Prof. Adebayo made this assertion while delivering a lecture titled: “The Burden of the Enlightened” at the 15th anniversary celebration of The Wings School, Iwo, Osun State.
The scholar emphasised the need to widen access to quality education in Nigeria, saying that the current system limits opportunities for leadership renewal and innovation.
“Our country has been recycling the same set of leaders for decades. This should not be so. We must deliberately expand and enrich the pool from which leaders emerge,” he lamented.
Adebayo described education as an indispensable tool for nation-building, especially in raising visionary leaders who can design pragmatic solutions to Nigeria’s challenges. However, he expressed concern over the state of education in the country, citing inadequate infrastructure, poor funding, shortage of qualified teachers, low remuneration, and outdated curriculum as major setbacks.
The don noted that large class sizes, lack of professional development, and brain drain have worsened the situation, while examination malpractices, corruption, and politicisation of education continue to erode standards.
The historian also urged policymakers and parents to pay attention to the moral, physical, and psychological well-being of both students and teachers.
“Academic pressures begin too early in life, creating anxiety and stress. There must be a balance between study and play to ensure healthy mental development,” he said.
“Children interested in science and technology should not be raised as robots. They must remain grounded in cultural values that shape them into responsible adults, not machines that merely regurgitate facts.”
He further cautioned the educated elite against arrogance, noting that “humility is a great habit to have, and the enlightened must avoid intellectual arrogance.”
In his remarks, the Proprietor of The Wings School, Prof. Lai Olurode, expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for the school’s milestone anniversary, describing the occasion as “a moment of joy and reflection.”
The former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) noted that the school has produced generations of students who are excelling in their various fields and institutions within and outside the country.
Prof. Olurode attributed the school’s sustained excellence to a rigorous recruitment process that ensures only the best and most qualified teachers are employed.
He further explained that the school’s administration is guided by a Board of Governors made up of seasoned intellectuals and elders whose experience helps preserve its high standards.
“We have built a structure that ensures the school continues to uphold its values and vision beyond the founders’ lifetime. We believe in institutions that thrive on best practices,” he stated.
Also speaking at the event, Alhaji Lasisi Muniru Abiodun, family head of the late Alhaji Adekolapo Adebayo, the first Chairman of The Wings School Board of Governors, commended the school for continually honouring the legacy of his late relative.
He announced that the family would begin sponsoring prizes for the best students in both the primary and secondary sections of the school.
The event featured the commissioning of the new Science and ICT laboratories, cultural performances, Ewi presentation, and awards to outstanding teachers, including those who have served the institution for over a decade.
