It seems like only yesterday when I entered form one in 1974 at Accra Academy. Back then the school was big and very beautiful. I was assigned to Michigan Hall which was to me the most exciting Hall. I soon discovered it was so easy to make friends even in form one. Most of my best friends today are all from that period. I was one of the youngest, smallest and was given the nickname NASHITO.

I still remember all my mates as we tried to give each one a nickname. Nicknames like Gori, Joe Monkey, Say Watin, Papiro, Adom Power, Man Mary's, Harmattan etc. etc. We had some of the best teachers and these were also given nicknames accordingly. I remember Mozart the music teacher, Apre moi the french teacher, God dey the God of Physics and of course Labrador and Tee te to. I hear the only teacher still there is N2p the math teacher.

As early as form one I found out that to be a true academician you had to leave a mark at our girls school also - Mary's. I visited Mary's a lot and with the help of some of my mates we even tried to form a band made up of Accra Aca and Mary's students. We called it the stick family but either the name was not catchy or the members were not good, it died before it was born. I was not much of an athelete but I tried all the activities - cross country, field and track and name it. I was trying to leave my mark at my alma mater but I guess my best in atheletics wasn't good enough.

I remember receiving the normal punishments that exisited at our time but I do not remember punishing anyone. Some punishments I could remember were SQUATTING, TAARBOO, KNEELING DOWN (kuashie) and lying under the bed among others. I wish I could go back so I could change most of these things as I have found them to be not appropriate for the Juniors especially the young at heart.

The headmaster of my time was Mr. Okai or Ataa Okai as we used to call him. He knew the school from top to bottom as he attended school there, taught there and later became the Headmaster. No one could challenge him as he spent his entire life at the school. I think the alumni should honour him for all that he did for the school. Beacuse I was small I was in the A classrooms and form 2a was right beside the staff common room and the Headmasters office. I remember when the noise was too much for Ataa Okai he will walk into 2a and calm us down with the cane. He always kept our classroom quiet with his stick and I guess that is why our class was one of the best.

I think all acedemicians loved athletics especially interco. The school produced a lot of good atheletes and I sometimes wonder where they might be. I remember Billy Briama, Achipala an Adom Power. How I used to hate Achimota but I think they are the only school that made the interco fun for us. I hope their "Hunter" did something very great with all his speed. Schools like Kateco will come to interco with tee squares and all ready to fight.

Well, Accra Aca made us learn about life, people and places. I am very proud to be an alumnus of one of the greatest high schools in the world. I will always hold my alma mater in a very high esteem everywhere I go. I was at the diamond jubilee celebrations and everything looked like half their sizes when I was there. All those metal Assemble Hall chairs have been replaced with wooden chairs. I had mixed feelings. I did not see much changes in the school after all these years.

What I can say is that the school needs all the help that it can get. I hope all the year groups will get in touch and come up with a rescue plan. When someone helps you to walk you also help that person to loose his or her teeth. Everyone who ever walked the halls of Accra Aca needs to remember that they are where they are today because of Accra Aca. The first project my year group just finished is renovating the alumni office to enable people get info from the office. We are currently talking about our next project and hope all the year groups will do likewise. No amount is too big or too small. As long as it is from your heart Accra Aca will be grateful. Long live our great alma mater and may all our dreams come true.

The above picture is me and my mates at the Diamong Jubilee celebrations. Accra Aca … Esse quam videri - Bleooo!!!!!