Kunle Adelabu
It is indeed a glorious end to an illustrious and remarkable career for Alhaja Abiodun Serifat Ogunniyi who has drawn the curtain on her civil service career after 35 years of meritorious service in the education sector of the Lagos State.
Alhaja Ogunniyi, an award winning school administrator of reputable standing, is retired on Monday, September 28, 2020 as the Principal, Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, the premier College in Ikorodu which is currently the best secondary school in Lagos State and also won loads of laurels, honours and awards, a feat that placed the it on global map as one of the foremost educational institutions in Africa, courtesy of her excellent eight years tenure.
She assumed office as Principal of the school on December 20, 2012, while had earlier in her career served as Classroom Teacher and Tutor in the same school before being posted to other schools.
Alhaja Ogunniyi, who started her teaching career in 1985, had, at various times, worked as a Classroom Teacher, Tutor, Vice Principal in many schools in Ikorodu Division.
She rose to the administrative capacity in 2007 when she was posted to Luwasa Senior High School, the only secondary school in Ijede, as a Vice Principal. She was there from January 15, 2007 to August 6, 2008.
On August 8, 2008, she resumed as the Vice Principal (Administration) at Yewa Senior Secondary School, till September 28, 2010. She was later made a Principal of the school. She also worked as a Principal at Reri Senior Secondary School from September 28, 2010 till December 20, 2012, when she was posted to Oriwu Senior Model College, lkorodu, her last duty post.
Because of her achievements and good relationship, celebrations of her exit from service by her former students, staff and other stakeholders in the community and state started two weeks to the terminal date.
It has been tribute galore since her retirement celebration kicked off as royal fathers, elected representatives, political leaders, professionals, old students and many other stakeholders joined other well-wishers and admirers to honour the the woman who many have described as an outstanding builder of men.
The retired Principal, while in service, was sent on international seminars and courses. She was among the 31 Principals in Lagos State Teaching Service sent on International Course to Kenya for 2 Weeks (11TH – 22ND March, 2013) and also had the privilege of attending the ‘FINLAND SEMINAR’, a one-week seminar at Helsinki (Finland).
She attended many seminars, workshops and courses locally. Among these are Development Effective Principals for Lagos State Secondary Schools (13th – 15th June, 2012), Data Gathering and Analysis in School Performance Tracking (22nd – 24th October, 2012),Budgeting, Financial regulations, Civil Service rules, Establishment Matters and the New Pension Act Public Procurement Act (5th – 6th March, 2013) and Improving Schools’ Leadership (2016).
Alhaja Oguniyi’s eight years as Principal, Oriwu Senior Model College, lkorodu, brought fame to the school through excellence performances in academics, cultural, social and innovative endeavours.
The cap of her managerial career was in 2015, when she won the Presidential honour after emerging in the First Position as the Best School Administrator in Nigeria (Senior Secondary School Category). She had equally emerged as the Best Principal in Lagos State, Education District II.
Alhaja Ogunniyi won over 60 individual and group awards and honours for the premier College in Ikorodu Division before honourably bowing out of the education sector effective from Monday, September 28, 2020.
Among the awards and honours won by the Oriwu College under her able watch are Africa Unique Leader Education Administrator (2016), Best Senior Secondary School in Lagos State (2020), Best Principal (Senior Secondary School Category), Lagos State (2014), Africa Top Schools Award (2016), Most Outstanding School Award (2016), Best Secondary School in Lagos State (Public) – 2015, Africa Top Schools Award (2017) and Best Principal Education District II (2018).
Others are First Position, National Secondary Schools’ Debate, Best Principal, Senior School Category, Education District II (2013), Best Student in WASSCE 2015 Senior Category, Education Dist. II (2015), First Position, Lagos State Schools’ Debate (2013), Best Senior Secondary School in Lagos State (2014), First Position, Nigerian Society of Engineers Quiz Competition (2015) and Second Position, Gt-Lagos Principals’ Cup (Female Category – 2015)
Also, during Alhaja Ogunniyi’s administration, the premier school also emerged as the Most Outstanding School Award (2016), 100% Success in WASSCE (2016), First Position, Awokoya Chemistry Competition (2013), First Position, Felabrations Schools’ Debate (2013), First Position, Young Scientists’ Quiz Competition (2013), First Position, SOB Best Brain Contest (2013) and First Position, Lagos State Festival of Arts & Culture (District II) 2013.
