• One year, 10 years after, family, friends celebrate late renowned educationist, wife
L-R: Children of the deceased – Mr. Biodun Gbadamosi, Mrs. Bimbola Adedun and Mr. Kunle Gbadamosi at the event
On Wednesday May 15, the Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos was a beehive of activities. It was the day family, friends and associates of renowned educationist, the late Alhaji Jimoh Adisa Gbadamosi, who died a year ago, and his late wife, Alhaja Azeezat Adebisi Gbadamosi, who had died 10 years before his demise, congregated at the venue to celebrate the lives of the departed couple.
Born on March 18, 1927 in Lagos, Alhaji Gbadamosi studied at Holy Cross Primary School, Lagos, St. Gregory College, Obalende, Lagos, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and Oxford University, England where he bagged a Master’s in Geography Education.
He was the pioneer principal of Ahmaddiyah High School, Eleyele, Ibadan. He later moved to the Anwar-Ul Islam, Agege (formerly Ahmaddiyah College, Agege) as principal. From there, he went to Jubril Martins Secondary School where he served until his voluntary retirement in 1977.
After his retirement, he got himself involved in various activities in sports and education at both state and national levels. He was Chairman, Lagos State Scholarship Board, Chairman, Lagos Amateur Football Association, Member, National Judo Association and Chairman, Principals’ Cup Committee. He also served as Commissioner, Lagos State Local Government Commission, Chairman, Anwar-Ul Islam Movement. On December 13, 2002, the Federal Government conferred on him the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
Pa Gbadamosi breathed his last on Monday May 15 2023 at the ripe age of 96.
At Wednesday’s event, a memorial lecture was delivered by Noah Lawal Jinadu, an associate professor at the Foreign Languages Department, Arabic Unit, Lagos State University. The lecture was entitled ‘Role of young Muslim parents in early child upbringing and its challenges in modern society.’ He noted that the lecture was a reflection of what the Gbadamosis stood for and expended their entire quality lives upon.
He said: “They lived a fulfilled life, full of great, laudable and outstanding achievements.”
Speaking to the children, Jinadu added: “They both raised you well and inculcated in you the religious values of Islam, and today they are now reaping the fruits of their labour as you gather people to join you in this special memorial prayer,” he said.
Among eminent personalities at the event were Chairman of Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola and his wife, Yoyinsola. The late educationist’s offspring were also in attendance: Mr. Biodun, Gbadamosi, Mrs. Bimbola Adedun and Kunle Gbadamosi.
Other dignitaries included former Minister of Communications and General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Armoured Division Nigerian Army, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (rtd); former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and many others.
Mr Makanjuola, founder of Caverton, was a student of Alhaji Gbadamosi. The deceased was a mentor and father figure to the Caverton boss. Makanjuola recalled: “Alhaji Gbadamosi had a relationship with my father and my path crossed with him in 1962 when I wanted to enter the secondary school and my father sent me to his household. I became one of his own. He and his late wife were two inseparable duo who embraced and impacted education, not just for their children, but for other people’s children. And they were both principals of schools. The husband was teaching at Ahmadiyya College Agege, and the wife was at the Ahmadiyya Girls’ High School. He later moved to Jubril Martins when it started. They dedicated their lives to educating people. And all the people they helped to educate have become great people in this country and elsewhere. They took me as their child and proudly called me their first son.
“After my studies in England, I came back to Nigeria, and they already had a place for me in their house with my wife and first born Bode. And later, Alhaji Gbadamosi was one of those who influenced my getting a job at Backlays Bank. They were always with me all the time. That is why I treat their children as my younger siblings.”
His wife, Mrs Yoyinsola Makanjuola said the late Alhaji and Alhaja Gbadamosi were an epitome of great morals and finesse.
“They were pillars of success to all the students that they taught, including my husband. They took over my husband as their biological child with total care and love which smoothly extended to me and our children. We owe them everlasting gratitude for being there always to see that all is well,” Mrs Makanjuola said.
In his tribute, General Olanrewaju said: “As distinguished educators and well-known elders in the Lagos community, they understood the transformative power of learning for young people, recognising how education could serve as the cornerstone upon which their careers could be built to enhance their futures.
Ninety-four-year-old retired jurist, Justice Isola Adekunle Olorunnibe said his path crossed with that of the Alhaji Gbadamosi in 1948 when Ahmadiyya High School was established. He was one of our teachers and I was one of his early students. We maintained a cordial relationship because of his conduct. All of us were tiny young boys then.
“He stuck to the ethics of his profession as a teacher. Late Pa Gbadamosi was an epitome of integrity; he was very accommodating and a man full of wisdom.”
Mrs. Oyinda Aiyepola, a younger sister to the late Alhaja Azeezat Gbadamosi, said of the couple: “It was a wonderful experience passing through their tutelage. My sister, Alhaja Azeezat Gbadamosi, was 10 years older than me. I am literally their first daughter. She taught me about life and home management. I lived with them when I was very young until I got married. I went to England and came back in 1968. I still stayed with them because my husband was still abroad. They were very kind. Both of them were special people created by God.”
Biodun Gbadamosi also paid tributes to his late parents. Said he: “They were parents in a million. I am grateful for the lives that they lived and the values that they instilled in me and my siblings: to imbibe the virtues of hard work, courage and honesty. Not a day goes by without us remembering them with fond memories. We will continue to make them proud on the on this side of the divide as they continue to rest in the bosom of Almighty Allah.”
For Abimbola Adedun, daughter of the deceased, her parents were wonderful problem solvers.
“Losing one’s parent when you were close to them is not easy at all, no matter how long it has been. It has been one year and 10 years of losing my father and mother, respectively. I missed them. There are times when I crave for their words of wisdom and advice.
“My parents were both renowned educationists, who impacted not just my own life and siblings, positively, but others they didn’t know who needed education and employment. Their act of kindness has opened doors of favour for me.”
Kunle Gbadamosi is one of the sons of the late educationist. He also has good things to say of his parents.
He said: “They taught my siblings and I to be considerate, embrace other people, no matter their economic status. They taught us hard work. Seeing all their old students honour them fills me with so much pride. A good name is better than silver and gold.”
Some of the grandchildren of the deceased, including Dr. Wasiu Gbadamosi, Adebisi Adedun-Gbajumo, Oladunni Adekoya and a daughter in-law, Mrs. Tokunbo Yinka Gbadamosi, said they would never forget the impacts of the late Gbadamosis in their lives.