Govt. College Umuahia History

      In 1929, Government College Umuahia, was one of the three secondary schools founded by the British colonial government around the traditions of British Public Schools at Eton, Harrow and Winchester. The other two were Government College Ibadan, and Government College Zaria( Berewa College ). This was the reason why in those days Government College Umuahia, was known as the 'Eton of the East'. The first of the Government Colleges of course was Kings College, founded in 1909 in Lagos, but the point was that the British imperial policy was constrained at some point. The constraint was the huge resources the British thought it expended in administering the empire and the colony. To this, it designed to create the equivalents of its public schools in the colonies, and in this particular sense in Nigeria, funded them very well, took a select few of the brightest boys around to prepare them in the technical and administrative running of the state. This gave birth to the three Government Colleges founded around British Public- Schools traditon, of which Government College Umuahia, was one of them. The late Robert Fisher was Government College Umuahia's first ( founding ) principal.

      Government College Umuahia reflect an indescribable kind of heritage having produced some of Nigeria's most important men in a life time. In one generation, Umuahia , as this school is popularly known produced such men in the arts as the renowned novelists Chinua Achebe, Chukwuemeka Ike, Elechi Amadi, INC Aniebo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and poets like Christopher Okigbo, and Gabriel Okara. There was also the renowned artist Ben Enwonwu, and distinguished personalities such as Jaja Wachukwu, Okoi Arikpo, N.U. Akpan, Victor Mukete, Dr. Endley ( former premier of Southern Cameroon ), Dr. J.O.J Okezie ( first republic Minister of Health), and academics like Prof. Bede Okigbo, Kelsey- Harison, Wilfred Chukudebelu, E.J. Allagoa, Donald Ekong, Laz Ekwueme, and Dagogo- Fubara. Umuahia was the pride of West Africa when people like I.D. Erekosima would blast mathematics at Yaba Higher College and would be the best student in the London matriculation examinations of the British empire, and Donald Ekong, Martin Nwaji, and Chris Oyeka to name a few would graduate in first class honours in chemistry. In the unending list are soldiers like George Kurubo ( first Southern Nigerian officer at- Sandhurst ), Alex Madiebo, Tony Eze, Anwuna, Tim Onwuatuegwu, Emelifionwu, and infact the top cream of Nigeria's well trained officers before the civil war.

      In the current democratic dispensation, two out of the five south east governors are Umuahians. These Umuahian governors are Chief Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, and Dr. Achike Udenwa of Imo. In the traditional arena, Umuahians are not left out; the Odiche 1 of Arochukwu, Dr. Ezekwe Ojinmah, is another shining Umuahian.

      Umuahians ( students and alumni of Umuahia), are known for their discipline and high moral values. One of the first attributes of Government College Umuahia ( Umuahia ), is the value it inculcates, which is that moral inscribed on the great portals of the school's Stone Library 'To Be As Straight As The Ruler'.