From Left: AOCOED Coordinator of AOCOED Library Mrs Ayegunle; Deputy Provost Dr Daodu Morufu; the celebrant Comrade Akindele; Provost Prof Lafiaji-Okuneye and Registrar Mr Muhiden Shehu
By Adegunle Olugbamila
The entire premises of the Adeniran Ogundanya College of Education (AOCOED) Oto/Ijanikin stood still for one of its own who took a bow having served meritoriously in the institution.
Indeed, comrade, Samuel Akanni Akindele has paid his dues in the ‘chalk’ profession. Akindele came, saw and indeed conquered. It was, therefore, no surprise that friends, colleagues, family members and staff thronged the Oluremi Tinubu venue of the event to serenade the distinguished teacher.
For Akindele however, it was a deserving honour. Until his retirement from a college adjudged the oldest tertiary institutions in Lagos State, Akindele was a father, mentor, friend, comrade, inspiration; In fact, he was the darling of all. No wonder the college management described him as ‘incomparable’ and a ‘comrade with a shoe too big for anybody to wear’.
If anything, Akindele’s primary constituency-College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) of the institution will miss him most. As one of the founding fathers of COEASU and former national president, Akindele was a warrior who knew how to fight when occasions demanded; Most significantly, however, Akindele understood the art of getting results for his subjects without tearing apart the rooftop.
And so as guests nested at the college expansive hall to bid one of their outstanding members’ farewells, the rhetoric on the lips of the Provost of AOCOED Prof Bilkis Abidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye was the fatherly role that Akindele had played on countless occasions, galvanizing the union to jaw jaw rather than war-war.
She likened Akindele as a silent achiever cum strategist who made things happen without wanting to get credit for it.
“I keep asking if we would ever have another Akindele in this college, Prof Lafiaji-Okuneye began.
“His shoes are big and I keep asking if there is anybody else who can step into these shoes? In this light, I would love to humbly request from you (Akindele) a successor so that even if you are no longer here, that successor of yours would be a lasting memory of who you were during your days in this college.”
Prof Lafiaji-Okuneye who spoke extempore described Akindele as a bridge-builder and peacemaker who showed passion about union matters.
Indeed such commendation from the Provost should not be hard to find. Her administration has been seamless owing to the support from all unions in the college particularly COEASU which the Provost said has embraced the path of dialogue rather than the usual ‘aluta’.
The Provost thanked the celebrant’s wife Toyin, saying the strings of successes her husband recorded as a unionist would not have been possible without her.
She admonished the junior colleagues to ape some of the celebrant’s sterling quality. Prof Okuneye said Akindele still being fit and strong despite many years of his involvement in activism, is a testimony that no one serves humanity and regrets in the end.
“To attract the best brains to education,” Akindele continued, “I will like to recommend that the National Certificate in Education should be replaced by a four-year degree programme in education whether in the college system or university. A situation where students who are not qualified to enter universities and colleges of technology are reserved for faculties and colleges of education shoulder not be encouraged.”
“If he (Akindele) had done this much and yet did not suffer, I do not see any reason why any of you here will make a similar sacrifice to humanity and regrets in future,” the Provost added.
Akindele’s younger brother Gbenga, in his testimonial, encouraged those in the teaching profession to remain positive and contented despite that teacher education has not yet been accorded its due status in Nigeria. He said his elder brother and celebrant demonstrated this by always being proud as a teacher.
“The fact that you find yourself in the academic environment does not make you a pauper,” Gbenga admonished.
“Anytime I hear the word ‘teacher’ I have so much respect for my brother. He sees his job as a calling and does it with passion. He also went into activism. He was a fighter, yet a gentleman to the core”
One of the celebrant’s intimate friends and former colleague Dr Femi Adedina, went down memory lane recalling how their brotherly relationship sprang at Ogun State College of Education Osiele.
Adedina said though Akindele was the older of the pair; yet very humble enough to close the gap for outsiders not to know their age difference. Adedina said at some point, the pair went their different paths nut later reunited at AOCOED. Although he got the lecturing job ahead of Akindele, that was not going to make the relationship frosty.
