9th November, 2012
Thousands of people, including present and former students of Mayflower School, Ikenne, this morning gathered at the family cemetery of the Tai Solarins on Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu Road, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, to witness the burial of the late Sheila Mary Solarin.
Also present at the burial were the former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who publicly embraced each other.
The late Dr. Tai Solarin and his wife, Sheila, founded and nurtured Mayflower School, Ikenne to stardom.
Speaking with P.M.NEWS after the burial, the first student of the school (N0. 1 Ex-May), Dr. Rasaq Olajire Oduola, described the late Mrs. Solarin as a mother in a million.
Oduola who is a contract officer with Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, said Sheila was dedicated to the cause she believed in and was passionate about raising education standard in the state.
National President of Mayflower School Old Students Association, MOSA, Mr. Donatus Okereke, described Sheila as the best mother Nigeria ever produced.
Former Chief Press Secretary to the one time Military Governor of Lagos State, the late Commodore Gbolahan Mudasiru, Mr. Adeyiga Benson said Mrs. Solarin was a builder, a woman that believed in education for both male and female.
Benson pointed out that she insisted that girls must come to Mayflower School and mounted pressure on her husband until 1958 when Dr. Solarin agreed that the school which started as boys only school was changed to a co-educational institution.
The Social Secretary of MOSA, Kayode Awobajo, said the best honour the Ogun State government could give to the Solarins was to return Mayflower School back to the family.
A member of Niger Wives Association, a group of British women married to Nigerians, and wife of the late Professor Babs Fafunwa, Mrs. Fafunwa, said the group has lost an icon, a motivator and a special woman.
For many years, the late Mrs. Solarin was the Chief Examiner for the West African Examinations Council, WAEC.
In recognition of her contributions to the society, the British government honoured her with the Member of the British Empire, MBE, while in Nigeria, she was conferred with the national award of member of the Federal Republic, MFR.
—Abiodun Onafuye