•The Story Of Chief OLANIYAN Revealed!
Papa Olaniyan will be 90 in a few weeks time. But he does not look it. On October 3rd, 2019, Chief (Dr.) Christian Francis Ipoola Olaniyan a foremost educationist, will be 90. And he plans to celebrate it big. It’s going to be a 2-in-1 celebration of his 90th birthday and the Golden Jubilee of founding Victory High School, Ikeja, Lagos (1969-2019) by Chief Olaniyan.
Chief Olaniyan is the educationist, who set up Victory High School in 1969, at a time when there was no secondary school in the whole of Ikeja metropolis. Before Victory High School, came on board in 1969, there was only United Local Authority Grammar School at Oshodi. There was none in Ikeja, GRA. There was none in Ikeja Cantonment. But the situation has since changed.
Its going to be a one-week celebration, starting from Friday 27th, September, 2019, to Thursday, 3rd, October, 2019. To mark Chief Olaniyan’s 90th birthday, there will be a Holy Communion- Thanksgiving Service at Bola Memorial Anglican Church, Onigbagbo, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja. It will be followed by a birthday party at the school arena.
Let’s tell you more about Chief Olaniyan?
He was born on the 3rd of October, 1932, in Odeomu, Osun State. His parents were popularly known teachers, little wonder Baba is a disciplinarian. But during his early years, he lost his mother and for that reason, he had to go and live with his grandmother. It was his grandmother who nurtured him and catered for his education. She was the one who named him Christian because she wanted him to be a Christian. She always wanted the best for him and would challenge him to always come out top in his class.
Baba was and still very brilliant till date, during his primary education at Christ Church school, 1937-1944, Baba was known for his academic brilliance. He always came first in his class, although there was a keen competition between him and a girl then.
Whenever Baba came second, he would cry bitterly and would receive the rough edge of his grandmother’s tongue, telling him in her dialect (won gbe o, obinrin lo gbe o) meaning “you were beaten, ordinary woman beats you” this would anger Baba and make him sit up again. Despite that, Baba was beaten by the same girl during their common entrance scholarship examination, because Baba was a man and a Christian, he was awarded the scholarship instead of the girl.
Therefore, he gained admission into Oduduwa College Ile-Ife to read the Cambridge School Leaving Certificate, which he took and passed excellently in good grade, in December 1949 after being awarded a double promotion from form four to form six in 1948. Baba continued his academic prowess in secondary education and was given a scholarship to study in Fourah Bay College, Freetown in Sierra Leone. It was there, Baba studied Mathematics, Economics and Latin in 1956. Then he furthered to Trinity College Dublin, Ireland between 1956-1957 for his higher diploma.
Baba came back to Nigeria in July, 1957 and was employed as Vice Principal, Gbongan Odeomu Anglican Grammar School from 1957 to December 1959. He became the founding Principal of Christ Apostolic Grammar School, Ibadan (l960-1964) and Hope (now Adelagun) Memorial Grammar Schoo1, Ibadan. Also, he was the 5th Principal at Oriwu College Ikorudu (1966-1972) before he later established his schools namely; Victory High School, Ikeja, 1969. The maiden school), Victory Home School, Ikeja (1975), Victory Institute of Catering and Hotel Management 1984, Victory Home School, Odeomu (1987) Victory Home School, Ojota 1988, Victory Grammar School, Ikeja, 1990 and Victory College, Odeomu, 2002.
READ ALSO: I STAYED IN MY MUMS BELLY FOR 18 MONTHS – POPULAR ACTOR, ANTAR LANIYAN TELLS CITY PEOPLE
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