It was Friday evening; I had just completed my portion of weeding the grass behind our hostel for the weekly manual labor. I decided to maximize the 40 minutes or so before dinner, so I took out my school uniform and socks and began to wash. I’d barely finished rinsing the items when the “Clarion Call” came.
“A Junior Girl! A Junior Girl!!” Senior Damilola shouted from her corner.
I dropped my wet socks on my locker and ran inside the dorm along with 5 other junior students trying to beat each other to it. We unceremoniously formed a queue of six in front of Senior Damilola’s bunk; I was the 4th on the queue. The idea was that the last person got the toughest task while the first got the easiest.
Starting from the rear, she said “Chioma, take my shirt and socks, wash and bring them back when they are dry.”
The next person got her house-wear and skirt to wash. Then it was my turn. “Eunice, quickly go to Emotan house dorm 6, ask for Sade Oke, tell her to give you my Geography note.” Of course my face dropped, I was hoping for a milder task, one that didn’t involve leaving the hostel because I had unfinished laundry to attend to.
“Are you mad? Are you stupid? Who do you think you’re “boning” (frowning) for? In short, kneel down and fly your arms.” She said with a hiss. Then she called to the next girl, “Kemi, you go to Emotan house for me jaare.”
(Photo credit: Web)
… … …
Well, that was how life was for junior girls in FEGGO. It felt like we were always at the mercy of our seniors, and their wish was our command. Most senior students lived as nobles, while we juniors served as peasants. We had to perform all sorts of tasks ranging from sweeping to ironing, washing, scrubbing, making their beds, getting water, going to the tuck-shop etc
Although significant measures were taken by the school authorities to combat bullying, some form of it still existed. Thankfully, I wasn’t much of a victim.
I particularly detested being asked to get water, especially when there was water scarcity. Fortunately, Tinubu house where I was, had running water most of the time. I still recall those nights when we’d be asked to “donate” one or two or three bathing bowls of water for one senior or the other. I don’t know how other junior students felt, but to me it was outrageous. On some of such occasions, I would disappear from the dorm indefinitely and return whenever the coast was clear.
How can I forget occasions when students had to “suck” water from the tap-heads in front of the dining-hall? Although gross, it was all part of our need for survival. The other option was to use our fingers to bring out the water but that wasn’t always as productive, plus having one or more sore fingers wasn’t fun.
Then “tapping” of water was common too. “Who tapped my water?” was a cry heard in the hostel everyday. Put a full bucket of water in front of your bunk and step out of the dorm for a few minutes, you’d be lucky to find half of its content on your return. Some Feggosians would say “Tapping is a game, but when caught…it’s stealing.” And so some students habitually tapped biros, pencils, cutlery etc We sha now know that stealing is stealing!
(Photo credit: Web)
Morning duties were also part of our daily activities in Feggo. Each student had a specific chore to carry-out every morning. Only SS3 students were exempted. At the beginning of each new term, the House-Captain and her Assistant would draw a Morning Duties Roster. It was usually something like this:

Here are some of the duties I was assigned during my time: dusting the louvers, sweeping the court-yard, cleaning the box-room, washing the gutter, sweeping the dorm and the most horrible of all chores, washing the toilet. Being a toilet-worker wasn’t only gross; it also came with frequent punishments and flogging. Thankfully, I survived.
That’s all for now.
WATCH-OUT FOR MORE>>>
Thanks for reading!
~Requ1ne~
… … …
(Tapping: FEGGO slang for petty theft).
**Not real names.
U remember these things like they last happened two weeks ago but who can forget? Mrs Okebukola’s (Okebs) name alone was enough to shield me from ‘bullies’, I was exempted from d ‘a junior girl’s’ call sef n by d time she left, I was no longer ‘a junior girl’. Well done dear sis. Stay good.
Loool…so you mean you didn’t run errands like the rest of us? My dear, you missed o. Thanks for reading!
love your precision and attention to detail.Good job.#goingdownmemorylane
Thanks for reading!
The hassles of being a junior girl…..
