More about our defeat in Accra

Our contestants, Sebastian Okyere Prince and Daniel Aning Gyawu

In John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, the pilgrims were taken to the top of the Delectable Mountains from which they could see both the gates of the Celestial City and the entrance to Hell.

Prempeh was yesterday presented with a similar exposure at the GNAT Hall in Accra.

The winners of the Ashanti division of the Ghana Science Association quiz were in town to battle the champions from the 9 other Regions.

Prempeh, Western Region champions GSTS, Eastern Region champions Aburi Girls and Northern champions Tamale were in Group I and they competed in the first contest of the day.

But only 9 questions were asked in the whole contest. How could a quiz championship be decided on only 9 questions? As stupid as this idea seemed, the organizers felt that was all that their budget could allow.

Quizmasters in blue shirts on the high table

The questions were offered in this order: Aburi - Prempeh - GSTS and then Tamale. Since Tamale Secondary School was comparatively weak, they got most of their questions wrong and such questions were tossed back to Aburi Girls to be answered for bonus points. This system ensured that one's position on the podium was key to winning the group, since schools on the extreme ends were destined to benefit, and with the one on the far right very weak, the one on the left was guarranteed the victory. This is because with only 9 questions available, a team had to amass as many bonus points as possible.

Though Prempeh could have won it with a total of 28 points, the bell keeper claimed that one question we answered perfectly was belled-out, a decision that ignited anger and protests from even the Achimota students, who were present in their numbers to watch Achimota defeat Wesley Girls and Bolgatanga in Group II.

Sebastian and Daniel seated just before the quiz

Prempeh ended with a total of 26 points, Aburi Girls 27 and GSTS 27, and the Aburi ladies went on to beat GSTS in a tie-breaker.

Disappointing though this may be, it has shown our contestants -- at least the two that represented us today -- about the precariousness of life in situations such as this.

Having now been exposed to gloom, they now know how awful it feels to lose. They will now strive to bring Prempeh through the gates of the Celestial City.

An excellent defeat.

Return to National Quiz 2006 Archive