"Many kids are no longer enjoying their rights to freedom from abuse" —Afolabi Ogunyeye

Bukola Afolabi Ogunyeye, the Executive Director and Founder of MORNA International Children’s Foundation (MICF), is a seasoned child rights activist, advocate of gender equality, facilitator against abuse and a passionate campaigner of the Child’s Rights Act 2003. In this interview with YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE, she speaks about life as an educationist and her passion in fighting for the rights of children among other issues.

Excerpt

You seem to be all about children issues. Why?

Well, I am passionate about children and whatever affects them. I am an author and an international award winner who is passionate about child-related matters and trained to deliver the Montessori curriculum. I am a lover of knowledge who is trained on Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Child psychology, children with special needs and learning disability and you can just say that I have always been interested in children because they have no say or control in what happens to them, so I trained to ensure I have knowledge about my passion. To the glory of God, I have impacted children in over 300 schools within and outside Lagos State.

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You are a facilitator against abuse, NGO founder and a school owner, how does this connect?

Being an activist who fights for the rights of children to education, protection from abuse and a whole lot of other issues, running a school alongside it enables me to do more about my passion for children. Everything about the vision of the NGO I run, that is the MORNA International Children’s Foundation and running a school is focused on quality life for children. Owning a school actually sums it up because it enables me to look into the education of a child and provide the best for him/her while ensuring they are protected from all forms of abuse. So, you can say that it is all connected to a common goal.

Which aspect of what you do is most enjoyable to you?

Everything I do is very enjoyable to me; there is none that is not enjoyable. But I however miss the daily advocacy which we do in schools in Lagos state, ensuring standard is maintained in the school has reduced this, it has not stopped but the frequency has reduced in order for me to give the required attention to the school but it’s all for good.

 Does that mean you don’t engage in activism again?

I still engage in activism. In fact, we still observed an International event in this month of June; Day of the African child which was a collaboration between the school and the NGO I run. This programme was centred on upholding and promoting the African child’s right to education as well as celebrating the African child. We got companies like MTN and Chi limited to support us. Activism is a way of life to me, it cannot be stopped.

You started as an activist, how did you get into the education sector?

Going into the education sector is a calling.  I must say I didn’t know what enormous task awaited me until I started. It was just divine and I can say everything connected for a common goal.

What is your opinion on the spate of abuses especially of children in Nigeria?

It is disheartening. Many kids are no longer enjoying their rights to freedom from abuse. You receive cases of fathers raping their daughters, children being molested by family members and those who ought to protect them; your heart bleeds for these innocent ones. What about children hawking on the streets as if it is their responsibility to provide for themselves?

Look at the danger they are being exposed to. They can be hit by reckless drivers, raped by pedophiles, used as sex slaves, etc. Some of them even become armed robbers and commercial sex workers.

The abuse going on in this country requires serious intervention from every stakeholder because it is at the stage of a time bomb which when defused will affect everyone.

How do you balance all the things you do without getting overwhelmed?

I am a dogged person. I honestly do not see anything I do as overwhelming because I absolutely love everything I do and can still do more. And maybe because the vision is the same, there is no conflict; everything just works seamlessly.

Since you started your school, what has been your experience in the academic field?

I can say categorically that the quality of education many children are getting is nothing to write home about. Some children can’t speak one simple correct sentence and you can’t but wonder what is happening in the education sector. If in this 21st century, Nigerian children are still lagging behind their counterparts in other countries, what kind of graduates are we going to produce in this country? This question is fundamental because the foundation of any child matters a lot. It is from the elementary school that a child will either get it right or miss it. In this 21st century, children should be getting top-notch education which is what will make them relevant in a dynamic and ever changing world. We must raise independent children who would be critical thinkers and problem solvers.

What would you say is the problem facing the education sector?

The number one problem facing the educator sector is the dearth of passionate and intelligent teachers. There is a wide gap between the brand of teachers who taught in the 80s and now. This is 2019 when we now use mobile phones, computers and laptops, among other technologies, yet, there is a vacuum to be filled in the classrooms. Many of the adults standing before those children in the classrooms are a caricature. The sad part is; majority of them do not know this fact.

I always say teaching is a gift.  Teaching should be done out of passion and your love to pass on knowledge. You have to love what you do before you can have any impact on a child.  A good teacher must also be a lover of knowledge; you must be intentional about self development which is what will make you love what you do. A teacher must be a reader but many of them do not know all these things, which means they have no business in the classroom since you cannot give what you don’t have.

Another problem facing the sector is our old way of doing things. We can’t keep doing things the conventional way and expect a different result. Also, greed from a lot of private school owners contributes to the issue. It is strictly business for many of them. I find it unthinkable that an adult who also has children can take children’s lives and future as a business venture where all that is important is just to make money. I find this incomprehensible.

The focus is now mainly on the money for many while the education of the children takes the back seat. Moreover, many parents are ignorant of what quality education is so they can’t demand for good education for their children.

As a young woman, some think you are taking up too much, what will you say about this?

As young woman, this is actually the time to take on a lot because in a couple of years, all this energy won’t be there again. If I don’t do this now, is it when I am old and weak? Even the Bible supports working when you still have strength and remember, even when we were young, we were continuously reminded to make hay while the sun shines.

You also have a school, is it a money-making venture to augment for your other activities that are humanitarian?

For me, founding a school is first about meeting a need which is the education of Nigerian children. It is obvious that there is a wide gap to be filled if you are truly passionate about children’s education. You can’t go to bed and sleep all through the night as a school owner who has a vision. You can’t have a sound sleep because the children’s education which must be quality is what will constantly dominate your mind and which would get you out of bed in the middle of the night. If I wanted to make money, I would have ventured into a different line entirely, one that brings returns without much stress.

Your activities all seem to revolve around children and youth, what is responsible for this?

Indeed my activities revolve around children and youth. This is because I love kids. I am also a feminist who fights for the rights of women However, children related matters come first because they are vulnerable and subject to the decisions of adults who may not understand their needs.

What inspires you?

Reading inspires me a lot. I find myself planted in front of a computer screen for long hours at a time; reading articles online in my quest for knowledge. Listening to good music also inspires me. I do some of my best thinking in the middle of the night in those quiet moments. I sometimes practically “create” an idea in my head before I actually sit down to map out strategies on how to bring it to realization.

What are the challenges you face as a school owner?

One of the challenges is getting some parents to understand that “School is Not School”.  Also, the lack of passionate and intelligent teachers which I spoke about earlier and lack of funds is also a challenge which makes you take on projects gradually.

What do you mean by the term ‘school is not school’?

Simply, it means that the quality of education you get from one school is not the same with what you will get from another. Many parents do not understand this; they think it ends at enrolling a child and going to sleep because it is the same everywhere.

What is your guiding principle?

Simple; my guiding principle in integrity because for me, integrity houses honesty, fairness and compassion.

You didn’t say anything about your family when talking about yourself?

I am a native of Ibonwon in Eredo Local Government Development Area of Lagos state, I am married to an Ekiti man and we have three healthy and intelligent kids.

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