MY JOURNEY TO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL part one

 

MY JOURNEY TO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ABA part one

BY Percy Ihekerenma Omenazu 

n my time as a pupil in the eighties, National High School Aba was the only model school in the former Aba Division (The former Aba Division is made up of all the areas in Abia South Senatorial Zone and half of Abia Central Senatorial zone). Not only that, National High School Aba was one of the most respected institutions in the entire Eastern Region. It was a great challenge having opportunity to be in this school established during colonialism. The only school in same category the school in the present day Abia State is Government College Umuahia. As pupil, I made my ambition known to everybody around me that I would be at National High School. It was known as Ibo National College (Ibo NACO) before its change of name. Something just reminded me of my journey to the prestigious school and I decided to share.

One of the greatest challenges I faced in my last year in Primary School was posed by my friend and class mate whom I met in their class as I was introduced in the class from a class I dominated for a long time. I was always coming first before the change and I saw myself always falling behind Odichimma Dike who was always taking the first position. The challenge was great because some elders who believed that National High School Aba was out of reach for the ordinary people told me that if I must make it to the NACO Varsity, I must be the best in my school. Meanwhile, I had already been pinned down to second position as a result of my inability to surpass Odichimma in every exam we took. This gave me concern as a child. I would not like to lose that simple ambition of wearing white upon green.

To my surprise, when the result of the Common Entrance Exam was flashed, I was not the best and Odichimma was also not the best. I rejected the result. It was when we were told of the cut off mark for Model School that I relaxed. In my school we were over 10 pupils that scored above the cut off. Hence, we were subjected to writing another Entrance Examination for the Model school with pupils from other primary schools across the state. We were still in Imo State. 

On the day of this examination that was written at the Premises of National High School along Port Harcourt road in 1988/1989, I was carried away by the beauty and organization of the school compound. Every tree had a tag of its name both English and botanical. Every path was well weeded. The Nigerian flag was positioned at the middle of the compound. The football pitch was totally green and organized. The health centre was a small building with beautiful flowers round about. The handball pitch was there close to the beautiful office we learnt to be the Principal's office. The beautiful path that leads to the staff quarters. I saw vehicles comfortably running in the compound with no threat to the progress of the academic business. I had already made up my mind as a child to be there even when I had no points to back my ambition up. Now, I had seen and nothing, absolutely nothing would stop me from being there. I wrote the short examination with full confidence of returning there for registration.

It took a little while before the result was out. I moved with my mother to the Zonal Inspectorate Office behind today's INEC office in Aba South. As we marched into the office, we met a woman who attended to us. The woman brought out a long note book which she opened. While she was searching for my name, I was faster than her. I sighted my name and noticed that it was not marked. I noticed that some names were already marked. I moved back a little and made a movement that could have resulted to crying. The woman who had also sighted my name noticed my movement, she abruptly asked me:

"Don't you want to go to National High School?"

Immediately she asked me this question, I realized I was wrong in my hasty conclusion about the marked and unmarked names. My spirit returned. I answered her by just nodding. A childhood dream had come to pass. I couldn't control my happiness. The people in same office started laughing as they congratulated me. I didn't know they were also observing my reactions. The woman told me:

"So this office would not have accommodated us if your name was not found in the list?"

Honestly, crying could have been a mild way to express my disappointment if it hadn't worked. I was full of appreciation to God. A few weeks later, I proceeded to the school campus for registration. Other things that happened will be said later.

I made it to National High School Aba on merit.

Glory be to God.

I am proud of National High School Aba.

I am proud of Ibo NACO.

I am proud of the NACO VARSITY.

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THE FOUR REGIONAL CAPITALS OF NIGERIA

 There were four Cities that served as Regional Capitals of the four regions of Nigeria. They are:

1) Enugu, Eastern Region

2) Ibadan, Western Region 

3) Kaduna, Northern Region 

4) Benin City, Mid-Western Region 

LIGA SOUTH AFRICA : TEKO MODISE RATES LALIGA HIGHLY AS LEAGUE FOR FOOTBALL PURISTS

 

Former South Africa’s Bafana Bafana midfield dynamo Teko Modise has given his seal of approval for LaLiga—which kicks off on August 14 2021—as the best domestic league in Europe for football purists.

LaLiga Southern Africa media office says Modise spoke about the Spanish league while launching the new season’s LaLiga Puma Accelerate and Adrenaline match ball in his Meadowlands hometown with football visual artists, Kasi Flavour.

Modise described LaLiga as home to  ‘highly technical and tactically gifted’ players who do not thrive on their physical attributes but the brain.

“It is such a special league, with a brand of football you cannot find anywhere else in the world….That’s the philosophy Spanish football believes in and why for a footballer LaLiga is the league everybody with especially that level of technical ability wants to play in,” Modise is quoted saying.

“Spanish football has the ability to attract such players that don’t necessarily need height, they don’t need to be super strong on the pitch or have speed, but they are very smart, thinking players.”

The former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns star recalled his experience of rubbing shoulders with Spain’s finest footballers such as Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, David Silva during the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup match which hosts South Africa lost 3-2.

He said it is “something else to watch them on TV and analyse them, but totally different playing against them on the pitch.”

“It was one of the most difficult and frustrating games for me, because they were actually better than they thought they were,” he added.

“They know when to pass, how to pass, they know how to commit the fault and how to draw the fault. So to face such superstars and technically talented players was very, very frustrating.”

Modise, who also played for SuperSport United, said he was excited to see a new generation of players with African roots such as Ansu Fati and Ilaix Moribi making their mark in LaLiga.

LaLiga Southern Africa Managing Director, Marcos Pelegrin, said they were excited to partner Modise whose last domestic club before retiring in South Africa was Cape Town City.

“It was fantastic working with Teko and the Kasi Flavour team in Soweto, as we look to bring South Africans closer to the passion, heartbeat and flavour of LaLiga. The new season is nearly upon us and we will continue to find new ways of ensuring LaLiga is relevant, exciting and relatable to South African football fans,” Pelegrin said

Did You Know? Sudan Has More Pyramids Than Egypt

 You can’t mention the country Egypt without almost immediately thinking about the iconic pyramids. The pyramids of Egypt are one of the most-visited attractions in the region, especially as the Pyramid of Khufu in Giza is the only Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World that still exists. But Sudan shouldn’t be missed.

On average, more than 9 million people visit the pyramids in Egypt, but there is a place that boasts more pyramids than Egypt: Sudan.

The country has between 200 and 250 pyramids compared to Egypt’s roughly 138, making it the country with the most pyramids.

Located in the eastern desert of Sudan, the Meroe Pyramids which are part of the Nubian Pyramids, were built far later than Egypt’s world wonder.

©PARKER DIAKITE

JULY 28, 2021