Dr. Tai Solarin

“KNOWLEDGE is Light” is the motto of Mayflower School Ikenne, founded by Tai and Sheila Solarin in 1956. For many years it was one of the most sought after secondary and primary schools in Nigeria . Although an atheist and rather controversial, he was renown as a humanitarian and educationist and advocated for free and compulsory education for all. At one time, he was considered by many to be the “conscience of the Nation.”

Students at Mayflower, named after the ship sailed by pilgrims in 1620, were taught practical crafts hand in hand with academics such as agriculture, farming building and electrical work and each one had a unique number which they were called by instead of their name.

Tai was a simple man always dressed like his students in khaki shorts, shirt and cap, but he was an intellectual, author, newspaper columnist and for several years the Chairman of the People's Bank. He was very outspoken and imprisoned on numerous occasions for his human rights activism, criticism of military rule and corruption in government. He died in 1994 aged 72 and is survived by his wife Sheila and children.

Sheila continued Tai's work and was awarded a MBE in October 2007 by HRH Queen Elizabeth II for her services to education in Nigeria .