There are some stories that have become legends in Aquinas. Some have been retold over the years and it has now become virtually impossible to determine the veracity of the stories.
The year we got admitted to Aquinas, there was a tragic story doing the rounds. The story was that a guy, jealous of the academic success of his half-brother, shot and killed him right on the grounds of Aquinas college. The guy was reportedly arrested with his mother, whom was also reported to have aided and abetted the crime. Some people back then swore that they saw remnants of the blood of the slain young man on the corridor just outside 1Y!
In 1988, when we were in SS2, I recollect a young lady came to Aquinas and somehow got the school authorities convinced that she was doing an academic research related to blood types. Part of her research was to collect blood samples from our year and we did not have a say in the whole process. Our parents were neither consulted nor consented to their offspring participating in the research. The lady collected the blood samples and we never saw her again. Well, at least until Tope Omojayogbe jokingly said she saw her cruising around town in a fancy automobile! That exactly is how stories become legends. But who would discountenance such stories when the story of Ajayi the tailor was still rather fresh in the memory at the time. All I can say is that to date, no one has seen any published research report based on the samples the lady took!
Tope is also at the center of my next story.
There was a school trip we undertook in 89 as part of our social studies curriculum to Oluwa Glass Igbokoda. I cannot recollect how much we each paid for the trip but it must have been under 5 naira. That was the only school trip I went on during my six year stay in Aquinas. A paltry number.
We arrived in school early that day but we had a delay starting the trip as baba driver was desperately trying to get the school bus in a good enough state. The school bus was getting on at the time and was becoming unreliable. To be fair, a school like Aquinas should really have had multiple school buses as school trips enrich the learning experience of students.
Eventually we set off on the trip and it was one of the most fun travelling experiences I have had. As usual, the noisy boys took the back seats and left the quiet ones at the front. Tope Omojayogbe sat at the back. So did Seyi Ajayi and Tope Olatunji. Sope was at the back as well. We sang all the way to Igbokoda and of course, there was akoti (friendly banter) galore. The atmosphere was boisterous. Even Baba joined in the singing. He must have seen it all – all the comings and goings of Aquinas student generations. “Super o Super o Super ACA! Super o Super o Super ACA!” “ACA boyze, we are goingze, we are goin’, we are goin’, we are goingze, wayo wayo o, shawa shawa!”
I remember thinking it is a beautiful country. I had to get out more! Looking through the window, as the bus meandered its way on the narrow country roads, I got to see the changing seasons, nature at its rawness and how the other half live their lives. As we got closer to our destination and saw more waterways than vegetation, it became clear we were entering an unforgiving terrain. We stopped on the way for a short break and some of us decided to buy some fresh smoked bent fish on a stick. Eja yiyan. The aroma was lovely and the taste supreme. What was missing was a cold bowl of garri and epa!
In hindsight, I have to say the trip was well organised as it was evident that the Oluwa glass authorities were expecting us. The first thing that struck me back then was the number of foreign expatriates that worked at the facility. Where were the local owners of the land? Technology and skills transfer anyone? Anyway, we were shown round the facility by a white Italian bloke and also shown the white sand that was the primary material in glass making. The white sand was ubiquitous in Igbokoda, hence the reason for locating the industry there. That made economic sense even to a 15-year old at the time. Now can someone tell me why the refineries are in Kaduna when all the oil is in the south? Some important economic decisions should be above partisan politics for a nation to make progress.
It was a day trip and so we set out back to Akure same day and got back to school quite late. There wasn’t much singing on the way back as it had been a long day and we were all rather tired.
The trip was a worthwhile endeavor and I hope current students also have the opportunity to take similar school trips in safety. Personally, it was an eye opener for me as I came face to face with the challenges of governance in the country as well as the potential that exists for building a better society.
Arise Aquinas Arise!
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