From Mr Governor’s Dairy 9th Feb. 2019
Erelu @bisifayemi #Ekiti firstLady yesterday stood in for @kfayemi the executive governor @ekitistategov (unavoidably absent….On National Assignment)
On the occasion of the
25th Anniversary & 23rd Founder’s Day
of OLASHORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Iloko-Ijesha,Osun State
Saturday,February 9,2019
THREE LESSONS
AND A CHARGE TO YOUNG NIGERIANS
Protocols
Chairman, Board of Governors, Olashore International Schools, Prince Abimbola Olashore;
H.E. Dr. Eniola Ajayi, Nigeria Ambassador to Hungary;
All our royal fathers present;
Other Members of the Board of Governors;
Mr. D.K. Smith, Principal and Chief Executive Officer;
Mr. Ezugworie, Chairman, Parents Teachers Association;
Management and Staff of the school;
Parents and Guardians;
Students;
Members of the Press;
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.
THREE LESSONS
AND A CHARGE TO YOUNG NIGERIANS
His Excellency
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, CON
Governor,Ekiti State,Nigeria
on the occasion of the
25th Anniversary and 23rd Founder’s Day
of OLASHORE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Iloko-Ijesha,Osun State
Saturday,February 9,2019
Protocols
Chairman, Board of Governors, Olashore International Schools, Prince Abimbola Olashore;
H.E. Dr. Eniola Ajayi, Nigeria Ambassador to Hungary;
All our royal fathers present;
Other Members of the Board of Governors;
Mr. D.K. Smith, Principal and Chief Executive Officer;
Mr. Ezugworie, Chairman, Parents Teachers Association;
Management and Staff of the school;
Parents and Guardians;
Students;
Members of the Press;
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.
It gives me great pleasure to be here this morning to speak to you at two important milestones in the history of this great institution. HE Governor Kayode Fayemi was looking forward to being here with you. Even though today is his birthday,he was looking forward to spending it with you because he believes that one of the most critical tasks he has now as a leader is investing in the younger generation. This is what he has asked me to tell you:
- These days,when I am asked questions about my hopes and aspirations for the future, something at the back of my mind wonders if I should be the one talking about the future. Of course, I have a lot to say about the future I would like to see, but the future is more about you, like others in your generation below the age of 25 that makes up more than half of the Nigeria’s population.
- If ever there was a time we needed robust inter-generational engagements, that time is now, and I believe our youth should have a greater share of voice in matters that affect thwm now and long into the future. I would like to ask that the older generation here present kindly bear with me,as I have decided to make my primary audience the younger generation.
Remembering Oba Oladele Olashore - Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,today’s event is as much about the past as it is about the future. Our being here today is a testament to the fact that good men don’t die, but they live on in the ideas they championed and the legacies they left behind,as well as in the hearts and minds of all the lives they touched. This institution is one of the most profound legacies of the man, the legend, Oba Oladele Olashore, of blessed memory, and today’s Founder’s Day is being held in his honour.
- It would therefore be remiss of me not to pay tribute to one of the greatest Nigerians of his time who successfully straddled several callings, yet excelled in all. Oba Olashore was a man of many parts. Before his ascension to the throne of his ancestors as the Aloko of Iloko-Ijesha, he was an accomplished banker and entrepreneur, who was also engaged in the executive management of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He was called upon to serve a member of the Transition Council that administered the affairs of state during one of the most turbulent periods in Nigeria’s history, subsequently being posted to the Ministry of Finance as the Secretary of Finance in 1993.
- So, if you have ever been undecided about what you want to become in the future, remember that you can be accomplished in more than one area of life, and we have an example in the life of Oba Oladele Olashore who was successful as a civil servant, banker, accounting expert, traditional ruler, philantrophist, hotelier, and educationist. He did all of this while serving faithfully in different capacities in the Church of Nigeria(Anglican Communion).
- There is no doubt that he was passionate about the future generatiin. The guiding philosophy and principles that serve as the foundation upon which this institution was built is evidence of that. On this 23rd Founder’s Day, as we celebrate the life amd legacy of Kabiyesi, we congratulate all those present and past students to keep making the institution proud by the way they conduct themselves everywhere.
Three Lessons and a Charge - Distinguished ladies amd gentlemen, I would now be sharing three important lessons that I have come to learn in life so far,gleaned from my personal experiences and from the lives of mentor figures like Oba Olashore. I recognise that you students are at that stage in life where you are impressionable,and your goals for life are being formed,and I want you to please take these things to heart.
7.1 Lesson 1: There is a Universe Beyond What You Currently See
7.1.1. Growing up in the mid-1960s, my father was a public servant whose responsibilities included information management. This meant that our household was never in short supply of newspapers,radios,and other such tools and materials for keeping track of happenings in the country and around the world.
7.1.2. Thus,long before the advemt of social media, I was an information junkie and grew up on a steady diet of newspapers from very early in life – and in the process developed a healthy reading habit that has remained with me to this day.(This is something HE and I have had in common right from when we were young,and is what attracted us to each other).
7.1.3. The things I read about early in life formed the basis for the things I became involved with on my later years and to this day. I grew up learning about happenings in other parts of Nigeria, Africa, and indeed the world.
7.1.4. In addition to being well versed in socio-political developments in Nigeria, long before I set foot on a plane, I had visited foreign lands in my mind while reading transcripts of historic speeches from all over the world, following liberation movements of the time as country after country in Africa gained their independence, and the Civil Rights movements in America and other parts of the world gained ascendancy.
7.1.5. The words of Martin Luther King, Jr. are very relevant in this regard, “An individual has not started living until he/she can rise above the narrow confines of his/her individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”
7.1.6. Indeed, it can be said that the rite of passage to becoming a functional member of the society and a purposeful part of humanity is that point when you become concerned about issues beyond your own personal interests.
