‘In a race – which life is – everyone has his lane. Once you have chosen a lane, stay in it. If you cross lanes in a relay, you get disqualified. If you are not focused and drop the baton, you also get disqualified. Fast and steady, not slow and steady, wins the race of life’
Last Thursday, 9 July 2026 was another day of nostalgic feelings for me as I returned to my alma mater, Owo High School (OHS), Owo. The occasion was the second graduation ceremony for the graduating Class of 2026 organized by the national body of the Old Students’ Association ably led by its president, Dr. Foluso Falaye. I graduated from Owo High School in 1974, which is 52 years ago. None of the Class of 2026 was born then! Many in the audience also giggled when I mentioned that fact because they, too, had not yet come to this world at the time ! Yet, it looked like yesterday!
The event took place within the expansive hall of the sprawling Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, directly opposite my old school. Readers of my columns must have read my recent intervention on FMC Owo and the nexus between it and OHS, as we fondly call our school. That was my first time within the FMC facility; so I never knew it was such a big place.
What I left out of my story on the FMC was the important role of a pressure group played by my social club, The Krown Klub (TKK), Owo, in launching an appeal fund and sensitization program for the take-off of the hospital in 1986. The highly impactful programme drew attention to the need for government action at the time, which we felt was being delayed. Virtually all of us members of TKK at the time were young, impressionistic university graduates. I was the Public Relations Officer and Master of Ceremony (MC) at the event which took place at the then empty grounds of the FMC, drawing the creme-de-la-creme of Owo elites from all walks of life, including traditional rulers, academia and business world. Thank you, Krownite Owolabi Daramola, for prodding my memory concerning this – but how could I have forgotten that!
One hundred and eighty-six students students graduated in 2026 from OHS, the vast majority of whom were Science students (120) while 55 and 11 were Arts/Humanities and Commercial students respectively. This is a significant departure from what used to be, in my own days when Arts students were usually in the majority. In those days, the demarcation was plainly between Science and Arts and there was nothing called ‘Commercial’, even though a few of today’s Commercial subjects were also offered then. However, new subjects, mostly Commercial, that were unknown to my own class are now in the curriculum.
As the chairman of the occasion, I had the honour and privilege to conduct the opening and closing ceremonies as well as give a speech. The most emotive aspect of the entire ceremony for me was when the sight-impaired students, two of whom were among the graduates, performed in songs and dance, especially the ‘Ewi’ rendition by the two male sight-impaired graduates. I understand that OHS has been designated by the government as a special school for the sight-impaired. My wife, herself an educationist, whispered in my ears that teachers of such special students must possess great endurance, patience, and understanding – and I wondered whether those teachers also receive special remuneration for their efforts!
Why Owo High School?
My speech at the event goes thus: ‘An occasion such as this brings memories flooding back into my mind. For reasons which I cannot now recall, I preferred Methodist High School, Owo to Owo High School, Owo. Maybe because of their bright uniforms – Yellow shirts over blue shorts. Twice I tried to force my choice on my father. Twice he stood his ground that it was Owo High School or nothing! I think it must have been because the founder of Owo High School, Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin, was the political leader of my father and the entirety of Owo in those days. So I ended up marking time at All Saints Modern School, Owo for two years. The third year, I wrote the entrance examination to Owo High School and got admitted in January 1970,, graduating in July 1974, with one of the four best results in my Set.
‘I was a Day Student in Forms 1-3 and Boarding House Student in the last two years. The boarding house experience was another education on its own. It allowed students from far and near to come together. Some parents even sent their children from abroad.
‘Whatever you do in school as a student, it is important you do not allow your studies to suffer. That is your main reason for being in school. You should have an idea of what you want to become in life while still in secondary school, not after graduating. Your skills and talents ought to have started showing and flowering at this stage.
Mentorship is invaluable
‘In those days, we had a Library that was stocked with newspapers. It was here that I first read in HEADLINES, a publication of the DAILY TIMES group, the story of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s treasonable felony trial and imprisonment; the Wild, Wild West’s “Operation Wetie” and the Western Region crisis of the 1960s, among others. They whetted my appetite and, possibly, shaped my vision of what I later became in life.
