The retired Director of Naval Education puns on his initials. Quite appropriately too, for Commodore Sunny Emmanuel Akintomide (SEA) Olamilokun, an Ijesha man, born in Ilofa, Kwara State, it has indeed been quite a journey from the hinterland to the coast. MARY OGEDENGBE examines his odyssey
Commodore Sunny Emmanuel Akintomide
His background and upbringing is pan-Nigerian. Born in Kwara State of Ijesha extraction, Sunny Olamilokun was educated at the venerable Ilesha Grammar School which was top notch at the time, after which he attended the University of Lagos (UNILAG). During the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), he served in the old Bendel State.
The journey to the coast arose out of admiration for the uniform. Attending a convocation at UNILAG, he was smitten as an impressionable young man when he observed a naval officer in the compound. It was a sea change (pun intended). It gave him the motivational direction; after all, he had always loved a uniform.
Anyway, he had always loved the disciplined forces. Way back in the mid-1960s, he had tried his hand at the Nigerian Military School (NMS) in Zaria. Unfortunately, because of the Nigerian civil war, his father quickly withdrew him. Not surprisingly, when he had the opportunity, he joined the Navy.
Acceptance of a disciplined lifestyle came naturally. The environment induced it. His now deceased father was a pastor. Quite naturally, the cleric imparted discipline and moral uprightness in his children. Accepting the disciplined environment of the Navy, therefore, did not require a transition at all. Fast forwarding events in view of the contemporary debate, he is still very much in tune with esprit de corps.
He believes that despite the perception relating to, for example, issues such as oil theft and operational inadequacy, the Nigerian Navy still holds its own. In his view, the inability of the Naval Institute of Nigeria to take off has been detrimental to the Navy’s overall development, and clearly regrettable. Nevertheless, he is of the firm opinion that the “Nigerian Navy has the capability, in terms of human capacity, ships, platforms and establishments, to cope with the challenges we are facing now…”
Nevertheless, the issue of oil theft cannot be wished away. For a start, the economic cost is massive. The area to be policed is vast, he admits, and the issue of funding will always be contentious. Very sensibly, he believes that all stakeholders, including the oil companies, have to be mobilised. It cannot be left to the federal government alone.
The Navy will, of course, always be consequential. It is a key factor in what should by now have developed into a major sea-faring nation.
Versatile SEA Olamilokun has since retired and developed his interest in other diverse areas. For a start, he has literary skills. After retirement and a short break, he started writing. He is also very much into information and communication technology (ICT). He has developed a synergy here.
His writing has been concentrated in the area of ICT. His output includes stimulating computer awareness and ICT for beginners for junior secondary schools. He is also putting together two other volumes. Writing for and supporting educational institutions take up a lot of his time.
The ICT company he is involved in is a full-service interactive agency, which aims to help its clients with IT solutions, started with a digital strategy that evolved into a complete solution involving creativity, technology and marketing. The synergy is induced by working with small to medium-sized businesses, as well as leading brands to create comprehensive and result-driven online marketing campaigns.
The technology offerings of the company, Granaffairs, range from e-commerce and content management, systems to social networking platforms. It also gives companies a framework within which to drive their businesses to achieve and maintain a high rate of return on their investments, as well as sustainable growth.
The IT buff is very proud of the holistic, interactive solutions-integrating brand identity and solutions that take services from conceptualisation to the final product stage. The solutions, he stresses, marry creativity and technology seamlessly.
In the arena of IT and education, he gives great kudos to the governor of his home state, Osun, Rauf Aregbesola. Although, he is resolutely disinterested in politics, he gives the Osun State helmsman, Aregbesola, great kudos for his Opo Imo (knowledge tablet) initiative.
He believes that the initiative is crucial for the future. His observation at length is that it is a positive development. Delighted that it is a positive development, he is happy that it is happening in his generation.
Again, that the development is coming out of his own state is, for him, a treat.
“When Ipads started coming, you know, it was like it is going to be limited to overseas countries, and we won’t have it here. But seeing the Opo Imo and seeing the software already embedded in it, I need to give credit to whoever designed it.
“There are challenges that come with that kind of thing. The greatest challenge that I think that system may face is continuity. And when I talk about continuity, producing software, that is e-books for ipads, is not something that is going to be easy. First, before thinking about e-book, you first think about the book. So, the conversion of book to e-book may not be very easy.”
He contends that if people are updating their knowledge, innovations are considered.
“Like I said, I review my books. As soon as you are reviewing your book, you must always be changing it to the e-books version. But honestly thinking, the governor has taken a bold step and I am thinking it should be partnered with; in such a way that the nation can borrow a leaf from that, because that is the direction of education now – online. I was reading that OAU has started its own online version. With online version, you really don’t have to leave the four walls of your room to go and learn; you can also make use of the e-books, and then it will be alright for you. Your tests are also done using the same style.”
Olamilokun started off with teaching. He was a junior teacher at Ebenezer Grammar School, Ilesha. He enjoyed the experience – when he was a young man – pre-dating the Navy days. At the time, he taught people he was barely senior to. This lasted for two years. Decades on, the passion is still very much there.
The educational institution he is now involved in started accidentally. The idea actually came from his wife. Actually, after retirement, he had wanted to concentrate on writing books. Nevertheless, the school came along and he has characteristically immersed himself in it. At the moment, the institution is still a nursery and primary school. They will take it up from there.
If everything goes along as planned, the retired naval officer will extend it to his hometown and build a modern school there. For him, quality counts; so everything has to be done meticulously.
