When people search for the oldest schools in Ibadan or schools in Ibadan with proven history, a few names always rise to the top. These are not just buildings. They are institutions that laid the foundation of secondary education in Nigeria and produced generations of leaders.
Ibadan, the Pacesetter City, earned its reputation as a centre of learning long before independence. The story begins in the 1800s and unfolds through missionary vision, colonial structure and a deep belief that education could transform society.
Listed below are some of the oldest schools in Ibadan—many of which also rank among the oldest schools in Nigeria.
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The Oldest Schools in Ibadan
St Anne’s School, Ibadan
Wesley College, Ibadan
Ibadan Grammar School
Government College, Ibadan
St. Theresa’s College, Ibadan
St Anne’s School, Ibadan — Where Girls’ Education Took Root
Long before the name became famous among historic girls’ schools in Ibadan, there was a concern in 19th-century Lagos that girls were being left behind.
In 1869, the Church Missionary Society opened a girls’ school on Broad Street, championed by Abigail Macaulay, daughter of Samuel Ajayi Crowther. Meanwhile in Ibadan, Kudeti Girls’ School emerged in 1899. By 1950, these histories merged to form St Anne’s School, named after missionary Anna Hinderer.
Today, St Anne’s ranks among the oldest schools in Nigeria, and recognised as the oldest girls’ secondary school in Nigeria. The school is no doubt a pioneer of female education with a legacy of excellence that still attracts families today.
Notable alumni include Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Bolanle Awe, Prof. Jadesola Akande among many others.
Wesley College, Ibadan — The Teacher Factory
Founded in 1905, Wesley College began as a teacher training institution. This was where many of the educators who staffed early schools across the Western Region were trained.
For anyone researching missionary and historic schools in Ibadan, Wesley College is central.
It stands out as one of Nigeria’s earliest post-primary institutions and a major contributor to teacher education in the region in the early days. One of her notable alumni during this period was the first Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Today, Wesley College Ibadan has transformed into a fully boarding, co-educational science school, proudly sustaining its long-standing legacy of academic excellence.
Ibadan Grammar School — The First Secondary School in Ibadan
Ibadan Grammar School was established in 1913 by Alexander Babatunde Akinyele. Originally for boys, it became co-educational in 1941 and quickly became a destination for the city’s emerging elite.
It is consistently ranked among the most historic schools in Ibadan, as the entire city took part in its founding and proudly regarded it as their school. It was also an early adopter of advanced qualifications such as the Higher School Certificate, reflecting its forward-looking academic culture from the very beginning.
Ibadan Grammar School has a long record of producing national figures such as billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga, former Governor of Oyo State Bola Ige, and former Senate President Ken Nnamani.
https://ibadangrammarschool.org
Government College, Ibadan — The Birth of Prestige
Founded in 1929 on the hills of Apata Ganga, Government College was designed by the colonial administration to rival elite British public schools. GCI remains one of the oldest schools in Ibadan.
The vision for Government College Ibadan was conceived by Selwyn MacGregor Grier, then Director of Education for the Southern Provinces, alongside E. R. Swanston, Inspector of Education. The school was formally founded on 28 February 1929. Its early leadership helped shape its character and standards: the first principal was C. E. Squire, followed by H. T. C. Field, and then V. B. V. Powell.
It started with just 29 students. Discipline was strict. Excellence was expected. Even World War II could not derail its mission.
It remains one of the most prestigious schools in Nigeria, with an elite tradition, culture of leadership and academic rigour, and a deep alumni network across politics, literature and governance
Notable alumni include distinguished pre-independence politician Adegoke Adelabu, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, former Oyo State Governor Victor Omololu Olunloyo, celebrated author Cyprian Ekwensi, and Oba Erediauwa, the former King of the Benin Kingdom, among many other luminaries.
St. Theresa’s College, Ibadan — A Mission to Educate Women
St Teresa’s College Ibadan traces its roots to St Mary’s Primary School Lagos in the early 1933. The Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA Sisters), founded for missionary work in Africa, carried a clear mandate many could recite from memory: “the education, formation and the betterment of the life of the African woman”—a cause that, at the time, received little priority.
Wherever a spare room could be found within a mission compound, the Sisters started a school. One such room was available at St Mary’s Primary School in Lagos, attached to the OLA primary school. There, young girls were admitted to begin their secondary education, and the seed of St Teresa’s College was quietly planted.
Demand quickly grew. Enrolment expanded steadily, like the proverbial mustard seed, until the school outgrew its temporary space and had to establish a life of its own. Around the mid-1940s, the school relocated to Oke-Ado, Ibadan, where Sister Sylvester Hogan became its first principal at the new site.
The college soon gained a reputation for excellence and a well-rounded education that went beyond academics to include sports, music, debating society, and more. Records also show that some of the early graduates of the University of Ibadan were alumnae of St Teresa’s College.
Why These Are Still the Most Respected Oldest Schools in Ibadan
The story of the oldest schools in Ibadan is not about the buildings themselves. It is about enduring ideas that education should be accessible, should shape character and produce leaders. These schools laid the foundation for Western education in Ibadan and continue to influence what parents look for today when searching for the best secondary schools in Ibadan.
Ibadan’s identity as a city of learning was built classroom by classroom, decade by decade. That is why, when people look up schools in Ibadan with history, these names still come first.
They are not just part of the past, but the foundation of everything that came after.
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