More Than Able

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More Than Able

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(33) He was and still is an exceptional entertainer on the music scene – particularly his dancing moves. He is the king of juju music - Sunny Ade. I saw for the first time his performance at the Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu - Ode in Ogun State of Nigeria. His music and dance is without a doubt infectious - they made me forget temporarily my hardships. I grew up on his music and practice endlessly his dancing moves, often in Private. He is the reason why I can see I'm a good dancer! (34) Segun Odegbami was the football legend and icon of my generation. He definitely had the world at his feet. One day, I was privileged enough to see him in person at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan - Oyo State of Nigeria - when he and his team IICC shooting stars played against another team - a match which they won 2 - 1. After the match, the crowd broke onto the football pitch - most in my age-group, me included - climbing around and jumping on our heroes. Most of us went for Segun Odegbami. As you can imagine, he was dripping with sweat after the match. I jumped on his back, rubbing my face against his back in order acquire his sweat, I robbed my hands against his chest/face and all over his body to collect as much sweat as possible. I transferred the dripping sweat from my hands to my feet, legs, face, and body, praying to be infected with Segun Odegbami's extraordinary talents on the football pitch and that I may one day become a football legend just like him. Strangely my football skills and talents took an amazing turn for the better. On the football pitch I became the best thing since sliced-bread, my dribbling skills were untouchable and I rejoiced in the attention I was getting. Knowing and watching Segun Odegbami entertain us with his undoubted football skills made the difference for me personally. (35) The gifts of Sunny Ade and Segun Odegbami, although they did not know me personally, made the difference in my life. They became my magnet -- the people I wanted to be like. I became superior at dancing and playing football! (36) How I sustained a discoloured front teeth to date! I went to see another hero of mine entertain the crowd during a social function - in the Ikanigbo area of Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State of Nigeria. Mastro Fuji musician (Wasiu Ayide Anifowose - alias K1 De Ultimate) who happens to come from the same hometown as myself Ijebu - Ode was a rising star in the early 1980s now a global icon. News of his performance for Fetugas' a known and well to do family in Ijebu - Ode - Drew a large crowd particularly young people of my age. The venue was jam packed and everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of K1 De Ultimate. There were these tall guys standing in front of me, so that I could not see what was going on the stage. As I was struggling to make sure that I could see what was going on I accidentally pushed against them and lost my balanced. One of the guys turned around, gave me a strange look and struck several punches to my face. My lip was cut open - gushing with blood. I had to put a brave face on it, moved to one side and just carried on enjoying the occasion. But from that day onward my front teeth gradually discoloured. All to see you K1 De Ultimate - It was 1982/83.

Dyslexia I am giving the topic of dyslexia a great emphasis because it was and still is one of the biggest challenges I face in almost all aspects of my life. Dyslexia has made me become over-reliant on people despite measures put in place to empower me. I know people get frustrated with me, even though they try to feign their frustration. Dyslexia can be a confidence wrecker depending on its severity. It is difficulty in understanding or using one or more areas of language such as listening, speaking, reading, writing and spelling. It is an impairment of the ability to deal with language. Dyslexia can affect anyone, regardless of academic ability. Pupils with dyslexia will have difficulty in achieving their true academic potentials without extra efforts and support. Dyslexia is characterised by similarities in figures or letters, inability to remember the sequence of letters in a word or sometimes reading from right to left. Sufferers usually find dyslexia a frustrating and embarrassing problem. Dyslexia is characterised by the following: �​Confusion over the direction of letters and figures (b/d, 6/9, p/q) �​Difficulties with left and right �​Difficulties in organisation �​Difficulties in spelling �​Difficulties in directions (e.g. east and west) �​Missing words during reading. Coping Strategies for those who suffer dyslexia Arising from my experience with regard to those who areaffected by dyslexia, I like to suggest the following: • It is important for a child to feel comfortable enough to make parents, teachers and caregivers aware of their condition at the earliest possible opportunity. • Give feedback verbally where possible and do not emphasise the pupil reading written comments. • Pupils often find the use of computer technology with relevant software useful. • Many pupils affected by dyslexia require specific tutorials from specialist tutors to help them overcome the difficulties. • Special attention should be targeted towards those who are dyslexic to ensure they get extra time in examinations. Avoid writing in red because this can be difficult to read for pupils with dyslexia. They have difficulty reading black on white while hand-outs on pastel paper have proved very useful. • Reading and writing is a laborious process; be aware that course work may take children with dyslexia longer time to accomplish. • I have found in my experience that many people, particularly children with dyslexia, have a strong creative talent in the arts, design, computing, and intuitive thinking. Be aware that such pupils will find information in diagrammatic form easier to comprehend than text. • Verbal comprehension is not normally a problem for pupils with dyslexia and their long-term memory is often very good. However, their short-term memory may be poor. Encourage pupils to write down dates, times and instructions. I have been made aware some of the conditions are most likely exacerbated by the nature of my birth and difficult childhood. There is no getting away from that sad reality. It is a fact that my personality divides opinions, and there is very little I can do about that. Hopefully, coming out in this fashion would bring a greater awareness to how people with these conditions feel. I hope that it will serve to liberate them. People can dampen the confidence of vulnerable young people and those struggling to make sense of themselves. Unchecked negative and egoistic attitudes can keep children boxed up in every sense. When young ones in extreme captivity cannot bear it any longer and eventually break loose from their confinement, they become tyrants to everyone around them. They use their overbearing attributes as a front for their low self-esteem and lack of confidence borne out of their frustration. Such juveniles become angry in almost every aspect of life. We see such children as complicated and strange; but when we probe deeper into their lives, we often find unresolved issues in their past that account for their present actions. Somehow, people fail to see the bigger picture or could not care less. We need to be wise in the way we deal with children and young people, especially those from disaffected backgrounds similar to mine.

