Kunle Adelabu
-Former students recall her impacts on their lives.
The retired Principal of Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, Alhaja Abiodun Serifat Ogunniyi, has revealed that her engagement with the Class set of 1996 of the premier College in Ikorodu Division, Oriwu College, actually prepared her for the administrative work.
Alhaja Ogunniyi was a classroom teacher until 1996 when she was made a Year Tutor, and this, according to her, was the beginning of the real work in her teaching and school administration career.
She made the revelation when members of the I996 set organized a retirement ceremony in her honour a few days to her retirement and presented her with gift items and also poured encomiums on her for all that she did in their lives.
“Members of the 1996 set are my very first set of babies when I was given the responsibility of a Year Tutor then as a classroom teacher”, she recalled.
“My work wasn’t much when I was in the classroom until when I was given the role of a Year Tutor. That was when the real work actually started. I was always in my trousers all the time because of the nature of the work.
“This set helped me to acquire the administrative skills that later helped when I became Principal. Your parents were part of the journey because they would always come. They thought that they were doing all that they did to assist their children but unknown to them, all that also helped in building me administratively”, Alhaja Ogunniyi revealed.
“My appreciation goes to them and thank you so much for doing me proud because each time I see or hear about you, I always call people around me to express my happiness.
“Thank you for doing me proud, may the Lord also do you proud”.
She also thanked members of the set for the support given to the school during her tenure.
“Apart from coming to celebrate me on my retirement, you have never for once left this College. You always have one thing or the other to do in this school. Thank you for making my tenure in this great school easy for me and a memorable one”, she stated thankfully.
“The water project that your set donated was commended by the National Orientation team that came from Abuja. Apart from given the water project to the school, you also donated it in my name”.
She pleaded with the set and others that have also been supportive of the school during her tenure to do same to her successor, Mr Akeem Bello.
Alhaja Ogunniyi also thanked staff of Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, some of whom were present at the ceremony, for their support which she said made her tenure as Principal a successful one.
“Without you my team, how and where will all these accolades, eulogies and commendations come from? I pray that you too will get to the peak of your careers.
She also thanked the Lagos State Government for providing an enabling environment and supporting the premier College in Ikorodu to be the number school.
Pastor Soji Sotuyi, Chairman of the Oriwu College Old Students’ Association of Nigeria (OCOSAN), 1996 set, in his opening speech, said that they are celebrating Alhaja Ogunniyi because she is irreplaceable due to her impact on members of the set and the school.
“We are not just doing this because you are retiring or to impress you, but what we feel that should be done; from the depth of our heart, because you are irreplaceable”, he said.
“Though, the gift that we are given you is a token compared to what you have done for us, but every member of our set, both home and abroad, greatly loves you. We all resolved to honour you on your retirement and God will continue to honour you.
“You are the Best Principal in the Federation and when the school won a national competition, my Church, Christ Embassy, presented a bus to the school at that particular time” Pastor Sotuyi proudly stated.
“It was also during your tenure that the school also had the Best Teacher in the country and all Oriwu College students, both present and old students are also the best.
“We hope and pray that this trend will continue after your exit”.
While wishing Alhaja Ogunniyi a happy retirement life, Pastor Sotuyi also charged the government not to allow her experience waste away and appealed that she should be given higher responsibility to further serve the state.
“We are thanking you specially and saying that we love you so much. The glory of your life that we are seeing will never diminish. You have never changed in your smile and the way you look back then.
“I am yet to remember a day that you get angry for once because there is none. You are always happy and full of life.
“We pray that the new journey after your retirement will be a journey of greatness, glory and honour. We believe that a place of honour awaits you in government and you will be called upon to assume the position”, he said.
“There are still better days and greatness ahead of you”.
Also speaking, a chieftain of the set, Mr Rasaq Agbaje, while thanking the former Principal, also recalled how she made him a student of Oriwu College.
“I am delighted to be part of this wonderful event. We thank you for imparting knowledge in us.
“Unknown to many, Alhaja Ogunniyi facilitated my admission into Oriwu College. I never thought that I could be a student of this great school if not for her intervention. She was also very supportive and caring throughout my stay in the school”.
Mrs Taofeekat Amin – Rabiu, another member of the set, also recalled the humane, caring and motherly nature of Alhaja Ogunniyi and how she was instrumental to her one year NYSC programme when her ill heath almost prevented her.
She also thanked the retired Principal for all that she has done in her life and that of her colleagues and wished her happy retirement.
Meanwhile, the new Principal of Oriwu Model College, Mr Akeem Bello, while thanking members of the 1996 set for honouring his predecessor, also called on the staff members of the school to emulate Alhaja Ogunniyi’s commitment and dedication to duty so that they too will be honoured when their retirement comes.
“I am glad to be a witness to what is happening here today. Alhaja Ogunniyi to me personally has been a mentor, leader and somebody I so much look up to”, Mr Bello said.
“I am happy for her that she’s completing 35 years in service unhindered. God has given her good health, good children and she has also accomplished a lot. It is the grace of God.
“For your old students to think of honouring you, to me, is one of the greatest things that can ever happen to a teacher. Gone is the old saying that the reward of a teacher is in heaven. To me, if you do well as a teacher, you will reap the reward of your labour here on earth and when you get to God, you will still be honoured.
“Yours is not the first because members of the 1995 set were here last week and I am sure that many will still honour her but I want to appreciate your set because I got to know that you donated borehole facilty some time ago.
“I want to appreciate you for what you have done, what are doing and what you will still do for Oriwu Senior Model College.
“To my colleagues, this should be a great challenge to us, we too should look forward to a time like this when our students will come around to honour us when we completed our own service”, the new Principal stated while charging the staff of the school to emulate Alhaja Ogunniyi.
