Ijebu Muslim College is one of the reputable schools in Ijebu-Ode that has produced many great old students who now occupy key positions in society. How was the school founded? We can tell you.
One of the founding fathers of Ijebu Muslim College, Pa B. Daramola attended the Ijebu Ode Grammar School and finished up in 1925. He then joined the Colonial Education Department, Ijebu Ode as a 3rd Class Clerk. He however developed a keen interest in Muslim Western education and initiated the idea of the formation of the Ijebu Muslim Young Men Friendly Society in 1927.
Notable among the members were the late Pa A B. Ashiru, B. O. Ogunneye (Johnson), G. A. Ayeni, A O. Ashiru, Y. O. T. Onafeko, S. A Ashiru, G. Oyelaja and S. T. Rufai. The list also included Pa J. A Abudu, F. G. Alli and B. A. Ayeni.
The group later mentored the formation of a Young Boys Section, who were then students, among whom were the late Pa S. A Onafuye, Gbadamosi Wellington, M. O. Mebude, S. O. Oyelaja, M. O. Saromi and many others, all with the principal aim of establishing Muslim schools which would save the Muslim children from forced conversion into Christianity.
This led to the founding of the first Muslim Primary School, Isoku, Ijebu Ode on 30th January 1930, an idea which rapidly spread all over the then Ijebu Province. With the springing up of Muslim Primary Schools, not only in ljebu area, but also all over the then Western Nigeria, such as Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Oyo and Ilesha, a big problem soon arose for Primary School leavers to gain admission to Secondary Schools.
In the then Ijebu Province, the existing Secondary Schools, namely the Ijebu Ode Grammar School (established since 1913), the Remo Secondary School, the Olu-Iwa College Ijebu-Ode and Molusi College Ijebu-Igbo could not contain the problem. The founding of a Muslim Secondary School thus became an urgent necessity.
The founding fathers realized that establishing a Secondary School was not an easy task, and had to tackle first the logistic problem of Funds and Staff. The Ijebu Muslim Mission was prepared to provide funds, but a bit of forward planning had to be done by way of Staff training. In the forties, late Pa B. Daramola and a few others spotted late Alhaji Ambaliyu Olanrewaju Sanni at the Ijebu Ode Grammar School and got him sponsored by the Ijebu Muslim Mission to enable him complete his course because of his extreme brilliance. Late Pas Thomas O. Ogunkoya, a Christian with a large heart was approached for sponsorship by the Ijebu Muslim Mission. He consented, and was sponsored for a degree course in History at Durban University in UK. He was expected to complete his course in June 1950, and was earmarked to head the proposed school. late Alhaji A. O. Sanni, the only pride of the Muslims then, was again sponsored for a degree course in Science at the University College, Ibadan (now University of Ibadan) in 1948. He later won the Federal Government scholarship, but nevertheless agreed to serve the school He also introduced one of his colleagues, Mr. C. O. Chira, for sponsorship by the Ijebu Muslim Mission. Both were foundation students of the University College, Ibadan in 1948, and were expected to complete their course in June 1952.
Since a prospective Principal was expected to assume duty in June/July 1950, and in view of the increased pressures for a secondary school to take care of the teeming population of Muslim children passing out of primary schools, it was only logical that the proposed school should take-off in January 1950, which was the earliest date possible. In that case, someone would be appointed as Acting Principal Thus, late Mr. B. A Sangowanwa, holder of a Higher Elementary Certificate, was approached and he consented. Late Mr. M. O. Abdul, holder of a similar qualification, was to be seconded from the Muslim Primary School. lsoku, Ijebu Ode, to assist him. It was decided that the school should be known and called Ijebu Muslim College. Approval was sought from the Government, and was granted accordingly. On 27th January 1950, the school was inaugurated in a hired building at Odo-Esa on the Epe Road. An extract from the School Log Book reads thus: “At Bam precisely today, the Ijebu Muslim College came into existence. Forty-eight young, eager and enthusiastic students were enrolled as the foundation students ofthe new school. In the absence of Mr. T. O. Ogunkoya, the prospective Time Principal of the school at Kings College, Newcastle on Tyne, Mr. B. A. Sangowanwa (Al1775) a holder of the Higher Elementary Certificate, was appointed the Acting Principal, Mr. M. O. Abdul (A29530) was made an Assistant.
