Denis J. Slattery:The Making of a true Father

Rev. Father D.J. Slattery,the founder of Saint Finbarrs College Akoka came to Nigeria in 1939. He initially served in a parish in the Yoruba Inland Town in the Old Western Region. He was later posted to St. Gregory's College, Obalende as a teacher. He eventually became the Games Master for the school. He later became the editor of the Catholic Herald in Mushin. It was during this period that the thought of establishing a unique school occurred to him. His school became the first bilateral school in the country, combining full Grammar (called Basic) with Arts and Technical subjects. In the 1955/56 academic year, with six students, fondly referred to as “the first six”, a new school, but without a name, was born.

The new school had no address and had to be accommodated in the newly built St. Paul's Catholic Primary School, Apapa Road. The next task was to look for a site for the new school. Rev. Father D. J. Slattery, after an eleven-month search, which took him through the then jungles of Apapa, and now the present National Stadium, eventually got to another jungle in Akoka where he met a man who knew him but he did not know the man. The friendly disposition of the man made it easy for him to acquire a twenty-plot piece of land in the present site of the school. In 1959, the school moved from Apapa Road to its present site in Akoka, and in 1963, the school was officially opened by Dr. Nnandi Azikiwe, the first President of Nigeria, who was a personal friend of Fr. Slattery.

In a tactical move, he got a grant from the then British Colonial Government, with which he set up a ten-classroom block, two technical drawing rooms, a technical block, an administrative block, which also houses the teachers staff room, and a dining room assembly hall with a well equipped kitchen. Among the first teachers of the school were the late Chief Albert Bankole, Fr. Slattery himself, and Mr. F. Ekpeti. 

Early Academic Successes 

The school made its first attempt at the West African School Certificate Examinations in 1961, having been approved in 1960. In that first attempt, the technical department had 100% passes, with 80% making 3 or 4 credits, while the Grammar, or basic as they were called, had 50% passes with two of them making distinctions. These boys were also tops in sports and Vice-Admiral Patrick Koshoni (Rtd) happens to be one of the two. From then on the result kept improving year after year, with the technical department consistently recording 100% passes. In fact, in those days of Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 categorization of WAEC results, whenever the result was released, the understanding or common expectation was that all candidates would normally pass and what everybody was interested in was how many came out in Grade One or Grade Two: Grade Three was regarded as a consolation result. This trend remained true until the government takeover of schools in the mid 1970's.

Heritage of Sports

Rev. Father Denis J. Slattery, being a Games Master and an International Referee, was very eager to put the school at the forefront quickly in football since it would take 5 years for the school to prove its excellence in academics. In its first year of existence, it pitched itself in a football match against its host Primary School, St. Paul's Primary School, Apapa Road and lost 1-2. In 1957, it faced much older St. Gregory's “Rabbits,” where Father Slattery himself had been a Games Master. The school later had a number of matches with another older School, the Ahmadiya College, Agege. It was a very ambitious venture for the school, in its first four years of existence on 3rd June 1960, to make its first attempt on the Zard Cup, a nationwide inter Secondary School competition, which later became the Principals Cup. The school again lost to its counterpart institution, St. Gregory's College, 1-3. In 1961 it met the school again and lost 0-1 after an initial draw of 2-2, and won the Principals Cup for the first time in 1962, six years after its inception. This victory was repeated in 1966, 1968, and 1969. From then St. Finbarr's College team became a team to beat. Weaker teams feared any match with St. Finbarr's while stronger ones like C.M.S. Grammar School, Baptist Academy, Igbobi College, and of course, the big brother St. Gregory's, always looked forward to a tough encounter. In 1971, 1972, and 1973, the school had the Principals Cup, having won it 3 consecutive times. Saint Finbarr’s College also won the cup in 1977.

Renowned Sports Alumni

It is noteworthy that in the 1970's and 1980's the school produced international players like Thompson Oliha, Nduka Ugbade, Samson SiaSia, and Henry Nwosu, just to mention a few. In fact in those days, for any candidate to aspire to come to St. Finbarr's, he must be academically sound and/or physically superior in football. Stephen Keshi, who is presently the coach of Togo’s National Football team, captained Finbarr’s Football team. He later went on to captain and coach Nigeria’s national team.

Six players from Saint Finbarr’s College were selected into the first junior National Team: Nathaniel Ogedegbe, Henry Nwosu, Stephen Keshi, Wakilu Oyenuga, late Obe Adedeji, and Emeka James were selected to make the first Flying Eagles and later called Junior Eagles. Paul Okoku, Nathaniel Ogedegbe, Henry Nwosu, Stephen Keshi, later went on to the Green Eagles national team. Godwin Odiye represented the country during the African Nations Cup. He was the first Saint Finbarr’s College student to make the national team. 

Discipline at Saint Finbarr’s College 

Saint Finbarr’s College is most noted for three characteristics:

1. Academics
2. Football
3. Discipline

Rev. Father Denis J. Slattery placed a very high premium on discipline and could expel any student even if he was the best in academics or in football, once it was established that he had committed a serious offense. The gate used to be referred to as the gate of no return. There was no point in appealing a case of expulsion. Father Slattery never entertained such acts – no pleading, no begging, and no beseeching. Saint Finbarr's College had four commandments, which constitute the Moral Pillars of the school.

(1) Any student caught stealing will be expelled.
(2) Any student caught copying during an examination time will be expelled.
(3) Any student caught leaving the school compound during school hours without the Principal's permission will be expelled.
(4) Any student caught smoking or with drugs will be expelled. 

CULLED FROM http://stfinbarrscollegeakoka.com

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