As a comrade, Adedina said the celebrant could break a wall to achieve anything for his members.
“Akindele can enter the lion’s den to achieve anything. He is gentle and diplomatic though I am not. He was the first chairman of COEASU-AOCOED and thereafter contested for the national president of the union and won. “His yet will always be yes his no, no. Even at 65, I never saw him get angry.
Former Dean Faculty of Education Prof Clement Fasan, who was also in attendance praised Akindele to high heavens, describing him as a bridge builder’ and an individual that ‘stabilises the union during trying times.
Though as friends and brothers, Fasan said Akindele combined activism with teaching while he (Fasan) couldn’t, bearing testimony of his (Akindele) propensity to lead and touch lives.
Similarly, Mr Rotimi Adebambo from the School of Language described Akindele as a dogged fighter and a man with a go-getting steak. Adebambo recalled with a flourish his sterling days as COEASU-AOCOED helmsman.
“When Comrade Akindele was our chairman, AOCOED members were the highest earner nationwide and we have even sustained that to date. He knows how to table our case before the government and management.
“He had this philosophy of ‘do unto others what you want others done to you’. During his time, he ensured every allowance-Hazard, Transportation, just name it, was paid to members. Our salaries were also good and competitive nationwide. He kept pressing buttons in the shadows and getting things done, and many were simply wondering how things happened.”
Expressing his appreciations, the celebrant thanked all who had who left the abodes to felicitate with him. Particularly, he thanked the college that gave him a voice and allow his career to flourish over the years.
Akindele thanked the Provost and reassured him that COEASU-AOCOED would continue to engage the management constructively and get results in a manner mutually beneficial to all. He, therefore, recommended another father figure and former chairman COEASU-AOCOED Dr Victor Akinola to take over on his behalf.
Akinola’s announcement threw members of COEASU AOCOED into another bout of celebrations. The excited members hauled Dr Akinola’ to the podium to get the blessings of his ‘Godfather’
Akindele said he is leaving physically though; his spirits are still 100 per cent with college, saying the management or unions could seek his intervention and he would be most willing to respond.
Having thanked all in attendance, Akindele quickly veered into his ‘exaugural’ lecture with the topic: ‘Historical perspective and future of teacher education in the 21st century.
He described the earliest teachers as individuals often with attachment to the priesthood, constantly itinerant, while seeking knowledge and truth. According to him, findings show that traditionally, teachers are generally considered custodians of knowledge, even though did not have a history of being wealthy. They were once beholden to the society which provided their material needs.
In Nigeria however, Akindele said the 20th century began to witness the sprouting of training colleges which produced church teachers and schoolmasters split alongside three categories-holders of university degrees; holders of those with technical qualifications; as well as uncertified teachers with Teacher 11 and secondary Class 11 as a minimum.
Nonetheless, Akindele lamented that the 21 century is replete with teachers always eager to pontificate their credentials; yet lacking enough substance that make an ideal teacher.
He said: “Today, we have teachers with PhD and Masters degrees in both primary and secondary schools. It, therefore, means that certain things are missing besides the teachers’ certificates and qualifications. For instance, are the teachers enthusiastic and committed to teaching like in the past? Do teachers well-remunerated and refrained? How much is the propensity for quick wealth affecting teaching? What is the perception of society on teaching and teachers? How does lack of effective government supervision or monitoring from the Inspectorate system in most cases of the state ministries of education affect teaching?,,,”
Therefore, getting the best personnel in education requires that the aforementioned be seriously taken into account, Akidele further stressed.
“To attract the best brains to education,” Akindele continued, “I will like to recommend that the National Certificate in Education should be replaced by a four-year degree programme in education whether in the college system or university. A situation where students who are not qualified to enter universities and colleges of technology are reserved for faculties and colleges of education shoulder not be encouraged.
“And as true professionals like lawyers, engineers, and others newly employed graduate teachers should be placed on Grade Level 09 instead of the present Grade Level 08 they now enjoy to motivate them for better performance.”
The events had been a three-day wrap with the first featuring the official signing out, and then a lecture which coincided with the World Teachers’ Day; while the third was a book launch with which was the unabridged version of the lecture.
