Government College, Ibadan

Government College Ibadan, (founded February 28 1929), is a secondary school for boys located on the hills of "Apata Ganga" in Ibadan, Nigeria.

History

The expatriate Founding Fathers were Selwyn McGregor Grier, who conceived the idea of setting up the school, and V.P.V Powell, the first principal of the school. Government College was modeled after the British secondary boarding schools of the era, and the first set of students numbered twenty-nine. During the Second World War, the school temporarily moved to several sites before finally resettling back at its original site.

Curriculum

All students were required to complete a number of core courses in the Arts and Sciences. The courses were designed so that all students, no matter what their strengths were, obtained the basic skills of critical thinking, effective writing, effective oral communication, library literacy, laboratory competency, creative thinking and problem solving. The school was a Centre of Excellence for cricket and field hockey. The school also had a Officer Cadet Corps that offered instruction camps in precision field drills, adventure training and the cadets were introduced to the principles of meritocracy.

Laurels in academics

In the period before the dissolution of the Western Region, Nigeria, the school earned the enviable fame of being the best secondary school in Nigeria. It had well-resourced classrooms and laboratories. As the school grew in numbers, in reputation and in fame, its students constantly achieved high scores for exam results at O-Level and A-Level. In the decade of the sixties, over 78 distinctions were obtained by Government College students in the examinations, an unprecedented achievement in Nigeria. Suffice it to say that the school boldly summoned in the decade of the seventies by upholding its laurels, in both the academic and extracurricular fields. The school has produced over 80% of the presidents of the Nigerian Society of Engineers since its inception, and one of the four Africans in history to be awarded a Nobel Prize.

chool houses

*Swanston House
*Grier House
*Field House
*Carr House
*Powell House

chool song

Verse OneSchool of our pride built on the rock,By order, justice and fair play ruled,May what we dare to learn from thee in youthBe our guide light throughout our livesSchool of our pride we build on thee.

Verse TwoService is to others not to self, Consideration for our Nation first,By our examples and not by precept,Show honest labours dignity,School of our pride we build on thee.

Verse ThreeGenerations shall come and go, But our pride youth will for aye remain,May be not in the confines of your walls,But in Alumni world-renowned.School of our pride we build on thee.

Prominent alumni

*HRH. Omo NOba NEdo, Erediauwa II, King of Benin, Nigeria
*Late. HRH Oba J.A. Andu, First Hydrophilic Engineer in Nigeria
*Late. Dr. Akinola Aguda, First Chief Justice of Botswana
*Chief Anthony Enahoro, First Minister of Information, Nigeria
*Chief Ajibola Ogunsola, First Actuary in Nigeria
*ProfessorWole Soyinka, First African Literary Nobel Laureate
*Late. Chief Adegoke Adelabu, Distinguished Politician
*Late. Chief Ayo Rosiji, Industrialist, Former Minister of Labour.
*Late. Chief Feyide, Former Secretary General of (OPEC)
*Late. Chief E.L. Omitola, Former Asst. Inspector General of Police
*Chief Hope Harriman, Industrialist
*Hon. Dr. Christopher Kolade, Nigerian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
*Chief Olu Ibukun, Former Director (UNICEF)
*Late. Ambassador Leslie Harriman, Distinguished Diplomat
*Ambassador Luke Osobase, Nigerian Ambassador to Romania, Bulgaria
*Maj. General (Rtd.) Olufemi Olutoye, Former Federal Minister
*Vice Admiral (Rtd.)Michael Adebanwa, Chief of Naval Staff, Nigeria
*Air Vice Marshall (Rtd.) Bayo Lawal, Former State Governor.
*Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, Former Governor Oyo State
*Air Commander Kola Falope, Former Managing Director, Nigerian Airways
*Mr. James Obi, Distinguished Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery
*Professor M.A. Bankole, Pediatric Surgeon
*Dr. Afolabi Ogunlusi, Distinguished Medical Doctor
*Professor Oluwasanmi, Distinguished Surgeon
*Late. Professor Saburi O. Biobaku, Former Vice Chancellor, Univ. of Lagos
*Professor Hezekiah Oluwasanmi, Former Vice Chancellor, Univ. of Ife.
*Professor Ifedayo Oladapo, University Vice Chancellor
*Professor T.M. Aluko, Eminent Scholar and Author
*Professor Ayo Ogunye, Distinguished University Professor
*Mr. Deji Sogbesan, Entrepreneur and Social Critic
*Professor Samuel Ola, Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering
*Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor of Theater Arts
*Dr. M.O.E. Thompson, Retired Permanent Secretary
*Dr. Lekan Are, Pre-eminent Agronomist
*Dr.T.S.B. Aribisala, Pre-eminent Agriculturalist
*Mr. A Umoru, Former Pro Chancellor, Univ. of Lagos
*Mr. Cyprian Ekwensi, Distinguished Author
*Mr. Olumide Onakoya, Managing Director, Mobil Oil Nig. Plc.
*Mr. Bunmi Oni, Managing DirectorCadbury, Nig. Plc.
*Mr. Gbolade Osibodu, Managing Director VGO, Nig. Plc.
*Mr. Sangowanwa, Vice President, African Development Bank
*Mr.Sanjo Ogunkanmi First Nigerian to Play Professional Hockey In The World.
*Dr. Akin Olowofoyeku, University Professor

External links

[http://www.fgcfriends.com FGC and F.G.G.C classmate, old student Network Alumni] Website [http://www.fgcfriends.com]
* [http://www.gcioba.org/ Government College Ibadan Website]