{"id":25729,"date":"2019-11-19T11:40:12","date_gmt":"2019-11-19T10:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/?post_type=biography&p=25729"},"modified":"2019-11-19T11:40:12","modified_gmt":"2019-11-19T10:40:12","slug":"paseda-james-akinola","status":"publish","type":"biography","link":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/biography\/paseda-james-akinola\/","title":{"rendered":"PASEDA, James Akinola"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Early Life\/ Background: James Akinola was born to the family of Late Daddy Ezekiel
\nKajopaye Paseda (c.1886-1946) of Oreta Quarters of Adefuwa Dynasty, and Mother Late
\nMadam Abigail Bowokale Paseda (1896-1982; nee Sonubi, nicknamed \u201cAdahunse bi Agba\u201d),
\nboth of Oru-Ijebu, Ogun State, South-West Nigeria on 23rd April, 1938. Both parents were
\nChristians. His father was a Lay reader of high esteem at St. Luke\u2019s Anglican Church, Oru. His
\nfather was a farmer and a tailor while mother specialized in dyeing of clothes thus nicknamed
\n\u201cIya Alaro\u201d. Abigail\u2019s father was Pa Sonubi nicknamed \u201cAdahunse bi Agba\u201d (implying a
\nhardworking and self-reliant person) of Oke\u2019lu and Itun-Aga Quarters, Awa of Lagbelu Royal
\nfamily. Mr & Mrs Ezekiel Kajopaye Paseda had seven children together, with Akinola being the
\nsixth. Young Akin had a Christian family upbringing.
\nFoundation Education: Akin attended Sagun United School Oru-Ijebu from 1946-1949. In
\nJanuary 1950, he went with his paternal cousin, Late Mr. John Adebayo Sobanjo (c.1928-
\n1968) to Agoro in Ifo District where the latter taught in many schools. He completed his
\nprimary education in December 1954 and was appointed a teacher in January 1955 at Ifo
\nDistrict Central School, his alma-mater.
\nWork Experience: Akinola started his professional teaching career in January 1959 after
\nobtaining the Teachers\u2019 Certificate Grade II on successful completion of the course at St.
\nLuke\u2019s College Ibadan (1955-1958). He served as a Teacher\/Headmaster of St. David\u2019s School
\nIbogun Sowunmi in Ifo District (1959-1960) and was a foundation teacher at Ibogun Egbeda
\nAnglican Secondary Modern School where he taught from 1961-1962.
\nHe attended the Ransome-Kuti College of Education Ibadan (1963-1965) for the Nigeria
\nCertificate in Education (NCE) and from 1966-1967 was a teacher at Ijebu-Ode Grammar
\nSchool, Ijebu-Ode. Thereafter, he proceeded to the University of Lagos (1967-1970), where
\nhe obtained the B.A. (Hons) Education\/Geography (2nd Class Upper) in June 1970. From July
\n1970-1972, he was at Remo Divisional High School Sagamu. As a result of the dearth of
\nGeography teachers at the time, he was transferred to Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode in
\nJuly 1972 to teach Geography in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) classes. He taught the
\nsubject with such passion and dedication that ensured near-100 percentage pass rates at the
\nSchool Certificate examination.
\nHe joined the Lagos State Ministry of Education as Education Officer, and taught at Epe
\nGrammar School from 1973-1978. In 1974, he re-entered the University of Lagos for a
\nMaster\u2019s in Education (M.Ed) Degree and exited in June 1975. He was posted to Government
\nTeachers College Igbogbo, Ikorodu as its first official Vice Principal in 1978. He climbed a new
\ncareer ladder on 08th February 1980 when he was posted to Pobuna Grammar School Poka,
\nEpe as Principal and was in the school till 1984. While in the school, students got laurels in
\nacademics and co-curricular endeavours. In 1983, he was adjudged the Principal of the
\nYear for Agbowa\/Eredo\/Ejinrin Area of Epe, Lagos. Before the end of 1984, he was posted to
\nOkemagba High School Mojoda which was in dire need of academic and moral regeneration,
\nand by grace of God and his quality service with his \u201cteam players\u201d, these ends were
\naccomplished.
\nHe was appointed Foundation Principal of the Lagos State Model College Igbonla, Epe in
\nFebruary 1988; and was the Coordinating Principal for all the newly established five Model
\n2
\nColleges (viz: Igbonla, Igbokuta, Meiran, Badore and Kankon) at inception. The Governor of
\nLagos State at that time, Navy Captain (later Vice Admiral) Mike Okhai Akhigbe, had designed
\nthe Model Colleges for each of the five traditional divisions of Lagos. The Colleges were located
\nin serene rural settings to enhance teaching and learning. The Akhigbe administration combed
\nthe State Secondary School environments for the best hands to drive the novelty and the lot
\nfor Igbonla fell on J. A. Paseda who also doubled as the Co-ordinating Principal for the
\nColleges. From the period 1988-1992, the Colleges were given necessary foundation and focus
\non their mission as pacesetters in academics and co-curricular endeavours. Students at the
\nModel College Igbonla won laurels in programmes by the Directorate of Food Roads and Rural
\nInfrastructure (DFRRI), the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools
\n(ANCOPSS) and several other competitions. For example, a student from the College won the
\nANCOPSS National Essay Competition in 1992.