Thanks for reading Faith!
What a life, feggco life indeed
Feggo life indeed…thanks for reading!
Junior days tinz,shoutin after u,last junior girl,shabale,scout nd flysch moda ,sch sis wow dats tru bt am also a feggo gal nd am still in feggo villa yap
Wow…current Feggo-girl, I’m glad you can still relate with some of those experiences, not much has changed I believe…thanks for reading!
Ankara nite tinz den vs tinz
Hmmmn…Ankara Night and…V.S in particular, nostalgic memories. I wish you the best girl.
This write-up got me smiling. Sweet old memories. Pls include declaration part too in ur next write up…lol. Love this, pls also tag feggo girls on facebook whenever a new article is written abt feggo, sure they wld love it too.
Wow…I appreciate the lovely suggestions. One of the future posts will cover “declaration & parting gifts”…I’m glad this made you smile. Thanks for reading.
Great story @requ1ne. I actually thought you were in Manuwa house. You just reminded me about sucking water out of the tap. Smiling now.
Hi @Tosin shobowale, I already wrote something about the ‘declaration’ story. Bet you’ll be interested. Read here http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=https://lilydawordsmith.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/declaration-of-love/&sa=U&ei=TaqdVbanH-eCygO20ongCg&ved=0CAsQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNEg33ZIdTe47BizKTaObeKS5vPgPA
I just read what you published, it’s beautiful…I’m not sure I could have written it better. Thanks for reading!
FEGGO memory are like diamond to me, I guess am one of the lucky junior that get away easily with duties torment from seniors. I was an A naughty, politely rude and never bending junior and I have my ways of getting away and challenging seniors in a cunny way. All the same, the journey was a fantastic one
Loool…I guess you were one “super-junior girl” in your time…yes, the memories are a treasure. Thank you for reading!
wow! Gud 2 remember those old days. I experienced all those stuff & I find myself laughing now. I feel for my niece who is abt 2 experience such. Feggo life is still d best I’ve ever experienced.
Very well said…thanks for reading and best wishes to your niece too!
Those seniors too did d same wen dey were juniors,its was all part of growin up nd boardin house fun
Hmmmm…memories. …
@Folakemi: hmmmn….thanks for reading!
Yes o, boarding house was fun…with the exception of a few, I’d gladly go through those experiences again. Thanks for reading!
Dis is good work u’re doing. I could only smile as I read. FEGGO life despite d challenges was interesting.
Indeed it was…thank you for reading!
Interesting read! I hardly remember the details of most of my gory ‘FEGGO’ experiences. However, I believe I learnt a lot from all my experiences in ‘Oyo’. Thanks for sharing
Sure there were some gory experiences, but like you said many lessons were learnt as well. Thanks for reading!
You brought back sweet and sour (well maybe not to sour sha) memories. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Feggo, it helped moulded a part of my life. I am grateful for the times spent and especially the people I met.
Thank you for this piece, it’s a brilliant one.
Hmmmn…on a reflective note, it’s both the sweet and sour moments that give our lives a profound meaning…I’m glad you read this!
Wow, feel so good to go back memory lane. FGGC OYO we hail.
I’m glad you read this, thanks!
Thanks for sharing this, It feels so good to hear all these again, after a long time. Am definitely sharing this. Am so proud to be a feggosian
Thanks again.
Thanks for reading too!
#ProudlyFeggosian
Hmmm wat sweet old memories dis r, i really wasnt bullied though. Nd how come its d manuwa girls dat r carrying iron buckets on dia head lol dnt mind me ooo i was in manuwa house set 03, it was fun especially with blockbae in d picture(house mistress) tnk God for d days though,dis right up got me smiling kapish- ojuloge.
Loool…those ain’t Manuwa girls though. I learnt Blokebae is now sadly late…I’m glad you read this.
I rememba on som ocasions where I ad 2 pretend I was aslip on my bunk or hide unda d bunk wen I was in a corna dt was farda in orda nt to run n get dere as d last. Lolz
Lol…all sorts of deception was learnt in FEGGO too…the smarter the better, thanks for reading!