Positive Role Models: Mrs. Simbiat Onabanjo (Paternal Aunty) Mrs. Simbiat Onabanjo was another influential person in my life. Aunty was my Dad’s most senior sister from the same mother. Aunty Simbiat was a mother in a million, a very unusual and caring human being. When I ran into trouble, she woke up in the dead of the night to pray for me especially when Dad threw me out of the house for one offence or the other. She never knew I could hear her cry to God for favour in my life. She was the only one from whom I always got sympathy, pampering, reassurance and counselling. She was my place of refuge in times of crises. Amazingly, aunty never once turned me away even at times when she was instructed to do so. When it became obvious that I would return to the UK, it was crucial to bid her farewell and receive her blessings before my departure but I was glad, I did. My extraordinary aunty was the biological mother I never had. She was my mother because I recognised her as such. God bless her gentle soul. Baba Eko (Maternal Uncle) Baba Eko, was the younger brother to my maternal grandmother (my mother’s uncle). My maternal grandmother died in the early 1950s after the birth of her only son. Then the responsibility of training his older sister’s children rested on his shoulders. I met him for the first time in 1969 when we arrived in Nigeria from the UK. He made all the arrangements to welcome and settle us into life in Nigeria. Baba Eko was certainly one of those rare kind-hearted gentle giants I was privileged to know. From 1969, he took interest in my well-being getting involved at critical points from 1969 up to 1988 when I left Nigeria. For the 10 months period I lived in his Lagos residence, he paid particular attention to his children’s education and social wellbeing; and also the children of other people especially those of his late senior sister. To the best of my knowledge, his children are productive and progressing in their professional callings all over the world. Baba Eko contributed financially towards my return ticket to the UK, a demonstration of his generosity and willingness to see other people progress and prosper. He was kind to everyone he came in contact with and was also a source of inspiration and encouragement to a lot of people. He assured me that, with hard work, I would be successful no matter the challenges in life. I remain grateful to him for the profound reference he gave me to the British Embassy in Lagos, Nigeria which facilitated the return to my country of birth. Extract from the letter: “This is to certify that bearer, Ayodele, is well known to me since his infancy, when he came to Nigeria with his parents and by the closeness of my association with him and his parents, I am possessed with adequate monitoring activities in his growth and movement from time to time and this afforded me the opportunity of studying his characteristics (sic) under varying conditions. Ayodele came to Nigeria from England with his parents at a tender age. He attended both the primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, culminating in his writing the West African School Certificate Examination in 1986. He is a well behaved and hardworking young fellow who will surely progress educationally, industrially, etc., if given the opportunity to do so. Ayodele is of good address; his parents hailed from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State of Nigeria. I have no hesitation in recommending Ayodele to any employer or Institution of Higher Learning as a diligent and conscientious young starter with great potentialities.” . I wish there are many people of his quality in our world today. Baba Eko died in 1999. I sometimes wish he is alive to see my modest achievements. Baba Aladura (Maternal grandfather) I also formed a bond with my maternal grandfather from 1988 when I lived in Lagos for nine months. I shuttled between his rented accommodation and Baba Eko’s house. Granddad took keen interest in my plan to leave Nigeria. Whenever I went to the British Embassy on appointments, he always prayed for me before I set out and also ensured I was not late for such appointments. Granddad also gave financially towards my return to the UK. On countless occasions, Granddad mentioned my life peculiarities and assured that if anyone would surmount challenges, it would be me. Despite being an illiterate, he clearly understood the implications of coming from an unstable background. He encouraged me to endure, as there is a purpose for everything in life. He impressed it on me to draw strength from the challenges I faced when growing up. Granddad told me repeatedly how he lost his first wife (my grandmother) in the 1950s soon after she gave birth to their first son. The incident, he said, had a major impact on everyone in the family especially her younger brother, Baba Eko, who shared part of