Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has lamented the current state of education in Nigeria, saying that the country is “paying a heavy price” due to the neglect of its schools, which he described as “broken” and “underfunded.”
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This is just as he emphasised the vital role foundational education plays in shaping future leaders.
Osinbanjo, who spoke on the theme: “Building generational strength for educational institutions in Nigeria,” was the guest lecturer at the 94th Founders Day celebration of Igbobi College, Lagos on Monday.
Reflecting on his own experiences, Osinbajo shared, “The discipline of waking up at 5:30am and the ‘lights out’ rules in secondary school, that actually built great leaders.”
“The habits that sustain adults are formed in school, not improvised later in life.”
According to him, the roots of effective leadership extend beyond government offices; they begin much earlier, adding, “By the time a child turns 18, their ethical instincts are already likely formed.”
While emphasising the need to put education on the right track, the former VP opined that corporate bodies, old students and other well-meaning individuals have roles to play to complement government’s efforts.
“Many great institutions are backed by large endowments that sustain their operations for decades. Endowments are more about the ability to propagate a worldview, certain standards and values that we hold dear. More instructive is that most of the funds were donated by old boys of those schools, including friends and families of the old boys.
“Every serious nation or society confronts the same question: what will outlive us? Igbobi College made a transformative difference in our lives. It was built by an endowment from missionaries, Anglican and Methodist churches, money raised from their members. Although the school charges fees, these fees are for services offered. We were beneficiaries of an endowment by two missionaries who subsidised not just high quality education but also created a moral, ethical and civic environment that had shaped our own outlook, our sense of right and wrong and our integrity,” he said.
Reflecting on his personal academic journey, Osinbajo recalled his formative years at the prestigious Igbobi College from 1969 to 1975, where he received numerous awards, including the State Merit Award and the African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker’s Prize.
Prof. Osinbajo concluded with a profound reminder: “Every investment in a school is an investment in the future of the country. Our early leaders didn’t emerge by accident; they were shaped by schools that were deliberately protected from volatility.”
Meanwhile, the Igbobi College Old Boys’ Association (ICOBA) has launched an ambitious ₦10 billion Endowment Fund aimed at revitalising the school and guaranteeing its legacy for the next century.
Chief Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, the 12th President of ICOBA, announced that the fund would be used to build new hostels, enhance science laboratories, and introduce advanced learning technologies.
He gave the assurance that the management of the fund would be in the hands of professionals from Chapel Hill Denham to ensure accountability.
“We don’t want anyone to ‘use the money anyhow,’” he stated firmly.
Badejo-Okusanya urged alumni to contribute, and challenged all members to think of future generations, just as the founders did in 1932.
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented at the event by the Commissioner for Basic and Education, Hon. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, expressed government’s support for initiatives like ICOBA’s fund, noting, “When a school like Igbobi produces disciplined individuals, it helps the government save money on social problems and strengthens the leadership pipeline for the nation.”
He remarked that quality management of infrastructure, like roads and bridges, is contingent upon having principled leaders, reinforcing the importance of the ₦10 billion fund to maintain the school’s legacy.
The event included a lecture chaired by Mr Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, who clarified that an endowment represents a commitment to transitioning from “short-term intervention to long-term institutional stability.”
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