Honour again came the way of three great writers produced by Government College, Ibadan- Professors Role Soyinka, Femi Osofisan and Bode Sowande – on Sunday.
It was during the presentation of a play, ‘Folly o Men’, at the University of Lagos.
The play was an adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s ‘Trial of Brother Jero;’ Femi Osofisan’s ‘No More the Wasted Breed’; and Bode Sowande’s ‘Mamiwater’s Wedding.’
At the event that marked the commemorating the 90th anniversary of the GCI, however, both Soyinka and Osofisan bemoaned the state of education in Nigeria and the decline the school has particularly suffered.
Soyinka said, “We are in serious trouble, education wise in this country. Let me not kid you; it’s horrifying. That was why I was happy about the initiative of creating a model school and trying to resurrect this Government College and present it as the ideal. We are really very low, education wise.
“I have learnt how much they (old students association) have done in the last few days and I am very proud of their work. I just hope the government leaves them alone; don’t interfere with them. Let them bring back to everybody’s mind the possibility of what education can be.”
On his part, Osofisan called for an urgent need for radical re-investment in the sector, saying, “What pains us now is that the school (Government College Ibadan) could produce people of worth before, but the whole thing has gone down now. We are hoping that this help generate new impetus and action about the school and education.”
The event also provided the GCI Old Boys Association to highlight steps it has taken to return the school to glory.
The body’s Chairman, Dr Wale Babalakin, noted, “We have built two houses to a state now that they are better than most university hostels. We have three remaining. An old boy fixed the road. Another old boy did the entry fence, while another is doing the field. We will rebuild it and cooperate with the Oyo State Government.”
