The atmosphere was ecstatic, full of testimonies, intense happiness, excitement, euphoria and nostalgia at Community High School, Abaren, a remote village in Obafemi Owode Local government on Friday, 14th March, 2025 as students, members of the teaching and non-teaching staff, family members, relatives as well as well-wishers gathered to bid retiring Principal of the School, Mrs. Elizabeth Kikelomo Ajayi farewell as she penned down after a fulfilling, eventful and meritorious teaching career that spanned 35 years under the Ogun State Teaching Service.
Abaren is a remote community via Mowe in Obafemi- Owode Local government straddled between Ofada and Adesan- Olu communities. Apart from the long distance of the village, especially for teachers coming from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital and other major cities, residents of the community confirmed to The Business Package that during the raining season, the community usually experienced a lot of problems as the place is usually water-logged and thus inaccessible to people.
Thus, for majority of the teachers posted to the school as with many in their shoes, such community is a no-go-area and if by any means they find themselves posted there, they will in the same manner wangled their way out of the community. This had been the case with the earlier Principals who were posted to the School. The Business Package gathered that the pioneer Principal of the School only spent six months while the second principal posted to the school only spent one year.
It was therefore a surprise to many as the retiring Principal order than towing the path of her predecessors decided to stay back and contribute immensely to the growth of the school, basing her resolve on the fact that the future of the students matters to her and she was determined to put all she had to contribute her quota to the life of the children through the development of the school.
One major theme that however resonates among those present at the event even from the side talks as gathered by our man as Mrs. Ajayi bowed out was how she has positioned herself as an epitome of selfless service who not only spearheaded the development of the school but also encouraged other teachers that are posted there to stay and join her to be a part of the rebuilding efforts. Thus for Mrs. Elizabeth Ajayi, her posting to the school was more of a missionary arrival as she not only stayed back, but rolled up her sleeves to begin the process of rebuilding.
Community High School Abaren (Combined) is a relatively new school that was established through communal effort in the year 2014 before it was adopted by the Ogun State government. The only building the school had at inception, and could boast of is a six block of classroom constructed through communal efforts and it was in tatters when Mrs. Ajayi took over as the Principal. The second building, a three block of classroom was later donated by the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The two buildings were seriously begging for attention and as God would have it, the two structures also had a taste of generosity from the woman with a Midas touch as the one donated by the Church also was later renovated to salvage it from being a total wreckage. Other Principals in the same shoes would have opted out as other in the past had done, but she instead decided to do things differently by taking the bulls by the horns believing that government efforts must always be complemented by all and sundry
The unsavory condition of the school before the posting of Mrs. Ajayi was well captured by the Chairman Parents Teachers Association of the school, Reverend Dr. Oladunni Adekunle who was one of the visionary of the School project, while speaking in an exclusive interview with The Business Package. He said: ‘’ My name is Reverend Dr. Oladunni Adekunle. I started the School with two students, one in J.S.S 1, the other in J.S.S 2 and two teachers, Mr. Wale Olawuyi and Mrs. Tunrayo Oke in the year 2014, October 14 to be precise. We didn’t have enough money, I had to run around with a Community leader, Mr. Taiwo Akoni who gave us N500,000 naira then to grade the land. After that, we started admitting students with the support of the Zonal Education Officer. We ensured that all our Teachers at inception were graduates’’.
Mr Oladunni, while intimating the reporter about the transformative efforts of Mrs Ajayi uon her posting to the School in January 2021,said: ‘’ Mrs. Elizabeth Ajayi who is about penning down today is the third Principal and she turned things around immediately she resumed duty here. She looked out for me, because we the pioneer members of the School project have been chased away by the first Principal. He didn’t recognize those of us that started the school, but Mrs. Ajayi came for us. She invited myself and invited another man, Chief Babatunde Akinyemi who later gave the School 20 bags of cement for renovation’’
He stated further: ‘’The outgoing Principal made a lot of efforts to put this school in the shape that it is today. She met this school in shambles, there was no toilet and nothing was on ground. We only constructed the building and it was grossly half completed. We did not have toilet, no fittings and the ground was not floored and she did all the plastering, window and door fittings as well as the flooring . The School had no place one can call the office of the Principal and upon her arrival, one of the classrooms was converted to the Principal’s Office. The structure was built by the Community as I said earlier, but she is the one that renovated it. All the doors that you see the plastering of the floor, the windows and other things that gave the building a good outlook was done by her. And, she also remolded the one given to the community by The Redeemed Christian Church of God. ’’.
‘’She did a lot of things, within the period she was posted here as Principal. In addition, in the past three years or thereabout, she has been facilitating Scholarships for students of the School, to Owu Tech, a citadel of learning situated around Ifo in Ogun State. They usually come here to conduct the exams with our students and the best ones are usually admitted. We have been enjoying this opportunities in this community through her efforts in the last three years’’.
On what she could say about the retiring Principal, he finally submitted: ‘’ She is one of the best Administrators I can see around this area. The reasons is not far-fetched. Some Principals do not want to come to this community. They usually reject posting to this place. She is someone who is ready to sacrifice all she has for the growth of the children and you can see and listen to all the testimonies flying around’’.
