• Dr. Tai Solarin
In 1975, my parents in their own wisdom decided to take me to start a new life in a school I had never heard about- Mayflower Junior School, Ikenne after I had started my primary school education at St John School Aroloya, Ita-faji, Lagos in 1972.
I stayed in this boarding school with my late younger brother with no louvres. Ogi and akara, beans with weevils, Olumo rock eba and fishes like 'mosquito legs' were common meals. The proprietor, Dr. Tai Solarin was always in khaki shirts and shorts and 'tennis shoes'. This looked strange to me but the more I saw him, the more I loved him. His wife Sheila, was an 'oyinbo'. Very strict and firm but caring. By the time I left the school for my post primary education in 1979, I had been 'injected' with the Tai ideology - to always be honest and hardworking.
I never knew that was just a prelude.
In 1979, I became a student of Mayflower School, Ikenne and had more contact with Uncle Tai who we usually call, OGA Tasere. He came around to teach us songs from the Merry Mayflower and his wife, Madam Sheila Solarin was at one time the Vice Principal of the school. Each time I had the opportunity of going to their home, I loved it so much. It used to have one oyinbo-like aroma like that. The sitting room was sparsely furnished with beautiful garden.
Mayflower history is rich. The founders' idea is great and luminous. I admire Mayflower beyond its academic and intellectual excellence. Mayflower truly embraces a global view in its curricula, in its culture and its values. The spirit of of tolerance and the spirit of goal- getting run in Mayflower. Everything I learnt in Mayflower, are till date, what helps me in all I do.
Mayflower gave a lot of us the freedom to express ourselves. Students cooked, baked bread, made and served the meals. I was in Akara dindin society while Buky Banjoko Akinlesi ( my wife now, who was a classmate then) was in Ogi making society. While I was debating for the school along with Nusirat Yemi Balogun-Olaniran, and Temitope Soares she had a stint with the quiz group which had Akintunde Akin A. Okupe, Late Segun Awotubo, Emmanuel Okezie and Sunbo Okusanya.
While in Mayflower, I developed my writing skills and I went on to become the Chief Editor of the Mayflower Times and also ran an independent 'newspaper' I named ROKULA Times which i coined from my name and the names of two of my friends in school then. ROtimi, KUnle and LAnre. We went about the school in those days calling ourselves the 3 Journalists. None of us eventually became a journalist but I guess we still carry the passion because we still write. I remember Kunle Ayeni and I could not see when I was in US last year and despite the fact that we spoke on phone severally, he still sent me a long note...lolz and ended his message with two words....ROKULA TIMES!!!
I also led the cultural society and participated in several cultural and dramatic presentations with the likes of Adefuke Adewale, Bolatito Abo Isiaka Alabi, Bolanle oshosanya, Dolapo Aremu, Debo Oladosu, etc.
I wasn't particularly good at playing football like Uchenna Oluyomi Steego Ifebajo , Kunle Sholola and Sunday Sodiya who played in the school team but I can organise matches and other events for Africa...lollzz. I knew how to make the Red class play against Silver, Gold against Green etc.
In Mayflower, Dr. Tai Solarin ensured that prefects were not just picked by teachers, rather elections were organised and students contesting for different posts canvassed for votes by going round to campaign. The manifesto night was held a night before the election day and electoral officers were picked to conduct elections. When I was in form 4, I contested for the post of the General Secretary of all Societies and I won with my friends Adekunle Ayeni, Steego, Bimbo Ogunbanjo, and a host of others supporting. My late younger brother Adewale, was then in form 2, so he did a lot of campaign for me in that corridor with my cousins Remi Awobajo Osisanya and Kayode Awobajo and Abiodun Abimbola Olaniyi routing from their different classes.
By the time I got to form 5, I decided to contest for a position I had often heard Uncle Tai called and addressed in the newspapers... Ombudsman. I contested and won hands down, infact my co-contestant withdrew because the picture was clear.
And did we cut grass in Mayflower? Jesus Christ! We cut more than enough. There were two guys, I never liked having their portions beside me because by the time they were through they made you look like a lazy bone. You sha must struggle behind Adeogo Sunday and Gambus Gbenga Ibrahim Ogunlana ni.
