Still radiant at 75: Madam Oyewale tells her story – how she emerged 1st female number one headteacher in Oyo state
Femi OGUNLANA
Today, Saturday, October 25, 2025, marks the 75th birthday anniversary of a woman of substance, who in her heyday as a teacher, rose with aplomb to the zenith, emerging as the number one headteacher in Oyo state. She beat all odds to lead the influential Association of Primary School Headteachers of Nigeria, AOPSHON (then Conference of Primary Schools Headteachers of Nigeria, COPSHON) as the first woman president and first ever to come from Ogbomosoland to lead the association. That’s the story of Mrs. Elizabeth Kehinde Oyewale nee Adelakun. She was married to an equally iconic husband, also an educator, who caught the imagination of his generation, and who retired as Principal of Ogbomoso High School, (now late) Mr. Ezekiel Popoola Oyewale.
ogbomosoinsightonline.com speaks with her and she narrates the story of her life.
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Excerpts:
Origin
I was born on October 25, 1950, in Jos, in the then Northern Region of Nigeria, which later metamorphosed into Benue -Plateau state and today, it’s the capital of Plateau state.
Both my parents are from Ogbomoso. My father hailed from Ile Akogun, Isale-Laka, while my mother was from Ile Olojo. I went to Baptist Day Primary School, Park road, Jos, for my Infant class (1956 – 1960). In 1960, l proceeded to the senior section and l spent just a year there. And l moved to the Gindiri Girls Boarding School. In the northern region, our schooling is primary 1 to 7, up till now. I graduated from there in December 1965.
Childhood ambition
Initially, l had two ambitions – to become a teacher or nurse. But unfortunately, l lacked the sense of smelling and that disqualified me from being a nurse. Thus, l pursued a career in teaching. I have no regret today, it brought fulfilment.
Career as a teacher and marriage
By January 1966, l was in the Teachers’ College in that very Gindiri. Immediately l left the college l was posted to Potiskum Baptist Day Primary School in the North Eastern state, present day Yobe state. My parents were still in Jos and so, l shuttled between the two cities. By the year 1973, l got wedded to Baba Ezekiel Popoola Oyewale, of Ile Osi-Agoro, Okelerin, Ogbomoso.
After marriage, l relocated to Bauchi. By September 1974, we moved down to Ogbomoso, after one year six months in Bauchi. We relocated to Ogbomoso because my husband gained admission to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU). My husband was formerly a teacher at the Teachers’ College, Mathematics Department in Bauchi. In Ogbomoso, l was posted to Masifa Baptist Primary School, owned by Masifa Baptist Church. There were two locations of the school – one within the church premises, the other at Sabo area. I was in the section operating in the church. But by 1979, l moved to Primary four at Sabo. However, that 1979, l was given duty post as Assistant Headteacher at Mayin Methodist Primary School, Mayin. But then, l witnessed one of the fastest postings, six weeks intervals, from Mayin to Maami, to Iware, to Otamokun.
I was later transferred to Bolanta DC School at Masifa, Ogbomoso, then, to Ayegun Baptist Primary School 2. In 1984, l was posted to Olopemarun School 1. Meanwhile, in 1983, l was given admission for Diploma in Education (simply called Asoso). From Olopemarun School 1, l was moved to Okelerin Baptist Primary School, then, to The Apostolic Primary School 2, Olopemarun in 1991. I was in Olopemarun 2 until 2003 when l was posted to School 1 as full-fledged Headmistress. In 2004, l was transferred to Methodist Primary School, where l retired in 2009. I also worked at Ijeru Baptist Primary School.
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COPSHON leadership – how l emerged and brushed off the ego of the men
I was into union politics – Conference of Primary Schools Headteachers of Nigeria (COPSHON). I had been an officer – treasurer. But in 2007/2008, it was the turn of Ogbomoso zone to produce the state chairman of COPSHON. Other local governments in the zone had been presenting representatives, neglecting Ogbomoso South.
I now said, “No, since this one belongs to Ogbomoso zone, it must be Ogbomoso South. You Surulere local government, you were once ex-officio, Oriire you were once PRO, like that like that. Ogbomoso South had been left out.” l was interested in leading the association and l was not interested but l stood vehemently it must be Ogbomoso South. This is our time, l mean Ogbomoso South local government, l insisted. I was the most senior and l was in the union politics. And the position was for the most senior, and the nomination must be by Ogbomoso, no balloting across the state. So, no one contested against me.
I eventually emerged. I was state chairperson of COPSHON for one year four months. At the time l began, there was uproar, you know the men’s ego. Fortunately, l was the first woman to attain the position throughout Oyo state and first ever person from Ogbomosoland, male or female. Ego flared up – “Ehn, we don’t want a woman.” I confronted them, “What has gender got to do with leading? Expatiate!” I insisted, “Whether you want a woman or not this is our chance.”
