By Adaeze Atueyi-Ojukwu
Over the last few days, only few events have grabbed more headlines
more than the unexpected demise of Mrs. Sheila Solarin, famous
educationist and widow of the late Dr. Tai Solarin, foremost human
rights activist, and founder of the Mayflower Schools, Ikenne, Ogun
State. The news took a prominent position in the Nigerian media. Mrs.
Solarin, a Briton, who was known for her immense contribution to the
country’s education sector, passed on, last Sunday, leaving behind a
huge community of mourners and sympathizers who have continued to spill
emotions in flowing quantities.
She was aged 88. Until her passage last week, the grandmother was
bubbling with life and beaming with passion for what she had been known
for – imparting knowledge on younger generations of Nigerians. The
famous Mayflower Schools, one of the most respected secondary schools in
Africa, are a landmark educational group that would continue to testify
to the late principal’s priceless contributions to national development
as far as molding and nurturing individuals is concerned.
Having invested several decades in developing and mentoring many
young minds, the octogenarian bowed to the ultimate call following
injuries sustained from a minor domestic accident. She was reported to
have fallen off a chair while at the family home in Ikenne, Ogun State
and never came out of the pains and trauma alive. Corin, the first of
Sheila’s two children, recalled to the paper circumstances leading to
her mother’s death. She said that the ordeal started on Sunday, July 15,
when her mother slipped and sustained a broken leg and was subsequently
admitted at the Babcock University Medical Facility. “She was already
recuperating when on Sunday, October 21st, she became very animated and
said she wanted to join her senior brother, Uncle Bill, who passed on
last year,” Corin recalled.
“She was also saying that she wanted to see Tai, late papa. She was
singing, “Will your anchor hold”. We were singing and talking with her
when she passed on. “We would miss her charity, patience and love for
people. She was a wonderful woman, highly intelligent, very modest and
an ideal mother. She was an action woman. Apart from taking her regular
classes, she taught English, she also taught non-literate adults to read
and write even up to a few weeks before her demise.
She worked till the end of her life and I feel honoured to be one of
her children.” Describing his mother’s situation, about half an hour
before her passage, Tunde, the last child of the family, said she was
feverish and was trying to speak. “She was connected to a heart-monitor
machine,” he reveals. “The doctors at the Babcock Hospital did their
utmost best but the age at which she sustained the leg injury did not
help matters.” In spite of the huge setback, Tunde is proud that his
mother’s life has been, and would continue to be a positive influence to
all. He was full of thanks to old students of Mayflower and, indeed,
everyone who had spared some thought for the family. Otunba Tiwalade
Sobo, a son-in-law of the legendary educationist/teacher, could not hold
back his feelings.
He had good words for the departed, insisting that she lived a good
life. “Mama has been a blessing to humanity,” said Sobo. “She has lived a
successful life. She died without any problem. We all know that
Mayflower School is one of the first schools in Nigeria, having been
established in 1956. Her husband came all the way from England to
establish the school. Mayflower has trained thousands of Nigerians
doctors, lawyers, ministers and others. Most of those she trained still
call her mama even in death.” Continuing, he said, “ I would miss a lot
about her.
She is somebody that we love so much and we are going to miss
everything about her. She advises us on how our kids should go to school
and also advices the kids on the kind of education they should pursue.
At the end of the day when they go to different universities and take
mama’s advice, they excel. I don’t think in the next five years we would
be able to see somebody like her to give us that kind of advice and the
way she stood by us. If I come back to this world again, I would take
her to be my mother-in-law,” he said. It is not only the Solarins that
have been ruing the loss of their daughter, individuals from all walks
of life have also shared in their pains, too.
Traditional ruler of Ikene town, Oba Adeyinka Onakade Moruwafu 1, the
Alekenne of Ikene, described the late Sheila Solarin as a valuable
treasure that would be missed. “The educational activities of mama are
immeasurable,” he said in an interview with our reporter in his palace
on Tuesday. “It was she and her husband who brought light to Ikene
community. The adage is that “ knowledge is light”, they brought us
knowledge and the light has been shinning so brilliantly ever since.” He
states further that mama won’t be forgotten especially for her roles
and encouragement to the people. “We won’t forget her forever in this
town because the role she played is very valuable to our community. We
have lost a very important educationist in Ikene town and we mourn her
death and we pray that after her death the community would not go into
darkness.”
The principals, teachers and students of Mayflower schools were not
also left out. They had heartwarming words for their departed heroine.
Many of them told the reporter that the influence she had on their lives
was indescribable. To them, she was not just a leader but also a mother
who made each person’s welfare her priority. Olarewaju Ola, Principal
of Mayflower Senior Private School, said this of the departed Solarin.
“I always take her as God personified. This is because she has always
demonstrated unalloyed love to everybody, regardless of the race, creed
or where you come from. “Her love for educating people is immeasurable.
All her life, she was not thinking of anything but how to educate
others. She made sure that things are done in the right way, showing
compassion for every student particularly the girl child. She has always
said that no girl must remain uneducated. She was a firm believer in
the maxim that ‘if you educate a girl, you are educating a nation.’ She
would always ensure that the girls are always around to tap from her
wealth of experience and knowledge. She would always do her best to put
them aright, correct them when they go wrong and she was quick to
forgive. She does not keep malice. She does not believe in witches or
wizards. “Mama believed in leading a pious life.
She believed that living a life of purity is great gain. She had no
time for malice. She nursed no ill feeling against anybody. When anybody
does anything wrong, she forgives, forgets and forges ahead. She
believed strictly in doing things meticulously. If she gives you an
assignment, she wants you to be meticulous about it because that is what
she would do. “Sometimes ago, she won the price of N2 million for
taking part in the who wants to be a millionaire game show.