‘Our principal, Pa Ajasin, asked me if I would like to study in the Soviet Union when I came to collect my result but I said I preferred the United States. My interest was Howard University, established and made popular by Black American liberationists and Civil rights activists. It was a missed opportunity for lack of mentorship. Whatever you will become in life, mentorship is very important. So also those we consider as role models and heroes. My eventual course of study in the university took after my heroes. Indeed, at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, I had the opportunity of studying at the feet of one of them, Dr. Segun Osoba, Marxist scholar and historian, who passed on recently.
‘The ideas that I formed early in life shaped my vision and determined my choice of career. Destinies are shaped very early in life. So, don’t waste or trifle with your early life. We make choices in life. In doing so, we make mistakes. I had wanted to be an academician, just like my mentors, but I ended up being an accidental journalist. Maybe that is God’s plan for me!
‘Be that as it may, I excelled and got to the pinnacle of the journalism profession and have won laurels and made waves there. It is debatable whether I could have achieved more as a university teacher. However, my passion for academics has not waned and I have found my way into the academic environment in some other ways while still practicing my journalism profession. What this tells us is that there are more options than one where anyone can excel.
Winning the race of life
‘The gifts and talents of God in one’s life are the foundation of success. Discover them early and operate on them. Don’t imitate others. Don’t go to where you will struggle. Discover your flair and passion early and stick there. Then, work hard. Master whatever you do. Be focused. Decide very early what you want and let it be what will give you joy, happiness, and satisfaction. If it is wealth, you may not need to be like someone who wants to be a professor. And if academics, you need not run after unbridled wealth.
‘In a race – which life is – everyone has his lane. Once you have chosen a lane, stay in it. If you cross lanes in a relay, you get disqualified. If you are not focused and drop the baton, you also get disqualified. Fast and steady, not slow and steady, wins the race of life.
‘Life is give and take. Win some, lose some. Let challenges toughen you. Don’t run away from responsibilities. I made a name in my profession because I maintained my lane. I did four jobs but got paid for only one and many of my colleagues at the time thought I was foolish – but I was only training myself to be jack of all trades and master of all. Today, it has paid off!
‘You must have heard it said that ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained.’ Where there are privileges, there are also responsibilities and sacrifices to be made. Don’t take one and run away from the other. Because I waited to assume responsibility and take up the challenges of my office was how I etched my name in gold in my profession.
‘You also might have heard them say that one road does not lead to the market. Yes, there are multiple roads that lead to success. But the principles are the same. Talents and gifts from God. Skills that we develop through education, hard work, and perseverance. Focus, patience and dedication oil the wheel of progress. Proverbs 22:29 says: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men”‘.
Nothing like contentment!
‘Finally, whatever we achieve in life, if we don’t have contentment, it will always appear as if we have achieved nothing! Know that we are taking nothing out of this world. And when a person dies, what is usually known or remembered is not his or her bank account balance but the good or bad deeds ascribed to such a fellow.
Orlando Owoh, the juju musician, crooned that it is because of the poor that we were made rich. So be charitable.
‘Etienne de Grellet said: ‘I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again’.
‘Looking back as you, too, pass the Owo High School way, are you satisfied you did your best? When I passed through it in 1974 and looked back, I wasn’t satisfied I did my best. I looked back and told myself I should have studied harder. My WASC result would have been far better than what it was, even though it was still good. In other words, I could have made my best better if I were more focused. But I have never had the opportunity of passing through Owo High School again to make amends!
‘This, perhaps, is what is meant by “Opportunity once lost can never be regained!” You, too, are passing through the OHS way today. Have you made the best of the opportunity? Be assured, however, that there are more ways ahead that you will still pass through. Will you learn from your mistakes here and make a better use of those opportunities?
‘You have no excuse because now you have what someone like me never had: Mentoring. If only I had the opportunity you are having now to listen to a speech like this! Now, you have the opportunity! Don’t waste it! Make the best use of it!
I must end by thanking the organizers of this impactful event. God bless you and your efforts!’
I have started looking forward to the 2027 edition, God willing!
Former editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, BOLAWOLE was also the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief of The Westerner news magazine. He writes the ON THE LORD’S DAY column in the Sunday Tribune and TREASURES column in New Telegraph newspaper on Wednesdays. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television. He can be reached on turnpot@gmail.com, 0705 263 1058