7.1.7. I know this can be a little unsettling for some of you who have always lived under the protective care of your parents, with access to all you need and a good number of your wants.
7.1.8. How aware are you of things happening in other parts of Nigeria? How aware are you of things happening in other parts of the world? Are you aware and grateful for your privilege? Are you aware that unlike you, 13.2 million children are out-of-school children in Nigeria, and unable to access an education?
7.1.9. I am sharing this lesson with you in order to get you to the point of curiosity about the deep issues that humanity is facing,especially here in Nigeria, and hopefully get you to the point where you decide to become a Change maker, and commit yourself to spending the rest of your life pursuing a cause that would make the world a better place for those less privileged than you.
7.1.10. I hope you would remember this lesson, and I hope it influences your career choices, and your attitudes and behaviour from today. I hope it humbles you to know God has blessed you with so much that some other young kids can only dream about, and I hope it makes you show more gratitude to God and your parents for all you have and all you are protected from.(I have just gone round Ekiti State and it broke my heart to see so many children out of school and young girls carrying babies around. So the next time you want to throw a tantrum,remember that!).
7.1.11. I have come to learn that increased awareness of the world around us enhances self-awareness and encourages empathy for what others are going through, as well as curiosity about our purpose in life.
7.1.12. I hope from this day you begin to take advantage of the resources available to you to learn more about the world around you. I hope to ask more questions. I hope you spend more time thinking about how to use what you have to be a blessing to others, rather than complaining about what you don’t have.
7.2. Lesson 2: Time and Chance Favour the Prepared
7.2.1. The second lesson I would like to share with you is the fact that those who suceed in life are those that are prepared to take advantage of the opportunites that life presents.
7.2.2. Again, we have the life and legacy of Oba Oladele Olashore to glean this lesson from. This was a man that knew the essence of being adequately prepared to take on the challenges of lifw. For example, in 1961, Kabiyesi decided to take advantage of a scholarship to studying the United Kingdom.
7.2.3. This however meant sacrificing a very lucrative job offer at the time and taking up the strain and rigours of further academic pursuits in consideration of long term prospects. Many well-meaning people had persuaded him to forego the offer of further education in the UK, reasoning that even with a UK qualification, he was not likely to get anything better than the existing job offer.
7.2.4. This however proved to be one of the best decisions of his life – to delay gratification and take the road less travelled in favour of greater benefits in the future. His sojourn in the UK today form an integral part of his journey to greatness which would have been cut short if he had been given in to the lure of short term gains.
7.2.5. This is a very important lesson to learn and imbibe from in your youth. There are no shortcuts – absolutely none! I encourage you all to spend time after today writing down your goals and aspirations and all that you need to do to achieve them. Make sure you find a mentor to review them with you and seek advice on the steps you need to take to reach those goals in the short, medium, and long term.
7.2.6. Your holidays should be spent productively, and you should take every opportunity to learn a new skill. It is important that you imbibe this ethic of continuously developing yourself from very early because it would set you apart from the crowd in the days to come.
Lesson 3: Always affirm yourself(BAF)
My father brought me up to believe that I could do anything. He told me that I was beautiful. He called me ‘brilliant’ and ‘amazing’ . Guess what? I went through life affirming to myself that I could do anything and that I am amazing! I never needed anyome to affirm me, I could affirm myself. Dont look for friends to like you on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Dont judge yourself by the success of others around yoy. Dont permit others to judge you. Set your own standards. Write your own story, dont wait for someone to do it for you. Tell yourself you are amazing,beautiful,and wonderful and you will rock the world!
My Charge to You All - Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,as I conclude my presentation, I would like to charge you students to get involved in the fight to make our country, and the world a better place. Dont ever believe you are too young to make a difference – No! You are not.
- You must start giving expressions to your yearnings for change right from where you are,and with what is available to you. By Gods grace, I have been privileged to be a part of Nigeria delegation to the United Nations General Assembly consistently over the past few years,helping to give direction to Nigerias foreign policy. What many dont realise is that seeds of that outcome was sown long ago during my days as a student activist in the University of Lagos.
- I belonged to an organization called the All Nigeria United Nations Student and Youth Association(ANUNSA), which is a student and youth association that is devoted to promoting the goals of the UN through various activities, I can fondly remember leading Anti-Apartheid campaigns,and raising funds from our pocket monies to contribute to the struggle in different parts of Africa.
- That is an example of what is possible when you decide to get involved. So, the fact that many of you are not 18 yet and would not be voting in the elections next week Saturday does not mean you shouldnt be aware of developments. By the next elections,a good number of you would have become 18 and eligible to vote,and should be in a position to make an informed decision on who or what party to vote for.
- The challenges before us as a country requires that we enlist the participation of all those that mean well for the country. The forces of evil that seek to divide us along religious and ethnic lines for their own selfish ends must be put to shame. You must defeat the mentality and attitude of apathy that many Nigerians are known for – we must all be involved in making Nigeria great again.
- Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, i thank you all for listening. I hope fire has been kindled in your hearts and minds,and the passion for God and country consumes you from today, as it has me, Oba Oladele Olashore whose legacy we are celebrating today, and several other great men and women, who have lived, and are living their lives in pursuit of the greater good of all mankind.
- To all the parents who are here, I pray that God Almighty will continue to bless these precious children of yours. May they always be a source of joy and happiness for you. May you reap the fruits of your labours over them.
- I congratulate you all on this occasion of the 23rd Founders Day celebrations of this great institution,and wish you all hearts of gratitude and compassion; intelligent mindswith a clarity of vision; and purpose driven lives of positive impact. Thank you for listening.
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, CON
Governor of Ekiti State
Iloko-Ijesha, Osun State
Saturday,February 9, 2019.
