BIODUN LAJA

40 YEARS OF OF CHILDREN

Considered from any angle, Dr. Biodun Laja, Founder of Lekki British High School in Lagos, is a self-driven woman ready to give whatever it takes to make a mark in her chosen area. She had to fight to pursue a career of her choice; break into the educational sector dominated by elderly people to get her school established; get her financial independence ensuring that no man was able to prevent her from being what and who God wants her to be. She is still fighting on! She firmly believes that when you are in God’s plans, all things would work together. For Laja, what initially looked like a major error ultimately turned out to be the launching pad into her God-ordained path. She had initially planned to train as an accountant but having a child soon after secondary school redirected her steps into caring for children. Biodun has turned that passion into what has become a model school in Nigeria where she helps to shape destinies of many young people. Today, she is celebrating 40 years of the project. Dr. Laja shared some inspiring notes on the journey with Guest Correspondent, Ayo Arowolo in this interview.

What has been your experience running your school in this environment?

It has not been easy, but by His Grace, He made all things beautiful especially for a young person to break through the barrier of the elderly people running private schools in Nigeria. On top of that, Ministry of Education created a barrier that was very difficult to scale. But to the glory of God, I was able to scale through it. At the inauguration of ABC Nursery Land head office, it was Dr. Akin AbisogunLeigh who spoke and declared the school open even though the Governor was there, because he saved ABC Nurseryland from a stillbirth. I had given up completely until he intervened. I had been turned down three times, it was the third time I went to him and he saw that they did not have any reason to stop me. So, he stepped in and saved me from the embarrassment of facing parents for the third time and saying sorry, we were not approved.

Why did you venture into the educational sector, and what motivated you?

I was to be an Accountant; my father was an Accountant, but because I had a baby while still in school, the love for my child changed my focus and I moved from wanting to be an Accountant to being an Educationist. During my training as a teacher in England, I found that education was not challenging enough. I was very good at Maths, I wanted to change, but I was encouraged to finish the programme. At the end of the training, I decided to come home because I wanted to look after my son and that was how I started the school project.

What has been your experience bringing up your children as a single mother?

First of all, it is all about hard work. I believe in a life where I do not depend on men for anything. Of course, I met my mother like that; she was a strong woman alone, very hard working, and she brought us up to be hard working. The father of my children was very rich, but if he says he did not feel like educating the children, what do you do? I wanted the best for them; I wanted to give them British education, so I had to work very hard. I have learnt my lesson from being a single parent. Being a single parent, there are two things. First, you have to work very hard to cater for your needs. Second, you have to be so disciplined that you do not expose your children to see things they are not supposed to see. If you have a man that says, you can ride the Rolls Royce, anybody that sees you outside will say oh, she rides a Rolls Royce, she rides a Mercedes, she rides a Jaguar, she rides all the best cars in town, but it means very little if you do not have a N100,000 of your own in your bag. The father of my children created a situation where I could not be financially independent. I did not have my own money to be able to break off and I did not like that because in the family I come from, my mother was everything; she paid the fees, she did everything. Even though, I loved my father and he loved me, I didn’t see him do anything. It was that one woman who was paid the fees, bought the uniform and did everything! She was very strong and we were never poor. I believe I took a cue from that.

Would you advise women to be financially independent?

I believe very firmly that every woman should work very hard; earn her own money, which she can keep for herself. If you are married of course you have to share with your husband. The Word of God is clear, the man is the head of the family, but at the same time, the woman is not supposed to sit back and not help the family. It may turn around that your business is more flourishing than your husband’s but you know that your husband is a dedicated man so you should join everything together. But still, tomorrow is in the hands of God, you never can tell. What if she dies or something happens to him and he can no longer work as before? You must be able to make your own money. So, a woman needs financial independence. That is what the father of my children did not want me to have and that was why I tore myself away.

Will you say that if you were not single, you would have achieved this much?

I am not sure, I am the kind of woman who will say I want to be in London tomorrow and I just get up pack my bag and off I go. I don’t have to take permission from anybody. I am just used to that kind of life, maybe because I’ve lived alone for a long time, I have been independent. The only person I inform of my plans is my son in New York.

What gives you joy?

My work. I love to work. Every summer I stay back to renovate the school. I like changing things. We have changed the hostels, now they are en-suite, I wanted about three students in a room to have their own toilet and shower in the room, so they don’t all need to be going out with towels to the back. Of course last year, I pulled down all the toilets in the high school, and the junior school said they wanted the same thing done for them this year, but the head teacher informed me very late. I saw this as a challenge and vowed to meet it. I had just two weeks to pull down all the toilets in the junior school but I was able to do it. I enjoy working. I was charged N29 million by the contractor to pull down all the toilets on every floor, and I remembered my mother was a contractor so I decided to employ direct labour. I moved my things into my flat in the school and guess how much it cost me, N4 million! The toilet is like a five star hotel toilet.

What principles, what values have guided you?

The greatest principle is the word of God. I try as much as possible, with God being my helper and through His Grace, to obey God. I have the spirit of contentment and most importantly, I have a passion to always help people who are in need and as the Holy Spirit directs me. I am also very obedient to God’s directives. Integrity and humility are the principles that guide me. Do not take what does not belong to you, do not eye what you cannot have. Have your own principles. I like my values, I live in my own world, I like unique things. That was my mother’s style, she was a Brazilian and very fashionable.

