22nd October, 2012
Abiodun Onafuye/ Abeokuta
The Proprietor of Mayflower Private School, Corin Solarin has described her mother as a rare gem who has been instrumental in the training of thousands of notable Nigerians all over the world.
Speaking with our correspondent this morning at the Ikenne home of Sheila Mary, the matriarch of the Tai Solarin family, Corin disclosed that her mother died exactly 4 p.m yesterday evening at the hospital in Ilishan Remo in Ikenne local government area of Ogun State, southwest, Nigeria.
“My mother died yesterday at exactly 4 p.m at the Babcoock Medical Centre in Ilishan- Remo where she had been hospitalised since middle of July after she fell down at home.She had been in the hospital before she finally gave up the ghost yesterday at the ripe age of 88 years”, Corin stated.
Reacting on whether she and her younger brother will sustain the legacies of their parents, she said, “I cannot be in one thousand years like my father or my mother, but I will try my best to be myself. I will also want other Mayflowerists who are scattered all around Europe, America, Africa and other continents to come around so that we don’t allow these legacies to die.Also I want them to always keep the spirit of hardworking which my parent had imbibed in them to be their watchword as every one of them is a potential leaders, I cannot be like them but will strive to sustain their legacies and want others to
join hands with us”.
About 50 staff of the school were seen this morning keeping the environment clean while some were cutting and felling trees around the building which is in the same compound with the school.
The only daughter of the deceased disclosed that the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun in company of the state Commissioner
for Education, John Olusegun Odubela who hails from Ikenne met them at the hospital few minutes after Mama passed on.
Mrs Sheila Mary Solarin popularly called Madam was born in Carnforth, England on 31 May, 1924. She attended Levens School, Westmorland Upper Primary school, Shropshire, England and Higher Wych Primary School, Denbighshire in Wales for her primary education and proceeded to Whitchurch Girls High school, Shropshire, England for her secondary education where she obtained her secondary school certificate and higher school certificate in the year 1940 and 1941 respectively.
Sheila studied as a medical auxiliary between 1946 and 1946 before she proceeded to Manchester University in England where she graduated in
July 1951 with B.A(Hons.) in English. She also went to Ontario Institute of Education, Toronto, Canada for her Master’s degree in Education in 1975.
She started work as a clerical officer with the British Inland Revenue in 1941, had a brief stint with the Royal Navy in 1943 before she crossed over to Shell Oil known now as Shell Petroleum Development Corporation(SPDC).
In 1952, Madam joined her late husband, Tai Solarin to work at the famous Molusi College in Ijebu Igbo and left in September 1955 to
assume office as the Principal of Ijebu Igbo Girl’s School where she was until 1956 when she and her husband established Mayflower School in Ikenne- Remo, Ogun State.
Sheila was appointed the founding Principal of Ikenne Community High School in 1980 and she retired voluntarily in 1984 to oversee and administer her pet school, Mayflower Junior School where she was was until she breathed her final yesterday.
Madam Sheila Solarin was the author of English Grammar and Comprehension first published in 1982 by Macmillan book publishers and
she was until her death a prolific writer who still comments on burning national issues and was actively involved in adult literacy.
In a statement issued by the state governor which was signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Mrs Funmi Wakama,
Amosun described the deceased demise of Mrs Solarin as most painful and a great loss to Ogun State and Nigeria in general.
According to the governor “Mama Solarin was a foremost educationist, a great teacher and disciplinarian who rendered an immeasurable service to the people of Ogun State and Nigeria through the Mayflower School. The school founded in 1956 became one of the best schools in the country and produced many of the leading lights in our nation.”
Senator Amosun noted that Mama Solarin personified the common humanity we shared, “not just by marrying our own revered Dr. Tai Solarin but choosing to live in Nigeria and making it her true home.”
The statement stated further, “Mrs Solarin was an exemplar of that much-needed global spirit that sees beyond colour, race and religion in inter-relationships among peoples, nations and continents of the world. Ogun State and Nigeria have lost a first class teacher,an epitome of hard work, a humanist extraordinnaire and role model of distinction,” Amosun said.
In his comment in the condolence register, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barr. Odubela said,”mama was
great, we cannot talk about education in Ogun state in particular and Nigeria in general without mentioning mama’s name, a great tutor and a
woman of great kind.
The Chairman of Ikenne local government told our correspondent that the entire community will miss this great woman who had been a source
of pride to the local government. He wrote in his own comment,”it has been great when you are here, by the grace of God, it shall be
greater, we appreciate you, adieu”.
A deaf lady wrote in her own comment in the condolence book thus,”my sweet mama, you were a great source of inspiration, a hope for the
hopeless, you gave me hope when all hopes seems lost, you affected my life and numerous others positively in so many ways, may your gentle
soul continue to rest in perfect peace”.
The Vice Principals for both the Mayflower Junior and Senior Private schools, Mr Kweku Atta Kakra and Mrs Kemi Yussuff described their
former boss as a fine, gentle and accomodating woman who will always want you to be the best in whatever one is doing.
Meanwhile, Corin told our correspondent that the family members will later in the day have a meeting to deliberate on the burial of Sheila.
She added that the corpse has since been taken to the mortuary of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja.
A family source told our correspondent that the burial will not done in a haste, disclosing that the burial will be after the Ereke day
celebration,” mama will not be buried in a hurry and we will not want it to clash with the Ereke day celebration which will commence this
Saturday and the grand finale is scheduled for 3 November, 2012.Without mincing word, the burial may be fixed for mid November or
early December this year”, the source disclosed.
The Divisional Police Officer, DPO,Ikenne Division, DSP Alabi Lateef has assured the family of adequate security henceforth as a woman was
reported to have been attacked yesterday when coming to pay her condolence to the Solarin family.