Dis article got me smiling……. seriously if we were asked to go back to 1 phase of life we really enjoyed, trust me it ll be feggo days…… cooking with iron, tapping watet,wicked seniors, bathing with 2 bowls of water during water scarcity, SS1 third term days……………… and now we are here #Alhamdulillah
Hmmmn…Feggo life was one of a kind. I’m glad you enjoyed this, thanks for reading!
Wowwww, after reading this piece I smiled and at the same time had tears in my eyes. Sweet memories and bad ones. Being a junior wasn’t easy at all during my time. I remember reporting a senior to my housemistress and, oh my days, the outcome was unbearable for me. Well, so many experiences to share. Well done dear.
awwh…such bittersweet memories. Thanks for reading!
This write-up took me back memory lane…. I can’t stop smiling to myself while reading it.God bless you for bringing back all the sweet memories of Feggo.
Amen. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it, thanks!
Nice one , ur write up’s brings lot of memory back
Thank you for reading!
Reblogged this on omobizzzle and commented:
Found this journal of my high school days written by another grad and thought , wow….memories. yeah, I graduated from fggc oyo too!
Wow! Thanks for reading and sharing!
oooh!!! sweet memories…. Can I 4get times spent in dat jungle?? Hell Noooooo!!! Ow can I 4gt our slangs!!! Attache,bubbler, Lele, Tapping,penning, penpal, goozing, Itchu mi, bunki mi, corni mi, parti mi, sideii mi, front parti mi, guardii mi… Ow can I also forget:
1. pushing of d incinerator
2. Jogging 2 d dinning hall
3. Fronting wit ur Itchu on d love lane
4. skaling in and out of d hostle
5. Branching Ajiwunmi joint on vacation day.
Lyf spent in feggo would always jingle in my mind…. #proud 2 b a feggosian#
Hehehe…The numerous slangs we used in Feggo…The list is endless..thank you for reading!
Can’t stop smiling all alone at my desk….for me, it was fun all thru…been a cool bloke, all d seniors liked me wen I was a jnr student ..plus some of the teachers were fond of me…I miss Mrs Adekale, Mr solanke, Mallam Yusuf, can’t keep mentioning…Mr Aina, Mr Abdul…still saw Mallam Sally Bello recently at FGC IJANIKIN…well done dear…,u have made my day…
Wow…I’m glad I made your day. Thank you for reading.
Good write up! Indeed it was fresh! Without senior palaver, ur junior days will not b fun. Ibwas once a victim that I can’t forget d ugly experience. I can remember a visiting day dt my mum came n I reported a senior, I was expecting r to take me down to house mistress but she said I she bear it o. I shed tears coa I was pained. Thank God we all survived it
Loool…what an experience! Your mum probably wanted you to “toughen-up”. Thank God we survived! Thanks for reading.
Nostalgic! All too familiar! Beautiful write up! Well done.
*smiles*…Thanks for the compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I do remember that place, the house mistress spoiling my last name, the incinerator and the prisoners that come to clear the school. I remember the day they caught rat I think nd came to roast it in the kitchen. Also remember starvation week, pple troop to the dinning Hall especially Saturday nights wen they serve beans nd garri, just to pour the garri. It was indeed memories. I did survive..wow!!!!!!!!!!
Lovely memories…I never saw prisoners in the school compound during my time though. Yes, Saturday night “Garri” was always a necessity during starvation…lol. Thank you for reading!
Nice one dear…. It’s so real but was the fun in school then.
Thanks for reading!
This is exactly feggo lyf, all tnx 2 God who helped us tru……kudos to you nd tnks 4 takin us bck tru d memory lane……..proud 2 b a feggocian #owinni-on top#
*smiles* Thank you for reading!
Hmmm… I remember the ‘ewa olomi’ and the ‘nice’ varieties of food we’re usually served also the flesh eating rats…. A lot to remember, buh still we made it and the father has been faithful.
Hmmmn…I remember the “flesh-eating” rats too…lol. Thank you for reading!
