Adetoun Ogunsheye Quotes

Because I was a government scholar, I felt like working for the government, but at the civil service, they told me they had no room for candidates that finished with university degree as teachers. So, I went to work for the Anglican Mission. I taught at Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, now St. Margaret’s School, Ilesha, and St. Anne’s School, Ibadan. I lectured at Nigerian College of Science and Technology, and the University of Ibadan, where I also served in the University Library.I became a Reader; Professor; Acting Director, Institute of Librarianship; Head of Department of Library Studies; and Dean of Education. I have carried out and supervised many academic researches. I have more than 50 publications.

I was a foundation student of University College Ibadan, from where I got a scholarship to Cambridge University as the first Nigerian female student.

This is probably the first time any of us would be gathering to witness the launch of a book by a 95-year old. It is an event we all will remember for a long time.

I taught myself Latin to qualify for the entrance exam. I got credit in Latin after the one-year study and I was able to take the entrance exams and I got government’s scholarship to study Geography at Cambridge University in 1949.

When I finished at Yaba Higher College, one of my teachers had recommended me to take the entrance examination to Cambridge University, London. I took the entrance exam to read Geography at Cambridge but I had a problem because I did not do Latin in secondary school.

I became a professor in 1973 when the university librarian started a library school in UI and they asked me to come and talk about how to organise maps. After talking about that, they said they would like me to move over and start a library because then we were taking the promotion exams of the UK and (they) wanted us to establish an academic programme. So, I went to Boston, United States, and did a master’s programme in librarianship and then came back and started the Department of Library Studies in Ibadan. I started the first programme except postgraduate and master’s degree programmes in Ibadan.

It is the grace of God. Also, if God gives you the grace to live long, you have to work hard too. There should also be a lifestyle adjustment. It is a gift of God. You can’t rule out the efficacy of prayers.

So for me as a mother…what I sow now in terms of feeding my children properly with nutritious food will remain embedded even at old age.

In the last 10 years, they have not.I will advise the government to formulate a national policy to support the elderly in our society, whether they are educated or uneducated. The elderly have contributed to the development of the country one way or the other. Not only that, I can tell you that old age is very expensive. To keep fit, the health of the elderly must be fully supported by the government.

I have a baptismal certificate signed by the mission. The date of my birth was in that baptismal certificate.

Well, it was more exciting in the 60s and 70s because interest was very high to the extent that we trained librarians in line with the country’s professional agitations. I was one of those who started a book on professional agitations and I made sure that when we did the national policy implementation, I was in the committee and it was said that no educational institution could be set up without having a library. Then, I went to do a master’s degree programme in library science in the US. I was conscious of the fact that we needed intellectual resources in our country. We should make sure that children have a library.

They say it gives wrinkles but I am lucky no wrinkle…(laughter). Laughter Cheers you more when you are angry before you blow up. Smile more and laughter refreshes not just the soul but the way you look on the outside.

While preparations were being made for my surgery, I kept praying. Surprisingly, the surgeons came two days before the surgery to examine me and check if my pulse had increased as it was very low prior to that time. I was sleeping when they came. They woke me up. When they tested me, they saw that my pulse had gone up to 80 and the surgeons shouted in awe.They said they did not believe my pulse would improve that much. In fact, the surgeons said they had to return my money and everything. They returned my money and never performed the operation again. I am still alive till today – I have been going from strength to strength. God has been so kind and wonderful in my life.

No, I didn’t remarry. Before he died, I had retired from the university and was in Abeokuta as Chairman of Ogun State Teaching Service Commission and was in charge of all the primary and secondary schools in the state.

The day we met, it was like I met an old friend. It was fantastic. We started talking as if we had always known each other. He was wonderful. When we met later, I read his papers and critiqued them. It was fantastic.