Hurray! Tai Solarin Organisation Is 10 Today

I was an avid reader of late Dr. Tai Solarin’s column “Thinking with You” when I was in secondary school. I grew up to know that even the whites teaching us at that time loved to read Dr. Solarin, because there was a lot of sense in what he said.

But there are some present-day Nigerians you have known for the last 20 years repeating the same theme that makes no sense. The moment they know they are being ignored, maybe we will have a breeze of good air.

General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.)

Leadership newspaper, 19 August 2012

In preparation for the 10th year anniversary of Dr. Tai Solarin’s demise, Tai Solarin Organisation (TSO) was jointly founded on 1 September 2003 by two admirers of the great educationist and social critic extraordinaire: Mr. Akinbayo Adekunle Adenubi, mni, former Registrar and Chief Executive of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) who edited a 1985 book Timeless Tai: A Collection of Tai Solarin’s Articles on Education and Sulaiman Dave Bola-Babs (SDB), Millionaires Consultant at MillionaireWorkers.com Inc. who edited and published a 265 pages book with 48 colour pictures Education for Greatness 1: Selected Speeches of Dr. Tai Solarin with a foreword by Professor Babs Fafunwa.

   

Today, TSO’s Board is comprised of the co-founders as Chairman and Coordinator respectively plus the following dedicated and committed members: Mrs. Abimbola Nwokolo, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu, Leo Igwe, Tayo Keshinro, Azeez Ayodele, Teju Onasanya and Lawal Ibrahim.

The Chairman and Coordinator of TSO delivered papers at the Tai Solarin International Humanist Conference jointly organised by the International Humanist and Ethical Union and Nigerian Humanist Movement in 2004.

In 2009, TSO published a 126-page book Tai Solarin in a Nutshell: Immortal Quotes of Tai Solarin with a foreword by Professor Grace Alele-Williams.

If you are interested in contributing your own quota to the great legacy of Dr. Tai Solarin, you are cordially invited to join TSO or be on our mailing list for a premium invitation to our annual memorial lectures which usually take place at The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria’s auditorium, Victoria Island, Lagos. Please call 0803-365-3110 now for either option and get a free ebook on Dr. Tai Solarin in advanced appreciation of your kind gesture.

We have successfully organised seven Tai Solarin Memorial Lectures as follows:

1.   “The Individual and the Challenges of Commitment in an Anomic Society” by Professor Femi Osofisan in 2004.

2.   “Nigeria: A Country in Perpetual Flux” by Professor Tam David-West in 2005.

3.   “Tai Solarin and the Legacy of Protest: Civil Society and Nigeria’s Political Transition” by Dr. Reuben Abati in 2006.

4.   “The Evolving Crises in the Credibility of Nigeria’s Ivory Towers” by Professor Adamu Baikie, CON, in 2008.

5.   “Education, Merit and the Corrosion of Social Balance: The Nigerian Case Study” by Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, OFR, in 2009.

6.   “Nigeria: Corruption, Corrosion and Correction” by Professor Munzali Jibril, FNAL, OFR, in 2010.     

7.   “The Dynamics of Information: Embracing the Present to Cope with the Future” by Professor Zakari Mohammed, FNLA, FNIM, in 2012.     

The great people who have made this possible over the ten years by their sponsorship are:

The Solarin Family represented by Mrs. Fola Olumide (nee Solarin)

Senator Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, OON

Engr. Lekan Adeniji

Dr. O. J. Mbonu

Dr. Ebi Omatsola    

      

The corporate bodies and their arrowheads which have also associated their great brands with our sponsorship in cash and in kind over the last decade are as follows: 

Dale & Parker Ltd., Dr. Jonathan Okoakih

De-United Foods Ltd., Makers of Indomie Noodles

dkr Associates, Mr. Dokun Oyenuga

Florence & Lambard Ltd., Mrs. Ronke Fetuga

FMA Architects Ltd., Arc. Femi Majekodunmi

International Energy Services Ltd., Dr. Diran Fawibe

Landmark Publications Ltd., Elder Ojo Agboola

Leadway Assurance Ltd., Mr. Oye Hassan-Odukale

Morgan, Omonitan & Abe Ltd., Engr. Dapo Abe

Peninsula Resort, Mr. Niyi Onibudo

Spectrum Books Ltd., Chief Joop Berkhout

Stag Engineering Ltd., Engr. Ayo Jagun

SVD Concerns, Mr. Chris Ogan

T & S Hospital, Dr. Wale Omole

Tantalizers, Mr. Folu Ayeni

Telecom Answers Associates, Engr. Titi Omo-Ettu

Terra Energy Services Nigeria Ltd., Engr. S. A. Adetunji

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN)

Ultima Ltd., Mr. Femi Ayeni

Wemy Industries Ltd., Pastor Ademola Odunaiya

Electronic & Print Media Houses

As we are marking the 20 years of Dr. Tai Solarin’s departure on 27 July 2014 with a grand memorial lecture at our Victoria Island, Lagos venue, please call 0803-365-3110 now if you are interested in being an individual or corporate sponsor of the great event and your brand will be duly acknowledged on our website and our printed programmes.  

We have been immortalising the quintessential legacy of Dr. Tai Solarin over the years via intellectual channels such as:

a)     publication of annual memorial lectures and books;

b)     creation and maintenance of Tai Solarin Organisation's website and blog;

c)     collection and development of research materials on him; and

d)     organisation of lectures and attendance of conferences.

Thanks to our individual and corporate sponsors over the years. Thanks to the selfless sacrifice of time, money and intellect of all the Board Members of Tai Solarin Organisation. Tai Solarin lives on. Happy 10th birthday Tai Solarin Organisation!