By Dr Jaiye Ogunlewe
1.Greetings:
Distinguishes ladies and gentlemen,permit me to undertake an unusual protocol for this occasion.I wish to recongnize the head of Fadugba Royal family,DR AKINOLA Ajose OGunlewe , for honouring us with the presence and providing exemplary leadership with financial and other supportive contribution in holding this large family together .I also recognize all our “fathers” in this for their contributions.
Permit me now to revive the usual protocol.
It is my honour and privilege to recongnize our guest and” landlord “ – the Lagos state Government Ministry of Education ably represented and the principal and staff of the great institution – Lagos State Civil Model College,Igbogbo.
2.Objective of gathering:
We are gathered here today to honour our deceased and distinguished “fathers”-Prince Amos Olugbosi Ogunlewe And Oba Festus Mojala Ogunlewe – the first ADEBORUWA of igbogbo – for being the vanguard of western education in the igbogbo kingdom and revisit some of their achievements in this regards. Particularly,we are assembled to undertake the following assignments:
a. To fulfil the injunctions of king David in
The Holy Bible (Psalm 78vs4-6)as follows-let me paraphrase
“Tell the Generation
The praiseworthy deed the lord
And they in turn will tell their children “
b.To immortalize their worthy achievements by erecting edifies in their names for future generations.
c.To inform other people of different walks of life who we are so that’s other uninformed people will not regard us as what we are not .
3.The beginning:
The beginning of the “life and time” of our deceased fathers was the appointment of Prince Fadugba -the grandson of the 3rd Elepe of Epe (Sagamu),as the Elegure of igbogbo – the central leader of the community.Fadugba travelled back to Epe (Sagamu) to bring the ultimate traditional crown adorned with sixteen silver birds back to igbogbo to justify the position.This settled the matter of his royalty.
Fadugba, having settled at Igbogbo, married Efunbike Asante ,Ogunlewe ,a prince in his own right ,married into a wealthy family,Abero -the daughter of a wealthy woman -Efuntunmininu Omolaja and Adelarin (two boys and two girls ). This Is the beginning of the bond between Olugbosi and his younger brother Omolaja.
4. Exposure to Western Education:
Along the line, a customer Efuntunmininu,Olamide Ajayi , requested to take Olugbosi to Lagos to be educated. While in Lagos, Olugbosi was enrolled at St.john’s Anglican Primary School,Aroloya , for his primary education ,which he completed by taking Southern Nigeria Government Education Code in December 1913 under MR M .A Adebiyi ,who was the headmaster .Later ,Olugbosi was baptized into Christianity and took the name “AMOS”in 1914. Olugbosi was admitted to post and telegram Training school as Trainee Telegraphic Clerk .On completion of course ,he was employed as a Telegraphic Clerk.
After his success ,Olugbosi exhibited a great passion for developing his immediate and extended family members and the community educationally ,professionally ,and in other spheres of life .
Amos Olugbosi was committed to developing igbogbo Town by always spending his “Leave of Absence “among his people.He sponsored all his siblings who were willing to embrace western education.As expected,after working in Lagos for some yearm Olugbosi was transferred to the Northern part of the country; after setting down in kaduna ,he encouraged many of his cousins and relatives and all young men from his town to relocate to Kaduna to have western education or learn a trade or skill.
5.Role of Omolaja:
Meanwhile, when Omolaja completed his primary education,he was encouraged by his brother Olugbosi to undertake secondary education. He was admitted to Methodist Boys High School,Broad Street,Lagos ,Among his classmates were the late DR Nnamidi Asikwe , the first QC Lawyer In Lagos H.O.Davis,Joshua Motola Johnson ( father of late Brig .Mobolaji Johnson) and the Kesters Brothers among others. After his secondary education,he was employed by a high -brow company Messer ,J. Mclves and Co.,a division of UAC in Lagos .so,while his elder brother was in Nothern Nigeria,OmOlaja looked after the family’s affairs in Igbogbo and Lagos.
6.Activities in Adult life :
Even after having settled into nuclear families, both brothers continued their progressive activities in Lagos and Igbogbo, especially in Western Education , for the benefit of all indigenes of Igbogbo town . They were part of the group of young men who formed the Igbogbo improvement union,an association devoted to the progress of Igbogbo and all its indigenes.
They were also involved in religious activities related to the town’s social improvement. In 1932,these brothers were part of the group that initiated the process through which a United African Methodist Church branch was established at Igbogbo with its attendant primary school . The primary school provided platform for many young boys and girls to access primary education.
When Omolaja ascended the throne as Oba Omolaja in 1940,his progressive activities intensified and manifested as follows:
i .Following the establishment of Oriwu College and the requirements for land for the college, Oba Omolaja donated a chunk of the Igbogbo land for the project so that Ikorodu and Igbogbo could have a secondary school.
ii. When the Western Region Government launched the teacher’s training Education programme, oba Omolaja donated family land to establish the colony Teachers Training college at igbogbo. This training college is now a model college on which ground we are gathered today.
iii. When a Religious Organisation -Zumuratual islamiyah needed land to expand the progress of their college ,out of Yaba ,Lagos , Oba Omolaja donated a large piece of land to the origanization for its education expansion.Till today,these landmark educational donations still exist and we,the family ,have chosen to immortalize the contribution of our deceased fathers to Western Education In this community by building a modern hostel facility for the students.
7.Appreciation:
We hereby express our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Lagos state Government ,the Ministry of Education , the principal and staff of this college for giving the family this opportunity . To God be all the Glory.
