40 years after school: Heroic re-union of Governor Oyebanji with teacher, 90-year-old principal

By Precious Oham

40 years ago, students of Christ Apostolic Church Grammar School, CAPOSTO, in Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State bid farewell to one another after an emotional valedictory service.

Interestingly, the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji happens to be a part of the glorious set of the revered school, whose lives were shaped by their teachers and principal.

After 40 years of parting, as providence would have it, the governor met with his former English teacher at a Town Hall meeting in Usi-Ekiti.

A re-union with fun, fanfare

It was indeed one re-union with all the fun, fanfare, and also an atmosphere for deep reflections as the governor was able to see the teacher and school principal that impacted his live and others positively after leaving school 40 years ago.

Governor Oyebanji re-united with his former secondary school principal, Chief Daniel Ogboja and his wife, Mrs Dorcas Ogboja, who was also his English and Literature teacher at CAPOSTO.

The governor, who had during his Town hall meeting at Usi-Ekiti seen the former English teacher, directed the event’s Master of Ceremony to recognize and invite her to the high table.

Oyebanji, after the town hall meeting accompanied Mrs Ogboja to visit her husband, who was the governor’s secondary school principal.

Beyond re-union, Oyebanji’s pledge

During the visit to the principal, the governor described the nonagenarian as his mentor, saying he imbibed the principles of hard-work, honesty, fear of God, contentment, and tenacity from the training he got from the old man during his days as principal of CAC Grammar School, Efon Alaaye.

Oyebanji, who engaged his former principal and teacher with old memories, recalled how the old man took time, during morning devotions, to give them lectures which according to the governor, had really helped in shaping the lives of all the old students.

While appreciating him for being so good to him and for his selfless labour on all his students, the governor prayed God to grant him long life as he continue to eat the fruit of his labour.

“I still recall vividly my sojourn at CAPOSTO, Daddy was a disciplinarian but daddy will discipline you in love. Most of the things I leant about hard work, about been truthful, about fear of God, about contentment.

“l learnt from daddy because at every morning devotion, daddy will take his time to lecture us. Daddy took each and every one of us as his children and that is why every old student of CAPOSTO will refer to daddy and mummy as their parent.”

The governor promised to organize a visit by the old students’ of the school to the nonegenarian retired principal.

According to him, “We will come and spend an afternoon with you one of these days. Just to appreciate you sir.”

Nostalgic moments

Responding with nostalgia, the former principal of the governor, Chief Ogboja, who expressed his profound gratitude to the governor for remembering him and for deeming it fit to visit him, said he is very proud of the governor and his achievements in less than one year in office, saying Ekiti has never had it so well.

Mrs Ogboja narrated how she rolled on the floor in excitement when she heard the news of Oyebanji’s election as governor of the state in June 2022.

The retired teacher said she was happy and grateful to God to meet face-to-face with the governor, who was once her student.

She said she is also happy that the governor is exhibiting those qualities he has imbibed early in life.