Sorry, I attempt to bring up an unfortunate incident back in December 2001, well, for me it’s a simple peronal task of seeking to erase the thought of pride for an incident whose immediate and longterm aftermaths were unpalatable in the real sense of the word.
Aquinas back in the dayhad long been branded ‘public enemy number one’ by technical schools when we met at Interco. Papa Yaw Asamoah, an Interco freak, relates how Aquinas boys were targets of ATTC and EMIT students.
So, there we were, a school where T-square is not used but for strange reasons, we were willing to face off with huge boys who carried that wooden ‘cross’ almost always. Even after games, boys were hunted at Tema Station and Kaneshie, so I heard from reliable accounts.
The Labone incident was seen coming but strictly among a select group of boys. It, however, started as a normal school day till after closing when sentiments to teach our closest neighbours a lesson over ‘disrespect’ peaked amongst the combatants.
As usual, the precincts of the Muslim prayer grounds will play a ‘conference’ role. We had finished praying and left the place but the shade of the huge neem tree seem to provide cool heads for the ‘battle commanders.’
A distraught Father Batsa the following day at assembly noted how he had seen boys gathered there and asked them to leave. Father’s words only came after the newspapers had blazed how Aquinas boys invaded and forced Labone secondary school to be closed.
That morning was my longest trip to school. The radio stations were talking about how unbelievable the episode sounded. In my white shirt clutching my bag, I sat by this man having a Daily Graphic that had our attack emblazoned in the headline – agony but with ‘pride.’
The mood in school was sullen. But myself and several others felt a sense of pride. We were not the education service but had managed to close down a school. That misplaced pride was one birthed from the exuberance of an association with the combatants.
I have gone on to mock Labone friends that we are on record as the only school that gave them forced holiday and that they should be grateful to us.
But there was a price to pay for some who joined the invasion party. The police had accosted a number of boys on the day of the attack, the school will use internal processes to fish out others and we watched as they were transported to court on a number of occasions.
I helped a stranded combatant – a personal mate – who I gave my house jersey and helped with transport back home, we met at 37 station. A number of boys were kicked out of the school over the incident. That was sort of the ultimate price they paid for the entire group.
A ‘dull boy’ like me, I could not possibly have played a role in the attack proper but as was usually the case back then, we collectively stood by boys who exhibited strength against supposed enemies.
Had it been another school invading Aquinas – a distant impossibility – I’m certain we would not be happy. But we towed the line of ‘it serves them right’ because we were at the giving end.
I attended Aquinas in a time pinpointing the wrong doer was an ignoble act, how dare you chook? It would earn one religious pinpointer the famed nickname – Okechukwu. Mind you, he was a full blooded Ghanaian without Nigerian links.
It brings me to a piece of advice our then English teacher Ms. Nelly gave us. She said mass action was sweet but not until you are picked to pay the price for the group. Of course not all the days’ combatants got in hot soup, t’was a select few.
Dear Labone SHS,
That incident needn’t have happened by any of the imagination . It did and is now history. But with the past as an archive of lessons, this is to personally apologize for my inactive role in what shouldn’t have happened.
It had till recently been a (personal) piece of pride and mockery, both of which have since been extinguished to distinguish the matured anguish in me side – by – side a youthful languish arising from my reflections.
Thanks
Veritas Liberat – The Truth shall set you free, so says out school motto. With this, I feel free. I’ll be back with another instalment of ‘nonsense’ as espoused when I was at Aquinas. Ahooo! Ahooo yaya!
Aquinas back in the dayhad long been branded ‘public enemy number one’ by technical schools when we met at Interco. Papa Yaw Asamoah, an Interco freak, relates how Aquinas boys were targets of ATTC and EMIT students.
So, there we were, a school where T-square is not used but for strange reasons, we were willing to face off with huge boys who carried that wooden ‘cross’ almost always. Even after games, boys were hunted at Tema Station and Kaneshie, so I heard from reliable accounts.
The Labone incident was seen coming but strictly among a select group of boys. It, however, started as a normal school day till after closing when sentiments to teach our closest neighbours a lesson over ‘disrespect’ peaked amongst the combatants.
As usual, the precincts of the Muslim prayer grounds will play a ‘conference’ role. We had finished praying and left the place but the shade of the huge neem tree seem to provide cool heads for the ‘battle commanders.’
A distraught Father Batsa the following day at assembly noted how he had seen boys gathered there and asked them to leave. Father’s words only came after the newspapers had blazed how Aquinas boys invaded and forced Labone secondary school to be closed.
That morning was my longest trip to school. The radio stations were talking about how unbelievable the episode sounded. In my white shirt clutching my bag, I sat by this man having a Daily Graphic that had our attack emblazoned in the headline – agony but with ‘pride.’
The mood in school was sullen. But myself and several others felt a sense of pride. We were not the education service but had managed to close down a school. That misplaced pride was one birthed from the exuberance of an association with the combatants.
I have gone on to mock Labone friends that we are on record as the only school that gave them forced holiday and that they should be grateful to us.
But there was a price to pay for some who joined the invasion party. The police had accosted a number of boys on the day of the attack, the school will use internal processes to fish out others and we watched as they were transported to court on a number of occasions.
I helped a stranded combatant – a personal mate – who I gave my house jersey and helped with transport back home, we met at 37 station. A number of boys were kicked out of the school over the incident. That was sort of the ultimate price they paid for the entire group.
A ‘dull boy’ like me, I could not possibly have played a role in the attack proper but as was usually the case back then, we collectively stood by boys who exhibited strength against supposed enemies.
Had it been another school invading Aquinas – a distant impossibility – I’m certain we would not be happy. But we towed the line of ‘it serves them right’ because we were at the giving end.
I attended Aquinas in a time pinpointing the wrong doer was an ignoble act, how dare you chook? It would earn one religious pinpointer the famed nickname – Okechukwu. Mind you, he was a full blooded Ghanaian without Nigerian links.
It brings me to a piece of advice our then English teacher Ms. Nelly gave us. She said mass action was sweet but not until you are picked to pay the price for the group. Of course not all the days’ combatants got in hot soup, t’was a select few.
Dear Labone SHS,
That incident needn’t have happened by any of the imagination . It did and is now history. But with the past as an archive of lessons, this is to personally apologize for my inactive role in what shouldn’t have happened.
It had till recently been a (personal) piece of pride and mockery, both of which have since been extinguished to distinguish the matured anguish in me side – by – side a youthful languish arising from my reflections.
Thanks
Veritas Liberat – The Truth shall set you free, so says out school motto. With this, I feel free. I’ll be back with another instalment of ‘nonsense’ as espoused when I was at Aquinas. Ahooo! Ahooo yaya!
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