ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Ibadan City Academy founded February 1946 was one of the pride of the old western region where the government partnered with the proprietor Chief J. Oyeshina to established a functional school of Commerce and Administrative skills. Pupils were admitted from all over the the region including beyond the Niger river. Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was a neighbor of the proprietor Chief J oyeshina, told the story to me when I was a young broadcaster. Awo, mentioned that it was always refreshing for him to teach young pupils at the school. He taught Book-keeping, commerce, & civics at the time in the early 50’s. Chief Oyeshina had a lifelong relationship with chief Awolowo even when Awo’s house door, became became the official Premier’s Lodge. Ibadan Commercial Academy as was then known, was sited on the hill top of Eleta which was a serene environment for both pupils & teachers. The locals too were very cooperative with the school authorities which had a very Anglican influence in the moral doctrine of the students & teachers. Many of the students became very dependable & trusted men & women in the regions civil service.
In the same light, the school, ICA has had very many alumni in positions of trust in Administration, Banking & Finance, Accounting & without equivocation a great contributor to the Accounting profession to date. Many of us who in later years passed through the discipline of great teachers & Principals who imbibed a moral & ethical dictate of belief & faith in God & brotherhood of mankind. Our meeting one another after 50, odd years & in my case 41years of seeing most of my classmates to talk about our Alma Mata & the derelict state of Ibadan City Academy. The old students are coming together to build for a generation that we would be proud to say Ja’t la’ (I was there) when the school refurbishing started, and proud to make my little contribution. We must not relent, till the task be done. We must lend our talent & treasures to make this project achievable. May the dream & spirit of our forebears, Chief Oyeshina & Chief Obafemi Awolowo urge us on to rebuild our school, the city school on the hill of Eleta. “Dominum Opera Pro Bono Public”.
-Oluseyi Martins Esq. ’76 set.
THE HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL
At a time the Ibadan City was in shortage of Educational Institutions that would prepare her children to fill the vacant posts in commercial houses, the *Late Chief Timothy Lajide Oyesina,* who was one of the Ibadan leading Educationists and Philanthropists caught a vision of establishing a school with commercial basis, primarily for providing a liberal and somewhat technical kind of education in its broadest connotation up to the Secondary Grammar School standard. It was the desired wish of the Proprietor to produce young men and women well cultured, trained to live suitably in an enlightened and changing society, and capable of discharging their civic responsibilities without demur. It was also aimed at providing an institution to augment the scanty number of such institutions in Ibadan in those days, where moral and intellectual training could be married together.
Following the natural course of growth that brings about different nomenclature at different stages of development, *IBADAN CITY ACADEMY was born on the 6th of February, 1946 and named IBADAN COMMERCIAL ACADEMY.* It was to serve as a complementary seat of learning to Ibadan Boys’ High School which was earlier established by this brilliant academician and lover of knowledge in 1938 . *Chief T.L. Oyesina and Mrs. C.W. Oyesina* are the two registered Trustees of the school. Having no building of its own yet, *IBADAN COMMERCIAL ACADEMY* took off in a rented house at Ijebu bye-pass, but later it was moved to Oke-Ado Market, the former site of Aresa Secondary Modern School, Ibadan. And for rapid consequence growth, the school was later moved to Molete area, which was later occupied by BEWAC.
In1957, the school was finally planted at its present site Odo-Oloro, off Eleta {now called Academy} on a beautiful Hill on a Thirty {30} Acre-land acquired by the Proprietor in 1957.
In1958, the school became a *Secondary Commercial Grammar School* and in the year 1959, presented the first set of students {Eleven in number} for the West African School Certificate Examination under Regulation C3 of the WAEC.
In 1960, the school became a public Secondary Grammar School and renamed *IBADAN CITY ACADEMY,* following the report of the 1959 Full Inspection. Two years later, the school was accorded recognition for the Award of the West African School Certificate after a favourable report of a Full Inspection conducted in October 1961.
The School became a mixed school in 1959, and later became double streamed in 1968, and fully treble streamed in 1971, when it was accorded a Grade II status. Having lead a chequered but eventful life, *IBADAN CITY ACADEMY* had metamorphosed in name and site, from a single stream to treble, and now an almost Comprehensive School with an extensive and intensive curriculum.
The achievements and the progress recorded by the school was amazing since inception at the new site.
The school has being moved forward by the successive Principals. Each one contributing in many ways to the progress and development of the school. Mr.O.T. Osunbunmi, who succeeded Mr. S.O. Oke, has the unique opportunity of celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the school.
On the 21st of September, 1998, the school entered into another landmark of history as an Old Student – Mr. S.A. Aremu, who was also a one-time Teacher and Vice Principal of the school took the baton from Mr. O.T. Osunbunmi and so served as the school principal as well.
The motto of the school is *”Domino Opera Pro Bono Publico”* meaning, The work of the Lord for the good of the public.
The school today is now recognized as one of the oldest and largest schools in Ibadan, turning out students who have filled important positions in every sphere of life and in the building of our nation.
There is the Old Students’ Association with branches not all over Nigeria alone but also abroad. Each chapter of the Association struggles days and nights to contribute greatly to the academic, moral and infrastructural development of the school till date.
THE SCHOOL ANTHEM
1. Praise God for Father’s care
Praise Him for sports so fair
Praise for knowledge gained
Praise Him for well trained mind.
Chorus
I.C.A! I.C.A!
The name that all of us hail
I.C.A., our pride
May we live for God and mankind.
2. May our progress never fail
May we be diligent
Truthful, honest and gay
As were out time is spent.
3. When our work here is done
May we go out with joy
Join hands with comrade gone
To immortalise I.C.A.
THE PRINCIPAL’S ROLL OF HONOUR
{1}. Mr. T. Ade Fasoro ~ Jan. 1959 – Dec. 1969
{2}. Mr. Akin Adejumo ~ Jan. 1970 – Dec. 1972
{3}. Mr. Muhammad Duze ~ Jan. 1973 – Dec. 1974
{4}. Mr. G. A. Adeyemo ~ Jan. 1975 – May 1984
{5}. Mr. O. O. Yerokun ~ Aug. 1984 – Dec. 1990
{6}. Mr. A. A. Aderinto ~ Jan. 1991 – Oct. 1992
{7}. Rev. {Dr.} S. O. Oke ~ Nov. 1992 – Dec. 1995
{8}. Mr. O. T. Osunbunmi ~ Jan. 1996 – Sept. 1998
{9}. Mr. S. A. Aremu ~ Sept 1998 – Sept. 2002
{10}. Mr. H. O. Akinniyi ~ Sept. 2002 – Aug. 2003
{11}. Mr. J. T.O. Olubode ~ Sept. 2003 – May 2004
{12}. Mr. I. R. Obafunmiso ~ May 2004 – Dec. 2010
{13}. Mr. O.B. Oyerinde ~ Jan. 2011 – July 2012
{14}. Mr. Olusayo Olugbade ~ Nov. 2012 till date.
Dare Mukhtar Owolabi, 1997 set.