Flash: Sheila Solarin, Tai Solarin’s Widow, Dies At 83

Report say Sheila Solarin, wife of the late social critic and educationist, Tai Solarin, is dead. She was 83

Sheila Mary Solarin (nee Tuer) was British but got married to the late Tai Solarin.

Sheila met her husband while both were in the forces following the World War II.

In 1952 they decided to move to his native Nigeria, and both worked in Molusi College Ijebu Igbo

But they disagreed with the politics of the day and religious discrimination in schools, and decided to build their own in a town called Ikenne.

On 27 January 1956, Tai Solarin and his wife founded the first and only secular school in Nigeria, Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State.

Using breeze blocks made from clay they constructed two classrooms, each able to accommodate 36 pupils.The student also helped in construction of more class rooms .

“They had their bunks at the back of the class, and the desks at the front’” said Sheila who has been an English teacher for 50 years. “We didn’t ask anybody what their ethnic background or religion was, we simply wanted to provide an education for all the children in the area.”

Up until her death, Sheila ran Mayflower School on behalf of her late husband Tai Solarin although she officially retired  when she turned 80 passing much of the responsibility on to her children

Sheila and her husband had two children Corin and Tunde Solarin.

She was made an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007

More to follow…..

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