Ilesa Grammar School is 84 by Temitayo Isaac Odeyemi

Ilesa Grammar School is 84 today!

This article, first published on the occasion of the school's 80th Anniversary in 2014, is still as valid. . .

The day was Monday 5th February 1934. The setting was Ilesa. In the years when Sir Donald Charles Cameron was the Governor of Colonial Nigeria, Captain J. A. Mackenzie the District Officer for Ife/Ilesa, and Oba Oduyomade Aromolaran I was the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland; history was made at a special colourful event presided over by the District Officer himself – Ilesa Grammar School was formally birthed.

That historic event of exactly 80 [now 84] years ago today was a culmination of series of activities embarked upon by Egbe Atunluse Ile Ijesa (Ijesa Improvement Society) to bring into reality, the first secondary school in Ijesaland and second in present day Osun. A member of the society, Dr Oguntola Sapara had moved a motion that ignited the passion for the establishment of Ilegrams ten years earlier, and a lot had gone into raising funds, securing a 50 acres of land gift and setting up of the school’s Management Board under the Chairmanship of Capt. Mackenzie in August 1933. Mr. J. S Oginni had also suggested naming the school ‘Ilesa Grammar School”.

Reverend E. C. Doherty was recruited as the foundation Principal Mr E. O. Lucas as founding Tutor, paving way for the conduct of a competitive entrance examination on the 18th of January 1934 that brought in twenty-one boys – the foundation students – including Emmanuel Asaolu (later Fafowora), Ezekiel Aofolajuwonlo, Elder John Aoko, Enoch Ayeni, Gabriel Aluko-Oluokun, Habibu Karimu, Samuel Doherty, Adolphous Doherty and Eric Mabayoje.  

In the course of 80 [now 84] long years, the story of Ilesa Grammar School has moved across eras, phases and generations. And today, events, activities and personalities have since set the school ahead of others, far and apart, as more than the everyday school where ‘subjects are taught’. The whole essence of what the school was to metamorphose into is summarised in its age long hugely popular motto which the foundation principal had declared would be either ‘A ce quid a ce’ (a Greek phrase interpreted as ‘Do what you are doing’) or ‘andre zeste’ (another Greek phrase meaning ‘Play the Man’).

The third principal of the school, Reverend N. O. Lahanmi would later translate it (or maybe oversee the translation) to ‘E huwa Omoluwabi’. And therein lies the biggest success story of ‘Ile’! That message of excellence, hardwork, chivalry, honesty, dedication to duty, fair play, determination to excel at everything, the wish to be a perfect gentleman, self-discipline, humble self-comportment and rugged personal confidence in oneself has since become the hallmark of several generations of people who have been privileged to pass through the school and have continued to distinguished themselves in different facets of life, at home and in the Diaspora. Even the government of Osun could not help but adapt it for the state!

‘Omoluwabiism’, and more importantly, Ilesa Grammar School have grown beyond the status of a mere educational institute. It is now more or less, a culture and an ideology to simply stand out and be the best, while leaving positive marks. The late Justice Kayode Eso, one of the school’s finest products of all times, summarised the whole essence of ‘Omoluwabiism’: “To me, Omoluabi goes into all ramifications of what you do. You cannot spell it out. You cannot analyse it. You try as much as possible to be fair in what you do. . . You try not to hurt the other person. But when you hurt him, you know that it's because you are doing the right thing and the right is hurting him. That is Omoluabi! You do not cheat, however, tempted you are. That is being Omoluabi. And you fear no foe. You fear nothing. That is being an Omoluabi. You do not get obsessed with pride or whatever you have and lord it over others. You give generously, that is Omoluabi. You find it more pleasant to give that to receive. That is very important in life. That is how I believe an Omoluabi should behave.”

The words of Justice Eso are well corroborated by Mr. E. O. Fatiregun of the 1951 set. “The school board and the principal believed in the potential of education to lay solid foundation for growth of a society. They believed in the virtues of temperance, hard work and disciplined behaviour. What with the motto of the school that got rammed into the students as an ideology-“E HUWA OMOLUABI” which literally translates colloquially to “Behave like a child of Noah” or elegantly “Behave as a man of honor”- play the man. The principal often said, the school was not there to make people pass examinations but to educate and bring up disciplined and mature “citizens”. His favourite songs and homily for boys passing out were always laced with the evils of “getting–rich-quick mania”. The school’s curriculum was broad enough to lay the foundation for development of the whole man.”

Another crucial feature of the school right from inception has been the way people from all tribes across both colonial and independent Nigeria have mixed whilst being students of the school. Ilegrams is reputed to have been home to students from as far as Northern Nigeria and the Niger Delta area. [Immediate past] National President of the Alumni, Rtd Honourable Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore, himself from the Ilorin Emirate lends credence to this: "llesa Grammar School (is) that school that moulds pupils into cultured and independent persons. Going to that school was like getting out of my cultural cocoon, into understanding divergent cultures of Nigerians. It moulded me into a tolerant person ready to hear the other side."

