That I Had A Meal With Three Pieces Of Meat’
“When I came for the scholarship interview, the chairman of the panel was sleeping most of the time. He suddenly woke up and asked why I was not dressed in suit. I told him that I had no suit. He asked why I did not go to rent one. I told him that it was perhaps best for me to appear as I normally do instead of incurring some additional expenses to get a suit with the tie. He became hostile to me and accused me of arrogance because I had distinctions in my HSC result. The Chairman could not have his way with me because Chief Awokoya who had become the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and the Chief Adviser on Education, insisted that merit and not the dress should apply in considering applicants for the Scholarship awards.
scholarship of course went with my exit from Ibadan Grammar School. I was then in form four. My father refused that it was my end and decided to pay for my form four in my new school. Someone told him in the new School that I wouldn’t stay in Ekiti Parapo College having experienced better environment in Ibadan Grammar School. But my father protested, saying that if I were not a bastard, I would stay. I stayed and passed all the papers that I offered at the West African School Certificate examination. After one year working at the Seventh Day Adventist Secondary Modern School at Ile - Ife, I decided to take the entrance exam to Christ’s School, Ado- Ekiti where I was admitted for the Higher School Certificate ( HSC) course.
While in Christ’s School, everything took a new shape, perhaps because I had learnt from my experience at Ibadan Grammar School. In Christ’s School, there was no place for showing off the wealth of your family. Everyone was in school uniform. The focus was on excellence in performance, in learning and character. There was no room for Jungle Boys Club or other aberrations in behaviour. If you were caught and put in prison or detention, you were treated like an outcast instead of being celebrated as a hero, challenging the existing authority. The majority of the teachers in Christ’s School were Christian missionaries and Europeans with the vision and mission to produce the best for the society and the world. The school is therefore just interested in your intellect and character. I faced my books and I had distinctions in my papers which made my admission to the University of Ibadan easy. I had a stint as a teacher in two secondary schools in Lagos while waiting for the admission to the University of Ibadan and I was able to save money for my admission in the unlikely event that I did not have a scholarship.
When I came for the scholarship interview, the chairman of the panel was sleeping most of the time. He suddenly woke up and asked why I was not dressed in suit. I told him that I had no suit. He asked why I did not go to rent one. I told him that it was perhaps best for me to appear as I normally do instead of incurring some additional expenses to get a suit with the tie. He became hostile to me and accused me of arrogance because I had distinctions in my HSC result. The Chairman could not have his way with me because Chief Awokoya who had become the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education and the Chief Adviser on Education, insisted that merit and not the dress should apply in considering applicants for the Scholarship awards.
So, when the names of the successful scholarship students was published in the Daily Times, I was on the list. When that list appeared I began to think of all the savings that I had made. I was very grateful for the Federal Government Award which was at that time enormous. When the results of the first year examinations were released by the University of Ibadan, I was awarded the University Scholarship which was more prestigious than the Federal Government scholarship and also with more money.
At the end of first year, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor J F Ade Ajayi informed me that I had the best result in History. He added that I and Ifeoma Anosike who had the best result for the female students would proceed to the University of London on an exchange programme package between the University of London and the University of Ibadan. When the Dean of the Faculty asked me if would you like to go in spite of the cold in the UK, I was tempted to tell him that even if I would have to stay in the ice room I would go to the land of the King and Queen of England. Professor Ajayi said that the British Council would give me, on arrival, 25 pounds sterling for my warm clothing. That was how I found myself in
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January 1966 at the University of London, on to the next level of education, at the tertiexposed to the teachings at the School of ary level.
