Reminiscences with Chief Yunusa Folorunsho Oyeyemi
Chief Yunusa Folorunsho Oyeyemi served as an educationist and civil servant under the colonial, regional, state and federal governments in Nigeria. In this interview he spoke on a wide range of issues, including the falling standard of education in Nigeria and the annulled June 12 presidential election.
How was your growing up like? I was born in Offa on Mach 9, 1932. My father was Mallam Subairu Akanbi Oyeyemi and my mother was Alhaja Suliat Ayoka Oyeyemi; both are late now. I attended St Marks Primary School, Offa, between 1938 and 1944. From there, I went to Offa Grammar School from 1945 to 1951 and passed out with a Division One school certificate. I was the first and only student to obtain that grade.
Our set happened to be the first to be enrolled for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination in December 1951. Thereafter, I worked at the Audit Department in Ibadan from May 1952 to October 1953 when I gained admission into the Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology in Ibadan, from 1953 to 1954 for my A-Level. There, I read English, Literature, History and Latin. From there I proceeded to the University College, Ibadan in 1955 and I got a general degree in Religion, History and Latin. I made my exam in June 1958, and by September 1958, I was in the United Kingdom at the Institute of Education, London University, for my postgraduate in education.
What was your working experience like?
On completion of that course, I returned to Nigeria in August 1959. When regionalisation took place in 1954, my services were transferred from the Audit Department in Ibadan to the Northern Region. All the training I had, up till my university education, I enjoyed the Northern Nigeria Government scholarship.
When I returned from UK in 1959, I requested the Northern Nigeria Government to release me to teach in Offa Grammar School because it is my alma mater. My request was granted. I taught there from August 1959 to August 1962. I became the vice principal of the school in May 1960. I decided to leave the school because I realised that as a young man, I needed to return to the government where I belonged before I started my post secondary education.
My first posting was Government Secondary School, Okene in August 1962 to August 1963. I was later posted to Government Secondary School, Dekina as principal in August 1963 up till August 1964. Under me as principal, the school passed the WAEC recognition inspection and qualified to enroll candidates for the Senior Cambridge WAEC examination. In August 1964 I was transferred to what was then known as Northern Secondary Teachers’ College, Zaria, which later became the Advanced Teachers’ College, Zaria. There, I was the leading government counterpart. It was the school sponsored by UNESCO, run jointly with the Northern Nigeria Government. So I became the counterpart officer and the vice principal of the college. By September 1965, I was transferred to Bida Secondary School as principal. I was there till September 1967.
In January 1966, I started the Higher School Certificate Course in Bida, and by the time I left the school, the first set of students had passed out with very good results. Eighteen out of my 20 students got admission into various universities. From there, I left for further training at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. It was a course for experienced school administrators which lasted from January to July 1968.
When I returned, I was posted to Abdulazeez Attah Memorial College, Okene as principal, from July 1968 to February 1969 when I was posted out again as the principal of Government Secondary School, Ilorin. I was there from February to October 1969 when I was posted out again to become a senior area inspector of education. I became the next in command to the chief inspector of education in Kwara State.
I was later asked to go back to Government Secondary School, Ilorin because the school principal went to Australia for a course. I was asked to go and run the school while he was away.
Eventually, I returned to the Ministry of Education permanently in 1970, where I attained many positions, such as deputy chief inspector of education, deputy chief inspector of education in charge of inspection and general supervision, guardian and counsellor, until I became chief inspector of education from January 1976 to April 1977. In-between these periods I had gone for my master’s degree from September 1974 to September 1975. I specialised in Curriculum Studies.
I was later appointed acting permanent secretary in the Kwara State civil service. My appointment was confirmed in August 1977. That was what I did until I retired in May 1981. Between 1977 and 1981, I headed quite a number of ministries, among which are the Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Social Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kwara State Liaison Officer in Lagos. I was the first clerk of the Kwara State House of Assembly between 1979 and 1980. I also worked in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Youth, Sports and Culture, where I retired.
