The ‘70-’74 graduating set of Titcombe College Egbe got together at the weekend to celebrate the Golden Jubilee (50 years) of their graduation by presenting several gifts to their Alma mata.
Among the donations were a complete set of Musical Instruments with full accessories, 20 pairs of College Choir attire as well as giving the Auditorium a facelift by paint renovation.
The Class Set Chairman, Dr Nathaniel Bankole described the event as a golden reunion.
“We also have a cause to celebrate God because it is not every one of us who started together as a class of 70/74 that is alive to be part of this ceremony,” he said.
“We were supposed to have celebrated this golden Jubilee last year, We did set up the powerful committee saddled with its organization, but we had to move it to this year due to circumstances beyond our control. The committee worked assiduously to get us here, so we say thank you so much to them.”
*Dr Bankole
Dr Bankole noted that every member of the class has been very supportive and cooperative in moving it’s activities forward.
” Our class reunion was started and consolidated through the indefatigable efforts of Engr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje (of blessed memory), Alh. Bashiru Abdul, Dr Nathaniel Bankole and AVM Babalola rtd in 2014,” he said. “This was facilitated through the advent of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). Even after we started, we encouraged other sets to do same.
” Our first reunion meeting was held at Ilorin on the 13th of December 2014 at Alh. Bashiru Abdul’s house. That was where I was elected as the Class Chairman, Late Engr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje as the Financial Secretary/Treasurer and Abiodun Olawale as the Secretary. 22 of us were physically in attendance at that inaugural meeting with 8 apologies.”
*The commissioning by His Royal Highness Oba Abiodun Agbana, Baale of Egbe, Egbe Land.
Present at the event were old and new students of the school, community leaders and traditional rulers.
History of Titcombe College and 70/74 Set
Titcombe College Egbe is one of the leading secondary schools in the former Northern Region of Nigeria. It was established in 1951 by the Sudan Interior Mission (SIM) as Egbe Secondary School. The school was subsequently renamed Titcombe College, Egbe to immortalise the pioneer missionary, Rev Thomas Titcombe. This was in recognition of the great work he had done and the challenges he faced during his missionary work.
The proprietors placed great emphasis on quality training in conjunction with the facilities and infrastructure that would support the students, hence, admission was restricted to a maximum of 30 students per class. When girls were introduced, the intake per class increased to 36. This policy, however, changed when the government took over the management of schools from voluntary agencies.
Up till the early 80s, the College had well-equipped Mechanical and Carpentry workshops; a Photographic studio; a standard performing Arts and Literary club; and an appropriately staffed and stocked Medical Centre.
ACADEMICS
The school had a Library and five standard, well-equipped Laboratories which aided the students to excel in science-oriented programmes. The academic performance of 70/74 Set is unique. The uniqueness of the class was premised on a peculiarity. The School Authority was quite bemused, disturbed, and bothered by this, which formed a major prayer point for them at their Teachers’ fellowship. Our class was said to be unlike all other sets before us in the history of the school. It was said that all the students were brainy and none was a pushover. They said that a student will come first in one term and will not be found among the first ten in the next term. And it is not that the student had not done very well. This kept on repeating itself in the set, whereas in the other sets before ours, the first ten students continuously maintained their positions until graduation. Therein lay our uniqueness.
SPORTING ACTIVITIES
The school had five standard football fields – one of which is complete with good athletics facilities for track and field events; four courts each for Lawn Tennis and Basketball; one modern Swimming Pool and two Base/Soft Diamond Bowls. There was a standard Indoor Sports Centre that housed several games such as Table Tennis, Billiards/Snooker, Chess, Ayo, etc. Almost all Dormitories had Table Tennis attached to them. The school had a well-equipped store that contained the requisite materials – Jerseys, Balls, Racquets, Boots, Shoes, etc.
One peculiar thing with all students at Titcombe was the training in sports right which starts from the first year in the school. You are made to run round the track as punishment when you earn disciplinary points. So, it was not difficult for those who were naturally sports inclined to excel both in academics and sporting activities.
We had stars like Olawale Abiodun, who was the best high jumper during our time. He went on to represent the School and Kwara State in national competitions. Bashiru Abdul was good in the 100m dash, he also played Table Tennis for both school and State. AVM Jones Babalola rtd (1115) was a great middle-distance runner (800m, 1500m). In football, Nat Bankole was a star. This earned him a place in the school team to play for the College. Although the competition was aborted, he was picked for Nigeria’s Academicals to play against Ghana in 1974. Being an all-rounder, Dr Nathaniel Bankole featured prominently in Basketball. Other basket ballers were Mr. Sunny Asaolu (1143) and Jonathan Aleru (1141).
APPOINTMENTS
The Class had prefects, Librarians, heads of Clubs and Societies. The Prefects were Oladele Dada (1120) – Aggrey House, Durodola Akande (Carver House), Nathaniel Bankole (1119) – Crowther House, Philip Aguda (1102)- Freeman House. The student Librarians were Nathaniel Bankole (1119), Sunny Asaolu (1143), Abraham Osasona (1152), Beatrice Erinle (1127) and Tinuke Akangbe (1125). In the dispensary were Late Gbadebo Eseyin and Abayomi Babalola as the Dispensary Head.
LIFE IN THE BOARDING HOUSE
Life in the boarding house was quite regimented. Being a missionary school had its fun and undersides. The automated electric bell was novel to all new students. Wake-up time was by 5:15 am. This was followed by a mandatory quiet time up to 5:30 am. After quiet time form one students go to do environmental clean-up, sweeping hostel surroundings, which lasts till 5:45 am. After this was the time for Morning devotion/assembly at the College Auditorium or Chapel. The devotion/morning assembly lasted from 5:55 am to 6:45 am. From the Chapel, students would proceed to class for the first two periods, which would last from 7:00 am to 8:30 am, after which we would proceed for breakfast. After breakfast, students return to class till 2:00 pm. This was followed by lunchtime. Then Siesta, afternoon Prep and sports by 4:15 pm- 6:15.pm Supper lasts from 6:35 pm -7:20 pm. Evening prep lasts from 7:30-9:15 pm.
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
During our time, we had the Christian Youth Organization and Fellowship of Christian Students, which most of us as Christian students were part of. This used to take up the Sunday afternoons after coming back from Church in the town and lunch. By the time one reaches Form three, one could join the Gospel Teams that are sent to neighbouring villages to teach children in Sunday Schools. The attraction here, more than the evangelization was the bicycle to ride to the villages.
Fridays are packed with spiritual activities, occasionally laced with film shows or traditional drama troupes visiting.
