I give Almighty God thanks and praise for the honor and privilege to be part of the centenary celebration of my alma mater, Uzuakoli Methodist College (UZUMECO). The young ones will refer to me as an “Ancient Old Boy”. I entered the school in January 1953 and was reared in the great tradition of the heroes who passed through Hardy House. The story of my life is the story of the school which nurtured me.
My choice to have my secondary school education in UZUMECO was a shock to many people as most of my friends in Oron opted for Oron Boys High School (OBHS). UZUMECO was a two (2) day’s journey from Oron in 1953 (it is now a 3-hour drive) and so my mother was opposed to my choice. I was determined to be different from my friends; I loved the feeling of independence and adventure which UZUMECO presented, and I now know that choice was God’s plan for my life. There was a drama the morning of my departure to school. My mother feared the worst; she thought she would never see me again. She clinged on to me and wept bitterly, and I wept with her in sympathy. I remained conscious of that weeping session all through my 5 years in school. I was determined that, not only would my mother see me again, I would thrive and blossom in the school.