Then, the person elected as secretary also raised ruckus, “l can’t be going to Ogbomoso.” But l told him, “You will come o. Gone are the days when the chairman and secretary would be from Ibadan, those days are gone.” At the end of the day, l enjoyed them, they all cooperated. But it was tug of war initially.
I will marry my husband again if there is reincarnation
If truly there is reincarnation, l will marry him again. He was a loving and caring husband, he loved me and he loved the children too. We didn’t normally have any rancour, we understood each other. Our policies in school administration were similar that people insinuated we normally decided direction of administration on the bed. And he always charged me to protect that name – Oyewale – that it is shared by many other people. He was very caring.
Advice for upcoming teachers
My salary was fifty two naira, yet we had dedicated teachers. We wrote lesson notes, for every subject, and we taught with dedication. My advice is that it is what you work for that will stay in your hand. To whom much is given much is expected. I often said to my teachers every Monday after greeting and prayer, “Ask God, my children will come across a teacher like me,” and then, they won’t be able to say amen. So, l always charged them to be dedicated.
Value of teachers has dropped
Though teaching has dropped in value yet it is a noble profession. I prayed to be a teacher and marry a teacher and l achieved both. The dignity is however no longer there. The passion and zeal is no longer there, people are now entering the profession without zeal, out of nothing else just to earn a living. Government also is not encouraging though we should still thank Governor Seyi Makinde. We feared our teachers then, more than our parents.
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I’m enjoying retirement
Rest is sweet after labour. I have no regret. I enjoyed teaching and l am still enjoying it. That is why l didn’t bother myself to look for any petty work after retirement.
Reminiscences on her teachers and school days
I want to thank all of my teachers. I had a teacher who was very, very wicked. We used what was called nipple to write then, we would touch the ink pot with its sharp end to write. It was the precursor of pen and biro. There was one Mr. Oladeji, who was a native of Ogbomoso. If not for my passion l wouldn’t have gone to school because of the way he victimised me. If any pupil sprinkled ink on any book he would name me as the culprit and beat me, and would force me to buy another book. So, how would l tell my father that l was mandated to buy books? That made me and my twin sister, Taye, to devise ways of playing truancy and pranks.
From Mr. Ladeji we moved to Mrs. W.R. Ojo, whose husband was a pastor. She looked down on us calling us, “Eyin omo aruboto” (Boto was prepared from cow dung to plaster houses then, before the advent of cement plastering). She would boast, “If l dress for my children only their skin colour would differentiate them from European children.” She demeaned us so much.
But Mrs. Oladokun in primary two was too good. Then, there was Mr. Fatoki. Then, there was Mr. Awoniyi, also from Ogbomoso, also wicked. Mr. Awoniyi inflicted severe injury in my hand one day which swelled up after she cruelly beat me, and my mother threatened to follow me to school. It was my father who stopped her on the way, saying, “if you follow her to school be ready to take up the financial responsibility of her education.” My father rather bought two kobokos (leather cane) to give one to that Mr. Awoniyi, as my “own cane,” and the other to Taye’s class teacher as her own cane. We were not put in the same class because they knew we would sit together and would not be serious.
Our teachers then wore knickers with outstretched socks up to their thighs, in which they would insert their biro. We had evaluation test in Mathematics and English every Thursday, no Sciences then. We were given lashes of cane equivalent to the number of marks we missed.
I remember well the names of my teachers. But l had to forgive all my “wicked” teachers after learning in the College of Education, Ilorin, that they had also laid blocks in the building of our foundation. Our teacher in Psychology of Education, one Mr. Oyelola, said, “If you have a teacher who is bad, know that that teacher if he didn’t teach you, you won’t be what you are today, that teacher merely shouting ‘eh, keep quiet,’ that is a block he had laid. If you remove a block from a building how will the building look like? No teacher is bad because that teacher had laid a block in your foundation. That is why l forgave all of them.”
What l want to be remembered for
I will like to be remembered by the work of my hand. I am not complete but to the best of my knowledge, as a human, l tried. To err is human, to forgive is divine. You cannot do without stepping on toes. What I did, let them remember me with it, as a teacher, and my children too. I am not saying l am complete. It has been a good journey.
Epilogue
Mama E.K. Oyewale has led an exemplary, extraordinary life. From a humble beginning in faraway Jos, she rose to achieve her life dreams against enormous odds. She lost her darling husband, Pa E.P. Oyewale, about ten years ago (November 20, 2015). Her twin sister, Madam Taye, also died September 20, 2016. but she has managed to carry on, putting the torch aglow. Her children and grandchildren today are her joy and pride.
As she marks her 75th birthday anniversary today, we wish her long life and prosperity.
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