On this memorable day, many prominent members of the Muslim Community were in attendance. Prayers were offered and the I nstitution was wished a long and useful lease of life”. The issue of acquisition of a permanent site was an intricate one dragging on from 1948 to 1949. After series of protracted negotiations, and the reconciliation of the various interest groups, the land, 57 acres in size, was given by the Idogi people in Porogun area of Ijebu-Ode for a token fee. As government grants were not automatic, it must be mentioned that the Ijebu Muslim Mission was also granting the school a subvention of two thousand pounds every year for the first three years of its existence.
By the end of December 1952, the two classroom blocks were ready for use, albeit without shutters on the permanent site. Before then, the students were spending every Saturday at the site, uprooting trees,
making roads, planting trees and flowers and preparing the football and sports field. Thus, on 23rd January 1953, the school moved from its temporary hired building where it had spent the first three years of its existence to its permanent site on the Benin Bypass at Idogi. There were 210 students in attendance with 26 enrolled in Class IV, 60 in Class III, 60 in Class II and 64 in Class I.
On 22nd January 1954, the school resumed for the First Term with 250 students on roll, 22 ofthem in Class V. On that day, four new teachers joined the staff, namely Messrs. M. S. Adigun, Inter B. A. (London), E. O. Olowu, GCE (A.L) in 3 subjects, S. O. Sanya, Teachers Grade II and London matriculation certificate Examination.
Apart from Pa T. O. Ogunkoya, Messrs. A. O. Sanni, C. O. Chira and O. Ukelonu, who were all graduates, the existing staff included Messrs. C. W. Jack, Teachers Senior Certification, H. O. Odukomaiya, Higher School Certificate and R. O. Abila, Teachers Grade II and London Matriculation certificate holder. Towards the end of April 1954, an examination was conducted for the students in Class V, with a view to selecting the suitable ones among them for presentation for the Cambridge School Certificate Examination, holding in November / December that year. Government approval must have been obtained around April 1954. Thus, late Pas Ogunkoya ventured to lift the Ijebu Muslim College into pre-eminence by truncating an original six-year School Certificate Programme to a five-year course almost midway in the 5th year at a time when the older schools in the then Western Nigeria, with the exception of government-owned schools, were still running a six-year programme. A rare feat indeed. The selection examination was based purely on merit, and fourteen out of the twenty-two students were entered for the examination. The examination was taken in November/December 1954 and when the result came out, eight out of the fourteen candidates presented passed, with one person in Grade I, four in Grade II and three in Grade III – a good attempt. By 1959, the school had established its dominance in Science subjects. However, only a few of its products had been able to gain admission to the University College, Ibadan and Nigerian College of Arts and Technology; and some older schools offering Higher School Certificate courses through the competitive entrance examinations, thus leaving many eligible students without placements. One incident must also have influenced or accelerated the introduction of the Higher School certificate courses in the school.
M. A. Agbabiaka, the most outstanding student in the Set that passed out in 1959, took entrance examination that year to the Higher School Certificate course at the King’s College Lagos. He was however not admitted. Meanwhile, the Principal late Alhaji A. O. Sanni met his counterpart from King’s College at the Conference of Principals and mentioned the case to him. The latter promised to look into the matter.
When late Alhaji Sanni waited in vain and very confident of the ability of his pupil, he went to King’s College and insisted on seeing the result. He was shocked to find that Alhaji Agbabiaka came second on the list. The only defense put up by his counterpart was that the candidate was not taken because of admission policy of his school. The candidate was eventually admitted. If this could happen to a most outstanding student, what would then be the lot of others?! Late Alhaji Sanni then decided to pursue vigorously the establishment of Higher School Certificate courses at the Ijebu Muslim College.
In pursuing the venture, late Alhaji Sanni was encouraged by the calibre of students in Class V in 1960 and of such eminent teachers as Mr. A. S. Odutola for good tutelage in Mathematics and Physics, and F. O. C. Ndu in Chemistry and Biology. The Principal himself also taught Mathematics and Physics. He applied to the Ministry of Education for approval. Before the approval came, he had conducted entrance examination as a result of which 16 students were enrolled for H.S.C, Lower Six Science in January 1961. Half of the number of students were from other schools.
