I will start by appreciating God for the faithfulness of His word. Indeed, His words do not return to Him void. He said in His word, Habakkuk 23 “for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely com, it will not tarry”. This word has found practical fulfillment in our lives going by what we are witnessing today. The vision is speaking indeed. Actually, the vision was my husband’s when we met in 1978, he told me specifically that God gave him a vision to run a family-school, whereby the wife will be running the school and he will join her after retirement from wherever he would be working. He was then an accountancy student at the Polytechnic, Ibadan. He now said, as a follow up to this vision his wife would have to be a professional teacher. I was then a final year student at Ibadan city Academy.

However, there was a commotion after I finished my secondary school education. My father wanted me to read Mass Communication at the Polytechnic, Ibadan and my mum was interested in my studying General Nursing at Wesley guild, Ilesha because I had admission in the two institutions and the poor guy had no control over me yet. He told me to let us leave it for God to handle.

When I realized his stand, he was not ready to compromise his vision; I decided to dance to his tune and played my way out of the other two professions. I therefore went to the then Lagos College of Education Oto-Ijanikin, Lagos as one of the pioneer students. We started at Onitolo, Surulere before moving to the permanent site at Ijanikin, Badagry road.

Though it was our intention to start the school in a big way but God, the giver of the vision gave us a humble beginning as we started from our sitting room while we were still living in the house. The reason for this is another long story but to God only be the glory!

When God put a sudden stop to daddy’s lucrative job in the bank in December 2002, we had just let out our 4-bedroom flat at a Medium Hosing Estate at Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos four months earlier and obtained 2 years rent. There was nowhere we could lay our heads if we should return to Lagos. We then decided to stay in Ibadan “for a while” that later became this long. To him be the glory. However, in August 2004, God asked us to organize an holiday programme. We thought it was just to create fun for the children during the holidays, hence we tagged it “Holiday Fun” then. But after the programme, parents of  nine (9) pupils determined not to return their children to their schools and advised us to start a school. God now said “Accept them and start from where you are”.

We reluctantly submitted to His voice as part of God’s plan to humble us for all the glory to be His. Thus, GreatMinds School started with nine (9) pupils on Monday 13^th September, 2004.

On the first day, our spiritural mother Pastor (Mrs) Abiodun Afolabi, the wife of Bishop Mike Afolabi of Winners’ Chapel, Basorun, Ibadan then, was here to lay the foundation of the school’s take-off with powerful prayer for God’s protection and favour. This is what we have been enjoying since.

We then started processing the approval for Nursery School from the Ministry of Education and later the upgrading to primary school which we receive at heaven’s speed.

There was a lot of pressure from people, especially the parents of our pupils that we should start primary classes so that they can bring their senior ones but the instruction from God is for us to grow gradually. “Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” Job 87. He is god of little by little.

Today, we can all see the faithfulness of god upon the school, pupils, teachers and parents-GreatMinds family. What guarantees our assurance that God will take us to where He has promised is where we are today,  seeing where we were yesterday. When God identifies with your labour, you receive favour indeed.

God said He is going to raise extra-ordinary children with GreatMinds after the order of His Son, Jesus, 2 Cor. 216. Thus the school was named “GREATMINDS SCHOOL”. He said they shall be children with whom nothing shall be impossible, nothing shall be impossible, nothing shall be hard for them and they shall be raised for great accomplishments in life. Hence she slogan “GREATMINDS, I CAN DO IT!”

Today, our first set of finalist is being released as eagles into their destinies. Though they are six in number, they all got admission into all the secondary schools they attempted, including the tough Faith Academy, Ibadan. All the pupils who obtained Faith Academy forms were successful in the first batch released. Who said we should not be thankful to God?

We give thanks to God for where we started, we worship Him for where we are and praise Him for where He is taking us to.

GreatMinds. I can do it! To God be the Glory

MRS. IYANUOLUWA B. OLUWASAKIN

Ph.D (Early Childhood Education).