Kunle Adelabu
It was commendations galore as Hon. (Lion) Austen Taiwo Oduloye, on Friday, January 24, 2020, completed his ten years tenure as the Education Secretary of the Ikorodu Local Government Education Authority (LGEA).
At his Final Day in office/Pen-Down ceremony held at the Teachers’ House, situated within the premises of Methodist Primary School, Ikorodu, were traditional rulers, political leaders, retired and serving Permanent Secretaries, retired Education Secretaries, Head of Schools, senior education officers, teachers and families members who showered encomiums and commendations on the retired top education officer.
At the ceremony, the outgone Education Secretary handed –over to Dr Olumide Fasakin, the Head of Human Resource & Administration, who will act in his capacity till another Education Secretary is appointed jointly by the six Councils in Ikorodu and confirmed by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB).
The last day in office and hand-over ceremony was conducted by the Director of Quality Assurance with TESCOM, Mrs Anthonia Balogun.
While delivering his account of stewardship, Hon. Oduloye commended the state and local governments for appointing him to serve two terms.
“We have put in our best to place Ikorodu on the map of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole.
“Ikorodu Local Government Education Authority is one of the twenty LGEAs in Lagos State established primarily to administer the primary education at the council level.
“The focus is to oversee the daily activities of all the Nursery and Primary Schools in these areas. The Ikorodu LGEA has 63 primary schools and last week, we had an additional one which is Idera Nursery and Primary School, situated in between Odogunyan and Agbede communities. The school would fully takeoff on Monday 27 of this month”, he stated.
“In that area, there is no public school at all and I am so happy that the dream has come true. There is another one coming up at Olu-Odo and that may start operating in the next two months”.
He commended the SUBEB and FUPEB for ensuring infrastructural developments in primary schools in lkorodu division.
“I wish to commend the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Federal Universal Primary Education Board (FUPEB) for their joint infrastructural renewal in most of our primary schools which, when visited, can compete with any private school. They constructed 17 plus 1 and 13 plu 1 classrooms”, he stated.
Oduloye listed Jogejoye Nursery & Primary School, Ojokoro Agodo-Alara, African Primary School, Erikorodu, Agodo-Alara Nursery and Primary School, Agodo-Alara, Methodist Primary School, Gberigbe, Anglican Primary School, Isawo, Community Primary School, Abule-Eko, Community primary School, Mowo-Nla , Estate Primary School, Ikorodu, Local Govt Primary School, Imota, LG Primary School, Isiu, Omolaye Primary School, Agbede and Ososolu Primary School, Erunwen, Ikorodu as some of the schools that were given facelifts in Ikorodu during his administration as Education Secretary.
He appreciated individuals and groups that also contributed to the infrastructural developments in the primary schools, while he also commended the state government for training of teachers and for the food feeding project which he stated will improve enrolment and enable pupils to have good nutrition.
“I wish to appeal to LSUBEB for the renovation of LGEA Complex as well as some of our schools in Ikorodu. The schools also needed more teachers.
The Ayangbure of Ikorodu, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr.) Kabir Adewale Shotobi, in his royal address, assured the residents of Ikorodu, especially teachers, that various interests concerning the appointment of the new Education Secretary will be harmonised soon.
“We are working towards harmonising the list. Currently, we have four nominations with SUBEB and the fifth one is germinating”, he stated.
“SUBEB does not have the power to appoint for us. The local government will appoint and send nomination to SUBEB and not nominations”.
He stated that the issue of who will eventually be appointed to lead the local government education authority will be resolved at a round table where a capable hand will be picked to sustain the good work of the immediate past Education Secretary.
“What is important is to have a good successor to Austin Oduloye. If we have that, whatever he (Oduloye) might have done in office would not be destroyed. That is the essence of it” , he stated.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we want to assure you that we are preparing for the Ayangbure’s arrival and after he arrives, we are going to sought things out.
“For those of you in LGEA, continue to do your job and do it appropriately. I am sure that the Director of Admin will stand in as the acting Executive Secretary. Do your job effectively and efficiently and by the grace of God, things will work-out well”, Otunba Ayodele, who represented the monarch at the event stated.
