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Reminiscing Christiana Kayode, mother and educationist par excellence

By Olugboyega Kayode
23 June 2018   |   3:28 am
The late Mrs. Christiana Arinola Adenike Kayode was born on October 25, 1939 and passed on five years ago.

The late Mrs. Christiana Arinola Adenike Kayode was born on October 25, 1939 and passed on five years ago.

She had her early education at St. John’s Anglican School, Oba-Ile, Akure and at St. Louis Modern School, Owo, from where she proceeded to the Teachers’ Training College, Owo, where she qualified as a teacher.

Mrs. Kayode, who was the Founder of Millard School, Ikeja, Lagos, was a quintessential teacher and distinguished educationist, whose competence in the teaching profession shaped many lives. She served Lagos in various capacities as a teacher, headmistress and proprietress.

She was a highly principled woman of integrity, discipline, with strong Christian and family virtues.

Mrs. Kayode started her teaching career as a Grade Three teacher in 1958, firstly at Sacred Heart School, Akure, before proceeding to St Theresa’s and L.A (Local Authority) Schools respectively.

In 1963, she proceeded to the Divisional Teachers’ Training College, Ikere-Ekiti, where she qualified as a Grade Two Teacher in 1965. She returned to the L A School before travelling to the United Kingdom in 1966 to join her husband, Olugboyega Kayode.

She attended the University of Reading in 1967 from where she obtained her Grade 1 Certificate in 1968. She later enrolled at the Montessori Training Institute, London and qualified as a Montessori Nursery teacher in 1971. In March 1973, she returned to Nigeria and continued her teaching career at the Command Children’s School, Ikeja in May 1973.

Mrs. Kayode rose through the ranks culminating in her promotion as Head Teacher at Command Children School at Mile II, a position she held until she retired in 1999, having clocked 60.

Mrs. Kayode loved teaching and education in general, so much that after her retirement, her dream was realised when she established the Millard Nursery and Primary School at Ikeja, which she named after the street on which she lived in London, United Kingdom.

As a proprietress, Mrs. Kayode set up the Parents/ Teachers Association (PTA) at Millard School, to commit parents to be directly involved in the administration and provision of education for their children.

She was a devout Christian, who loved to pray and could often be heard singing her favorite song “why worry when you can pray”.

She was a woman who loved with her entire heart. She had a very interesting way of showing it, because she was very strict. What she really stood for, was a strong value system. Yes, she was a teacher, but many who were not even her children would describe her as their mother. When it came to teaching and discipline, everyone had profound trust in her.

She was married for over 50 years to Chief Olugboyega Kayode. She is survived by her husband, children and grandchildren.

She was a Christian mother who cared for the poor and under privileged around her. A confirmed member of the Anglican Communion, she was very active at the All Saints Anglican Church Ikosi, Ketu where she belonged to the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA).

She was the President and Chairperson of the yearly harvest committee of the Church for 2013. At various times, she served as Matron of the Christian Ladies Progressive League and the Anglican Youth Fellowship and as elected Parish Councilor in the Church. In October 2010, she was installed as the Iya Egbe, Egbe Aya Bishop of St James Anglican Church Ita-Ogbolu with her husband Chief Olugboyega Kayode the Baba Ijo. They remained a staunch member and benefactor of that church until her passing. She had a reasonably active social life and was a member of the Lagos Country Club, the Ikoyi Club and the Ladies Club 25 respectively.

She is remembered by Chief Olugboyega Kayode, her husband, children and grandchildren.

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