Old Ghanascans storm Kumasi
I was part of history when old students of Ghana Secondary School, Tamale, gathered at the Great Hall of Kumasi Polytechnic on Saturday, February 27, 2016 to inaugurate the Ashanti regional branch of the Old Ghanascans Association (OGA).
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My readers will wonder what business I have with Ghana Secondary School, Tamale, first named Ghana College when it was established in 1960 and by which name it is still popularly called by the older generation, even though it is today officially known as Ghana Senior High School, which confuses a number of older generation Old Ghanascans.
Ghanasco and Presec
Ghanasco is one of the two senior high schools I have some emotional attachment to, for many reasons. The other is Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon. I taught in these two schools in the 70s after I had left the University of Ghana, Legon and some of those I taught in these schools have become prominent citizens of this country.
In the case of Presec Legon, I was in the Ghana Teaching Service (then so called) where I transferred to in 1972 from Konongo/Odumasi Secondary School to enable me to get closer to Legon where I intended pursing a postgraduate programme in Communications.
In fact, it was my very good friend, Professor Abu Abarry (Abu Dollar), who encouraged me to come to Presec and recommended me to Mr Datsa, then headmaster of Presec who was starting a sixth form in the 1972 / 73 academic year.
Among the students I taught were Prof. Ernest Aryetey, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Mr Bright Blewu, formerly General Secretary of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and currently Director of the Press Centre.
As for Ghanasco, it was by chance that I got the opportunity to teach there.
As I always say in this column, I was posted to Tamale in 1975 by Graphic as the Regional Editor of the Daily Graphic for the Northern and Upper regions. In fact I had put teaching behind me.
Among the early friends I made in Tamale were those who were interested in the development of football in the Northern Region. That was how I fell into the company of Alhaji Raheem Gbadamoshi, Alhaji B. A. Fuseini, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, both of blessed memory, Alhaji Alhassan Alolo and Alhaji MND Jawula.
I was also interested in seeing sports gain a threshold in the North. Every evening we would meet at the residence of Alolo at Sabongida and talk about nothing but football. However during some of our interactions, Alhaji Fuseini, who was popularly known as B. A., got to know that I had been a teacher before and had taught sixth-form schools; Konongo / Odumasi and Presec. He then pleaded with me to come and help him at Ghanasco where sixth form had been introduced in 1976.
It was a difficult decision to take but I bowed to the wishes of B A. I took the assignment seriously and I taught the first three batches of sixth formers at Ghanasco (1976-78).
Making history
Dear readers, at that time I did not know I was making history. After I had left Tamale in November 1978 and returned to Accra, I did not remember all those I taught at Ghanasco but less than 20 years later, most of them found themselves holding key positions in this country. If they had not introduced themselves to me, I wouldn’t have known that I taught them in the late 70s. Among that first batch was the President of the Republic, John Dramani Mahama, whom I first bumped into when he was the Deputy Minister of Communications, around 1997.
His other mates whom I equally bumped into at different times included Dr Sulley Gariba, Mr. J. B. Yakubu (son of former IGP, B. A. Yakubu, with whom I travelled on an STC bus to Tamale in 1997). He was then with the BNI. Others were Gifty Mahama (NSS); Mrs Tina Yeboah–Aforo, Editor of The Spectator; Mr Moses Asaga, Dr Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and others whose names I can’t remember now.
After I had left Tamale and was in Accra, I got two of my junior brothers, now Alhaji Moomen El-Alawa and Suleman El-Alawa, to enrol at Ghanasco in 1981 and 1982 respectively.
These are the reasons why I have that close affinity with Ghanasco.
Visit to Kumasi
When I called Alhaji Moomen and told him that I would be in Kumasi on Thursday, February 26, 2016 for the weekend, he expressed joy about the visit since I had not been to Kumasi for two months.
It was then he told me about the inauguration of the Ashanti Regional Branch of OGA. He invited me since his mates and others always asked for information about me at their meetings.
Indeed it was a great joy for me to be there. I could only recognise two or three elderly ones plus the headmistress, Madam Mary Asobayire Dan Brimah, who happens to be married to a good friend of mine, Mr Dan Brimah, who used to coach RTU around 1977 / 78.
It was a well-organised ceremony and I was happy to see that my two brothers were among the organisers. One could see that the old students were happy to have such a reunion which brought the old and the young together.
The National President, Mr Bernad Moro, led a powerful delegation from Accra, comprising their legal officer, Mr Peter Nti, who, like me, wrote his GCE O Level in 1965, and Mr Peter Owusu, a co-opted member of the national executive.
The Northern Regional Chairman of OGA, Duli-Lana Ibrahim Yussif, was also there to lend his support; he had come down from Tamale together with the headmistress. He told me how they used to be excited anytime I covered activities of Ghanasco for the Daily Graphic in the 70s.
Prof. Y. S. Beliqah, a former Rector of Tamale Polytechnic (not an old boy) presided as chairman to the satisfaction of all and called on OGA Ashanti not to rest on their oars but to rope in more members.
One could see satisfaction written on the face of the Regional Chairman, Mr Charles Campion (Kumasi Compus of UEW) as he welcomed all to the epoch-making ceremony.
The headmistress, Madam Brimah, gave a powerful speech and certainly showed that she was in control at Ghanasco but pleaded with the old students to come to the aid of the school.
When I was asked to give a goodwill message I told them Ghanasco was a school dear to my heart so I would like to see the OGA (Ashanti branch) grow.
I told them having been involved in the organisation of old students associations at my former schools, I know that not everybody who passed though Ghanasco would want to be part of the association. They therefore had to make do with any number of old students who would attend their meetings since only the committed ones would be regular.
Lastly, I commend Mohammed Ali, who as MC, was able to add some spice to the ceremony.
Certainly it was a good afternoon of entertainment.