Hussey College Warri

Hussey College
18 KB
Location
Map
Warri
,
Delta State

Nigeria
Information
TypePublic
MottoCitizenship and Education, Labour and Unity
Established3 February 1947
PrincipalMACK4PF
Number of studentsApprox 3000
CampusUpper Erejuwa
Color(s)Ash Blue and White
NicknameHussians
Websitehttp://www.husseycollegewosa.org/

Hussey College Warri is a secondary school located along Upper Erejuwa Road in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in Delta State and Nigeria, having produced many notable figures in the Nigerian professional and political scenery. The school has literally raised several generations of Nigerians from all tribes and backgrounds and schooled them in the best tradition of scholarship, athleticism, citizenship and morality. The 60th anniversary celebration (Diamond Jubilee) of the foundation of Hussey College, Warri was organised by the Old Students Association in 2007.[1]

Hussey College was named after Eric Robert James Hussey, the first British Director of Education in Nigeria and one time Olympic games competitor, he competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[2]

Hussey College started as only boys' secondary school (single-sex education) at inception in 1947. It became a mixed secondary school – boys and girls – (coeducation) in 1960 when the first set of girls were admitted. The school was reverted to only boys' school in the early 2000s by the Delta State Government and was renamed "Hussey Boys Model College".

History

Hussey College was founded on 3 February 1947 as the first college in Warri by three Itsekiri personalities, Chief Ogbemi Newe Rewane, the late Ologbotsere of Warri, his brother Alfred Rewane and Chief Elliot Nekapenami Andrew Begho, the late Iserigho of Warri kingdom.[3] Their aim was to establish a secondary school that would offer qualitative education to young men and women in Warri and beyond - Nigeria.

The motive of the founding fathers was to redress the vacuum situation following the relocation of Warri College, the then Government Secondary School in the city to Ughelli as Government College, Ughelli in 1946 and the founding of Urhobo College in Effurun (outskirt of Warri) by Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) in 1946. It became pertinent and urgent for the need of a secondary to be sited in Warri to fill in the vacuum. Chief O. N Rewane and Begho filled this vacuum with the founding of Hussey College in Warri through private entrepreneurship.

The idea to establish a school was first mooted in 1935 by both men, then barely in their twenties, at the Government College, Ibadan where they were students. Rewane and Begho along with Mr V. A. Savages (B.A. Hons) did the spade work to ensure that the school became reality. At inception Rewane was treasurer, Begho the manager and Savage, the pioneer principal. They were educationists per excellence.

Hussey College Warri, from inception became cosmopolitan with students' intake across the length and breadth of Nigeria. It was a college of both academic and athletic excellence and the breeding ground of future leaders in various department of national life. Hussey College has established itself as the most distinguish and credible secondary school in Warri and Nigeria in general.

School Houses

Formerly, before the conversion of Hussey College into Hussey Boys Model College (only boys' school), Hussey College used to have seven competitive houses: four boys' houses and three girls' houses.

The boys' houses were:

  • Dore (red)
  • Ikoli (yellow)
  • Nana (green)
  • Seville Dawes (blue)

While the girls' houses were:

  • Ejimogho (yellow)
  • Iye (red)
  • Otsowode (blue)

The boys' houses competed among fellow boys' houses while the girls' houses also competed among fellow girls' houses. Unlike in other mixed schools where boys and girls share the same house name, Hussey College operated unisex houses. These houses competed for medals, laurels and points in the school annual inter-house sports (Hussey College Annual Inter-House Sports Competition) which pulled huge crowd from all over Warri and beyond – especially the invitation relay events, which was a delight to watch and highly talked about in town, usually added glamour to the inter-house sports.

During the school annual inter-house sports competition, Seville Dawes House often had the upper hand among the male houses, with its arch-rival being Dore House. However, in some years, dark horse like Ikoli House usually acted as giant killer to come first. And the minnow Nana House (with mother-luck on their side) usually pulled surprises in their rare few lucky years too.

While Otsowode House dominated the female houses, with her bitter arch-rival being Iye House, but in some years, Ejimogho - especially years she had elite talented athletes - usually bamboozled her way to clinch first spot.

While the rivalry between Seville Dawes and Dore – and other male houses – was mere healthy competition left behind on the athletic field, the rivalry between Otsowode and Iye – in extension Ejimogho – was bitter and often carried over to the classrooms.

Principals

The roster of former principals and teachers of Hussey college could pass for a mini who is who in the polity. They were part the team that moulded and groomed future leaders and nurtured the institution into a centre of excellence. A bronze scroll containing the names of pioneer principals and early teachers as a tribute to their worthy contributions was unveiled during the 60th anniversary celebration of the school.