Life in the hostel was something else. No window blind. No net. Just 'gbalausa' with wire mesh or what do I call it. We slept in our dormitories like that with friends who are today men of repute in their chosen endeavour. The likes of Olayode Ajibola, Olumide Onasanya, Biodun Jaiyesimi before he left for FGC, Odogbolu, Sina Ayileka, Martin Okusanya, Adé Adebanjo , Olatunju Scorror Oshosanya, Feyi Oshosanya, etc.
The ladies too had their windows like that. Bello Omolara, Busola Tola Taiwo Ayorinde, Kemmy Ogundalu Adeleye Akinsanya, Kemi Adenuga Eguaikhide, Bunmi Benson, etc will definitely have stories to tell. Some like Akinneye Abayomi Samson, Adetutu Benson Oluyemi, Thaddeus Okpara were day-students living within the compound then.
On founder's day, we were allowed to enjoy deep cultural/traditional life. Students go to town to rent masquerade costumes and attires. So if you appear as egungun or eyo on that day, you have not committed a crime...chai Mayflower!!!
Meanwhile, Tai was the only man in his days who went round to untie live goats tied to stakes at different shrines and t- junctions for sacrifices. Such goats were brought to the school compound and rared in a 'goat shed'. Some of us had the opportunity of going with him on those goat rescuing missions.
This same Tai was a one time commissioner who resigned his position because he could not produce his driver's license (which was at home) when the police requested it from him. He was the same man who went round the city picking up decaying corpses, a duty the government of the day neglected.
This same Tai, a completely detribalised man saved and helped many Igbos during the Nigerian civil war. He had many of them come to Mayflower to work either as cooks, washermen, gardeners and those who are learned as teachers.
Tai had a good relationship with Alma College in Michigan and the college used to send in these 'oyinbos' to teach us.
We also had very good principals and teachers who trained us along with Dr. Tai Solarin. The likes of Pa. Theophilus Odubanjo, Mr. Oluwole Kujore, Mr. Fasunon, Monsieur Adjogan, Mrs. Ogunjimi (nee Dada), Mr. Bryne, Mr Cobbinah and who will forget Mr. Appiadjei???, Mr Onafowokan, Mrs. Ariyo (new Gbadamosi) Miss Lowe, Mr. Adeinran, Mr Odukoya, Mr Awolaja ( that one can beat for Africa), Mr woody ( can't remember his name)
Tai in the days of former President Sheu Shagari as the leader of the country was always going to Campus Square in Lagos I think every Sunday to speak against his government and he went with some students. I was in charge of writing the names of students in my set who will go with him. It was the day it was my turn that armed soldiers and policemen waited for us at the Lagos toll gate. They took Tai away and told us to drive back to Ikenne. We all came down from the bus, we protested and sang but they stood their grounds. They threatened us but we said we would go with Tai. I think when Tai saw that we were about creating a scene at the toll gate, he told them to allow him address us. He came to us and said we should not worry. He instructed us to go back to school and tell Sheila his wife that he has been arrested. Reluctantly, we went back to Ikenne.
Exactly 25yrs ago today, Uncle Tai fell down from the top landing of the staircase in his home and nature opened up her belly to receive him. It was shocking and unexpected.
Time stood still across the Mayflower world. For many of us who knew Uncle Tai, he had attained a godlike persona and a figure that was larger and bigger than death itself. Even in death, his training and teachings have taken a life of their own in us. He asked us to compare with the best boys and girls in the universe. We did better. We created our own paths and blazed our paths with glory.
Our most sacred duty as Ex-Mays is simple and unambiguous. We should hold the torch aloft, always. The torch represents the search for knowledge, self reliance, love for humanity and importantly, freedom of the mind from religious servitude.
Greatness lies buried in the pepper fields but his many seeds have kept his legacies. Tomorrow, we shall as one family with one accord say a big thank you to the man who shaped and molded us.
The Solarins and the executive body of MOSA hope to see us all as we appreciate and lay a wreath of thank you to Late Dr Tai Solarin.
I wish those attending journey mercies to Mayflower School tomorrow.
Dr. Rotimi Akinlesi, President, Mayflower Old Students Association (MOSA)
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