It was such an emotional moment for Modupe Odumade, a retiring secondary public school teacher at Ijaye Ojokoro Senior High School, as she took her final bow in a grand style. While she was honoured by bosses, colleagues, students, families, and loved ones, the retiring English teacher got emotional as “tears of joy” travelled down her eyes.
The ceremony, which was held on the 25th September, 2026, at the premises of the school, had lots of teachers, families, retirees, and old students trooping in to celebrate the English teacher who was described as a “torchbearer.”
Odumade, who celebrated her 60th birthday and statutory retirement, began her journey as a journalist in reputable newspaper organisations and magazines before she dived into teaching in Lagos State Ministry of Education. However, since then, she has been creating impacts in the lives of students, training them in the art of speaking, reading, writing, performing, and becoming independent-thinking individuals.
One of the key highlights of the event was the presentation of a dance drama, cultural dance, and a live band by a group of students known as “Odumade’s babes.” It was a reflection of Odumade’s love for the arts, as she had shared that her father’s love for the music legend, Ogunde, fueled her passion for performing art.
With this spirit, she has discovered talents, groomed potentials, encouraged efforts, and led brilliant minds to stages that have catapulted their interests deeper in the art of music, performing, dancing, and journalism. Amongst these individuals is a photojournalist at EduTimes Africa, Lateef Adepoju, who has specifically mentioned that Odumade charged up the spirit of journalism in him.
“Today, I am here as a photojournalist representing EduTimes Africa. What many people don’t know is that Mrs Odumade is one of those phenomenal individuals who ignited the spirit of journalism in me.”
While the retiring secondary school English teacher pushed her students to break limits in their potentials, she also helped them break bounds in their academics and overall well-being.
One of the significant stories that stood out for Odumade yesterday was that of one of her students, Jossiah, who emerged as the first-best graduating student of his department, History and International Relations, at the University of Ilorin.
Jossiah, who was present at the event, said Mrs Odumade has contributed morally, financially, and otherwise to his life.
According to him, he was at the verge of giving up on education, but Mrs Odumade made him see brightness while he was in the dark.
“She was the one who brought me to the limelight when everything was dark. I was a two-time secondary school dropout. I never thought I would be in the education setting. It was Mrs Odumade who brought me back. She has contributed to my life financially, psychologically, and did a lot of things. I won’t lie, she is an amazing mother.”
At the event, an alumnus of Ijaye Ojokoro Senior High School, Ibrahim Ojubanire, revealed that Odumade paid his first JAMB in 2022.
Speaking also, an old student, Christiana, who had taken the microphone to speak, said that Mrs Odumade played a huge role in her public speaking skill, attributing her high level of boldness and confidence to Odumade’s influence when she was her English Language teacher years back.
According to her, she wasn’t on good terms with her principles at first. However, later on, her encounter with Odumade sowed a good seed in her life and, in turn, contributed to her success and that of many of her mates as well.
As Odumade demonstrated the power of motherhood, guardianship, and mentorship for her students, whom she referred to as “my children”, her colleagues and bosses never said less of her. They expressed great love for her as they danced, prayed, and gifted her.
In the same vein, the Principal of the school, Ijaye Ojokoro Senior High School, Mrs Ola Yetunde Olayemi, spoke well of the celebrant, describing her as “a sister” who had shown commitment to work, growth, and teaching as a profession, hence a well-deserved space and time to keep impacting lives, having served well.
As a way to celebrate Odumade, students, teachers, neighbours, and all came to share gifts while sharing goodwill and appreciation messages.
Just like the way it’s being done, Odumade finally signed out of Ijaye Ojokoro Senior High School as a retiring English teacher. The principal and other principal officers of the school accompanied her with applause and kind words.
In an emotional feeling, Odumade expressed deep happiness as tears cascaded down her eyes.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.