Opinion - Olasore: One of Offa Grams' giants

Date: 2012-08-03

The passage, on June 1, 2012, of a foremost banker and traditional ruler of Iloko Ijesa, Osun State, Oba Oladele Olasore, is no doubt a huge blow to Nigeria, even if this great loss was clouded by the Dana tragedy that occurred two days after. To us old students of Offa Grammar School, Offa, Kwara State, it is a bigger blow.

Offa Grammar School may not be in the class of the Kings Colleges, Barewa College, Queens Colleges and Methodist Boys High Schools of this world, but clearly the school has made quality contribution to the roll call of men and women that shaped and are still shaping Nigeria.

From the military are General Alani Akinrinade, the man that played a central role in bringing order to Nigeria and averting the greater disaster that would have followed B.S Dimka’s coup of 1976, to General David Jemibewon, Group Captain S.A Latinwo, Air Commodore Bayo Lawal and Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye - the last two, like Akinrinade, also former service chiefs.  From the judiciary, Offa Grammar School has given Nigeria the embattled Justice Isa Ayo Salami, the late Justice M.B Belgore, the current Emir of Ilorin, Justice Ibrahim Gambari, all former Appeal Court  Judges.

From the academia, the first African professor of Geology, Professor M.O Jamiu Oyawoye tops OGS’ list of distinguished alumni, a list that has no fewer than five vice chancellors, including Professors A.B.O.O Oyediran and S.A Adeyemi, former VCs of the University of Ibadan and Federal University of Technology, Minna, respectively.  The list is endless.
But if OGS old students were picked at random and asked to pick the greatest product of the school, I am willing to guess that Oba Oladele Olasore will feature top of the chart. That is how much we respect this banker, who was not only very active in old students’ activities but also a former president of the national body.

When the Pa James Osanyin-led Offa Grammar School admitted the 16-year-old boy into the school in 1951, little did it know a future shiny star had just been enrolled into the community secondary school.

Like a prince that he was, Olasore was not the most gentle pupil in the school, as Chief Emmanuel Adesoye of the Okin Biscuit and Adesoye College fame, and a one-year junior to Olasore in OGS, narrated how the prince used to send them to buy wine outside the school in the mid-1950s.

Interestingly, today, both men are founders of two of the most successful private secondary schools in Nigeria, Adesoye College, Offa and Olasore International School, Iloko Ijesa.

Olasore completed his secondary education in 1956. He proceeded to Ghana and thereafter England for further schooling. He returned to Nigeria to pick up a job as an Accountant in British Petroleum Nigeria Limited before venturing into banking as a director in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Suraj Oyewale, 
Edinburgh Business School, Former President, 
Offa Grammar School Old Students Association (2000 set)

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Share-Tsaragi     Abubakar Olusola Saraki     Jimba Babatunde     Baba Idris     Lai Mohammed     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Alabe     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Kwara State Council Of Chiefs     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     Ilota     Memunat Monsuma     Salami Adekunle     Aro Yahaya     Ibrahim Labaika     Najim Yaasin     Adamu Atta     Nigerian Medical Association     Olatunji Bamgbola     Folorunsho Erubu     Olatunji Ibrahim     Oyin-Zubair     Olokoba     Millennium Development Goals     Okanlawon Musa     ASKOMP     Jani Ibrahim     Abdulfatai Salman Baakini     Oloje     Olaoye B. Felix     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Omoniyi Ayinla     Musbau A. Akanji     Mutawali     Mohammed Lawal     Edret Sabi Abel     Mohammed Kamaludeen     Sulyman Buhari     New Naira Notes     Lafia Aliyu Korasabi     Share/Tsaragi     Bukola Saraki     Doyin Group     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Abdulhakeem Adelaja Amao     Jimoh Akani     2023 Elections     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Okin Biscuits     Bamidele Adegoke     CCT     Adegoke Bamidele     Isiaka Abdulrazak     John Dara     Patience Jonathan     Michael Nzekwe     Gbajabiamila     Abikan     Orisun Igbomina     Nurudeen Mohammed     Shuaib Jawondo     Sam Onile     Femtech     Lateef Alagbonsi     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Moshood Kashimawo Abiola     Michael Ologundea     Maigida Soludero Transit     Air Peace     John Olobayo     Olushola Saraki     Shaaba Lafiagi     Nigerian Correctional Service     COEASU     Kwara University Of Education     Adewuyi Funmilayo     Offorjama    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Saliu Mustapha     Igbaja     Ubandoma Of Ilorin     Muhammad Akande Olarewaju Odunade     Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed     KFA     IYA ALFA NLA     Kolade Solagberu     Vasolar Consortium     Quareeb     Bashir Adigun     Bola Shagaya     Temitope Ogunbanke     Bello Taoheed Abubakar     Mashood Abdulrafiu Agboola     Jaigbade Alao     Samuel Olusegun Adedayo     Balogin Alanamu     Ilofa     Lanre Badmas     Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan     NIPOGA     Forgo Battery Company Limited     Babaloja-General     Saliu Oluwole     Bisi Kristien     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Akom Construction And Engineering Synergy Ltd     Lithium Deposit     Anilelerin     Olaiya Lawal     Egbewole     Olabanji Orilonishe     Iponrin     Emir Of Ilorin     Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Otunba Taiwo Joseph     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Elese Of Igbaja     Omoniyi M. Ayinla     Law School Scholarship     Undergraduate Bursary     Bank Of Industry     Tosho Yaqub     Shettima Of Ilorin     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Turaki Of Ilorin     Oke-Kura     CELF     David Adesina     Shagari     Hamidat Sulyman-Yusuf     Plat Technologies Limited     Ibrahim Abikan     Sunday Otokiti     Lawal Jimoh     Amos Justus Sayo     Abdullateef Abdussalam     Kulende     Shaykh Luqman Jimoh     Dankaka     Elerinjare-Ibobo     Ayotunde Emmanuel Alao     Sulyman Atolagbe Alege     Marufat Oladosu     Kale Kawu     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Jimoh Akani     Wale Oladepo     Edret Sabi Abel     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Olatunji Moronfoye     Olokoba Sulyman     Joseph Bamigboye     Isiaka Yusuf     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Abubakar B.M