#NSMQ 2018: WASS Has A Lot At Stake But Nothing To Lose

On Monday, 2nd July, 2018, the roofs of the Amegashie Auditorium at the University of Ghana Business school came crushing as wild jubilations from students of West Africa Senior High School further aggravated the pains of an already wounded Prempeh College.

It was the semi-finals stage of the National Science and Maths Quiz that saw four-time winners and defending Champions, Prempeh College in utmost shock and dismay as they lost to Adenta-based West Africa Senior High School who were regarded as the underdogs of this contest.

Earlier in the same day, Adisadel College and St. Peters had seen off stiff oppositions and booked their place in the finals slated to take place at the National Theater.

The polls conducted on the NSMQ twitter page handed over an overwhelming victory 80% of total polls to Prempeh College and left the rest for WASS and Krobo Girls’ SHS to share.

Prempeh we coming into this contest as defending Champions, Maiden edition winners of the NSMQ in 1994, and four-time winners of the trophy.

So when they were crushed by West Africa Senior High School like how David crushed Goliath, a lot of people stated that WASS was the school to look out for and possibly, they could cause a surprise in the final.

Four years ago when I was leaving West Africa SHS after successful writing my final exams, the name NSMQ was virtually non-existent on campus. During my 3 year stay on campus, I never for once heard about WASS participating in the NSMQ. So when two years ago, I saw Kasim Tade Bolaji represent WASS at the Quarter finals stage of the NSMQ, I was surprised. I wondered what had changed such that all of a sudden we were featuring at the NSMQ.

The following here, Sahene and Abdul-Hameed represented WASS and again could only make it to the Quarterfinals but took solace in the fact that they had automatically qualified for the preliminary stage of the competition.

This year, they have come back stronger. They have beaten their own record and made it to the semifinals for the first time, the finals for the first time and have an eye on the trophy for the first time. So when they met Prempeh College, they were already heroes in their school. Crushing Prempeh College and making it to the finals is a wonderful achievement.

When we met Tamasco in the Quarterfinals, a lot of people doubted our ability to send them packing. I remember how when I put a picture of myself wearing my school attire of Facebook to indicate my support was met with laughter and doubts. Of course, they were right, who was WASS to even think of beating Zuweira’s TAMASCO. I wore the WASS attire to KROBO-ODUMASE hoping that my little support will be enough for them. When the contest was over, we had emerged victorious by sending TAMASCO back to Tamale and Kumasi SHTS back to the garden city.

Then we were seeded against the “‘Almighty” Prempeh College who were beating any school they met with a huge margin. They were also seeking to emulate PRESEC by doing a Back to back and equal Presec 5 time feat. It was a scary time to meet Prempeh College but as it is said, to be champion, you must be willing to beat the best. We beat Prempeh College and even before the contest ended, their fans and students had walked out of the Auditorium leaving the two contestants to their fate.

Everyone was shocked and the jubilations by the students of WASS was evident of how much joy this victory meant to them.

On Thursday, WASS will face Adisadel College and St. Peters SHS in the finals of the NSMQ 2018 to decide the ultimate champion.

Adisadel comes into this contest as 2016 winners of NSMQ and also this will be their 4th consecutive appearance in the finals. That makes them favorite to win this. St. Peters also come into the finals having last won the competition in 2000 and 2005. The have put up a strong performance right from the regional level to get here. West Africa SHS has never been to the final not to talk of winning. They seek to upset ADISCO AND PERSCO to cling on to their first trophy.

The truth is WASS has nothing to lose. In the history of the NSMQ, WASS is not a household name. Just 4 years ago, WASS was not even a name to mention for the preliminaries of the NSMQ. In a short space, we have made it to the Quarterfinals twice, and now here we are in the finals. Per our record, we have beaten our achievement last year. We have defeated a strong TAMASCO. We have beaten Prempeh College with 52 points making us the highest semifinals winners.

We are walking into the Auditorium on Thursday with our shoulders high. We have given a good account of ourselves. We have shown the world the stuff we are made of. If we win the trophy, it will further cement our success. However, if we don’t win it, we will take solace in our own records we have broken and come back stronger. We have lost nothing. If it was easy, ADISCO won’t be in the past three finals and only win once. If it was easy, PERSCO, after winning twice won’t have gone in to slumber only to resurface this year.

We are not judging ourselves by the success of others. We came in as underdogs and have blown the minds of many.

I urge all old students of WASS to mob the National Theater on Thursday to show support to their school and contestants. They have put our name on the lips of many. No matter the outcome on the Thursday, let history remember us as the people who were there for our school when she needed us most.

As for Sahene and Abdul-Hameed, you have inked your names in the history books of WASS and the NSMQ. Do not allow pressure to bring you down. Take this like you have always done. It’s an opportunity for you to do what your predecessors couldn’t do. However, remember that you are forever in our hearts no matter what happens on Thursday.

I am tempted to believe that when Winston S. Churchill said, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”, he knew a day like this will beckon.

However, the words of American actor and comedian, Lucille Ball, perfectly describes all I seek to put across, “remember to recognize the small successes that you will have. Don’t let the brightness of that big goal blind you to what happens on the way toward the goal. Meet one wave at a time and enjoy what progress you make. I want you please not to be taken up in the undertow of pessimism.”

No matter what happens on Thursday, we have nothing to lose.

Well done.
–
By: Abdul-Rahim Naa Ninche (Former Boys' Compound Prefect of West Africa Senior High School. Email: [email protected] / 0201962393)