Kayode Adejare Omiyale is the Executive Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area. He tells SEGUN KASALI his life story.

WAS life rosy for you while growing up?

I am one of the people who came from a very poor family. I grew up in the village. I did not start my primary school until age eight. But, I fell in with a good hand who mentored me through my primary school. Instead of going to a secondary school, I went to a modern school, which was a three-year programme and in those days they called it Grade Three when you finished. It can make you qualify for a teaching position in a primary school then. When I finished that in Osun State (Old Oyo State) in 1977, I came to Lagos and stayed with my brother (my father figure) because I lost my dad in 1975. Instead of continuing my education in Lagos, I was enrolled into an evening class for Typing and Shorthand. I did that for one year. After the programme, I got an appointment in P&T at that time. I got my little savings there. Then, my brother called me one day and said ‘this is not what you can do for long’. So, he said I should go for Teachers’ College and I went for the Teachers’ College in Ikorodu for another 3-year programme. When I graduated as a Grade 2 Certificate holder, I started teaching as far back as 1982 until 1999.

How interesting was teaching between 1982 and 1999?

It was very interesting. I saw the teaching job as a stepping stone. My thinking was to teach for three to four years and go to a higher institution but I ended up spending 18 years in the classroom. All along, God gave me the spirit to work hard. While teaching, I had to enroll for GCE class. I also struggled to go to a normal higher institution. But, I eventually landed at Distance Learning Institute (DLI) of University of Lagos. I had so much experience while teaching. In the school (All Saints Anglican Primary School, Yaba) I started teaching from, I had so many elderly teachers there while most of us were 16 years old then. In the school, I was named the Games Master, Literary and Debating society teacher, and other extracurricular activities. And in order to make both ends meet, I had to engage in home-tutoring and that was where I made a fortune.

Were you a disciplinarian as a teacher?

I was. I used to cane [pupils] a lot. I know. And my children loved me because I would not cane you unnecessarily. We might not have had the experience that time, because for a child we have used all the necessary methods to teach but cannot get it, then he or she needs an iron hand.

Any unforgettable experience?

Yes. On this day, it was not that I caned the girl so much. So, the following day, the girl came to school with her mother and two brothers. And that was how they attacked me in the school. As the mother was beating me, the two brothers were hitting me too. But, God just saved me with the presence of the PTA chairman on that day. As those boys were beating me, the PTA chairman picked up a cane and started beating those boys. In fact, it was that man that took up the fight of that day. It was a bad experience.

Amidst this, do you regret being a teacher?

When you have such a horrible experience, you would feel helpless and think that such a thing happened, because you did not have a helper. I thought negatively and really felt bad about it. But, since I knew that my intention was to give the children a better future, I let go of thinking about regret. I was teaching all the 17 subjects in the curriculum. But, we thank God for everything. All in all, I cannot forget that I got married before I completed my Distance Learning programme.

Really?

I got married at age 19 and that was 1991. At that time, my mother used to fall sick a lot. In fact, many times I would save money for projects that would affect my life, but my mother’s sickness would just come up and the saved money would eat it up. I remained the only one who was not married not to talk of having children then among her children. So, for six to seven years, she was on the sick bed and the advice was that would I allow my mother to die without seeing my child? And without preparing for it, I had to go into marital life.

But you were struggling financially. 

Exactly, but, I thank God. Recall I told you I used to go for home lessons when I was teaching. So, it was the parents of those children that did the wedding for me.

Really?

Yes. They gave me all the naira and kobo. They gave me the vehicle I used. The same people paid for the hospital bill when my wife wanted to have the second child.

How did you woo your wife?

At that time, I was an ordinary classroom teacher. In fact, I found it difficult to approach a lady. She was the first person I would approach as a lady. I just took a risk to approach her. By all standards, she was better off. We met in the church. I attend Baptist Church. So, we were in the same Youth Fellowship. We spoke to ourselves. And one thing led to another. Thank God, two of us are still together till today.

Was your entry into politics accidental?

My foray into politics was not predetermined. It was just to make connections. Not that I love politics. My assumption then was that you would meet so many people that matter if you go into politics. So, by the time I was running my programme at the University of Lagos, I joined politics to make connections so that after completing my degree programme, I would be able to know people who would help me to get a job. Lo and behold when I finished, I could not get a job despite having the connections I longed for. But, I decided I would remain there. It was in 1999 when an opportunity came and I worked for a candidate (Alhaji Bashiru Omolaja Bolarinwa) who eventually became the council chairman under the Alliance for Democracy in Lagos Mainland. I used to get a funny look whenever I disclosed I was a graduate. He was the council chairman from 1999 to 2006 and later became the House of Reps member in 2007 before he moved down to Kwara State. So, that man developed interest in me and he asked me what I wanted. I told him I wanted a job. He then said ‘where can you work in the government setting’. I told him as the Education Secretary of the Local Government. At that time, you must have teaching experience for you to become the education secretary of a local government. And thank God I had my Grade 2 and that was where it paid off for me. So, I became a household name in Lagos Mainland when this appointment came.

Anything in particular you did that made you popular?

Before we came in, the position was civil service in nature. But, we turned it into a political office and we were given a free hand to operate to the extent that we appointed people from level 1 to level 6. We were also monitoring the payment of the salary of teaching and non-teaching staff in primary school. We were in charge of the renovation of all primary schools. It was during my tenure that we had clerks in all the schools. We had gatemen because there were no gatemen at that time.

You became the council chair by providence.

Yes, it was sheer providence. By the time I completed my term as the Secretary, I dabbled in the House of Reps. Unfortunately, I was dropped for a bigger person though I was the candidate that would win at that time. But, I remained focused on the party. After the Education Secretary position, I went back to my teaching and retired as a Director of Education (Level 17) in March 2017. So, with the special grace of God I won the election when I contested for the council chairman in 2017.

Looking back, what are you grateful for?

For sparing my life because if you think deeply in any circumstance, you have to thank God. When the 57 chairmen came in, we lost about five of them after the first term. But, here we are today. Apart from that, I continued to enjoy the support of my people because I run an open door policy. In my office, no visiting day. You will see me any day you come to my office. I am always available. The people have been very supportive. My party has been so wonderful to me by giving me all the necessary support.