Things I remember about Biheco

There are a number of things I remember about Biheco. Memories are fleeting, and so I might not remember everything right. Some are interesting, and others are not. Feel free to add some more if you remember. It is all about our dear Biheco and some of the experiences we have passed through and some life lessons.

Mango hunting

I have found memories of this period in our school days. Biheco was close to many lands that had so many mango trees. So during the mango season, we would eat so many mangoes till we got sick. They were very delicious.

Red, red

This was one of my favourite meals at school. On the days that red plantains were served with beans, the dinner hall was full, and everybody was around.

Supper was one of the boring meals because some of the days, the okro soup that was served with the Banku was not nice. It was watery. There was also this other brown soup, which was equally bad. We had to eat or go hungry.

Our trips to Torkor to wash our clothes and get some water was exciting. It felt like going for some excursion or expedition. One of the biggest problems during our days in Biheco was water shortages and the lack thereof. Water management was key to our survival at school. Sometimes, many of us did not have regular showers.

Zavon

Many didn't wash their cover clothes regularly. This generated some scented perfume that was difficult to bear. Many seniors were guilty in this regard.

Eating in groups was one of the most fascinating and exciting things during our days at school. If we were able to secretly cook some rice with sardines, mackerel, Tinapa, Tuna and Shito - hot pepper, you had to be prepared to eat very fast because, some people had ladles for spoons and could finish the food with one scoop. So, we were all prepared for the action and not to lose our guard.

Saturday night was for entertainment. This was really lovely. Dancing competitions were held. And some of the guys could really dance and help us to know the latest dance moves and styles. I remember one of our friends, Kizito, won one of the dance competitions during our days. There were many dance champions, but I don't remember their names.

Learning environment

In all my studying life, there has not been such a competitive learning environment like Bishop Herman College. Here, learning is fierce. Our headmaster Monsignor J. B. Eleaza created this atmosphere and supervised night studies ( 7pm to 9pm), so if you didn't do any serious studies during the day, you had at least the night studies to fall on and catch up with your studies.

But, beyond the night studies, there was serious competition created among the students to excel. I remember Senior Tony Lithur, who, after having fun with his Gunsa activities, will go to the football field with all his books and memorize all his notes. He was very smart, affable, nice, and loving. We all liked Tony. And he was not alone. You will see all categories of students on the school field, trying to commit their notes to memory. It was such a fierce competition. Thus, examination results were keenly competed for. I remember in Agricultural Science in form One, I scored 99% but I was 31st in the form. It means that, 30 students had 100%. This was how competitive it got.

Pork Show

Our headmaster wanted us all to excel, so he would organize pork dinner for the school for celebrating the achievement of the previous year. Here, the standard was that, more distinctions at the O levels and more students gaining good grades at the A levels, should be achieved and performance overall better than the previous year.

I remember one year group, the 1983 O level year group was full of very sharp, smart and brilliant boys. Senior Cornelius Adedze, Emmanuel Asem, Gadze Moses, John Amedume, Botchway, Blavo Walter, Avevor (Chantchuku), Agbeli, Sebuabe Matthew, Julius Avakame, etc. These guys were crème de la crème - Suma cum laude students. In those days, getting 7 ones, and 2 at the O levels was not a common feat. You must be a genius to do that. This is what Julius Avakame achieved, and when he got the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School (Presec: The National Science College) for his six form studies, everybody wanted to know who this guy was. He was a special case for mathematics. He did medicine, but I wish he had done engineering. He was my " colonial master ", my senior brother from Avatime.

Another year group, I am very proud of, is the 1987 O level boys. These were also a group of brilliant guys who raised the bar for other year groups considering the number of distinctions they had. The best of them was Pascoco - Fifi Fiavi Kwetey- (current General Secretary of the NDC and former deputy Finance Minister ), who also had 7 ones and 2. This was outstanding for an arts student. I was informed he was judged as the best arts student for the O levels in the whole country for that year, enabling him to attend the almighty Achimota School for his sixth form studies.

The Simpson Brothers

The ones I know: Robert, Edward, George and Alex. These were special boys. The Lord took his time to mold them - let me just put it that way. Robert was for engineering, Edward was all round - did Medicine, George (Abele) was for Mathematics - a protégé of our famous Mathematician, Prof. Acheampong of the University of Ghana. And baby last: Alex Simpson: very brilliant and a first-class student at the University of Ghana. These Simpson boys were disciplined, hard-working, kind and excellent brothers to all of us.

I can't talk about the Simpson Brothers without mentioning the Adzijornu Brothers (Sammy Young and Watuzaa), who were also gifted in the sciences and mathematics.

We also had the big man himself, "Big Terror" - Clement Kofi Afewu: from Taviefe: who was described as a mathematical genius. And said to have obtained the best grade in mathematics during the A levels of his time.

For the Arts Students, the great performers were Tony Lithur (was the Lawyer, together with Tsatsu Tsikata - defended the NDC/ President Mahama in the Election Petition Case), Benard Turkson, Adedze Cornelius (who always read in bed- but was as sharp as lightning).

Gavivina Tamakloe: a first-class student in Theater Arts and a great sports captain. An actor and public servant and a wonderful big brother. There are not many like you. Cheers.

