Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
His Royal Majesty, Oba (Barr.) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, has conferred on the former Tutor -General/Permanent Secretary, Education, District II, Chief Mrs Anike Adekanye, the honourary chieftaincy title of Yeye Agbasaga of Igbogbo Kingdom.
Chief (Mrs) Adekanye was installed at a well -attended ceremony which is part of the 10th coronation anniversary of Oba Kasali, with other prominent individuals at the Adeboruwa Palace on Wednesday.
The honoree currently serves as the Chairman, Lagos State Executive Council Committee on Education.
Speaking after her installation, Chief Adekanye appreciated the Adeboruwa and the entire Igbogbo residents for the honour bestowed on her after her retirement from office.
“To God be the glory. That has been my slogan because everything is about God. I thank the King of kings for making today to be a wonderful day in my life. It is a thing of joy.”
“I am happy and I appreciate the Alayeluwa, Oba Adeboruwa of the Igbogbo Kingdom, the Adeboruwa -in -Council and all the indigenes of Igbogbo for honouring me today with this title.
“I have retired now over a year ago and they remember my good legacy and good deeds. It’s not my power, it’s not my might but that of God. I was able to achieve a lot with schools working well by the power of God and stakeholders’ cooperation.”
She attributed the feat and achievements during her tenure as the TGPS Education District II to God and support by stakeholders.
“While I was in service, we had the best secondary school, best junior secondary school, best teacher in Nigeria, best administrator in Nigeria, best students in all the subjects – Mathematics, English, Yoruba, Biology, and Education District II was also the best. So, it’s about God, it’s not about me.
“This is not like other titles, it’s a chieftaincy title to recognise my contributions and to glorify God in my life. I say thank you to everybody and I also thank the new TG/PS. I have no doubt that they will do well.
“I will never forget this in the history and the story of my life. I appreciate it,” she said.
Otunba Ganiyu Abiru, Executive Secretary, Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited (IDPIL) and former Clerk/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State House of Assembly, congratulated the new Yeye Agbasaga and described the honour as a well -deserved one.
“Today is a celebration to just celebrate. We are celebrating one of the best Tutor -Generals that Nigeria has ever produced. The woman has achieved so much; she has done so much, and that is why she is being crowned today.”
“It is a well -deserved honour for her to be conferred today with a chieftaincy title. So, I think we all have to celebrate her. All of us have to know that this is a woman that has done much for education, for people and for culture,” Otunba Abiru said.
Profile Of Yeye Agbasaga of Igbogbo Kingdom, Chief Mrs Anike Adekanye
A trailblazer, record breaker, and seasoned education administrator, Chief (Mrs) Anike Adekanye, is one personality with very many firsts. She is till date, the first and only TG/PS to produce Three (3) Winners of the prestigious One-Day Governor of Lagos State Award, Two (2) One-Day Deputy Governor of Lagos State in five years. Through dint of hard-work, she became the first and only Tutor General/Permanent Secretary to oversee two Education Districts at the same time in Lagos State. She, at present, serves as the Chairman, Lagos State Executive Council Committee on Education.
Among several awards, she has won are Best Public Senior Secondary School in Nigeria Award 2020 (Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu); produced the Overall Best Teacher in Nigeria 2019 – Elusakin, lyabo Agnes (Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu); produced a recipient of the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) Award 2022 – Elusakin, Iyabo Agnes (Principal, Community Senior Secondary School, Bayeku, Ikorodu); produced repeatedly, winners of several other competitions like: Speaker of Lagos State Youth Parliament, One Day Commissioner for Science and Technology, Oluwole Awokoya Chemistry Challenge, Lagos State Governor’s Quiz Competition, (back to back), Nigeria Mathematics & Science Olympiad Competition (Junior Girls Category), Nigeria Secondary Schools Robotics Competition (Junior Category); Maiden Winner of Lagos Hackathon, “A La Connaissance De Lagos” (How Much of Lagos Do You Know) and Code Lagos Competitions, amongst others.
With a noticeably humble background, Mrs Anike Adekanye was born in Lagos Mainland. She attended Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Ebute-Metta, (1972 to 1977), St. Timothy’s College Iwaya, Lagos and graduated in 1982. She proceeded to Saint Joseph Teachers Training College, Lagos where she earned her Teachers Grade II Certificate. She then advanced her career in Education at the Kwara State College of Education, where she studied Christian Religious Knowledge/Yoruba for a National Certificate in Education, (1988). At the University of Ilorin (1989 to 1991), she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree [Upper Class Honours] in Education/Yoruba. She also holds two Master’s degrees in Guidance and Counselling and Yoruba Language respectively.
As an accomplished Teacher and Author, she has co-authored several journals and presented academic papers at National Conferences on Yoruba Culture and Tradition. She is also a notable philanthropist.
