Kunle Adelabu
-Honours Sen. Ogunlewe, former teachers
The truism that investments in young men pay as they are the future of the society, has been proven as a beneficiary of Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe Scholarship returned to his alma mata, Keme Balogun Junior and Senior Colleges, Ibeshe in Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, to give back to the school.
Prince Kayode Olaide, who, in his secondary days, was one of the beneficiaries of the former Minister of Works’ educational grant, and also had the privilege of having his JAMB form paid for by his former Principal, Mrs Adenegan, M.A, on Thursday, April 6, 2023, gave about 50 students educational support and also appreciated the entire staff of his former school for their great work and his former teachers in the school for the roles that they played in his life.
Aside Mrs Adenegan, other former teacher he honoured is Mr Akeem Bello who is the current Principal of Oriwu Senior Model College, lkorodu, Mr Salami, M.O., Mr Kazeem T.D and Mr Odusote S.A.
The occasion was the second edition of Oba Adewamiri Ayokulehin Olaide Memorial & Prince Kayode Olaide Annual Scholarship Schemes for academic performances in Keme Junior and Senior Colleges for 2022. Cash prizes were presented to overall best students from the junior school one to the senior school three, best students in every subject at all levels and best WAEC students; teaching and non – teaching staff of the colleges, while cash and awards of recognition were also presented to Principals of the colleges and five former teachers and a Principal of the senior school.
The sponsor described the scholarship award as giving back to the society, encouraging and supporting students that are brilliant and appreciating teachers for their roles in the lives of the students and in the larger society.
“Whatever that I am doing here today, it is not the first, somebody did it for me back then, and I thought it is good that I should also give back to the community. After I benefited from the scholarship, I also benefited from the late Musediq Alogba Scholarship as the overall best student”, Prince Olaide recalled.
“I came back in 2021 to make sure that we started something like this. But somebody motivated me. There are some people here today who are old students of Keme who were beneficiaries of some scholarships. I was one of them. Throughout my six years in Keme, I was on scholarship as the overall best student and best student in Mathematics. The initiator of that scholarship then was our own Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe.
“Daddy (Sen. Ogunlewe), we are so grateful. Today, you can see one of your products is here trying to carry on what you have started. Thank you so much sir.
“Each time I won a scholarship and I took it home, Kabiyesi always prays for me and instructs me to work harder to get it again in subsequent years. So, I performed very well because I knew that somebody was on my neck. That was how I maintained my academic status throughout my six years in Keme Balogun College”, he added.
Explaining his reasons for honouring his former teachers, many of whom had retired, and entire staff of Keme Balogun, Prince Olaide said:
“I am happy I have a lot of my teachers in the house today; builders of lives. When we relate with teachers, our relationship with teachers is not just in class; it’s not just about teaching, they are our parents; they mean well for us and they always want us to go out and make sure we are the best in life. Today, I am so happy that I have some of my old teachers here. Mrs Adenegan is here; my own biology teacher, and I also have my school father here, Mr Odusote who was my Yoruba teacher and at the same time, my English teacher. He actually taught me Yoruba, but I always go back to him whenever I have challenges in my English Language. So, teachers’ impacts are beyond the classrooms and that is why I am always grateful when I come across teachers generally”, he said.
“I also have somebody here today, my own Physics and Chemistry teacher, Mr Akeem Bello, welcome sir. I am so grateful today that I have those that modeled my life around. That is the best thing that will ever happen to you as a student when you have people that are part of your life in the school. People usually call me Omo teacher because I always perform well in all my subjects”.
He charged students that were presented with scholarships and others to let the support be a motivating factor for improving on their academic performance.
Meanwhile, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, who chaired the occasion and had contributed immensely towards educational developments in Ikorodu Division, recalled how he invested in the students of the school over two decades ago and how the educational investment has yielded positively.
He charged students to pursue their education with determination and commitment so as to achieve success.
“My dear grandchildren, don’t lose hope. There is what we called the Constancy Principles. I like this college because I impacted on you and the results were excellence. 100% passed. That was in 1996, and whenever I tell some people about your story, some of them usually tell me that I am a politician and can talk too much”, Sen. Ogunlewe.
“I saw the students dancing at Ibeshe when I visited Oba Olaide in 1996. It was when I was contesting for the Senate and I thought what can we do for them and the idea of scholarship came up. There was one particular guy who was not fit but was part of them, and I asked that he should be included. The beneficiaries at that time included this young Prince (Olaide who was sponsoring this scholarship). You can see what education can do for this community.
“You can see what the future holds for all of you in this nation. There is no substitute for education. Face your studies, so that one day, you too will be sitting where I am today.
“I fight for the examination as if I am going to the war because I cannot afford to fail. Failure is not in me and for you not to fail, you must face it squarely. This is your time, make sure that you don’t waste it. We’ll support you as much as you can. Please, be excellent. You must listen to your teachers. They are here to mould your future”, he charged the students.
“I will be happy to see that you make 100% in your WAEC in this school when the results come out. You have not been doing so well again”, he said.
While congratulating the students and staff of the colleges for the scholarship, he also appreciated Prince Olaide for his kind gesture.
Mrs Ameh Moyi, Principal, Keme Balogun Junior College, described the day as a celebration of excellence.
“Today is to celebrate hard work and excellence, and also let students and teachers know that there is always reward for excellent performances”, she said.
“Celebration of excellence has become a tradition for late Adewamiri Olaide’s family and that is why we are witnessing this today. I mostly acknowledge the family of Oba Adewamiri Olalaide and our amiable Prince, Dr. Kayode Olaide for the gifts and kind gesture towards the school. We say thank you and God bless you all”.
While thanking the Governor of Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo – Olu and the Tutor – General/ Permanent Secretary, Education District II, for their efforts in uplifting educational infrastructures and standard, she listed insufficient classrooms and laboratories and lack of sporting facilities among others, as challenges facing the school.
Principal of the Keme Balogun, Mr Olatunde Adegoke, said that his contact with Sen. Ogunlewe made his stay in the college that he was posted to, two years ago, a pleasant one.
“Somehow, I was able to get in touch with Baba and things started flowing in positive direction. Baba came up with fantastic ideas to fire up the students, especially in Mathematics. He started by giving incentives to the students. He bought about 12 phones for students and we set up a WhatsApp class. Following the setup of the platform, research started coming in and we were able to get about 95% passes.
“Before you could call a Jack, a Prince of nobility, Prince Olaide came in. When he came into my office, I was wondering what he was looking for, but he told me that he has come to give back to the school and the society, what he has been given and the first person that he mentioned was Baba Ogunlewe, and I was happy and wept but not in his presence.
Mr Adegoke, who said that he lost his mother at a tender age, but received support to further his education from his teachers, thanked Sen. Ogunlewe and Prince Olaide for their impacts on the students and schools.
“What Prince Olaide is doing today, is an example of the conditioned stimulus response theory, and the basis of that theory is that you give incentives to people, students and learners to perform better. Two years ago, Prince Olaide collaborated with my mentor, Baba Ogunlewe, and cash gifts were doled out to outstanding students and to God be the glory, it has been roses all along ”, he said.
“The developments (infrastructures) that we are witnessing in our senior school is as a result of Baba Ogunlewe’s intervention and that of a host of notable indigenes from Ikorodu. I want to say without contradiction, that if I am going to pick the most important educational personality in Ikorodu, it will be Baba Ogunlewe and the second will be Prince Olaide”, Prince Olaide commended.
Also, students and staff honoured at the event with cash and awards commended Prince Olaide and family for the gestures.