And my other Avatime brother Bosochi Richard - Chick in Chains - who even did Latin at the O levels and can speak Multiple Languages and now works for the UN as a lawyer. Here, I cannot forget my own brother and class Captain - Charles Anyidoho (Fonzie), who is also an astute lawyer and a Senior UN official.

Furthermore, in my year group 1985/ 1987 O and A levels: we had the likes of our class Captain Dr. Divine Akpalo - overall boss- excellent in every subject. Dr. Frank Tadzey (TJ), and Stephen Aboagye - aka Acquah Saviour or Mr. Silicon Valley: they were both confident to choose Presec for their Sixth form work. They both had distinction - great work brothers.

I can't also forget my dear friends Dr. Agbo Nelson - lecturer at UST, Prof. Vincent Vordzogbe - Dr. Von: the Botanist - University of Ghana and the indomitable Dr. Victor Agbeyibor - (Acheley): USA - who single handily was able to keep Badohu in check but sometimes got into trouble for his candidness and speaking his mind. Dr. Divine Kwadzo (RIP) my very dear brother: smart, kind, intelligent, and very ambitious. SP - Ayigbe Richard - the best Pilot in the World.

Rev Emmanuel Agbobli- Osofu and great organizer of our Biheco Borehole Project: 2022, Chairman Francis Kungu - the best leader of our time, Paul Ggbekle: the ultimate brother, Dr. Henry Afaglo (Rafa): nicest and most caring friend by all standards, Peter Zomerlo: The Forestry Director and warmest brother around, Felix Ahiable - our SSNIT manager and caretaker of our Pension Funds, Odikro - the Teteman Lawyer, our sweet and only sister Vicky Etu- Mantey and of course, our own brother Orogo: Seth Kemevor: a great inspirer who challenges all of us to work hard and to understand that learning and improving our lives is the ultimate goal of man. Other brothers like Iron, Spanachico, Robert Wordey all challenged us in sports: particularly soccer with great skills and talents. And to all my year group friends, you are wonderful and fantastic. Cheers people!!!!

Teachers

Father Asormonchi: Cantankerous. As his nickname goes, so was he. Very intriguing indeed.

Uncle Ray: My favourite teacher who taught Economics with great passion, interest, and desire. Gave us stuff that was sometimes beyond the O and A levels.

Mr. Etu- Mantey a father to all. Who made geography very desirable to learn and a subject full of curiosity and discovery.

Degle: History was his domain, but sometimes taught us English, pronunciations, spellings, and the whole plethora of the language.

Kofi Nti: the sharpest mind in physics, but had a drinking problem, which sometimes stood in the way as an excellent educator.

Mr. Gedigasu: taught French with passion and great understanding. Very nice man and approachable with all our problems.

Gilli: This was a colourful teacher who taught agriculture with zeal, humor, and sometimes on the edge. He was very insightful.

Mr. Koku: (Acoustics) : wanted to make mathematics easy for us. He was disciplined and a no-nonsense guy. A father figure in all sense of the word. Rest well, sir.

Mrs. Agawu: beautiful lady, very gracious and kind. She taught us English, the best of its kind. The King's language.

Lapiwa base

This was the place where the barter trade was practically performed. We exchange our soaps and other items for food - Lapiwa. It was survival of the time, and we did so for some nourishment into our bodies. It was also a little escape from school to the other world. But when caught without permission by our headmaster or teachers, or seniors (prefects), could lead to serious ramifications.

Sherwood

There was Kakai in the Sherwood area and unwelcome behaviour took place there - smoking of all kinds. You never remained the same if you visited that place regularly. My mother told me to be aware of dark places and the forest.

Dosorgbo

There was lavender at the place. When you returned from there, you smelled like a Saint metaphorically. It was really powerful.

Punishment

Some of the seniors were not kind at all. For example, Senior Kudzi- house 6 wanted me to weed the football field as punishment for missing roll call. I remember Senior Dente ( house 6) drew a clock on the floor and said to Titolee (Dr. Evans Glover - who was then in form One) to keep marching till the clock changed. How was this possible. The boy cried and cried. I remember how Senior Nkumsah was ruthless to Crow J and other students. Also, another Senior, who was wild with punishing students, was Stephen Kpordzi (but later in life was a nice guy, very respectful and responsible ). Some of those Seniors thought they were rulers of kingdoms.

The Stone Brothers

Some of these Stone guys were dreaded and fearful. Those days we were tiny, so guys like that were not to be played with: Duborstone, Agastone, Gabastone, etc, were in this category.

Ola girls

These were the best ladies in the world. When Ola girls visited Biheco for programs like Gunsa or Groto, all the boys would go crazy. All those who had not taken a shower for a while made sure they were clean and nice. Some of the boys were brave enough to organize trips to Ola - and my dear friends Wisdom Tamakloe (Teeweezay), Divine Kwadzo, Pascal Agbenu, Dr. Von never missed such chances.....or perhaps they were visiting their sisters and cousins....but who knows, they were smooth guys... and the ladies liked them.

In all, our time in Biheco was wonderful and great memories we will keep forever.