AYODELE OYEKANMI (MRS.)
School Administrator, Taadel Private School
Ayodele Olufunmilola Oyekanmi was born in Lagos, Nigeria. She completed her early school years in Fiwasaiye Girls School in Akure and graduated with a B.Sc (Hons) degree in Biology Education and a Master of Guidance and Counseling degree from the University of Lagos.
Prior to her career as an educator, Ayodele studied and worked in the medical field as a registered Nurse for six years. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in impacting children made this dramatic change fulfilling. The love for teaching and sharing of knowledge also contributed to her goal of being a good teacher. Today, she has grown into an expert in transforming leaders through learning and development.
In Nigeria, there are some good but very expensive private schools. Ayodele identified the gap in availability of high quality and affordable schools in her immediate community. To her, everyone has a right to quality education that leads to a successful future and ensuring that students feel confident about their abilities to read, write, and solve problems. As a self-driven individual, she sought out to find a solution that would benefit young children yearning for and deserving quality education.
In 1999, Ayodele incorporated Taadel Private School and began a process that led to creating an environment that raises and develops well-rounded children to become problem solvers, impact their generation and become great leaders, at an affordable cost. As Taadel’s leader, her mission is to ensure value creation and remarkable growth in line with the school’s vision through a collaborative effort with the Heads of school and the Board of Governors.
She is an exceptional individual fueled by a passion to develop and innovate ways to make the learning environment active, engaging and more meaningful. This has constantly motivated her into becoming who she is today, leading an important role that is impacting the lives of hundreds of people.
Outside the school, Ayodele is dedicated to her social responsibilities. She offers scholarships to children in need of education and constantly lends her hands to a number of orphanages and charity homes. She is also involved in the training and professional development of elementary educators in support of advancement and growth of the entire teaching profession. Being an active part of this initiative birthed Taadel’s Educational Consult (TEC). TEC organises training, seminars, workshops for teachers and other school owners, focusing on professionalism and school improvements including learning strategies in the 21st century. In addition, she is a member of the Girls’ Guide Organisation and the Association of Private Educators in Nigeria (APEN)
Ayodele has been recognized as a renowned educationist in Lagos state elementary education. In addition, she has led career talks and innovative programmes to foster talent development; one in which she spoke about “Leading with Confidence and Self-worth”. Here, she admonished young graduates and pupils to be expressive, confident, empathic and respectful to others as a demonstration of leadership. She has also been honoured at the local education district as one of the foremost elementary educators in Lagos state.
At Taadel, she oversees the holistic operation of activities, the strategic growth agenda and developing innovative education solutions for pupils with the goal of creating an immersive learning experience for students.
Ayodele embodies an open work environment . She is someone who parents talk to when they have concerns about issues they want to solve, teachers go to when they have challenges and require advice or guidance and pupils reach out to when they are down, confused and in need of clarity, inspiration and encouragement. She is happily married with lovely children and many non-biological children.