*TICA... MY PRIDE MY PRIME*

Waking up this morning, I felt the urge to describe something. I remembered TANSI INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE AWKA(TICA), a home far from home where wisdom and discipline resides, a paragon of excellence and the pride of many. How can I forget those treasurable and priceless six years I spent in thy arm. An experience written in the sands of time and forever indelible in our hearts. Gratitude is all I can offer for those opportunities you availed me to for John. F Kennedy said"as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them" with this I say I will forever dwell by your teachings. This time timetable that made boys men, distinguished boys from men and made us survivors.

At 5:00 am, the sound of the bell wakes us all bringing us back to reality and reminds us that the day has arrived. At first one becomes reluctant to get up for the spirit is willing but the body is weak. Stepping down from the bunk we locate our tooth brush and bathing water and go straight to the bathroom and join the chorus of those having brushing already cum bathing. The first bell reminds us that we are already late, so hurriedly we prepare to avoid the punishment of the formators which comes at the stroke of the last bell. Immediately we start our morning prayers and the beginning of that prayer will remain ever in my heart, i always find solace in it,it says thus "Blessed be the holy and undivided trinity both now and forever more... Amen, let us place ourselves in the presence of God and humbly adore him". This period is a time when those who felt that their their sleep was cut short and didn't deem it fit to dodge the prayers and mass dozes off. Lol, some people will tell you that sleeping in the chapel is the best, still trying to find out their reason tho.

After the prayers begins the morning mass which is followed by the morning function where a higher percentage of us visits their area of duty and do justice to it. Some see this period as a period of washing clothes while others continue their sleep. This sets the formators on fire with their canes and they lie in waiting for the report of the labour prefects. Be the friend of the labour prefect and trust me,you won't know the smell of a broom either cutlass. At 7:10am the bell for end of function ends and this sees the students rushing in into the hostels to go and get ready for the morning classes.

At 7:25am, the morning assembly begins with the prayer seconded by Nigerian anthem and then the school anthem. I love the lyrics of that anthem and and says thus "Behold!! Tansi International College, behold the citadel of joy and learning, the school of excellence, pinnacle of wisdom" the chorus says "Hurray!! Hurray!!!, great and wonderful college the star of the sea...shining in the dark".Those words gave us encouragement to continue trying and defined the motives of the school . The
National pledge follows immediately. After that, the press club emerges with that word... "Good morning and welcome to TBS(Tansi broadcaeting service) news at 7...here's our head lines" and they keep is acquainted of the latest happenings in the country. After that the principal will address us and we all march into our respective classrooms.

At the sound of the bell at 8:45, the tension rises as we all await for the teacher to finish and we rush down to the refectory for our breakfast. "Pambi" a combination of pap and beans is not an ordinary food then, that food has been accoladed with much respect, it has nurtured boys into men and made some fighters. After that we enter our classrooms and continue with our lesson which later sees us into recreation. At 2:20 we end the class for the day and our siesta sets in.

At the sound of the bell we wake up and prepare for our afternoon studies,on your way from the hostel to the class you will meet up to fifteen students going to class with their football because at the end of the studies we go in for games. We are die hard fans of football!! By 6:00pm we say the Angelus standing still and that marks the end our games period which ushers us into that deadly period called Magna Silencia. That period is when the voice of birds and chirping of insects is expected to heard and not the voice of humans. In silence we go and take our bath and go in for our private devotions which in turn leads us into evening prayers where we say the rosary. At the end of the rosary, still in silence we move down to the refectory and have our dinner. We go for our night recreation and that period is the last time we are expected to talk loudly. At the end of that we move back to the chapel and say our night prayer collectively.

At exactly 8:30 PM we begin our night study and that lasts till 10:30 PM and we retire to our beds. At 10:45 PM the time for lights out. Lol, this period is when "oto" is sweeter. "oto" is mixture of biscuits, milk and Milo with an addition of Garri or "kpoms" (buns)...so rich. This period is when people go around begging with... "biko nyenum" syndrome of begging and this period brings problem because if you don't give, enmity ensures . Like this our day revolves into six years.

TICA has dwelt more on the three tiers of learning stated by Catherall " the three foundations of learning; seeing much, suffering much and learning much". The first class education TICA offers can't be found elsewhere where seasoned teachers are housed and docility our watchword. My heart goes out to the staffs both tutorial and non tutorial staff. An Italian proverb says that a teacher is like a candle which lights others in consuming itself. We love you more. TICA has proven to be the best amongst equals..... *MY PRIDE,MY PRIME*.

NWOFIA MARTIN
A PRODUCT OF SUCH GREAT INSTITUTION.





THE PICTURES ARE THE VIEW OF MY SCHOOL DURING THE DAY AND DURING THE NIGHT.