Other achievements of the school are First Position, Youth of All Nations (District II) (2013), First Position, World Changers Speech Competition (District II) 2013, First Position, Vision 2020 (2013), First Position, Ikorodu Education Summit (2013), First Position, Ikorodu Oga Celebration (Essay & Cultural Display) 2013, First Position, U-16 Softball Competition (2013), Second Position, RCCG Mathematics Competition (2013), Second Position, GT-Sponsored Lagos Principals’ Cup (2013)
In addition to the awards and honours are Lagos State ECOFRIENDLY Schools’ Award (2013), 98.5% success in the last WASSCE (2013), Third Position, Lagos State BRF Quiz Competition – Season 5 (2014), 1ST Position, Regional Schools Debate (2014), 1st Position Ikorodu Community Development Award and Most Outstanding Secondary in Ikorodu Division, 1st Runner Up Lagos State Principal GT Football Competition (Male Team), 3rd Place Lagos State GT Principal Cup Female Team and 1st Position – Project Design and Presentation (Nigerian Society Of Engineers 2014)
The eight years excellent administration of Alhaja Ogunniyi also recorded other awards such as Best Senior School Education District II (2013), 2nd Best Non-Teaching Staff (Senior School Category Education District II 2013), 1st Position – Festival of Arts and Culture Competition, 2nd Runner Up, Lagos State GT Principal Cup Female Team (2014)and 3rd Position, Lagos State BRF Quiz Competition – Season 5 (2014) and 1st Position, Government College Literary and Debating Week, 1st Prize Winner (A Brand-New Bus), National Schools’ Debate (Reachout Nigeria in conjunction with Focus Initiative) 2013, Governor’s Education Award (Eko Schools’ Performance Award) (2014) and 99.2% Success in WASSCE (2015).
Oriwu College also emerged in the First Position at the Independence Day Mini Marathon organized by Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade (2015), First Position, Cultural Dance Competition by Homat Group of Schools On 20th Anniversary (2015), Second Position, African Child’s Day Competition (2015), Second Position, Lagos State 2015 World Food Day Quiz Competition (2015), Second Position, Me & My Tree in Lagos State (2017), Second Position, Talent Hunt Competition, Lagos State Ministry of Education (2017), Second Position in Lagos State at Festival for Instructional Materials (2017)and First Position in Education District 2 at the Festival for Instructional Materials (2017).
As a woman of many parts, Alhaja Ogunniyi in the last couple of years, and majorly due to her educational achievements and community engagements, had been saddled with special assignments within the political, social and professional spaces.
The outstanding administrator, who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with registration No.: 0201057, was the Secretary, Action Congress (AC) Women’s Wing (Lagos State), 2007, Women Mobilizer AC, Lagos State,2007, Member Local Emergency Management Committee (Ikorodu Local Government), 2010 , Chairperson, Ikorodu Professional Group, 2003 (till date), Co-ordinator , NCC powered Hon. Abike Dabiri – Erewa Centre for Information Technology, 2009 – 2012, Member, Women Empowerment Forum of Nigeria (WEFON), and Chairperson, Publicity Committee, 2012.
During the performances of these special assignments coupled with her exploits in the educational sector, Ogunniyi also received honours as Role Model and Achiever Award from the Nigerian Universities Engineering Students Association (NUESA – TASUED Chapter), 22nd May, 2009, Merit Award from Gbasemo Estate Youth Organization, 30th December, 2009, Award for Academic Excellence by Association of Formidable Educational Development, Ikorodu Chapter , 24th June, 2010 and Achievement Award by Global Techs World Professional Limited, 1998.
Alhaja Ogunniyi attended Lagos State College of Education (now Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, (between October 1981 and July 1984) where she bagged N. C. E.
She was an active student while in school and became the Vice President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), Lagos State College of Education.
She later attended University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, and graduated with Bachelor Degree in Business Administration (1994 to 1999) and had her National Service as a Classroom teacher at Araromi Ilogbo Secondary School, Oko Ago, Badagry, Lagos (1984-1985).
Alhaja Ogunniyi was employed by the Lagos State Government in 1985 as a Classroom Teacher to teach History. She acted in this capacity from 26th September, 1985 to 15th January, 2007.
