The History Of GCUOBA

Also, Warri indigenes were united in demanding that the College be located in Warri town, not at Effurun, or near Warri on the Warri – Sapele Road. As Warri is land-locked, the fear developed that a large enough land for a college of its proposed magnitude might not be found at Warri town. Even if it were, the compensation that would be demanded by those displaced would be prohibitive. Even if these problems were solved, the Itsekiris and Urhobos might never agree on a mutually acceptable location. All these would fuel the doubts of the Education Department which had just published a new rule that until the curriculum and class structure of a college were clearly outlined, and evidence produced that adequate administrative and teaching staff were available, no approval would any longer be given to the establishment of a new school. Government College was lucky that this new rule did not apply to the school. For Government had already approved its foundation and was operating already in a temporary site. But if problem developed about its permanent site, Government might withdraw its approval.

Chief Mukoro Mowoe, who was the head of the agitation for the establishment of the College, examining all these, came to the conclusion that the only way of saving the College was to provide an undisputed and adequate parcel of land for it to the Government. He therefore approached his friend Chief Buluku, the Otota of Ughelli Kingdom who agreed to use his good offices to facilitate the acquisition of any parcel of land at Ughelli that was found suitable for the College. Mr W.B. Benton Evans, the Provincial Education Officer, Chief Mukoro Mowoe and Chief Buluku undertook a tour of Ughelli and selected the present site of the College.

Thus Awani’s struggles, as seen above to discredit Ughelli as the permanent site at the Advisory Council came to nothing. But his suggestion that the College be sited on the Warri – Sapele Road on the parcel of land between Effurun and Igbudu represented a turn around by the Warri elements whom he represented on the Council. However, the change of heart came too late. By this time, the Warri Provincial Education Officer, acting in consonance with Mukoro Mowoe, had already conveyed his recommendation of Ughelli to the Government. Thus, the approval of Ughelli by the Advisory Council as the permanent site finally dashed any lingering hope Warri had.

An extract from the revised edition of History of Government College Ughelli

(A Cradle of Excellence) with a comprehensive list of students from 1945 to 2005.

By Benedict Itsueli