Because of my position as permanent secretary at different ministries, I also doubled as the chairman of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kwara State from 1977 to 1980. By September 1981 I took appointment in the Ahmadu Bello University as Senior Lecturer 1, Institute of Education. I was later appointed the examination officer of the institute. From
January 1984, I withdrew from the institute because I was appointed a commissioner in Kwara State. I was commissioner from January 1984 to August 1985 when coup occurred and we were sent packing. I headed the ministries of work, land and surveys, as well as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. When I left as commissioner, the Federal Government appointed me as a member of the University of Jos Governing Council, between 1986 and 1987.
By August 1987, I got appointment again from the Federal Government as a national electoral commissioner. I worked in that capacity till November 1993 when the General Sani Abacha struck. That marked the end of my public career as it were.
When I retired, I had opportunities to serve my community, Offa. In 2005, I became a member of Offa Community Actualisation Committee on the proposed Summit University, which the Ansar-UdDeen Society of Nigeria was planning to establish, up till 2016. There was also the Egbe Ofamesi, which was founded to bring peace, unity, progress and development to Offa community. I had the fortune to be the first president of that group from 2006 to 2013.
I have also been involved in the Offa Development Foundation, which was established in 1960 and known then as Offa Scholarship Scheme. The name changed over the years until it was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2013 as Offa Development Foundation. I became the vice president of the Foundation in 2013 and the president in 2017, till now.
We award scholarships to indigent but brilliant Offa students. We have helped over 53 students so far. In December 2015, His Royal Majesty, Olofa of Offa decided to put together an advisory body known as Offa Stakeholders Forum and I was appointed the chairman. I hold that position till date. I was also a member of Offa Land Trust, as well as part of the Offa Education Development Committee. We founded about five secondary schools in Offa. I happened to be the chairman of the committee. If you look at my career from 1952 when I started work, you would discover that I served the colonial government, the northern government and the Kwara State Government when the state was created. Lastly, I served the Federal Government as a national electoral commissioner, a position I held for three years and six months.
Out of the experiences you had during your service years, which one was the most
At that time, there was no hobnobbing with politicians because he
who pays the piper dictates the tune. The moment you begin to hobnob with them and allow them to take care of your needs, they will dictate for you and your
arm will be twisted
challenging; which one did you enjoy most?
Every post one occupies is a challenge because people expect you to perform. They expect you to make a difference. They want you to make sure that you left whatever position they gave you better than how you met it. All my life I have always seen any position as a challenge to me. I always do my best to achieve greatness in my work. I thank the Almighty Allah that in all the positions I held, I was able to perform creditably because he gave me good health. I have always enjoyed the support of colleagues and subordinate staff. Again, as a leader you need to show concern to people under you and be self disciplined. You should be able to carry them along, get them to cooperate and work hard so that you can collectively achieve the objectives of the establishment you work for.
I have been very lucky in my life to have had workers who cooperated with me. I tried to be helpful, accessible and firm. I believe in working as a team for the success of any establishment I worked for. Every establishment has a vision and mission, so every worker in such establishment should believe in its vision and mission. He or she must be willing to give it all it takes, including making sacrifices to ensure that the objectives of such establishment are achieved. I also believe in leadership by example because it is not just enough to ask people to do something and you as a leader would do it differently. People under you must see you personify that set of qualities you preach. It is not just the preaching, you must work the talk. I always saw my appointment as a challenge.
How would you describe your experience working under different governments?
In those periods I spoke about earlier, there was discipline, and we had tools to work with. And we were highly motivated to work. You got promoted when due. We were never denied our entitlements. So we were encouraged to work. That’s why everywhere I worked I found it very challenging because I was encouraged to give my best.
I came to Kwara as a commissioner during the War Against Indiscipline (WAI). We were being watched hand and foot. I launched the WAI in the Ministry of Works. One of my staff who was from Offa stole iron rod and they directed the case to me to discipline him. He was shown the way out of the ministry because five of us who worked closely were from Offa.
