Eighty-seven-year-old Omodele Karunwi, a daughter to foremost Nigerian contemporary musician, Ekundayo Phillips, shares her experience as a teacher in this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL
When were you born?
I was born on May 30, 1926 to Dr. Thomas King Ekundayo Phillips and Mrs. Edna Phillips (Nee Amblestone). Although my father was an optician, he was very gifted musically and is generally acknowledged as the father of classical music in Nigeria. He composed the popular tune ‘Ise Oluwa, K’ole baje o’. He became organist and master of music at the Cathedral Church of Christ and held the position for 48 years. It was interesting because at that time, his elder brother, Bishop Phillips, was bishop at the cathedral. He was the first African Bishop after Archbishop Vining.
What can you recall about your school days?
I cannot remember much about my school days, but I remember that my school was CMS. Girls School. School was fun; teachers and students were very committed to their work. I remember the seven persons that we were in class together: Late Moji Wey (Nee Coker), Jumoke Pension–Smith (Nee Odunsi), Adetoun Osinupebi (Nee Ademokun), Late Aduni Phillips (Nee Taylor), Gbemi Rosiji (Nee Mann), Abimbola Silva (Nee Phillips) and I. I remember an April fool’s joke we played on our principal, Reverend S.I Kale. We, the class five girls at that time, used to go across the road to CMS Grammar School for Latin lessons with the boys and Rev. Kale was our teacher. In those days, the CMS Grammar School was next door to Faji Primary School opposite the CMS Girls School on Broad Street, Lagos. On that day, we told him that, Ms. Wedmore, our headmistress, would like to see him. It was just a joke. He went to see her immediately at the CMS Girls School. The conversation he had with Ms. Wedmore was not known to us but we enjoyed the joke and had a good laugh. When he came back to our class, he just started teaching and pretended not to see the naughty smirks on our faces.
How many siblings do you have?
I had four siblings who have all passed on. They were Mrs. Arinola Sosan, Mr. Obayomi Philips, who was also organist and master of music at the Cathedral Church of Christ after our father for 30 years. Others were Taiwo and Modupe Phillips. Music runs in my family. My brother, Modupe Phillips was a brilliant composer. After he passed on, the result of an international competition he featured in came out. He took second position for a hymn he composed. He was very gifted and would have achieved a lot if he were to be alive. I also share a small part of the music gift. I was a pianist in school and everywhere I worked, I gave piano lessons for years.
What activities did you engage in when you were growing up?
I remember having a lot of fun with my grandmother who lived with us. She was an old lady in her late 70’s. I remember that I used to comb her hair and plait it with white thread. I used white thread because her hair was all white. Sometimes, I would pretend to be a seller of slippers. The slippers of course belonged to the people that lived in the house. Granny died in 1933 at 81. She was fun to be with. I also had a nice time with my maternal first cousins. Their home was my second home. I enjoyed spending my time there. It used to be fun and lively going there.
How was it like being raised by a popular father?
We didn’t know that he was famous. We were just a regular family and he was a regular father. He was disciplined. It was when I grew up that I realised just how accomplished he was. Lagos society was very small at that time.
After your school education did you go to the university?
I didn’t go to a university. I went to a Teacher’s Training College in the United Kingdom. I spent about four years in the UK.
What was your education in England like?
I was on a full scholarship at the Teachers Training College. The college was called Froebel Educational Institute in Roehampton, London. My education was first priority so that I would not disappoint my sponsors. Nevertheless, I had a pleasant stay in England. I made some good friends while I was there. We still send each other letters every year during the Christmas holidays. We have been doing this for 60 years. I spent three years in the institute after which I returned to Nigeria and got a teaching job.
While in the UK, many of my cousins were in England as well. At that time, one had to stay in the UK till one finished with one’s education. There was no going home on holidays so we were all very close. At the end of one’s studies, one was expected to get on the M.V. APAPA to sail home.
What motivated your decision to become a teacher?
My love for children motivated me. I don’t think I would have been happier in any other profession. Being around children makes me happy. Right after my primary school, I just knew I wanted to venture into teaching. It was my dream.
What did you do when you returned from England?
When I returned from England, I started teaching at United Missionary Teacher Training College in Ibadan. Some of my pupils there were Mrs. Abe, Mrs. Ibru (Mama Jero), Mrs. Jibike Odubayo and Ms. Joke Kukoyi. After UMC, I moved to the Senior Staff School, University of Ibadan as a teaching assistant and rose to become the Head of Nursery before I moved to Lagos.
How many children do you have?
I bore four children but the first died. My first son, Yinka Karunwi was a chemical engineer. When he died, he left behind a wife and five children. The second, Disun, is a marketing consultant. The third boy, Bode, is a dentist and the fourth Bayo, is a a mechanical engineer. It is interesting that I had all boys. I was very happy when I had my first child, then the second, also a boy. I was very happy. Two years later, the third child came. The nursing sister who took delivery of the baby said to me “Madame you have a lovely baby boy.” “Oh! another boy!” I thought. Although a girl would have been most welcome, I was grateful to God for a safe delivery and the gift of yet another child. That was Bode. There was a break of seven years before another baby came. I was so thrilled about expecting a baby that the issue of gender preference didn’t cross my mind. It was very interesting watching them grow.
Do they live in Nigeria?
Some are based in Nigeria and others abroad. Most of my grandchildren are abroad so I miss them very much.