The Vice Principal of the School,Mrs. Omonike Adepoju who is the most senior officer now in charge also said this much while delivering her welcome address. She said: ‘’ The School will continue to remember you for the productive actions you have taken especially in the fixing of the doors and windows of six blocks of classrooms, the plastering of the classes and the flooring , fixing of the school toilets seats and many more achievements that time will not permit me to mention. Ma your altruism, uprightness, purity of thought and constructive ideas towards the development of the school during your tenure were all appreciated by all in the community. Your role and immense contributions at Community High School Abaren can never be forgotten’’.
Mrs Adepoju equally narrated how Mrs. Ajayi interrogated her when she was posted to the School to gauge her feelings to know if she would be staying back or leave just like numerous others, while urging her to stay to be a part of the rebuilding agenda. She confessed to the crowd that she took the decision to stay back without altering her transfer due to the way Mrs. Ajayi spoke and persuaded her especially when she discovered that she is a Godly woman.
The Lavish retirement party thrown for Mrs Ajayi as stated was the first of its kind in the history of the school as she represents the first Principal of the school that would be so honored. This is on account of her great impact and immense contributions to the school. Those who are close to her, confirmed to The Business Package reporter that, within the first two years of her posting to the School, she was practically driving down from Abeokuta daily to assume her duty. It was later she had to rent a place to stay fully within the community in order to monitor and oversee things by herself.
Due to her ingenious contributions and selfless, services, the enrollment figures of the school has quadrupled between the time she joined and the time she was leaving. At the time she was posted to the school as gathered, the student population was 200, and it has increased to about 600 due to the icing on the cake she had introduced, while it was confirmed that the students of the school now represents the school at inter school completions at the state level while performances of the students in external exams has also improved.
The party commenced around 11.30 am in a jubilant mood as members of both the Academic and Non-Academic staff of the school gaily dressed in uniform Ankara attire specifically sowed for the occasion came out with drums and beats to welcome the woman of in-estimable value, Mrs. Elizabeth Kikelomo Ajayi, whom they fondly called ‘’Mama’’, due apparently to her motherly and accommodating nature to the venue. This was immediately followed by presentation of gifts by the Association of Visiting Secretaries, a missionary group that usually fed the students with the word of God led by Mr. Ezekiel Oladele.
Thereafter, the celebrant was made to inspect a guard of honour mounted by the Man O War Brigade, Abaren division as a mark of honor for her. The joyous dance that started at the entrance to the school later continued immediately she was ushered into the venue and this lasted for about thirty minutes. And, as a show of respect and exaltation for the retiring Principal, Mrs. Elizabeth and her ever supportive hubby, Dr. Anthony Ola Ajayi were seated in a wonderfully decorated special position placed at a vantage location to stand out from the rest.
Parts of the highlights of the event were cultural displays by the junior and senior students, Choreographic dance ewi rendition as well as mi a mimickery of the celebrant performed by a teacher in conjunction with some of the students.
In an exhortation, the preacher, Engineer Olufemi Odedina quoting from the book of Psalm 107 verses 1 and 2, emphasized on the need to always give praises to the lord. He said all the good testimonies flying around about Mrs. Ajayi are coming up because she allowed God to guide her. According to him, people do think that coming to God will limit them, but on the contrary, it actually enhances and exalts people. He admonished her that despite the fact that she is retiring, she still have an obligation to the children which she must continually fulfill. To the students, Dr. Odedina enjoined them to take their studies seriously and allow God to come into their lives and Guide them. He state:” Let us make a time to find God in our lives, and we would never regret it.
The event also witnessed the recognition of teachers who had been transferred from the school, but whose roles were recognized as the retiring Principals presented them with gifts one after the other. Those presented with gifts include, Olorunlambe, Ogunjimi, Okunlola, Ademosun, Olaniyi, Otutu, Olawuyi, Ogunleye and Alara including the School medical officer.
The most colourful part of the event was however the pen down ceremony conducted by the ANCOPSS Chairman, Obafemi Owode Zone, who doubles as the Principal, Community High School, Magboro, Mr. Kayode Falola. Mr. Falola while anchoring the Pen Down ceremony informed that there are 25 schools within the Obafemi-Owode zone and almost all the Principals in the zone were present at the Pen Down ceremony, which shows how much the retiring Principal is cherished among her colleague Principals as a strong pillar.
Part of the highlights was the presentation of gifts as a giant portrait of Mrs. Elizabeth Kikelomo Ajayi was presented by the School to their woman of inestimable value. Some of the Old students of the school also presented her with gifts as a mark of appreciation of her impacts in their lives. The event also witnessed the Foundation laying of the School hall, which was part of the vision of the retiring Principal, Mrs Elizabeth Ajayi for the School. Speaking at the venue of the foundation laying of the School Hall, the ANCOPPS Chairman of the Obafemi –Owode Zone, Mr. Kayode Falola submitted: ‘’This is a good legacy and with this you will not be forgotten in this community. I wish you success in your future endeavor’’.
While appreciating those who supported her initiative for the development of the School, Mrs. Ajayi had earlier appreciated the Balle of the community High Chief Olatunji Ogundipe for facilitating the renovation of the three blocks of classrooms donated by the Redeemed Christian Church of God while also facilitating, the connection of electricity to the School . She declared that electricity connection to the school has been ensured as part of her legacies, while also thanking all those who supported her in the course of her sojourn in the school as well as those who came to grace the occasion. The over six hundred students of the school were later served foods and drinks prepared to make them part of the celebration even as jubilation and fun rented the air till late evening.
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