  • Mr. V. A. Savages (B.A. Hons) - The pioneer principal.
  • Eng. R. S. Mckenzie - The second principal.
  • Mr. G.C. Pillai - Principal (1963–1965) appointed by Chief O.N. Rewane, Chemistry teacher (1961–1963)
  • Chief E. A. Adeyemo - The first indigenous principal.
  • Justice F. O. Awogu, Phd
  • Mr. Amata
  • Mr. Afam Mordi
  • Mr. Igodan
  • Mr. Godwin P. Alufohai
  • Chief Michael Ojeifo Ojo – A popular principal in the 1980s.
  • M. A. Usiomoifo - A principal in the late 1980s to early 1990s (1988–1991), was transferred to Edo State immediately after the creation of Delta State in 1991.
  • Dr. Joseph Anidu Egenege - A principal in the early 1990s immediately after the creation of Delta State from Bendel State, later Associate Professor of Health Education, Dept of Public and Community Health, Novena University, Ogume, Delta State, Nigeria.[4]
  • Mr. J. M. Edah
  • Mr. Ikimi
  • Rev. T. U. Aliagba
  • Mrs. Omabegho
  • Mr. Peter Okotie[5][6]
  • Mr. Hendrix O. O. Ajuyah [7][8]
  • Chuks

Notable teachers

  • Dr. Alex Ekwueme - Former vice president of Nigeria who was Physics Master between 1950 and 1952.[9][10]
  • Justice Victor Ovie Whisky - A jurist who served as a Chief Judge of the Benin High Court in the late 1970s and later as the chairman of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) from 1980–1983.[11]
  • Abel Guobadia - Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Commissioner for Education and later Commissioner for Finance in the former Bendel State (now Edo and Delta) between 1979 and 1983.[12]

Notable alumni

Politics, Law and Government

  • Brigadier Bassey Asuquo - Former Military Governor of Delta and Edo states.
  • Navy Commander Temi Ejoor - Former military Administrator of Enugu and Abia States.[13]
  • Brigadier General Mobolaji Johnson - Former Military Governor of Lagos State attended Hussey College from 1952 to 1954.[14][15]
  • Brigadier General Sunday Tuoyo (rtd.) - Former Military Governor of old Ondo State.

Military Personnel

  • Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro - Scientist, academic, administrator, soldier to the core and Niger Delta Nationalist. He attended Hussey College, passed the West African School Certificate Examinations in 1957 and produced the best school certificate result for the college in that year.[16]

Academia

  • Professor Samuel Tunde Bajah - Renowned chemistry teacher, lecturer and also a former teacher at Hussey College. He attended Hussey College between 1949 and 1954, and was in the school's athletic team that won the Grier Cup in 1954.[17]

Sports Personalities

Hussey College almost from inception became a centre for sporting excellence, raising great sportsmen and women who represented Nigeria at international meets and competitions.

  • Clement Temile - Who was a member of the nation's football team, the Green Eagles.
  • Thompson Usiyan - Who was a member of the nation's football team, the Green Eagles.

References

  1. ^ Ekoko, Abednego (2015). "Nigeria: Deterioration of Secondary Education - Nemesis and Prospects". allafrica.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  2. ^ Isine, Ibanga. "Profit-making, Bane Of Nigerian Film Industry Emmanuel France". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Counting Itsekiri's blessings amid the Olu milestone". odili.net. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Insider Weekly Online v3". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  5. ^ "Office of the Governor Delta State Nigeria". governoruduaghan.org. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Uduaghan warns against illegal use tractors". Vanguard News. 13 December 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Edukugho Family Donates Science Laboratory equipment, others to Hussey College". National Reformer News Online. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  8. ^ "Family Donates Equipment, Trophy To School". The Pointer News Online. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  9. ^ "NewsWatchngr". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  10. ^ "Alexekwueme.org". Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  11. ^ "Victor Ovie-Whiskey". nigerianwiki.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-03. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Abel Guobadia buried". Daily Times Nigeria. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  13. ^ Efeni, Emmanuel (11 December 2007). "Hussey College at 60 - Yesterday's Glory, Today's Rot". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-01-04.
  14. ^ "I am not a hustler - Brigadier-General Mobolaji Johnson (rtd)". Vanguard News. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  15. ^ "Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson HLR". Hallmarks of Labour. Archived from the original on 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  16. ^ Adaka Boro, Isaac (2015). "Chap 1: My Early Life". adakaboro.org. Archived from the original on 2015-04-20. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  17. ^ http://sundaytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9297:remembering-professor-s-t-bajah-1934--2008&catid=7:comment-a-debate&Itemid=113 [dead link‍]