How did you meet your husband?
I met my husband, Adeluola Karunwi, at a gathering. He was a prince of Oke Ona in Ogun State. He came from a large family. After courting for about three years, we finally got married on January 31, 1952. He was quiet, unassuming and very handsome. He was an accountant, a civil servant. He eventually rose to become the Director of Audit, Western Region, Nigeria. He died in 1965.
What attracted him to you?
I think it was his quiet and easy-going nature. He was a complete gentleman. He was amiable, athletic and even played cricket for Nigeria.
I’m sure you really miss him?
Yes of course. He was my best friend. He died in 1965, but his face still lingers in my memory. I can never forget him.
How did he die?
I don’t want to talk about it.
What were the fond memories you shared together?
He was religious and loved his siblings. He enjoyed having them around him. I know we enjoyed each other’s company. We never got tired of talking to each other. We could talk about anything. We enjoyed raising the boys together. They referred to us fondly as “Papa” and “Mama”. In 1961, we went on a ‘world tour’ and visited England, Germany and America. We saw a bit of the world together and came home. It was unforgettable.
How did you comfort yourself when he died 13 years after your marriage?
After my husband died, I moved to Lagos with my boys to be near my family and childhood friends and got a job with Corona School, which at that time was located in Military Hospital, Yaba. The school was later moved to Gbagada. I taught there for about a year and then accepted the challenging job of founding Head teacher, Staff School, University of Lagos. We started from the scratch; an empty field actually. There was a lot to do; building, furnishing, printing, hiring, curriculum and so on.
Apart from this, I had some young ladies that spent a lot of time around me and cheered me up. There was also my group of friends that worked with me at the University of Lagos. With all these friends, my memory of my days at the University of Lagos was fun apart from the unpleasantness of being retired unfairly, just before I was eligible to receive pension.
After my retirement, I started a nursery school, Dele Day Nursery School. I also taught piano lessons and wrote a few books. I first wrote a compilation of folk songs called ‘Kulumbu Yeye’ which is a book and audio combination. I also wrote ‘A Woman Industrialist: A biography of Chief Mrs. Bisoye Tejuosho’, and ‘Diverse roles of Women of the Holy Bible’ and other children books.
Why didn’t you remarry?
I don’t think it ever crossed my mind. No man can take the place of my husband, and I had my hands full with four energetic boys to raise. It just wasn’t something I never considered.
How was it like raising four children as a single mother?
It was very challenging, but I had to remain strong for my children. I remember once when Yinka (my first son) went missing. That day, all my other children were home from church except him. He had followed some boys home after church. We searched for him everywhere and eventually found him at a police station. Apparently, one of the boys saw him safely to a police station. I will forever be indebted to him.
Did you face any challenges training your children?
To an extent, but with God’s help, I trained them till they earned university degrees. Yinka got a scholarship to study chemical engineering at the University of Manchester and later earned a masters degree. Bayo also got a Shell scholarship to study mechanical engineering; both scholarships were on merit. The scholarships helped a great deal. Disun became a marketing consultant and Bode, a dentist.
Were there times you felt like giving up?
Yes, there were those times I felt like giving up but I couldn’t. The boys were very young and unaware of what was going on. I was left with no choice than to encourage myself.
Who helped you in raising your children?
My mother, she was a wonderful mother and homemaker. She was very lively and always had cakes and cookies ready for her grandchildren. She helped me take care of the children at that time of intense pain. It was good to have a mother to lean on. After my husband died, by the time I got back to Lagos, they had moved to live at Idi-Oro. Idi-Oro provided a haven for the children. I was able to drop them off during the weekend which was a big help.
With your children all grown up, how do you keep yourself busy?
I read books a lot. I still write too. I also visit my school regularly to check on the children.
How many books do you read daily?
I read newspapers most of the time and I do that all day when I’m not eating, resting or entertaining. It helps me keep in touch with what is happening generally. I read everything in the paper. PUNCH Newspaper is one of my favourites, I buy PUNCH every day. I also enjoy reading biographies of people especially my contemporaries. They remind me of people and events. I also read devotionals and the Bible.
And how many times do you write?
I have a note pad where I jot down things every day, after which, I give it to someone to help me write it out nicely, I don’t like my handwriting.
What do you do before going to bed?
I read and later pray. I usually go to bed around 9 or 10pm.
What is your favourite food?
I am not fussy about food, but I love efo riro with anything; be it with rice, amala, etc
How do you keep fit?
I just watch what I eat.
Do you have friends?
Yes I do. I call them once in a while. We chat about our lives generally. I remember something that happened a few years ago. I was at a function with two of my childhood friends and we were all using walking sticks. We looked at one another and without saying a word, we all burst out laughing. That was funny because we used to be so up and about.
As a retired teacher, what do you think is missing in our education system?
There is not enough investment in education these days and teachers have been turned into paupers and are despised. In our days, teachers were so well paid that it was prestigious to be a teacher and most children wanted to be teachers. University lecturers have been on strike for some months now. This is not good. The government should keep their promise to them. After all, they (politicians) earn so much money.
What can the government do to improve the nation’s education system?
The government should improve the standards of the teacher training colleges. Once this is improved, the standard of education will generally improve. Teachers should also be better paid to attract brilliant minds into the profession.
What is your advice to young couples?
They should remain committed and faithful. And they should be patient.