It was in the year 1945. A stubborn boy was brought to the Very Reverend Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti (1891-1955), then principal of Abeokuta Grammar School for an offense that would warrant the disciplinarian's cane. The boy had been brought from a college in Ile-Ife to Abeokuta to be tutored and trained in academic excellence.
As Kuti raised his cane to beat him, the boy fumed, "You would dare beat a prince, the son of a king?" Kuti was perplexed and at the same time angry. He had never been confronted like that, not in his 27 years as a principal, talk less of his 29-year experience as a teacher and disciplinarian.
What impudence! What effrontery!! What audacity!!!
"Mount him," Kuti barked. As a senior boy mounted him, the boy was still defiant. "You dare beat a future king?" He cursed. But Kuti would have none of that. He feared no one but God. Not even the Alake or any other Oba in Yoruba land.
"Wai, wai, wai, wai, wai, wai," the cane landed on the boy's back. Kuti beat him with so much vigor and strength.
"Feeeeem," he roared, and the weeping boy kept silent at once. The principal warned him double of the punishment just meted out on him if he was caught again. From that day onward, the boy never caused much trouble but Kuti didn't stop beating him. That boy, who was followed and disciplined for being a rascalous prince, turned out to be a graceful King who became the 50th Ooni of Ile-Ife (1980-2015); Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II (1930-2015).
As Kuti raised his cane to beat him, the boy fumed, "You would dare beat a prince, the son of a king?" Kuti was perplexed and at the same time angry. He had never been confronted like that, not in his 27 years as a principal, talk less of his 29-year experience as a teacher and disciplinarian.
What impudence! What effrontery!! What audacity!!!
"Mount him," Kuti barked. As a senior boy mounted him, the boy was still defiant. "You dare beat a future king?" He cursed. But Kuti would have none of that. He feared no one but God. Not even the Alake or any other Oba in Yoruba land.
"Wai, wai, wai, wai, wai, wai," the cane landed on the boy's back. Kuti beat him with so much vigor and strength.
"Feeeeem," he roared, and the weeping boy kept silent at once. The principal warned him double of the punishment just meted out on him if he was caught again. From that day onward, the boy never caused much trouble but Kuti didn't stop beating him. That boy, who was followed and disciplined for being a rascalous prince, turned out to be a graceful King who became the 50th Ooni of Ile-Ife (1980-2015); Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II (1930-2015).