the responsibilities to raise their children. During these sessions, he prayed for me, sometimes spat on my head and ordered that I should rub it in for effectiveness. This is a very common practice among Nigerian elders. I did not quite understand the efficacy of Granddad and Baba Eko’s prayers until years later when the subjects of their prayers started to slowly manifest in my life. His Royal Highness Oba Alani Oyede (now of blessed memory) The first real connection I had with royalty came through my long-standing relationship with Oba Alani Oyede, the Olota of - Ota in Ogun State Nigeria who was the Principal of Sango-Ota High School. Many of the students never knew we were dwelling with a future King of Ota town as I certainly did not know that he came from a royal linage. He took particular interest in all his students, and I was no exception. Oba Oyede gave my colleagues from Britain a very warm reception during a visit to his palace in 2008. I will never forget the welcome I received because I felt like a lost son who returned to discover that his father had been made a King! During that short visit, I saw myself as “Omo Oba” - a Prince, filled with emotions and shed tears of joy. The tears of joy rolled down my cheeks when I read the letter he wrote to my Dad highlighting my qualities and stating that Sango-Ota High School relied on my participation in representing the School. The letter was read in the presence of more than 90 people including such prominent chiefs of Ota land as Mr Madojutimi, my former teacher; Oropo, my senior brother; Mr. J.O. Thompson, the then Principal of Sango-Ota High School, (who also doubled as the Chief Host), and a large number of students and staff of the School. I read the letter to make a statement, challenge educators and parents to lead a life of positive legacy for the coming generation. I wanted people to know the rare calibre of students my era was blessed with during the tenure of Oba Alani Oyede. From the way Oba Oyede treated his students, I can confidently say he entered into the teaching profession to build the champions of today and tomorrow. His contribution to my life will certainly stand the test of time. His Royal Majesty Oba Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo – Okukenu IV Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland The Alake of Egbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo CFR, and Olori Tokunbo Gbadebo, are special people in my life for many reasons. The way I became acquainted with the royal family was by fate. On a trip to Nigeria in 2008, the first one since 2002 when I returned for my father’s funeral, I was in the company of two teaching staff of a school in the UK and one undergraduate student. The plan was to develop a working relationship with my alma mater, Sango-Ota High School and the UK School. My mission was to bring Sango-Ota High School into the international arena by working with one of the leading and most effective secondary schools in the UK. It was hoped that we would share best educational practices with a view to expanding this to other schools in the Lagos, Oyo and Ekiti States. We thought it was right to start with my alma mater, Sango-Ota High School, which is located in my state of origin. I was encouraged to visit the King to explain my mission to Ogun State. At the very least, his moral support and blessing would be appreciated. I must be honest; I was very reluctant and thought the royal father might not even have the time to receive us. To my surprise, the way His Majesty received us was beyond my imagination. His kindness towards us was a demonstration of the high respect he received all over Nigeria and in the international community. I was overwhelmed at the extent of his interest in my mission. During the visit, I got more than I bargained for as Kabiyesi included St. Augustine and Baptist Boys’ High School on the list of our support schools. I realised that the way he presented the schools to me meant I had no choice but to support them. They were both Kabiyesi’s alma maters, and when you are commanded by a paramount ruler in Yoruba land, you dare not argue. I gladly took on the request and accommodated it in our programme. This visit, eight years ago, was the beginning of our father-son relationship. During the visit, Kabiyesi proudly told us about his children who were doing really well in their various areas of discipline. He informed me that his youngest son was studying in the UK at the time. I returned to England and I invited the young prince to meet my family. I can confidently say that I have never met a young man as humble as this prince. He did not parade himself as the son of the great ruler of the Egba Kingdom, he is just simple. Seeing this remarkable behaviour, my enthusiasm grew in the royal family. My next visit to Nigeria saw me treated like royalty. I felt very important and momentarily forgot my background! I only needed to ask for anything and I got it; but I know too well that the Lord Almighty is our greatest protector. Whenever we are in Nigeria, Kabiyesi ensures that we are safe and well looked after. He is clearly a true man of God. This is evident in the way he presides over his Kingdom, his approach to life and his caring nature. It is my prayer that the trust his majesty showed in me will bear fruit in years to come. Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo gave me the opportunity of delivering series of inspirational and motivational workshops across some schools in Ogun State. Meeting Olori Gbadebo was the icing on the cake. The Olori, from day one, took a liking to my wife, and our younger daughter. Olori introduced our daughter to the game of golf, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She sees Olori as an iconic lady of enormous qualities worthy of emulation. In case you are not aware, Olori Gbadebo speaks the Queen’s English. To be honoured with a chieftaincy title of Aare Asiwaju Ewe in Egbaland would have brought my late paternal grandmother, Madam Sekinatu Solabomi Subuola Gbadamosi, who hailed from Isale Igbein in Abeokuta, immeasurable joy. Though Mama travelled married an Ijebu thereby making Ijebu-Ode her home, her heart was always in Abeokuta. I am told during her lifetime that she stressed the need to introduce her children to Abeokuta but it never materialised. Mama, you need not to worry; your grandson, Chief Ayodele Oshunremi is flying the flag of your hometown now. I have an obsession for Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta; whenever I step onto the soil of Ogun State, I feel completely at home. I have never known a more peaceful state with rich, diverse culture and highly educated individuals like Ogun State. Ogun State has produced personalities who have occupied very influential positions, not just in Nigeria, but all over the world! We are blessed with one of the longest ruling monarchs in Black Africa. He is His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Adetona, CFR, the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland enthroned on 2nd April, 1960. The Awujale has used his God-given skills, talent and influence to maintain peace, tranquillity and tremendous progress in Ijebuland and Ogun State. I have been privileged to meet the Awujale on my programme to connect with the children and youths of Ijebuland and Ogun State to fulfil their potentials in the education and social advancement of our great state. Michael Lampejo (Mentor) Michael Lampejo is one of the iconic people I met during my time in the church in London who had a lasting impression on me. A highly qualified Chartered Engineer, he is a quiet and well-connected person. I needed someone of Michael Lampejo’s calibre to sway me in the right direction. He has exceptional ways of getting through to me; and encouraged me throughout my undergraduate programme. Michael and his good wife are very much part of my life and I rely so much on Michael’s opinion before I go ahead with any worthwhile project. He is a great motivator and true man of God. Pastor Isaac Babatunde Akande(Mentor) I met Pastor Akande through a fellowship we attended together in London. He was one of the leaders and for inexplicable reasons; he took interest in my education and general wellbeing. Our close relationship began at the start of my university education in 1998; he gave me the confidence and determination to sail through my academic career. Pastor Isaac Akande assisted by going through my university works before submission staying late into the night to point out areas of correction. He is truly a man of God who had great trust in me and never for once looked down on me despite my weaknesses. Pastor Akande kept me on my toes during the first two years of my stay in the university. He assured that I would finish with flying colours and secure good employment and his prophesy came to pass when he attended my graduation in 200. Mr John Cross (Mentor) A gentle man to the core, he was always calm and collected. John was probably not aware of my situation at the time he gave me undivided attention in the Church. He supported the football ministry from the outset and also took interest in my studies at the university. John Cross played a key role during my baptism in 1998. Extracts taking from my latest project - more to follow. Make sure you get your copy

More Than Able

More Than Able

More Than Able

Great!

More Than Able

More Than Able

The Miracle God has once again turned hopelessness into great fulfilment.

More Than Able

More Than Able

More Than Able

God is indeed more than able! To get a copy of my book "triumphant success over adversity - joy comes home". Contact aoshunremi@aol.com. A copy will be sent to you by post.