What motivates you?

I am a perfectionist by nature. I do not rest until I see things done properly. I believe it is God who keeps motivating me till I get it done. When there is a job, I would not sleep. Even if I go to bed, I would keep my jotter by my side so if new idea comes, inspirations from God, I jot them down. In the morning I hand it over everything I have written down to the secretary.

Of all your awards which is most significant?

My Bible School award. My son looked after the school while I went to the Bible School for a year. The experience is that you meet a lot of people and learn so much about God. While there, I was seen as a radical and unserious student because it was as though they were forcing me to do it. But unfortunately for them, in our finals, they gave us 15 minutes to preach. Others were quoting the Bible and when it was my turn, everybody just laughed to see what I would do. I got up, walked to the pulpit, remembered a song, sang it, and told them I was going to preach but I would not be quoting from the Bible. My topic was ‘Trusting God.’ Of course, I had heard TJ Jakes preach it. I gave three examples and at no time did I refer to the Bible. When I was through, I got a standing ovation!

Who are your role models?

I went to a Catholic school, but decided to go to a Pentecostal church, I tried about six different churches before settling for The Redeemed Christian Church of God because of the emphasis on holiness. Pastor Adeboye is my model. When I left Adrao International School, I went to St. Saviours, Ebute Metta. I met a woman called Mrs. Udofia, an English lady married to a Calabar man. At the time, she was preparing the year six pupils for their common entrance examinations. At some point, she had an accident and broke her leg, which kept her out of school for three months. That was just before the exams. But she did something I will never forget. She picked ten pupils from Class 6 who attended classes in her house for the three months she was away for. Her pupils were outstanding and my son happened to be one of them. So much so that he came third out of the then 19 states that took common entrance at the age of nine. Seven of the children she trained were among the first ten in the 19 states in Nigeria. She is also my model.

What role will you say God has played in your life?

Without God you cannot do anything. If God is not in your boat, you are finished. The Ambassador and the Princess of Botswana visited my school. She later invited me to Botswana to motivate women on hard work. Of course, I accepted and told them not to bother about the ticket. I asked the Ambassador if they were ready to give their lives to God? I don’t want to preach, but I told him what he has seen cannot be done without God’s approval. You need God in everything including direction. When you pray, He has a way of whispering the right things to you. Even when I want to interview staff, I ask the Holy Spirit do the interview for me and lead me on which one to employ. He has given me the gift of hearing and spirit of discernment.

Where do you see your school going in the next five to 10 years?

Tomorrow is in the hands of God. I may be very ambitious, but the final decision rests with Him, if He says stop it there, I will stop, if He says go, I go. When the Lord tells you to move, put on your track suit and run, because as I always say in Yoruba “Sebi Olorunni’, which means (Is it not God?) He is Sovereign.

I have an offer to do something very huge in the next few years, four years to my 70th birthday. I have visited the land and looked at it. Just as the word of God says ‘Where your foot has stepped, you shall possess’, concerning that, may His perfect will be done.

What to be remembered for? I want to leave a legacy in education. What are the practical lessons you have learnt in life?

I believe it is darkest before dawn and when God wants to promote you, you go through a lot of

I believe very firmly that every woman should work very hard; earn her own money, which she can keep for herself. If you are married of course you have to share with your husband. The Word of God is clear, the man is the head of the family, but at the same time, the woman is not supposed to sit back and not help the family.

difficulties. The journey to success is not easy, of course the devil will know where you are going and will want to truncate your destiny, but with God on your side, you will overcome. In everything, let God be God, let all men be liars. In a few times you might be framed so it is just you and God. I know that at the appointed time, when He says He will do it, He will do it. No gossip, no witch, no wizard, no malicious thing will stop you. It comes like caterpillar and bulldozes everybody through. I don’t want to be over ambitious, I want to leave a legacy. What I want is to have something outside Nigeria and I know He will give it to me. He has said it to me several times. When I had the school at Ikeja and I wanted to move to the Island, I tried to sell the school but I couldn’t. After some time, I decided to walk out of the property and gave it to a bank and told them God has promised me big things. The Lord asked me to go to Lekki. He said my old school will be like a kitchen next to the one He has in plan for me. So I let go and let Him take control. Fortunately, at the next Holy Ghost night, Pastor Adeboye said there was a woman in our midst who had big plans, but was not too sure about it, God told him to tell the woman she should pursue her goal and not look back. I knew the message was me because I let go of my old building and had plans to purchase a new one. I have that as one of my mottos: LET GO, LET GOD. If you sow into anybody’s life, do not expect a reward because your reward is from God.

What keeps you moving?

What keeps me moving is God’s vision for me. I always tell Him to see it through for me. I trust in Him, I don’t know how to give up. I have lived my life facing challenges but I have never accepted defeat.

Message for young ladies

Whatever you choose to do, do it well. Don’t try to be too smart and don’t think you are smarter than the other person.

I believe it is darkest before dawn and when God wants to promote you, you go through a lot of difficulties. The journey to success is not easy, of course the devil will know where you are going and will want to truncate your destiny, but with God on your side, you will overcome.