“Esse quam videri” was the message the ‘Kaneshie Harvard’ boys trumpeted to their opponents before the start of the 2026 NSMQ finale. No confusion, it simply means “to be, rather than to seem.”
Accra Academy came into the final carrying a dream the school had never come this close to achieving: winning its first-ever trophy, not merely seeming like winners.
But after a thrilling battle against two of the competition’s most decorated schools, that dream will have to wait.
The school made history by reaching the grand finale for the first time, earning its place alongside eight-time, well, now 9-time champions Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC-Legon) and two-time winners St Augustine’s College.
For a school making its maiden appearance on the biggest stage, Accra Academy had everything to play for. A victory would have transformed an already historic campaign into a fairytale.
And for a while, everything seemed to be falling into place.
Accra Academy made a bright start to the contest, when they took the lead in the opening round and sent a wave of excitement through its camp. The early advantage gave supporters every reason to believe that the school’s first trophy was in their hands. At least, the chants were evidence.
But the NSMQ has never been kind to early celebrations.
As the rounds progressed, Accra Academy dropped to third place, and the tension around their supporters became evident. PRESEC and St Augustine’s were beginning to find their rhythm, while the Academy had to fight its way back into contention.
They eventually gave their supporters another reason to believe in the fourth round when they finished second. With PRESEC holding only a four-point advantage, the deficit was still within reach, and the possibility of a late turnaround remained alive.
The Academy faithful could still dream that their boys would produce the big moment needed to rewrite the contest.
Then came the final riddles, where every answer carried enormous weight.
PRESEC correctly answered a riddle, and the mood around Accra Academy began to change. The four-point gap was no longer simply a number on the scoreboard; it was becoming a barrier between the Academy and the trophy they had spent the entire contest chasing.
The decisive heartbreak came when PRESEC aced the final riddle. The correct answer effectively sealed the contest and sent chills through the Accra Academy camp.
When the final scores flashed on the board, PRESEC-Legon stood on 40 points, while Accra Academy finished on 33.
Seven points, 7. That was all that was needed to separate the boys from the men.
Still, there is another way to look at the result.
Out of 174 schools that entered the 2026 competition nationally, Accra Academy finished second. They walked into the biggest NSMQ finale stage as debutants and left with the distinction of being the second-best school in the country.
The trophy belongs to PRESEC, unarguably, but Accra Academy has earned something valuable of its own: belief.
Perhaps this is the campaign that finally puts an end to the doubts. The Academy has shown that it can compete with the giants and survive the pressure of the biggest stage.
At least, defeating two-time St Augustine’s is proof.
The maiden title escaped them in 2026. But Accra Academy has left the door wide open for another shot. The hunger that comes from coming so close to winning.
And next time, perhaps the Bleoo boys will not be chasing the trophy. They will be the ones holding it.