His Royal Majesty, Oba Bakare Ajibade Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota, describded Oduloye as a veteran teacher and administrator worthy of celebration.
“I have come to celebrate a veteran teacher and the teaching profession because if not for the teachers, I would not be where I am today or be a chartered accountant. I am very proud of the teachers and that’s why I am here today”, the royal father stated.
“Austen Oduloye is somebody that took the position of the Education Secretary with all the humility in this life. I have asked him to do many things for me without hesitation”.
The active royal father also publicly stated that he would put the next Education Secretary on his or her toes when ge or she is finally appointed.
“I am going to monitor the person that is going to succeed Oduloye closely. Whomever that is coming will have a long way for him to meet up with this gentleman (Oduloye)”.
Asiwaju Lateef Babatunde Oduguwa, former Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and AOPSHON, Ikorodu Chapters, in his goodwill message, stated that Oduloye was good for the job.
“I have never for once knock at his door before entering. That is the extent of his accommodation. I pity his work schedules but despite that, he always create time to attend to all his visitors and other assignments.
“He has time for the job and he has been really good for the job in the last ten years. We have been able to get many things for our teachers through him”, Oduguwa stated.
“There is no time that we plead with him on behalf of our staff that he won’t oblige our requests. Just of recent, we pleaded with him to forgive some of our teachers that are serving some punishments before he leaves office and just today, he informed me that they have all been pardoned.
“He has done everything to ensure that whomever that is coming to succeed him will face no obstacle”.
Also, Comrade Oluwafemi Fakolade, the current Ikorodu NUT Chairman, in his goodwill message, congratulated the immediate past Education Scribe for improving primary education in Ikorodu division and the massive support rendered to the NUT.
“I congratulate Mr Oduloye for a successful tenure and we are glad that he has brought his retirement ceremony to Teachers’ House. He actually started what today is an edifice that we are all proud of because he granted the union the permission to constructed the secretariat” ,Fakolade recalled.
“He was part of those that built the union that we are enjoying today while he was a teacher. If there is a way to extend your term, we would have begged the government to give you one more term but no matter the years that we serve in an office, we must leave one day.
“He served with human face and for us in the Nigeria Union of Teachers, we see you as a friend. The generator that is powering this hall was donated to us by the outgoing Education Secretary. Thank you for being our friend, role model and a good father”.
Mr Wale Adeogun, Chairman, Association of Retired Education Secretaries in Lagos State, his own remarks, said that :
“I am happy today that Comrade Oduloye will be joining us but at same time, not too happy because he will be too big to be replace”.
He also stated that the Education Secretary position is one of the hardest jobs anyone can think of and challenged decision makers in Ikorodu to ensure that a better successor is selected.
He described Oduloye as a father and a well-respected individual.
“The Education Secretary, our father, Taiwo Oduloye, is a very intelligent man. He is a man that does things orderly. He’s the most respected ES among us. Today’s event has proven that you are a good person with the array of people that attended this event.”
Mrs Adeola Oduloye, daughter of Hon. Oduloye, stated that her father made developed interest for teaching profession and becoming a teacher which,according to her, was not her area of interest initially.
“Every time that I look back, I always say yes, God has really used my father for me. He made everyone of us independent. He has lots of biological and non-biological children and his name has been opening doors for me which is why I still maintain the name Oduloye”.
Others at the event were Sen. Adebayo Osinowo, represented by Primate Charles Odugbesi, Mrs O.O Benosn, former Chairman, SUBEB, Chief Olukayode Shoderu, Chief Ajayi Bembe, Mr N.A. Adebiyi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning, Otunba Saheed Ibikunle, Member, LSUBEB, Mr Adeleke Kara, member, Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, Hon.Kunle Ogunbela, former Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Hon. Ggbenga Basanya, former Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Alhaji Musiliu Aniamashaun, Alhaji Badru Enifeni, Comrade Kehinde Okeowo, Mr Taiwo Salami among others.