She donated the money to the school to buy science equipment and
materials. She wanted the students to have a good science lab. And to
ensure that the money is spent judiciously and on what it is meant for,
she created a special account for it, of which I was a signatory. She
ensured the money did not go to any other thing than she dedicated it
to. All her life, she always thought of how to educate the students. In
his tribute, David Akinnuga, Principal Mayflower Senior Public School,
observed that the late Sheila was an embodiment of humility.
“The late Sheila was an embodiment of humility, hard work, discipline
and humanitarianism,” he says. “While she was here, she stood behind
her husband like a rock. She was hardworking and, therefore, made the
first principal of Ikene High School. She helped students who did not
have enough money to further their studies. She was a truthful person;
she was someone who likes neatness. If she is around, and sees a piece
of paper on the ground she would tell the closest person to pick it up,
or she would personally pick it up; and I imbibed that from her.
We would miss her around here, because while she was here, it looked
like she was a guiding angel for the school.” Kweku Attah Kakra, vice
principal of the Mayflower Private School said the grand old woman was
not only interested in graduating students, she was more concerned in
training people who would leave secondary school and be ready for the
labour market. Kweku, a Ghanaian who has worked with mama for 25 years,
says it would be almost impossible for anyone to fill her shoes. “I
think it would be difficult to fit into mama’s shoes,” he continues.
“She produced students who, after passing out of secondary school, are
prepared to go out there and work. She taught them extra things, not
just classroom work.
Students would come out knowing how to bake bread, how to do a little
bit of plumbing and electrical work. While other schools are only
concerned about education, she was concerned about life in and life
after school.” Olumide David Odukoya, a mathematics teacher testifies
that mama was interested in the welfare of teachers, helping children
from poor background and ensuring that children are educated properly.
“She cares a lot for our welfare,” Odukoya says. “Formerly the staffs
had the privilege of having free their breakfast, lunch and supper.
There was also free accommodation for staffs. We did not pay for it.
“She was interested in helping children from poor background. During
the civil war, I was a student at that time and the late Tai Solarin
would go to the Biafran area to bring children to the school for free
education. He even went as far as South Africa to bring some
unprivileged children to learn. “It is very difficult for me to describe
her; she is an epitome of womanhood. She is ready to give assistance
especially where necessary and she would not mind whatever cost it would
be.” The reporter also engaged scores of the students of Mayflower
during the visit. Many of them fought back tears as they reminisced on
the life and times of the late Sheila.
They could not muster enough courage to describe, in the past tense, a
woman they had grown to love and who loved them back. Oke Oyetade, a
Senior Secondary 3 student, fought tears as she paid tribute to the late
Solarin. “She was a good woman,” she says. “She was always advising us.
She would tell us not to look down on ourselves. She encouraged us to
unite. Whether you are rich or poor, she always advised that we stick
together as one.” Saka Folorunsho, another student who had experienced
the 88-year-old in recent time, just before her death, holds fond
memories of her as well. He disclosed to the paper that mama taught him
how to be excellent in writing and helped him become a good public
speaker as well. “Madam Sheila was a woman of courage,” the student
testifies. “She was somebody that was always willing to help and was
ready to give whatever she had into education. I will miss her. She has
impacted on my academics more than any person I know.”
President Goodluck Jonathan, in a condolence message, recognized the
great contributions of Solarin to the education sector in the country,
describing her demise as a huge loss for the country. “Her remarkably
long period in running the popular Mayflower School, Ikenne, and
teaching English in that school made her to leave an indelible impact on
generations of students who, today, occupy prominent positions in all
sectors of the Nigerian society. A great soul, highly respected mother,
peacemaker and community worker, I commend her courage and patriotism in
making Nigeria her permanent home before and after the death of her
husband. Her decision to carry on with the legacy of her late husband,
even up to a very advanced age, speaks a lot about her indomitable
spirit and a great lesson for others to emulate.”
The newly re-elected Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko,
stands on the same podium with Jonathan. He admits that the loss of the
gem would, indeed, be felt in the area of education. His words: “A great
loss to the nation in general and the educational sector in particular,
no doubt, Sheila had left a vacuum that may be difficult to fill in
education sector. “An educationist par excellence, she was a rare
talent, whose experience of two diverse cultures made her unique and
rich in terms of knowledge that many benefited from.” Born in Carnforth,
England, on May 31, 1924, Sheila, popularly called ‘Madam’, attended
Levens School, Westmorland Upper Primary School, Shropshire, England;
and Higher Wych Primary School, Denbighshire in Wales for her primary
education before proceeding to Whitchurch Girls High School, Shropshire,
England, for her secondary education where she obtained her secondary
school certificate and higher school certificate between 1940 and 1941
respectively. She studied as a medical auxiliary between 1945 and 1946
before moving to Manchester University where she graduated in July 1951
with a Bachelor of Arts honours in English. She also went to Ontario
Institute of Education, Toronto, Canada for her Master’s degree in
Education in 1975. Even though she had enjoyed a sparkling career in the
years preceding that time, it was after she ventured into full-time
teaching with her husband, Augustus Taiwo “Tai” Solarin, a renowned
educator and author in 1952, that she had her life transformed.
She joined him to work at the famous Molusi College in Ijebu Igbo and
left in September 1955 to assume office as the Principal of Ijebu Igbo
Girl’s School where she was until 1956 when she and her husband
established Mayflower School. Since that time, the school has gone on to
produce many prominent and exceptional individuals who have emerged as
leading figures in the country and the world today. Solarin was the
author of the book, English Grammar and Comprehension, which was first
published in 1982 by Macmillan Book Publishers and was until her death a
prolific writer who bared her voice on important national debates. She
would, indeed, be sorely missed by all.
TheSun
