| Hussey College | |
| Motto: | Citizenship and Education, Labour and Unity |
| Established: | 3 February 1947 |
| Type: | Public |
| Principal: | MACK4PF |
| Students: | Approx 3000 |
| City: | Warri |
| State: | Delta State |
| Country: | Nigeria |
| Campus: | Upper Erejuwa |
| Nickname: | Hussians |
| Colors: | Ash Blue and White |
| Website: | http://www.husseycollegewosa.org/ |
Hussey College Warri is a secondary school located along Upper Erejuwa Road in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in Delta State and Nigeria, having produced many notable figures in the Nigerian professional and political scenery. The school has literally raised several generations of Nigerians from all tribes and backgrounds and schooled them in the best tradition of scholarship, athleticism, citizenship and morality. The 60th anniversary celebration (Diamond Jubilee) of the foundation of Hussey College, Warri was organised by the Old Students Association in 2007.[1]
Hussey College was named after Eric Robert James Hussey, the first British Director of Education in Nigeria and one time Olympic games competitor, he competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[2]
Hussey College started as only boys' secondary school (single-sex education) at inception in 1947. It became a mixed secondary school – boys and girls – (coeducation) in 1960 when the first set of girls were admitted. The school was reverted to only boys' school in the early 2000s by the Delta State Government and was renamed "Hussey Boys Model College".
Hussey College was founded on 3 February 1947 as the first college in Warri by three Itsekiri personalities, Chief Ogbemi Newe Rewane, the late Ologbotsere of Warri, his brother Alfred Rewane and Chief Elliot Nekapenami Andrew Begho, the late Iserigho of Warri kingdom.[3] Their aim was to establish a secondary school that would offer qualitative education to young men and women in Warri and beyond - Nigeria.
The motive of the founding fathers was to redress the vacuum situation following the relocation of Warri College, the then Government Secondary School in the city to Ughelli as Government College, Ughelli in 1946 and the founding of Urhobo College in Effurun (outskirt of Warri) by Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) in 1946. It became pertinent and urgent for the need of a secondary to be sited in Warri to fill in the vacuum. Chief O. N Rewane and Begho filled this vacuum with the founding of Hussey College in Warri through private entrepreneurship.
The idea to establish a school was first mooted in 1935 by both men, then barely in their twenties, at the Government College, Ibadan where they were students. Rewane and Begho along with Mr V. A. Savages (B.A. Hons) did the spade work to ensure that the school became reality. At inception Rewane was treasurer, Begho the manager and Savage, the pioneer principal. They were educationists per excellence.
Hussey College Warri, from inception became cosmopolitan with students' intake across the length and breadth of Nigeria. It was a college of both academic and athletic excellence and the breeding ground of future leaders in various department of national life. Hussey College has established itself as the most distinguish and credible secondary school in Warri and Nigeria in general.
Formerly, before the conversion of Hussey College into Hussey Boys Model College (only boys' school), Hussey College used to have seven competitive houses: four boys' houses and three girls' houses.
The boys' houses were:
While the girls' houses were:
The boys' houses competed among fellow boys' houses while the girls' houses also competed among fellow girls' houses. Unlike in other mixed schools where boys and girls share the same house name, Hussey College operated unisex houses. These houses competed for medals, laurels and points in the school annual inter-house sports (Hussey College Annual Inter-House Sports Competition) which pulled huge crowd from all over Warri and beyond – especially the invitation relay events, which was a delight to watch and highly talked about in town, usually added glamour to the inter-house sports.
During the school annual inter-house sports competition, Seville Dawes House often had the upper hand among the male houses, with its arch-rival being Dore House. However, in some years, dark horse like Ikoli House usually acted as giant killer to come first. And the minnow Nana House (with mother-luck on their side) usually pulled surprises in their rare few lucky years too.
While Otsowode House dominated the female houses, with her bitter arch-rival being Iye House, but in some years, Ejimogho - especially years she had elite talented athletes - usually bamboozled her way to clinch first spot.
While the rivalry between Seville Dawes and Dore – and other male houses – was mere healthy competition left behind on the athletic field, the rivalry between Otsowode and Iye – in extension Ejimogho – was bitter and often carried over to the classrooms.
The roster of former principals and teachers of Hussey college could pass for a mini who is who in the polity. They were part the team that moulded and groomed future leaders and nurtured the institution into a centre of excellence. A bronze scroll containing the names of pioneer principals and early teachers as a tribute to their worthy contributions was unveiled during the 60th anniversary celebration of the school.
Hussey College almost from inception became a centre for sporting excellence, raising great sportsmen and women who represented Nigeria at international meets and competitions.