Oriental and African Studies, the London You then have this large number of JAMB School of Economics and Political Science and candidates sitting for the JAMB examination. Queen Mary College studying aspects of The JAMB candidates who scored 289 at the History. first seating and who were denied admission
At our final year examination, there was one because of the cut- off point of 290, would at question with which my colleagues were the next seating have 269, and in the the folfamiliar because they were taught while we lowing year, will have 200 because the canwere away to the University of London. We didate is already discouraged. In the end you were asked to describe the work of one historihave a pool of candidates faced with discouran, and the question was to be answered for agement and frustration. That development three hours. This means that once you don’t one suffocates the system. In 2004, Prof understand it, you are done. My colleagues Fabian Osuji , the Minister of Education at who were at home were familiar with the that time wanted to bring back the HSC and works of the African historians. I knew little of thus make sure only students who have them and I chose to examine the work of one been certified as university materials proGeorges Lefevbre, a French social historian. ceeded from the secondary school to the uniLefevbre was opposed to the striuct focus on versity. Thus, once you don’t come to the the study of the history of Kings and Queens HSC, you know you are either going to the and argued that the people who make things Polytechnic or the College of Education withhappen are not kings and queens, but they are out waiting to come to the university. And ordinary people. I could not limit my answer you go to Polytechnic, you set up your busito just one of item of his publications because ness you are a better person than the one I did not have enough evidence from one who goes to the university, taking the BSC book. I therefore explored his books and artiand looking for a job. Before he could bring cles that I had read when in London. the papers forward for consideration, he was
When Dr. Remi Adeleye marked the paper, sadly removed from office and the vision he found my interpretation of the question died with his exit. appropriate and he awarded me the best marks. That was how my marks shot up. I had the best result in the department and therefore the History departmental prize, I had also had the Sir James Robertson’s prize in the Faculty of Arts. This was all because I had no clue to the question or the understanding, thinking that I had made a mistake. Things were suddenly turned around for good. I began to see God as One who would turn around what would have been a mistake into an asset and a distinction to be celebrated. I felt so happy in His presence.
As a renowned educationist, would you say you are pleased with the level of education in Nigeria today?
No! Well, you see, things have evolved over the years, some, in the right direction, some in the more challenging direction. But look at the situation, for example, the 6- 3- 3- 4. The whole idea at the time of the 1969 Curriculum Conference was to transform our British educational system into what they believed was then in practice in the United States. So, one aftermath of the Conference was the abolition of the HSC programme of two years and the design of the 6- 3- 3- 4 education system. I believe that it was going to be problematic to scrap the HSC that was used to already fine tune and groom prospective university education materials. It was used to sift those who could benefit from the university education from those who could not. Once you abolished that system, you allowed everyone from the secondary school to want to aspire to be admitted to the university. That brought in many hundreds and thousands of young secondary school graduates who believed that nothing should prevent them from moving
If you have your way now, would you reintroduce HSC?
Yes. I would re- introduce HSC not for all the schools. I will pick as it was done at that time. It was not every school that had the HSC.
You could finish your school certificate here and go to the HSC designated areas where the very best of equipment and teachers were available.
In 2018, you served at a committee that recommended that government should declare emergency on education, what is your take in the government stance of not implementing that committee’s recommendation up till now?
The committee that I led at that time is called the Presidential
Committee on Ministerial
Strategic Plan. It was set up by the current Minister, Mallam Adamu
Adamu and what he wanted at that time was the strategy that would revive, revolutionize and refocus education programmes. He had brilliant ministerial strategy plans which are revised now and which were developed after wide consultation. The membership of the committee included the Presidents of all the Academies, ( Academy of Science, Academy of Education and Academy of Letters), past Chairmen of the committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, and academics with proven records of excellence in performance. It was a high- powered team and the Minister was very happy with us. He was also very happy with our recommendations and he proposed that there would be a declaration of emergency on education during which time the nation would take a fresh look at the education sector. One of the recommendations at that time was also that there should be a Mass Education where the bulk of the population would be made functionally literate and encouraged to life throughout life. The recommendations were passed on to the Hon. Minister who set the Committee up. He was delighted that people would have access to Education and that the process would lead to mass enlightenment and greater understanding of issues and enhanced productivity by a literate citizenry.
What happened thereafter?
The Minister, in his address at the meeting with the President and members of the Federal Executive Council made his proposal known and urged the President of the need to consider the declaration of the emergency for the education sector and make more funds available to carry out the plans of action of the period. That’s where our knowledge of the development stopped because we are only an advisory and ad- hoc committee. What happened after that level is not known to us because I guess they would now have to take this to the Federal Executive Council, they will now have to get the consent of Mr President and perhaps reflect on the funding and other issues. There is no way that I can have have any information other than the one released by the chief executive of the Ministry after consultation with the President and perhaps the cabinet.
2018 till date, are you happy that you have not heard anything about that?
What has happened is that from 2018 to now, the country has continued to face the challenges arising from the poorer economic performance of the nation, the unanticipated COVID19 pandemic, the crisis in the education sector caused by kidnapping of students in various states and other serious distractions.