She is a people person. Despite leaving secondary school for over four decades, she is still able to recognise many of her colleagues and even students that were a few years behind her in school.
Welcome to the world of Tomi Olorunleke, a Principal Assistant Registrar at the University of Lagos.
Ironically, her people skill does not extend to numbers. She had a morbid hatred for mathematics while in school.
She recalled with nostalgia her days in primary school describing how she fell in love with English and all other subjects but not maths.
Her aversion for numbers followed her to her secondary school days at Ijebu Ife Community Grammar School in Ogun State.
She confessed, ‘Whenever the Maths teacher came to teach , I would excuse myself from class if I could. If I could not, I would just be there, not paying attention. I didn’t just like the subject.
” It was so bad that the expatriate teacher that taught us once advised that I could be reading any other book while he taught. I thought he was serious.
“Truly, I began reading the James Hadley Chase novel when he entered the class. That day I got the beating of my life.”
Tomi’s aversion for Maths notwithstanding, she still had a pass in the subject in WAEC and went ahead to acquire several degrees including a degree in law after her secondary school education.
But her time in Ijebu Ife still clings to her memory. She recalled the fun time and the beautiful friends she made while in school.
Encounter with Chief Adebanjo
An indigene of Ijebu Igbo, also in Ogun state, Tomi says she was initially not too happy when it turned out she had to go to Ijebu-Ife.
She had taken common entrance exams in a number of schools including the community school in Ijebu Ife.
Her parents preferred Ijebu-Ife because of its proximity to Lagos where she was coming from .
She cried the first few days in school wondering why her parents would punish her by bringing her to a village school.
But weeks after staying on campus and meeting friends, she began to develop a strong affinity for the school. That love has refused to leave her till date.
She recalled an encounter with one of the founding fathers of the citadel of learning, Chief Olajide Adebanjo, ‘We were at a public function with some of my colleagues. I think we went to do some cultural dance and display at the event. When we were through we stayed back having fun. I decided to climb a tree overlooking my colleagues from the top of the tree as part of the fun.
“I was on the tree when Chief Adebanjo spotted me. He was shocked to see me on the tree. He asked me to come down, which I did. He now made me promise that I would not forget the school long after I might have graduated. That is one of the reasons I still maintain my connection with the school till date.’ She stated.
It’s now almost 45 years since she left school. That promise made her take up the assignment of mobilising her classmates to form an old students association for her set which was the 1976/81 set.
The purpose of the group is to be able to impact the school; which they have done over time.
About 90 of those in that class have come together in the association including the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu who was also in that set.
she is also the General Secretary of the Old Students Association of the entire School; a position she is very much committed to..
Career path
But there is so much to learn from the life of Tomi about her academic journey.
She had wanted to study Agriculture. This is a consequence of the exposure she had while in school. She had a farm portion to herself and she was also involved with the school’s poultry attending to the chickens.
The desire however did not fly since she did not have the requisite qualification to study the course in the university. Her WAEC result tilted towards the arts.
She eventually studied French at the Lagos State University, and went on to do a Masters in Public administration.
She took up a teaching job for a while. But that was not bringing the desired satisfaction.
She got a brain wave again and opted to study law at the University of Lagos. At that time, she had to combine her parenting role with academics and then her job.
She finished her law programme and rather than take to law practice she refused. ‘After my law degree, the natural thing was to start practicing the profession, but what discouraged me was the kind of salaries paid to lawyers. Many chambers don’t pay well and I don’t have the patience to buy time learning in chambers. I knew the certificate would be useful for other job opportunities. In the interim I went into business.’
Journey to business world
The entrepreneurial world however came with its headache and heartache. ‘I was buying and selling gold and other fashion accessories. It was real fun while it lasted. I travelled to Dubai, buying and selling gold. But I burnt my fingers a few times. I got fed up at a point. The debt I incurred was becoming unbearable.
“What made me give up on the business completely was a client who made me acquire an expensive gold item. She was preparing for her wedding. So I went ahead to purchase the item for her. She wore it for her wedding and she had a great ceremony.
“After the wedding I asked her to pay me she could not. We went on for a while and it was almost becoming embarrassing. When my trouble was unbearable she asked me to come and collect the gold and sell it to another person. That experience made me give up on the trade.
Tomi eventually secured job at the University of Lagos. ‘By the time I got to the university of Lagos job I was advanced in age. But then, I must confess I enjoy what I am doing. I am happy I acquired all the certificates. It gives me some sure standing in the employment market.”
Reflections
Reflecting on her journey from secondary school to her days in the university, she said, ‘”What I found out is that life is all about perseverance. There are heights you think you can’t reach in life. But with perseverance and dedication you will attain it.
“You must also not be too bothered about what people will say. Going back to study law for me was a decision that came with a lot of pain and sacrifice. I had to face the home front and also my academics with my job. But God saw me through.
‘Today, I have every cause to glorify God. I have wonderful children that are making me proud.’
She also recalled how she almost lost her life while in neighbouring Togo during her one year internship in the country as a French Student. She was shuttling Togo and Nigeria because she was still a baby then.
‘In one of the trips I ran into rioters who were protesting against the government of Togo. It was a horrible experience. I spoke all the French I knew then. All the money on me was collected. Eventually they allowed me to pass. But it was a close shave because they were welding dangerous weapons harming people” She remisced.
Another experience she will not forget in a hurry was when she was punished while in secondary school for having a brawl with another female colleague in the hostel.
“‘I think the girl took a portion of the water I went to fetch from the distant stream in town. In those days you have to trek long distances to fetch water and secure it close to your bed. She took the water and I got to know. I was livid with anger and we engaged in a real fight.
“The principal was pissed when he heard we were fighting. He summoned us and asked us to go and stay with the night guard in school. We watched over the school that night with the guards till day break.
“But the guards were nice to us. Immediately they saw that the principal was not in sight they asked us to go and sleep in a nearby classroom.
“But they woke us up intermittently whenever the principal came out to confirm we were serving the punishment.
“By morning we were expelled from the school. I had to travel to Lagos to my parents who came back to beg the principal. My father didn’t join me to beg because he felt I had betrayed the family by fighting in school. My mum did all the begging. Eventually I was reinstated.’
Looking back, she affirms that her time in the community school was an invaluable part of her life.
‘That school has produced great people across the world. I am a proud product of the school and will always be proud of it.’