Again, Mr. Fatiregun buttresses. “The school injected students from other tribes and other environments for cross pollination of ideals and values between the Ijesa sons and potential friends. How else would an Araka and Esho have become friends or an Ifeajuma, a Fadaka, or a Wilkey be close to an Ilesanmi or a Palmer”. The present day reality of this is that Ilegrams can adequately and rightly lay claim to having products in virtually all areas in present day Nigeria and beyond.

Several notable events can equally be spotted in the annals of the school. As far back as 1941, the school was divided into Houses namely, Aromolaran, Arimoro, Obe, Atakumosa and Ogedengbe. Today, several years after this arrangement went out of fashion, several generations of Old Students still remember the houses they belonged to and all that transpired thereof with nostalgia.

The school has also been very notable for sporting activities, with its once adorable sports facilities rated among the best. The school is also a member of the AIONIAN Brotherhood – a group of twelve collaborating elite secondary schools of the old Western Region. The schools host an annual sports meet on rotational basis. Ilegrams played host for the first time in 1941. The school also hosted the Grier Cup Sports Competition featuring all secondary schools in the country – in 1949. The prominence of Ilesa Grammar School in sports ranks among the biggest stories of the school’s [over] eight-decade history, with several generations of Old Students developing a profound interest in sports as a result. In the whole country and even beyond, ‘Ile’ would send shivers down the spines of competitors.

Historically, the school has had eighteen principals before the incumbent. After the foundation principal, Revd. Canon E. C. Doherty (1934 – 1936), Mr. E.O. Lucas (1936 – 1939) took charge. Revd. N.O.A. Lahanmi (1939 – 1953), Revd. Canon J.A. Akinyemi (1953 – 1964), Mr. J.O. Molomo (1965 – 1966), Ven. R.E. Ariyo (1966 – 1969), Revd. Canon J.A. Oni (1969 – 1975) and Mr. G.O. Fagbeyiro (1975 – 1977) administered the school successively.

Other past principals are Mr. E.O. Alabi (1977 – 1979), Mr. T. Bode Ogunseitan (1980 – 1984), Mr. J. Ola Oni (1984 – 1990), Loja (Deacon) Adeoye Adelekun (1990 – 1992), Mr. Olabode Agunbiade (1992 – 1996), Mr. L.O. Bamkefa (1997 – 1999), Mr. T. Alaka (1999 – 2002), Mr. O.O. Opeseitan (2002 – 2005), Mr. B.O. Abiola (2005 - ) and Rev. D. O Oke. The last two are also members of the Ilesa Grammar School Alumni.

Today, Ilesa Grammar School’s biggest success story remains the products – the real Omoluwabis. They cut across different facets of life – former governor and several other people who have served in public offices at different levels, successful businessmen, Engineers, Medical Doctors of repute, legal titans some of whom reached the pinnacle at the bar and the bench, several Vice-Chancellors of Universities in Nigeria and beyond and far too many professors to mention!

A commendable aspect of the story of Ilesa Grammar School has been the culture of giving back to the school which has been inculcated in Old Students across generations. Today, the contributions of Old Students adorn the entire landscape of the school. As a matter of fact, even the new generation of Old Students in their own little way have not been found wanting. The huge sense of commitment and dedication of the new generation of Old Students who passed out of Ilegrams in the 21st Century shows how far the older generation of Old Students have influenced positive traits in the younger generation, thus guaranteeing beyond any foreseeable future the sustenance of the tradition.

In the area of government policy, Ilesa Grammar School has not been immune from effects of various formulations and reviews. The school uniform and even the name have been victims of this in times past. At the moment, as a government-owned school, Ilegrams has also been enmeshed in after-effects of the educational policies of the present government. This is also as the dwindling standard of education and misplaced public policies have significantly affected what used to be a magnificent environment to build leaders and agents of excellence.

One can say though, that as men and women whose records of giving back adorn the entire landscape of the school, Old Students of Ilesa Grammar School are very crucial and important stakeholders who deserve to be carried along in any radical educational policy such as one being implemented by the State Government.

While one must acknowledge and admit that the state of education was in shambles and needed to be improved upon, the name ‘Ilesa Grammar School’ is sacred, sacrosanct and goes beyond the name of a school that can just be tampered with. The name represents a coalition of people bound by common tenets and self-pride in impacting their immediate society and humanity in general. It is not a name that should swerve in tune with changeable policies of the government in power. And it is beyond any reasonable doubt that changing the name of the school has nothing at all to do with quality of education and values being imparted on students.

One can therefore conclude that as we celebrate Ilegrams at 80 [now 84], it can be asserted that the Ilesa Grammar School Old Students’ Association, an amalgamation of proud products of this enduring legacy, with members sprawling several branches and Sets in Nigeria, Europe and America, maintain that the name ‘Ilesa Grammar School’ continues to exist and represents a tradition of unrivalled success.

May the future of Ilesa Grammar School eclipse the past and the present in all spheres.

God bless our dear School.

Temitayo Isaac Odeyemi,

National Publicity and Mobilisation Secretary at Ilesa Grammar School Old Students’ Association, is of the Department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.