I fondly recall my time at Ijebu-Jesa Grammar School in Osun State, specifically from 1979/80 to 1982/83. This period stands out due to the Unity Party of Nigeria’s (UPN) Free Education programme, spearheaded by the late Obafemi Awolowo. Under this initiative, education was completely free, covering everything from school fees to basic supplies like pencils and erasers.
Although Bola Ige governed the old Oyo State at the time, UPN’s programme was implemented across all states under the party’s control. However, the transition of power on October 1, 1983 marked a significant turning point for the education system in the old Oyo State, and the region has struggled to regain its footing ever since. This legacy continues to influence Nigeria’s development.
As Aristotle once profoundly observed, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”For Nigeria, a land blessed with abundance, yet beset by adversity, the quest for excellence remains an enduring odyssey.
From the ancient kingdoms of Nri and Oyo to the present day, Nigeria’s story has been one of ebbs and flows, of promise and disappointment. Like the Biblical phoenix, dear fatherland rises, falls, and rises again, with its resilience forged in the crucible of history. Yet, the dream of a greater Nigeria persists, a dream nourished by the sacrifices of heroes past – from Herbert Macaulay to Nnamdi Azikiwe, from Awolowo to Ahmadu Bello, and from Ken Saro-Wiwa to MKO Abiola.
Nigeri.