\nIn 1998, when the Lagos State Model College Kankon, Badagry marked her 10 years of
\nexistence with the theme:\u201cA Decade of Excellence\u201d, in a Chapter on the \u201cThe Builders\u201d, this
\nwas said of Akinola Paseda:
\n \u201cIt is to the eternal credit of Mr. Paseda that he succeeded in holding the schools firmly
\nand fairly. He brought his wealth of experience and administrative wizardry into play. His
\nname cannot and can never be forgotten in the Model Colleges\u2019 history. He stood like a
\ncolossus to pilot the ship to a safe harbour in the formative period of the colleges\u2019 existence\u201d.
\nHe was at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos as Director Post-Primary Teaching Service Commission
\n(TESCOM) in 1992 and retired in December 1993.
\nBefore the end of December 1993 on contract, he was appointed Head of Inspectorate at
\nIbeju-Lekki Inspectorate Office and was in that position till May 1999.
\nAkinola Paseda was appointed Principal of Omolaja Sodipo Memorial Anglican School
\n(OSMAS), a co-educational Egba Diocesan Secondary School, Onikolobo, Abeokuta, Ogun
\nState in May 1999. During his tenure, the School became a full-fledged secondary school,
\nlarger in size and fame. The School\u2019s Alumni are now making their mark in the socio-economic
\ndevelopment of the country. On service at OSMAS where Akinola was Principal for seven years
\n(1999-2006), at the end of the service, the Bishop\/Proprietor, the Rt.Revd. Dr. M.O. Owadayo
\nin his communication dated 25th July 2006 has this to say:
\n\u201cAppreciation Letter for a worthy, meritorious service: We are happy to place on record that
\nyour tenure as the administrative head has witnessed an unprecedented progress in the
\nSchool. We thank God for appointing you\u201d.
\nService to Church and Community:
\nChief Paseda was a member of the Board of Governors of the defunct Muslim Teachers Colege
\nOru, 1976-1979; 1984-1987. He was also a member of Police Community Relations, Epe
\n(1985-1988), and Chairman Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Agbowa\/Eredo\/Ejinrin Zone
\n(1987-1989).
\nFrom 1973 till 2013, he served his home Church (St. Luke\u2019s Anglican Church, Oru Ijebu) in
\nvarious positions as Synod Delegate, Parish Counsellor, Secretary Building Committee, etc.
\nThe Committee midwifed the construction of the ultra-modern church which foundation was
\nlaid in 1980 and was dedicated in 1995. He was Chairman Harvest Committee (1997-2000).
\n3
\nHe was appointed Otun Balogun Ijo of the Church in 1997, and was installed in 2004, thereby
\nbecoming a Church Chieftain.
\nHe was Chairman of \u201cHistory of St. Luke\u2019s Anglican Church Oru-Ijebu\u201d Committee, which
\nproduced the first authentic history of the Church, launched with pomp and pageantry in May
\n2004.
\nHe was Secretary of Oru Youth Christian Movement (OYCM) from inception in 1959 till 2010
\nand became the President from 2010. The OYCM is a vibrant visionary Christian society in the
\nChurch. The association sponsored the establishment of the All Saints\u2019 Anglican Church
\n(ASAC), Oru.
\nHe was a member of the Youth Christian Association of St. Michael\u2019s Anglican Church Epe and
\nits Vice President till 2013.
\nAt his leisure, Akinola Paseda was an educational consultant. For reference to mark the first
\nquinquennium of the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun Ijebu-Ode, he was one of the
\ncontributors to the book, \u201cContemporary School Administration in Nigeria\u201d (2009), edited by
\nthe then Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Oyesiku et al.
\nNo doubt, Chief J.A. Paseda was a diligent and generous teacher who for more than five
\ndecades devoted his time and energy to honest work in his chosen field. He was an eminent
\nfigure in his field and a precious community asset. He was a beloved mentor to many of his
\ncolleagues and students, some of whom are today distinguished personalities in their own
\nrights. He had a track record of worthy service to the Church, Community and Country.
\nPersonal Life: He was happily married to Mrs Agnes Olabisi Paseda, a retired Principal in
\nLagos Ministry of Education, and blessed with successful children and grandchildren. He was
\nfather to many biological and non-biological children. His biological children include Mr
\nAdedayo O. Paseda (a Chemical Engineer, former Executive Director at Premier Paints Plc and
\nnow Deputy Managing Director of Chemstar Paints), Mr Olumide Paseda (an Industrial
\nChemist), Mrs Favour Bolanle Olumuyiwa Odubena (civil servant), Ms Funmilola Paseda
\n(Banker and Retail Banking Head at FCMB), Mr Oluseyi Paseda (a US-Based Consultant), Mr
\nOluseun Paseda (Banker and ACCA-qualified accountant) and Mrs Yetunde Olubunmi Matiluko
\n(a teacher at Lagos Ministry of Education).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","categories":[1505],"writer":[],"class_list":["post-25729","biography","type-biography","status-publish","hentry","category-educationist"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/biography\/25729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/biography"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/biography"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/biography\/25729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25729"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blerf.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/writer?post=25729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}