The passing of Sir (Emeritus Prof) David A. IJALAIYE, LLB, LLM, JSD., represents the Exit of a Legal Icon, Community and Church Leader.

I had various Owo Community assignments to come close an relate to him in his capacity as an Iconic Community personality.
I spent days sieving through the big booklet of his impressive CV a couple of times to prepare Citations on him!
He was One of the limited few Indigenes of Owo to be Honoured with the Owo Merit Award (OMA) by The Owo Kingdom Advisory Council on behalf of the past Olowo of Owo, HRM Oba Dr DVF Olateru-Olagbegi, III, CFR.

First set of Imade College, Owo (1946-1952) and member of the College First Football Team.
Awarded the Great IMADEAN, Highest Honour to an Old Student of Imade 2005.

He received the Highest Award of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Knight of John Wesley. KJW.

He was Co Chairman, Board of Trustees, Achievers University, Owo.

Although Prof Ijalaiye did not really have the luxury of time to accept being National President of the Old Students of his dear Alma Mater IMACOSA in his busy early years, he nevertheless provided his late wife Lady Eunice Adejoke the necessary support to be the President and rallying point of the effective Wives Wing of the Old Students. (IMACOSWA) for years operating from Ile Ife.

May his great soul rest in peace.

My brotherly condolences and congratulations to Barr. Niyi Ijalaye, and your siblings for surviving your great parents.

Sir Prof Oladapo Olawoye KJW
Past President, Imade College Old Student’s Association, (2004-2009)
and Past Member of Governing Council, AU
Owo

The first set of eighteen students and their two teachers sertled dowa lo the ploneering job of work and study. They had to maka their environment (which, in reality, was no batter than a jungle) conduaive to sarning. There ware no boarders in the first two yaars, as the buildings were not ready. The students were made to clear bushes, fell trees and remove ant-hills. They had to cut paths and lanes and to plant flowers for the beautification of thelr surroundings. They also had to prepare a fiald for sports and games.

In the ciassroom, subjects such as Mathernatics, Latin, History,Gengroohy Rellginus Knowiledge.Rural Sclence,sto, were taught. Even though he was not a graduate, Mr. M.B. Lapite was an invaluable asset.Dne cf the foundation sludents described him as followrsi

“Mr. M.B. Lapite was a yeteran school master. He was a n of vorsadlity, axcellent in the teaching of almost ali secondary school subjects. Among the subjects thught by hiin were English Language, English, Literature, latin,History, Geography, Botany,Yoruba, Music, Agriculture, all branches of Mathematics and Sports. He was also an organist. He was the type of teacher required for starting a college.”1

Ar E.C.O. llogu, on his part, was ranowned for the mors!aducation he gave the students. Every Friday, before the students left for the weekand, he used to hand down the “Moral for the Week” which stuidents had to commit to memory and recite to him before they were admitted to his classes the following Monday. A foundation student recalled that anybody who failed to recite the weekly passage was asked tc mat grass bn the football field or to remove antuils. Two of such “aare quoted hare – under.

(1)    “God will not seek thy race,Nor will He ask of thy Birth,

·alone He will demand of thee,

what thou has done on earth

‘Olowofels, G.A.”The background History of Imade Collage, Owo”.A paper by the First Senior Prefect, 21/1/82.

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