Interesting stuff. Well, I didn’t really experience bullying as much. For some reason the seniors in my house (Emotan) were cool at least those in my junior days. I started FGGCOYO in JSS 2 I believe, till date I’m still not clear if I came in the middle of term or not, but have vague memories.
Although my time spent there was short as I left to the U.S. in my early SS1 class now I wish I graduated. But I do remember some of the things mentioned. My most memorial time was when we hiked to “owini-hills” hope I got the spelling right. That was fun.
I enjoyed reading.
Please on your next write up, comment on social nights. That use to be one of my favorites😆😆😆😆
I remember watching a movie called “I spit on your grave” or so. Then it was pure innocent watching the movie NOW when I watched it again, it felt like I just watched pure PORN.
Wonder if anyone else recollect? I should have graduated with the 99/2000 set maybe that would help. Anyhoo, if anyone knows the where about of the following people: Ijeoma Iworie, Delight Nnabuike, Wumi Akinbo, those were my close friends then ( men so much fun memories with them) please kindly let me know.
Thank you writer and readers😎
Awwwh…I didn’t really attend social nights, so I’m not in the best position to write on that. I hope anyone who recognizes one or more of the names you’ve mentioned would read this someday and help with the contact(s)…thanks for reading!
Nice one.I graduated 94.I guess things were tougher then.Kindly get guests to write their experiences.great job you are doing.
Wow…I can imagine what it was like back in those days…Thanks for reading, and your suggestion is welcome too!
I enjoyed reading those old memories. It reminds me of how small i was then. My set 82 wasn’t that tough. Am happy to hear of a new house called Tinubu. Then it was only Lady manuwa Amina Moremi n Amina. Nice stuff keep it up!
Wow! It’s an honor to have you read ma’am…I can only imagine what is was like in the 80’s. We had as many as 10 hostels by the time I left FEGGO…I’m not sure If more hostels have been added now. Thank you for reading!
Enjoyed all stories, lovely memories, glad someone can have a download of these events.
Lovely right up. Lovely memories too. i still remember back then in the days of Mrs. Dawodu(Princi) when we had to eat black and bitter stew and queue for water in front of JS 1 block and Moremi house before change came with Mrs. E. O Babaniji. Who brought some measure of discipline to FEGGO. So instead of looking for water in the Afternoon, we were forced to do afternoon prep and lessons and water started running in the hostels then the meals also changed. Wonderful Memories.
Really lovely memories. And you paid great attention to details. I can simply relate to every of the situations you mentioned. Nice write up , keep it up!!!
Still smiling, it was fun all the way though. Thumbs up girl.
Wow, what an awesome write up you got there! 2003 is my set, I remember every bit of these experiences, being bullied by seniors, I vividly remember my new mattress was fought upon to be used by seniors and I was given a flat one, when I tried to report, the senior kept hitting my forehead on the floor till it swoll up and then my mum came to the rescue on visiting day when she saw me and told me to go call whoever did it to me(lol) . @Eunice I bet you might not have had the experience of seniors using you as a van/conveyer of sneaking food out of the dining out of your own wish? That moment when you’re given the back of the house as your duty with tall grasses(#whew), I did have the gutter, toilet, corridor, quadrangle, front of the house, louvers, box room and dorm as my duty too . I really relate to your story, having to bath with a bowl of water or that moment seniors send you out of the bathroom so they can have their bath(means you have to wake up as early as possible to bath before they are up) , going out so early to fetch water from the borehole behind the dinning. Who remembers “bone fight” during Christmas party at the dinning? God help you not to dodge your head at that moment (a whole lot of interesting memories). I remember prep time too and the path when it’s after prep and you just hear a shout of “Ghost, Ghost, Ghost or Snake”, everyone takes to their heels without looking back #lol, but I must say, feggo experience was one of the best I ever had, all of those things made me learn and have an independent personality, even when I left, I could face anything that came my way. I think everyone should drop their experiences, it will make it interesting #smiles . FEGGO FOR LIFE!!!