The formal approval of the Minister of Education, Western Nigeria was received on 29th March 1961. The following year the courses were diversified to include Arts and Social Science. A new chapter was also opened in the history of the school by the admission for the first time, of 13 girls into the Lower Six. On the whole, 50 students were taken into Lower Six Science and 20 into the Arts/Social Science. The school now had qualified staff to handle the various subjects. Meanwhile, the result of the Cambridge Higher School Certificate Examination held in November/December 1962 were encouraging. All the 16 candidates presented obtained statement of results, and 11 of them qualified for Direct Entry into universities. In 1964, 15 out of 23 presented. gained Direct Entry. The result of the subsequent years also justified the purpose of establishing the HSC courses in the school as more and more of its products were able to gain direct entry admissions into the various universities in the county.
The main reason that informed the establishment of the Ijebu Muslim College in 1950 began to unfold in the form of inadequate educational advancement opportunities for Muslim girls leaving primary schools that would enable them become better persons in life. The Muslim Girls High School, which was founded in 1961 had limited capacity. The Adeola Odutola College, which had already gone co-educational and the existing Christian Girls Secondary Schools around, could hardly take more of the girls. The result was that many of the girls who could not gain admission ended up learning petty trade and skills, and of course, contracting early marriages. In order to redress the situation, the school, guided by the experience of running a co-educational HSC, obtained government approval, and in January 1966, started to enroll boys and girls into Class I. Part of the premises of the former Grade III Teacher Training College was used as the Girls’ Hostel. Co-education has thrived harmoniously in the school ever since, although with some occasional threats to discipline which were brought under control.
The yardstick commonly used in determining the progress of a school is its contribution to the society. It encompasses the quality of products that the school is able to turn out over the years, how these products fu rther developed themselves and their impact on the society.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the introduction of the H.S.C. course in 1961 brought the school into limelight. The encouraging results which it continued to record, coupled with the growing awareness of the comparative advantage of the Direct Entry over entrance examination in gaining admission into the universities, created a big scramble among candidates from different parts of the country to undergo H.5.C. courses at the Ijebu Muslim College. The school on its part threw its doors open to all and sundry without… … religious or ethnic bias, thus forcing it to increase the number of arms in each class to be able to admit more students. By so doing, the school was able to establish its presence in all fields in almost all the Nigerian universities.
For example, in a particular year at the University of Lagos, the products of the school dominated the Engineering classes in number and performance. The sixties and early seventies, when the HSC courses were on, saw the college turning out men and women, who later became great achievers, top government functionaries, even under the present democratic dispensation, heads of international organizations, Vice-Chancellors and Professors of some Nigerian universities, Chief Executives of corporate organizations and respectable businessmen. Aptly put, this period constituted the golden era of the Ijebu Muslim College.
The Ijebu Muslim College was among the 4 schools that first started offering H.S.C. courses in the whole of former Western Nigeria, and was the only Muslim school doing so in the state. Since the College commenced running the courses, it had been producing good results and this had given encouragement to many parents (Muslim and Christian) from other parts of the country to send their children to the College in view of its enviable achievements.
For example, the College produced the student with the best all-around result in the 1971 Higher School Certificate examination in the federation, Miss Modupe Adegbite, who scored A in English Literature, A in Geography, A in History and A in General Paper. For this, the College received a letter of commendation from the then Western State Ministry of Education. It is also pertinent to mention that the West African Examinations Council, in recognition of the school’s adequate Science facilities, appointed it as the centre for the conduct of examinations at the General Certificate of Education (Ordinary and Advanced Levels) in Science subjects for the Ijebu Division. However, three months after receiving the letter of commendation from the Ministry of Education, the school got another letter from the same Ministry, ordering it to cease operating the HSC courses in 1972. What an irony of fate!
There were 34 schools running the Higher School Certificate Courses in the State and the government now decided to reduce the number to 17, without sparing the only one belonging to a Muslim institution. It should be noted that when some Christian organizations, whose HSC courses were initially closed down, petitioned, the Ministry of Education increased the number from 17 to 20. When, however, the Chief Imam of Ijebu Ode, as the Proprietor of Muslim Schools in Ijebuland, and on behalf of the entire Muslim community equally petitioned, and on 9th November 1972, led a delegation to the Commissioner of Education, the latter at the meeting gave an assurance that the matter would be reviewed, provided the Muslim community would give an undertaking in writing that they would make good their deficiencies, if any, in respect of Staff and Science equipment. Alas, the government backtracked on its promise and the college has remained since then to date without its scholastic HSC classes!
Abridged History Of Ijebu Muslim College
– Culled and edited from the 70th Anniversary Brochure of Ijebu Muslim College
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