Tai Solarin
Encyclopedia
Augustus Taiwo "Tai" Solarin (August 20, 1922 – June 27, 1994) was a Nigerian educator and author. He established the famous Mayflower School
, Ikenne, Ogun State
in 1956. . In 1952, Solarin became the principal of Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo
, a post he held till 1956 when he became the proprietor and principal of Mayflower School.
in the Second World War, and remained in Britain
, studying at University of Manchester
, and then at the University of London
. Tai Sholarin married English born Sheila Mary Tuer in 1951..
. Approximately 8,000 students are in attendance .
The campus includes classrooms, administration buildings, small houses for many of the teachers, dormitory accommodations for about 2,000 boarders, and a farm. The school is noted for very high academic achievement.
critics and activists in his native Nigeria; some others were Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (Musician) Beko Ransome-Kuti
, Wole Soyinka
(Nobel
Lauret), Ayodele Awojobi
, Dele Giwa
, Gani Fawehinmi
(Lawyer),and Ken Saro-Wiwa
. For the majority of the first forty years after independence, Nigeria had no effective opposition to the mostly military government of the day. These activists acted as an effective opposition to the ruling government. In 1975, when the General Gowon Regime delayed returning power to a civilian regime, Tai published his "The Beginning of the End" statement, which he then physically distributed on the roadside. He was subsequently imprisoned for this act. Throughout his lifetime Tai fought running battles with various governments in a bid to improve the lot of Nigerians.
As a columnist, Tai was a relentless critic of Nigerian military rule
, as well as of corruption in the government and the church. He was often jailed for his public remarks.
tai solarin a man of indespensiblehonourand charisma imparted manylifes with his school and believes.if all graduates of today can follow and accept his believe of self-reliance the problem of unemployment and overdependent on white and blue collar jobs will be reduced
and atheist who opposed the ownership of the schools by churches. Tai Solarin once said that "black(people) hold onto their God just as the drunken man holds on to the street lamp post—for physical support only." In 2004, the Mayflower School played host to an International Humanist Conference, commemorating the life and work of Tai Solarin. It was attended by guests from the United States, Africa and Europe. Uncle Tai, as he was popularly known, derived immense pleasure in selflessly and fearlessly advocating for a better Nigeria, an action borne out of genuine, unfettered, earnest and heartfelt feeling about the state and future of the nation and the future generation. He was dissatisfied with the mindboggling erosion of values, the misrule and total collapse of all facets of life and sectors in the country and expressed shock at the unfathomable silence and culpability of the leadership and people. He was never known to capitulate to ephemeral inducements, paradisal accountrements and corporeal appurtenances. Tai Solarin was unequivocal and explicit on the side of justice, truth and fairplay, was always ready to suffer for the sake of others, share in their misery and stand by the weak
Tai Solarin wrote regularly for the Daily Times
, the Nigerian Tribune
and The Guardian
.
(NUC) formally recognized the "Tai Solarin University of Education
" (TASUED) Ogun State, as the first specialized university of education, the 27th state university and the 76th university in Nigeria.
Mayflower School
Mayflower School was founded in January 1956 by Tai Solarin, a Nigerian educator and civil rights pioneer, who was married to Sheila Mary Tuer, a British woman. It is located on a vast piece of land in Ikenne, Ogun State, Nigeria. It is named after the historical Mayflower ship that brought the...
, Ikenne, Ogun State
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
in 1956. . In 1952, Solarin became the principal of Molusi College, Ijebu Igbo
Ijebu Igbo
Ijebu Igbo is a town in Ogun State, Nigeria. It is approximately a 15-minute drive north of Ijebu Ode.Ijebu Igbo also written as Ijebu-Igbo , it is the headquarter of Ijebu North Local Government Authority , of Ogun state , Nigeria.Its geographical coordinates are Latitude 6° 58' 0" North, and...
, a post he held till 1956 when he became the proprietor and principal of Mayflower School.
Early life
The exact birth date of Tai Solarin is unknown, but it is assumed that he was born in 1922 in Ikenne, Ogun State, in Western Nigeria. He attended Wesley College in Ibadan. He served with the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in the Second World War, and remained in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, studying at University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
, and then at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Tai Sholarin married English born Sheila Mary Tuer in 1951..
Mayflower
The Mayflower campus, which he established, is made up of hundreds of hectares of land, based in Tai Solarin's birth Place, Ikenne, Ogun StateOgun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
. Approximately 8,000 students are in attendance .
The campus includes classrooms, administration buildings, small houses for many of the teachers, dormitory accommodations for about 2,000 boarders, and a farm. The school is noted for very high academic achievement.
Post independence critics
Tai Solarin is one of the Post independence civil rightsCivil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
critics and activists in his native Nigeria; some others were Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (Musician) Beko Ransome-Kuti
Beko Ransome-Kuti
Dr. Bekolari Ransome-Kuti was a Nigerian medical doctor known for his work as a human rights activist.-Early life:...
, Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka is a Nigerian writer, poet and playwright. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, where he was recognised as a man "who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence", and became the first African in Africa and...
