GSSA was once the crown jewel of secondary
education in our part of the world.
It was an international school of great repute. Today this former piece of sparkling diamond has almost been transformed into a piece of charcoal. Same element. A world of difference in value. As alumni of this magnificent citadel of learning, it is our task to reverse this perverse feat of alchemy.
GSSA School Anthem
1. Afikpo GSS we hail thee
ever bright and prominent
The desire of youths who seek
eminence with their talents
The dream of outsiders who meet
those that from thee went
2. Favourite of all men that remains
In spite of all ups and downs
Thy history an open chain
upkeep of which we are bound
Domain of sound education
not for men of pride
3. Oh God please grant to this our unique
communal integrity
Fear God and honour the king
is thy stem of equity
For this we love and adore thee
domicile of peace.
And grant us wisdom, that we may
Rely on thee, or else we fall.
Almighty Father, hear us now,
As we affirm in accents clear,
The gratitude we owe, and how
For life we will our school revere.
GSSA Alumni Song
Composed by Dr. (Sir) Alex Osuji, an “Aborigine”
Thou fount of learning, wisdom, love,
Thou primus inter pares, hail
Ordained thou from above
To play thy role though odds prevail
Corus: Afikpo school to thee we sing
“Fear God, Honour the king!
Afikpo school of all else known,
Our citadel, our hall of fame!
Whatever in life that we do own
Shall Alma maters name proclaim;
O Lord our God, to thee we pray
Preserve our school, our Teachers all
And grant us wisdom, that we may
Rely on thee, or else we fall.
Almighty Father, hear us now,
As we affirm in accents clear,
The gratitude we owe, and how
For life we will our school revere.
The Story of Government
Secondary School Afikpo (GSSA)
This is the story of a school in sub-Saharan Africa with an extraordinary record of success. A tragic accident of history interrupted this record.
The British colonial rulers of Nigeria established Government Secondary School Afikpo (GSSA) as a boys’ high school in 1953 in the town of Afikpo in Ebonyi State, which was at the time part of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria. They modeled this school and other similar schools located in other parts of Nigeria after the renowned British public schools such as Eton and Harrow. Their purpose was to supply the colonial administrators with a cadre of well educated indigenes who would help run the country. These were therefore highly competitive and select schools that may be called “leadership academies”. The facilities at these schools were first rate and the academic standard was very high and comparable to that of any highly reputable secondary school anywhere in the world.
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GSSA Today
Why we must rebuild and restore?
Two score years ago, she emerged from the disaster that was civil war, scorched and scarred by the war’s fires but still standing. As if that wasn’t enough trauma, in the war’s aftermath, she was buffeted by the vicious fury of vile political storms, the work of modern day barbarians. This inflicted the potentially fatal wound. Today she remains defiled and moribund but, like the ruins of an ancient civilization, she stands tall, her dignity intact. The womb that gestated so many successful lives in the past has nothing to be ashamed of. But her sordid, desecrated and deplorable condition is a silent but powerful rebuke of the times – and of us, her offspring, if we do not do what is required to restore and preserve her honor.
The Final Word?
“Blacks and whites are different. When blacks are left entirely to their own devices, Western Civilization — any kind of civilization — disappears.”
– Jared Taylor, “Africa in Our Midst”,
American Renaissance magazine, October 2005 (http://www.amren.com/ar/2005/10/)
Looking at GSSA’s condition today, it does seem (doesn’t it?) that Jared Taylor is right. But the above statement does not take into account the fact that we, the alumni of GSSA, are yet to weigh in mustered at full strength. When we do, as weigh in we must, we will give the lie to the above statement.
We, the alumni of GSSA, shall have the last word.