I also saw a challenge in the National Electoral Commission (NEC). General Babangida meant to hand over power to a civilian government, so he gave the NEC all that was required to conduct free, fair and credible elections. And we did that. I was the chairman of the field training unit. I belonged to the ad hoc committee on law, logistics committee and several others. Because of the determination and commitment to conduct a credible election, we promised to give our best.
Before we went on tour we did what is called aide memoir that would guide us when we got to the various states we supervised. We would hold meetings with the resident electoral commissioner, administrative secretary and electoral officers and we told them what we wanted to do.
At that time, there was no hobnobbing with politicians because he who pays the piper dictates the tune. The moment you begin to hobnob with them and allow them to take care of your needs, they will dictate for you and your arm will be twisted. In our time, it never happened. Electoral officers knew that they were not to fraternise with politicians. That was what helped us to conduct free, fair and credible elections. We conducted quite a number of elections and most of them were successful and credible, including the June 12, 1993 elections. By the time we finished, because of the transparency, MKO Abiola’s agents at the polling stations had the results as it was being declared. By the time it got to Abuja to collate report, Abiola’s report was ready. Abiola won the election with a landslide margin. I was not competent to declare the election result, but government gave us everything needed to conduct the election until the last minute when they stopped us from further collation. When I got to NEC, I buried myself in work. I had no reservation when it came to working for any establishment to achieve good results.
What do you think is the problem with our electoral umpire now, and what can they do to conduct credible elections?
It is possible for us to have a credible electoral umpire and conduct credible elections; but you see, politicians have hijacked the electoral body. In our time we never allowed it to happen. I make bold to say that as a national electoral commissioner, if I visited any state I was supervising, naturally I would pay a courtesy call on the governor, but I won’t take a kobo from him. And the governor would not give me accommodation because I had enough fund to sleep in any hotel of my choice.
The moment you compromise your position and look up to the state government or political leader to give you the wherewithal, logistics and other things, they would want to have a list of your electoral officers and tamper with the whole process. They would give you the list of those they want you to favour in their camp. In this case, before the election is conducted, it has already been compromised. That’s what is happening today. I am not saying that the electoral body is not trying now, but the milieu in which they operate is not free. The moment they become government’s guests they have already compromised their position. And no matter how hard you struggle not to be influenced, you will fail at the end.
The best thing is for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide their staff members with all the logistics needed to work so that they won’t go looking for it from politicians who would later use them against the objectives of the electoral body.
During our time, up to local government electoral officers had vehicles to move around, with fund to run their affairs. It is unlike now that electoral officers will go and beg state governments or politicians for logistics. In our time, we were absolutely self-sufficient, so we didn’t need to look at anybody’s direction to do what we needed to do. Nobody could influence us. And we won’t even give them cause to blackmail us. It is no longer the case nowadays. If elections must be free, fair and credible, the electoral body must distance itself from politicians.
Can you remember some of your friends and schoolmates who have made landmark achievements in life?
Brigadier-General T.O. Oyeyoola was my friend; Alhaji S.A. Adebiyi was also my friend. We were together in Offa Grammar School. He was a one-time chairman of Offa Local Government Area. The late Alhaji Y.A. Abioye was a chartered accountant
and managing partner, Akintola Williams. He died in 2008. Those were my colleagues in Offa Grammar School. At the university level, there was the late Professor E.O Ayandele.
What about your students?
Among my students are Brigadier David Medayese and Captain Salaudeen Adebola Olatinwo, who became a military governor of Kwara State. I served as commissioner under him. They were my students at Offa Grammar School. Professor S.O. Adeyemi, who was sometime the vice chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, was my student at Offa Grammar School. The current vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Sulaiman Age Abdulkareem, was my student at Ilorin Grammar School. The current Emir of Ilorin was also my student at Offa Grammar School. Mallam Muhammed Haruna of the INEC was my student at Government College, Bida. I am happy that they are making waves in their respective callings.
You served as commissioner under one of your students; did he appoint you to appreciate what you did for him in school? What was your experience while working under your student?
