “Here we are, altogether as we sing our song joyfully. Here we are, altogether as we pray we always be. Join we now as friends, and celebrate the Brotherhood we share, all as one. Keep the fire burning, kindle it with care, And we'll all join in and sing.”
The morning was dragging on and having that many people in the crammed hall was taking its toll. We were all getting twitchy and restless. Then it happened. One of my favourite moments. I don’t know who started it but I can still clearly remember Seyi No manners Ajayi leading it, chiefly supported by Bokimbo and Foluso Amimi. It was the boost – a shot in the arm - the meeting needed. A sudden voice from the crowd began…..
“Adaba mimo sokale wa oooooooo! Awa nlo, kowa bawa soro ijinle, adaba mimo sokale wa o, awa nlo, kowa bawa soro ijinle Mimo mimo Mimo mimo Mimo mimo x 10 Sokale wa ooooooo! Awa nlo, kowa bawa soro ijinle, adaba mimo sokale wa o, awa nlo, kowa bawa soro ijinle.
The song broke the mood. Everybody joined in the singing, clapping and gyrating. It was a beautiful moment. I wish we had a video recorder to capture the moment for posterity. As I stood at the front, singing along, I couldn’t but recognise the importance of that moment. “These are the moments that we will remember when other memories fade”.
That same song was sung by our forebears in their own passing out ceremonies and I am sure it is still being sung today by our successors .
Looking back now 30 plus years after that day, I finally get it. What this was all about. Our solemn duty is to keep faith with the tradition of the school, run our mile of the race and pass on the torch to the next generation. And to give back whenever we can.
That is how we make things better.
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