A former student of King’s College, Lagos, Wale Jana, has recalled what he described as difficult living conditions during his time at the school, including poor sanitation and food, while expressing support for the proposed concession of the institution.
Jana, who attended King’s College between 1995 and 1999 and was a boarder in Panes House, said he left the school because of health challenges and later completed his secondary education at The International School, Ibadan.
Reflecting on his experience in a Facebook post, Jana said he remained proud of being a Kingsman but believed the challenges students faced should also be part of the conversation about the school’s future.
“Every Kingsman is very proud to be a KCOB,” he wrote, adding that “what many don’t tell you was the very terrible standard of living we had to endure as students of Kings College Lagos.”
Jana recalled the condition of the sanitary facilities, describing the toilets as “a serious eye sore.”
“At the old campus we had about 4 toilets and 4 bathrooms if I can remember and those toilets serviced over 100 students,” he said.
According to him, the poor water system frequently left the toilets clogged.
“The toilets were always clogged with poop and we had to pound the toilets with a stick and then pour buckets of water to flush it, because the water system was dead!” he wrote.
Jana further claimed that “the toilets were always full of maggots.”
He also recalled his experience with the food served at the school, describing it as “terrible food.”
“Sometimes the meat or fish was spoilt or rotten,” he alleged, adding that the experience had affected his relationship with some foods even years after leaving the school.
Despite these experiences, Jana said Kingsmen have continued to achieve success in different areas of life and that being associated with King’s College carries significant pride among its alumni.
“Kings Men have always been successful,” he wrote, describing it as an “unwritten rule in Nigeria” that being a Kingsman could help open doors.
However, he said it was painful for some alumni that they could not confidently send their children to the institution because of concerns about its living conditions.
“It is a pain in the heart of many Kings men that they cannot send their children to a school they love so much because of the standard of living in Kings College Lagos,” he said.
Jana therefore described the proposed concession as “a welcome development,” arguing that King’s College needs significant intervention to address its challenges.
He also expressed appreciation to Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, for making the issue a priority.
“I am thankful to the Minister of Education Mr Tunji Alausa for making this a priority,” he wrote, adding that “posterity, history and all Kings Men all over the world will forever be grateful to you.”
However, Jana’s position has attracted contrasting reactions from other people who commented on his post.
Akeju Olagbaju described Jana’s account as biased and argued that alumni could support the school without taking over its management.
“Your post is biased. The old students didn’t need to colonize the school before improving on the standard. That is the point,” Olagbaju wrote.
He recalled his own experience at King’s College in 1975, saying students were served good and balanced meals.
“I came in for the Interview to Sixth form after successful Common Entrance from a School you would consider local but one of the best in that environment. This was 1975. We were served good meal balanced,” he said.
Olagbaju added that if the school’s infrastructure and boarding facilities had deteriorated, alumni should support the government by helping to fund improvements.
“The old Students benefitted so much and if the standard of physical infrastructure and conditions of boarding facilities have deteriorated, the good thing to do is to support the Government and fund the upgrade,” he stated.
Another commenter, Vivy Vago, similarly argued that alumni could contribute to the school’s development without a concession.
“If Old Boys MUST help or intervene, it MUST NOT be through concession,” Vago wrote.
According to the commenter, the King’s College Old Boys Association could fund and execute development projects directly, including supervising and monitoring the work before handing completed projects over to the school.
“KCOB or KCOBA can contribute to improving the state of King’s College Lagos WITHOUT taking it over,” Vago stated.
Vago added that alumni could “execute the projects themselves, supervise, monitor, handover, continue the supervision etc, WITHOUT concessioning or taking over.”
Omali Achile also argued that the old students could intervene without privatising the institution.
“The old students can intervene without necessarily privatizing the school,” Achile wrote, suggesting that the alumni could establish an infrastructure development fund to support the construction of new hostels and other facilities.
He also questioned the Federal Government’s role in financing public education, saying Nigerians had expected savings from the removal of subsidy to be channelled into essential sectors.
“After removing subsidy, we thought all the savings from subsidy should have gone into better and affordable education and Healthcare,” he said.
Mariam Ibraheem also opposed the proposed concession, arguing that alumni support could take other forms.
“If the old boys can’t help then they should leave it. Privatization is far from it,” she wrote.
Ibraheem said alumni could continue supporting their former schools through donations rather than taking over their management.
“My set still go back to my school to donate gift to the kids in our little way not by hijacking it because I won’t it to fit d standard for my kids,” she stated.
Beyond the question of ownership and management, Oluwakemi Afuwape raised concerns about the fate of the school’s teaching and non-teaching staff under the proposed arrangement.
“What is the fate of the teaching and non teaching staff?” Afuwape asked.
She questioned whether staff members who may not wish to work under the Old Boys Association would be absorbed by the Federal Ministry of Education.
“For sure not all teachers and non teaching staff will be interested in working for the Old Boys Association. What is the Federal government doing to address this?” she wrote.
The reactions highlight the different concerns surrounding the proposed concession, ranging from the condition of school facilities and alumni support to public funding, affordability, management control and the future of existing staff.
While Jana sees the proposed arrangement as an opportunity to restore King’s College to what he described as its “lost glory,” several commenters have questioned whether such improvement necessarily requires a concession or transfer of management.
The debate comes as the Federal Government and labour unions continue discussions over the proposed arrangement, with issues including staff welfare, management responsibilities and the terms of the agreement remaining central to the ongoing conversation.
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