Not really; I don’t want to appear as if I were blowing my own trumpet. When Group Captain Salaudeen Adebola Latinwo was appointed as military governor of Kwara State, he reached out to some Kwarans at the ABU. He wanted to pick the best brain among them. One of the lecturers of the Bongo campus of the school was sent to tell me to see him in Ilorin. I went because I felt honoured to be invited by him because it could have been another person. When I went to see him, we spoke about many things, including education. I was to present a paper on education in the state, which I did. He was from Offa and I am also from Offa. And the question was: how would he pick somebody from Offa as a commissioner. At that point, it was clear to me that I may not get the appointment, coupled with the fact that I didn’t come with the mind to get appointment. I only came as a Kwaran to help my governor have a smooth take off. I was told of Olantiwo’s constituency in Nigeria, but he was accidentally born in Offa. That was how I got the appointment. But serving him was highly challenging for me because he always introduced me as his teacher and I was probably going to be the best and he wanted others to emulate my performance. At times he would pick some of us to recite the national anthem. Olatinwo kept us on our toes all the time.
I had many parastatals under me and all their memos must pass through me before going to him because I knew that when we got to the council chamber I would be the one to bear the brunt if the memo coming from my office was not up to standard. So I would go through it and sometimes rewrite it if need be, so that I would be able to deliver and defend any memo that passed through my table. It was not a kid’s glove matter. He had his eyes on me and we had a duty to show that we were loyal to him. I was ready to work with and for him to succeed. I did that with an extra effort to justify his expectation and confidence in me.
As an educationist, what do you think is wrong with our education sector now, compared to what obtained in your time?
Education has a lot of problems today. The teachers we have today are not properly prepared to take up the job. Examination malpractice is all over the places; people buy results. It is the order of the day. The quality of certificates people have today is questionable. Many of the teachers cannot deliver in class. A lot of them cannot speak good English and cannot communicate; and in education, for you to teach you must be able to communicate. The classrooms of those days were meant for teaching and learning. We gave our students work to do, we created the right environment for them to learn. We gave students assignments, mark it and discuss it with them. You made them do corrections, which is no longer happening. Today, quality assurance by the Ministry of Education is all bullshit.
When we went to schools to inspect, we would collect notebooks and lesson notes and give teachers rigorous questioning. But today, we hear that where inspectors exist, they don’t even have vehicles to move around. During our days, we would invite teachers to join our inspection team for cross fertilisation of ideas. By the time they got back to their schools they would encourage others to be good at their work. They would return to school better than how they left. We expected them to become education missionaries to spread the good news and teach the knowledge they acquired to their colleagues.
Now, I heard that inspectors are demanding envelops and assorted meats. Only few of them are after quality assurance. Another problem is that today, there is no motivation for teachers and the classrooms are no longer ideal. People now abdicate their responsibilities. You find teachers now asking the class monitor to teach his mates. Teachers are now lazy. I don’t know how many of them are given the opportunity for training and retraining. How many of them attend workshops, seminars and refresher courses to improve their skills? Not to talk of knowing about new developments in their respective fields. All these, put together, affect the quality of education today. The budget for education is less than 36 per cent. You need laboratory to work with, libraries are not well stocked and most of our teachers cannot handle puppets as teaching aid. Laboratories don’t even exist in some schools. During inspection, some schools stock their schools and hire teachers for that purpose. There is lack of quality teachers, as well as inadequacy of teachers for some core subjects like English, Mathematics, technology and sciences.
Now, they post those they don’t like to rural schools and those ones also go to the schools once or twice a week. There’s no impact of teaching on students. There’s no teacher to watch as a role model. That is why our education will continue to fall. Parents now pay for almost everything in public schools, including chalk. Anybody can challenge me. When I started teaching at Offa Grammar School I was riding bicycle, and I would stop whenever I saw my students and chase them. But now, when you discipline a student, his parents will take you to police station.
Would you serve in any capacity now if called upon?
Alhamdulillah! I thank the Almighty Allah for the good health he gave me. I have really contributed to the development of my nation. I am now 86 years old, so I want to lend my voice to my community and serve my creator.