St. Gregory’s, Igbobi College, Six Other Pre-independence Schools to Clash in High School Duel 2025

A competition featuring notable pre-independence secondary schools, The High School Duel, is set premiere in July this year featuring Saint Gregory’s College, Igbobi College and Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo.

The competition is designed to rekindle the historic rivalries among these prestigious institutions, with each school represented by their top three students, competing in Mathematics, English Language and History.

According to a statement signed by the Executive Producer of the programme, Oladapo Ojo, with the theme “Back to Basics,” the competition goes beyond academic rivalry. It is a reflective journey that encourages alumni to reconnect with the institutions that shaped them and to give back meaningfully through financial, infrastructural and intellectual support.

“The story of secondary education in Nigeria dates back to June 6, 1859, with the founding of CMS Grammar School, Lagos, by Revd. Thomas Babington Macauley of the Church Missionary Society. That mustard seed has now grown to over 20,000 high schools across Nigeria, having produced presidents, governors, academics, jurists, and captains of industry,” Ojo said in the statement.

The High School Duel journey began in January 2025, when over 30 legacy high schools were invited to apply to participate in the competition. Each school was required to have been founded before Nigeria’s independence in 1960. After a rigorous qualifying exam conducted via the CruxCBT platform, eight schools earned their place in the inaugural season.
The top three qualifiers are: St. Gregory’s College, Lagos, which scored 96% and was represented by Amadi Kelechi, Jeje Oluwadamilare, Onyeluchey Chimkachasi. Coming second was
Igbobi College, Lagos with 93% and represented by Olabode Obaloluwa, Okoronkwo David, Lukeahizu Praise. The third was Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu with 92% and represented by Agbede Oyindamola, Arraigned Opeyemi, Ajigbefun Oluwajomiloju.

Other qualifying schools were CMS Grammar School, Lagos, Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, Wesley College of Science, Ibadan, and Baptist Academy, Lagos.
From July 5 to August 3, 2025, these eight schools will go head-to-head over five intense weekends, progressing from preliminary rounds to knockout stages. Viewers across Nigeria will witness a revival of school pride, camaraderie, and academic excellence anchored in tradition, purpose and excellence.
The winning school will receive ₦1 million in support grants for laboratory refurbishment.

Speaking further Ojo, who is also the CEO of JustMedia Productions, said “High School Duel is more than a competition—it’s a call to memory, a call to action, and a celebration of the values that shaped us.”

Beyond the intellectual battle, High School Duel serves as a rallying point for alumni engagement, encouraging support in the form of scholarships, tech donations, mentorship, and infrastructure upgrades for these High schools
High school Duel is Produced by JustMedia Productions in partnership with CruxDeals as part of the Duel series which includes the just concluded University Duel; SMART Challenge, STEMCup.