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In the 1930s, 8 men came together to think of establishing a Community Secondary School for their town, Offa. Four of them were Muslims and 4 were Christians.
The 4 Muslims were –
– Alhaji Aliyu Olatinwo,
– Alhaji Gbadamosi Ijaiya,
– Alhaji Ilesanmi Giwa and
– Alhaji Jatto.They were the richest men in the community. They were uneducated but successful businessmen.
The 4 Christians were not so rich but they were educated and more enlightened.
They were
– Pa Abraham Oyediran,
– Pa Onawola,
– Pa Bilewu and
– Pa Oyeleke.Pa Oyediran was so educated that he was already a Principal in the famous Methodist Boys High School, Lagos. The rich Muslims brought money, while the educated Christians brought intellectual resources and planning to establish the first community secondary school in Northern Nigeria in 1943 (and present day Kwara state).
That was how Offa Grammar School was birthed. Before then, the very few high school educated Offa indigenes had to travel to Lagos for education. Now, they had a school at home.
Offa Grammar School has produced some of the finest Nigerians. They include the current Emir of Ilorin, Justice Gambari; General Alani Akinrinade ( former Chief of Army Staff); General David Jemibewon (former Governor of old Oyo state); Justice Ayo Salami (former President of Federal Court of Appeal); Mr. Dele Belgore, SAN (guber aspirant in Kwara); Alhaji Kola Belgore (Former Chairman of AMCON); Late Oba Oladele Olasore, former CEO of First Bank and Finance Minister; Mr. John Dara, former presidential aspirant.
The vision of these 8 great men that worked for the establishment of a secondary school in their community also benefited them personally as all of them produced children who went on to become hugely successful.
Alhaji Olatinwo produced a governor (Air Commodore Salaudeen
Latinwo, Kwara, 1984-85) from his children. He had many other sucessful children and grandchildren including the immediate past Chief Medical Director of University of Ilorin University Teaching Hospital,Professor Olatinwo.Alhaji Ijaiya produced several Professors and Engineers from his children.
Alhaji Giwa and Alhaji Jatto also produced several wealthy businessmen as children.
Among Pa Oyediran’s children were Mr. Cecil Oyediran, first ICAN President from Northern Nigeria (1973/1974) and Professor A.B.O. Oyediran, former VC of University of Ibadan.
Noteworthy that Mr. Oyediran the accountant was the first Nigerian to become a partner in an international Accounting Firm, Coopers & Leybrands (Now KPMG) in the 1970s.
Pa Onawola’s son was also one of the first 120 chartered accountants in Nigeria. He became one in 1965! He was the Chief Tax Officer of the old Northern region.
A third early Chartered Accountant from Offa, Prince Yunus Oyeleke, also qualified in 1965 (the 105th CA in Nigeria by registration number) and became a partner in Akintola Williams & Co. He was also a former President of Security & Exchange Commission.
Their fathers helped education in Offa and they were rewarded with successful children and a blessed heritage.
Most of them schooled in Offa Grammar School. Their fathers had the resources to send them to school in Lagos or Ibadan but decided to establish a school in Offa, so the children of
other poor people can also go to a community school.Dr. Folorunsho Salawudeen a Muslim brought Opportunity Industrialisation Centres (OIC) to Nigeria in 1969. An establishment by Rev. H. Sullivan a Christian Clergyman from USA.
Baba Adini of Lagos Alhaji Babs Fafunwa queued behind a Christian during election (Option A4 in Lagos early 90s).
That is the lesson in VISION, COURAGE and SELFLESSNESS. It goes beyond the petty sentiments of religion, tribe and political affiliations.
# I DONT KNOW WHO WROTE THIS PIECE, BUT ITS WORTH SHARING.
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