(Nobel
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
Lauret), Ayodele Awojobi
Ayodele Awojobi
Ayodele Oluwatuminu Awojobi , also known by the nicknames "Dead Easy", "The Akoka Giant", and "Macbeth", was a Nigerian academic, author, inventor, social crusader and activist....
, Dele Giwa
Dele Giwa
Dele Giwa was a Nigerian journalist, editor and founder of Newswatch magazine, who was killed by a mail bomb in his home on 19 October 1986...
, Gani Fawehinmi
Gani Fawehinmi
Chief Abdul-Ganiyu "Gani" Oyesola Fawehinmi, was a Nigerian author, publisher, philanthropist, social critic, human and civil rights lawyer, politician and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria .-Early life:Fawehinmi, popularly called Gani, was born on 22 April 1938, into the Fawehinmi...
(Lawyer),and Ken Saro-Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa
Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
. For the majority of the first forty years after independence, Nigeria had no effective opposition to the mostly military government of the day. These activists acted as an effective opposition to the ruling government. In 1975, when the General Gowon Regime delayed returning power to a civilian regime, Tai published his "The Beginning of the End" statement, which he then physically distributed on the roadside. He was subsequently imprisoned for this act. Throughout his lifetime Tai fought running battles with various governments in a bid to improve the lot of Nigerians.
Mr. Solarin was an intellectual guru for Nigeria's disenchanted and disfranchised for four decades. His writings in magazines and newspapers, highlighting what he called the hypocrisy and vulgarity of the Nigeria of his day, frequently angered people in power.
He was a vehement critic of military rule in NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, AfricaAfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
's most populous nation, and an ombudsman in three states in 1976 and 1977
As a columnist, Tai was a relentless critic of Nigerian military rule
Military rule
Military rule may mean:* Militarism or militarist ideology - the ideology of government as best served when under military control* Military occupation, when a country or area is occupied after invasion.** List of military occupations...
, as well as of corruption in the government and the church. He was often jailed for his public remarks.
tai solarin a man of indespensiblehonourand charisma imparted manylifes with his school and believes.if all graduates of today can follow and accept his believe of self-reliance the problem of unemployment and overdependent on white and blue collar jobs will be reduced
Modesty
In a country and an age where dignitaries wore flowing Agbada to show their wealth and position, Tai was known to always wear simple Khaki shorts and shirt.Prophet of Self Reliance
One of Tai Solarin's basic principles was self reliance, a part of the curriculum at Mayflower.The Peoples Bank
In 1989, The Peoples Bank was founded by the government, and Tai Solarin became the first Chairman. The Bank was created to disburse soft loans and other forms of credit to the very poor to start their own businesses.Humanist
Tai Solarin was also a well known humanistHumanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and atheist who opposed the ownership of the schools by churches. Tai Solarin once said that "black(people) hold onto their God just as the drunken man holds on to the street lamp post—for physical support only." In 2004, the Mayflower School played host to an International Humanist Conference, commemorating the life and work of Tai Solarin. It was attended by guests from the United States, Africa and Europe. Uncle Tai, as he was popularly known, derived immense pleasure in selflessly and fearlessly advocating for a better Nigeria, an action borne out of genuine, unfettered, earnest and heartfelt feeling about the state and future of the nation and the future generation. He was dissatisfied with the mindboggling erosion of values, the misrule and total collapse of all facets of life and sectors in the country and expressed shock at the unfathomable silence and culpability of the leadership and people. He was never known to capitulate to ephemeral inducements, paradisal accountrements and corporeal appurtenances. Tai Solarin was unequivocal and explicit on the side of justice, truth and fairplay, was always ready to suffer for the sake of others, share in their misery and stand by the weak
Tai Solarin wrote regularly for the Daily Times
Daily Times of Nigeria
The Daily Times of Nigeria is a newspaper with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.At its peak, in the 1970s, it was one of the most successful locally owned businesses in Africa....
, the Nigerian Tribune
Nigerian Tribune
The Nigerian Tribune is an English language newspaper published in Ibadan in Nigeria.It was established in 1949 by Obafemi Awolowo and is the oldest surviving private Nigerian newspaper....
and The Guardian
The Guardian (Nigeria)
The Guardian is an independent daily newspaper published in Nigeria by Guardian Newspapers Limited.The Guardian has been described as "Nigeria's most respected newspaper".-Foundation:...
.
Tai Solarin University of Education
In November 1995, the Nigerian National Universities CommissionNational Universities Commission
The National Universities Commission of Nigeria is a government commission promoting quality higher education in Nigeria. It is located in the capital city of Abuja. The Commission was established in 1962 as an advisory agency. It is currently part of the Federal Ministry of Education.-External...
(NUC) formally recognized the "Tai Solarin University of Education
Tai Solarin University of Education
The Tai Solarin University of Education is the first university of education in Nigeria. It is located in Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. The Tai Solarin University of Education is moving forward in pursuit of master's degrees under the tenure of the new vice chancellor, Professor Segun...
" (TASUED) Ogun State, as the first specialized university of education, the 27th state university and the 76th university in Nigeria.
Works
- Towards NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
’s Moral Self-Government, - Thinking with You.
- A message for Young Nigerians.
- To MotherMotherA mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
With Love. - Mayflower; the story of a school.
- Timeless Tai