For Chief Executive Officer of Caverton Offshore Support Group, Olabode Makanjuola, it was really an exciting moment full of emotions and nostalgia during his recent visit to his alma mater.

Visiting a place after almost 30 years, no doubts, comes with a lot of the affinity for such environment and it was for Makanjuola as he touched down at Adesoye College, an elitist private school in Offa, Kwara State, as the guest of honour at the graduation ceremony of the Class of 2024.

The early morning breeze was soothing, as if determined to welcome back one of its own into the domain. The August visitor left the school 30 years ago and has remained one of its shining lights.

On hand to receive him was his former teacher, who is now the acting Head of the school, Mr. Lawal Raheem Bola; Head of Student Life, Dr. (Mrs.) Bolaji Adesoye, amongst others.
 
The school was founded by the late Chief Emanuel Olatunji Adesoye, whose vision and dream was to produce visionary leaders with an all-round education.

Over the last 37 years, the school has surpassed the founder’s expectations and to put it modestly, has over-achieved on its mission statement.

Studious, diligent, brilliant, Makanjuola left the citadel of learning 30 years ago and today, sits atop a prominent aviation and marine logistics company based in Nigeria which has been a story of tremendous successes and opening of new vistas. 

The accomplished entrepreneur and business leader, who served as a prefect in Red House during his time, was one of the citadel’s third set of students between 1989 and 1994. In his speech, Makanjuola spoke glowingly about the school’s core values of hard work, excellence, character, which have been the guiding lights in his endeavours. 

He was overwhelmed with nostalgia and a profound sense of duty returning to give a speech 30 years after passing out with distinctions, especially seeing some of the signatures of the school that included the famous red bricks, yellow gates and the arch.

“As a former student of Adesoye College, having been part of the third set admitted in 1989, and graduating in 1994, I stand before you today not only as a witness to your journey but also as a bearer of a crucial message. Nigeria, our beloved nation, is a tapestry of challenges, dreams, and untapped potential. It is within this very complexity that we, as Adesoye College alumni, must find our calling. We must rediscover our national pride and redouble our efforts in contributing to the development of Nigeria for the future.

“In our lives, we often come across the phrase ‘I tried.’ However, let me tell you, as someone who has experienced both success and failure that ‘I tried’ is never enough. It has become synonymous with giving up, with accepting mediocrity. We must unlearn this notion and become result-oriented individuals, where the end goal is the only goal.

“The education we received at Adesoye College has equipped us with the skills, knowledge, and character to make a difference. We were taught to be resilient, to embrace challenges, and to never be complacent. Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to use these tools to solve the challenges that confront our communities, our nation,” he stated in his rousing speech.

Makanjuola paid homage to Fred Allison, a fellow alumnus of the 1989 set and his friend of 30 years who travelled with him to the event and teachers like Mr. Lawal, his agricultural science teacher; Mr. Olanipekun, Mr. and Mrs. Ajaere, Mr. Whitebread, Mr Bullock and the pioneer headmistress, Mrs. Reb Howard as well as the now late founder, Chief Adesoye.

Speaking further, Makanjuola said: “Entrepreneurship lies at the heart of progress. As we navigate our journey beyond these walls, I encourage each and every one of you to see challenges as opportunities. Create innovative solutions, start impactful businesses, and change the landscape of Nigeria. The challenges that our nation faces should not intimidate us; instead, we should see them as stepping stones to success. But let us not forget the importance of collective responsibility.

“Bringing about meaningful change requires collaboration, empathy, and compassion for our fellow Nigerians. Together, we can build a society that thrives on inclusivity, where no one is left behind. For those of us who are fortunate enough to carve successful careers, I implore you to remember the responsibility you have to give back to society. Solving community challenges should be ingrained in our ethos, a constant reminder of where we came from and the impact we can have,” said the man, who founded Caverton Helicopters along with his siblings in 2004 and co-founded Le Global Gas.

In a brief chat with journalists, the successful entrepreneur recalled his first day at school which he said was a mixed bag of emotions. 
“I was a 12-year-old starting a new phase far from home in a completely new environment. As any 12-year-old at the time and even today, excitement at the thought of being “independent” was apparent but at the same time “fear and anxiety” of being away from home for the first time for a long period of time occupied my being. Obviously, I was homesick but bonded with fellow students and that’s how our friendships were formed.”

Speaking glowingly about the school, he said: “It has shaped me a great deal. Time in boarding school is your formative years and some of my closest and genuine friends today are from Adesoye. Not to sound cliche but Adesoye taught us to be independent, resilient and enterprising.”

Waving aside the notion of being the choice of rich kids, Makanjuola said Adesoye College was not just the preserve or choice of the rich but rather, it was the college of choice at the time for anyone looking for quality education and discipline “in my time”. 

“We had families from all walks of life and from all over the country. I learnt financial management from Adesoye as provisions were not allowed and the school developed a cashless policy where you could only buy provisions from the school using a specially designed cheque book. The list is endless in terms of my experience and how the college shaped my life.”

On his plans to give back to the great citadel of learning, Makanjuola said in their days, students travelled to different places to acquire secondary education but today, the nation is less secure so parents are wary of their children travelling a long distance. Also, there is the option of similar or better schools in closer proximity. However, there are children and families close to Adesoye that equally desire and deserve a quality education and he believes as an alumnus, he will work together with the school management to preserve the school and the legacy of the founder.

Praising the late founder, the acting Head of School, Mr. Lawal Raheem Bola, who has been with school since inception in 1987, said he is delighted to welcome Makanjuola back into their midst.

“We are glad to have him here. Obviously, seeing him coming out of his chopper is already an inspiration to ignite the ‘I can do spirit, I can conquer the world’ in the students.’”

Speaking about the guest of honour, Makanjuola, he said: “I am an agriculturalist. I was ‘Bode’s teacher. I taught him agricultural science. Bode is cool-headed, humble, committed, very gentle, easy-going and almost a saint. He was even a prefect in Olabande, Red House. Bode was outstanding for him to be selected and elected to be in the position of a prefect in Adesoye those days, because the population used to be very large.

“So, all of them were equally good. But he was very good. When you look at his character; diligent, studious and his disposition while he was here, I know he would go places. Honestly, he is one of the torch bearers of the institution which has produced outstanding students who have made giant strides in their endeavors.

“We are really, really proud of him. And that is why we want to showcase him so that parents can see, and say look, this is a product from this same school where you are from, so you have not made a mistake. You have come to the right place.”