Destiny, discipline and the grace to serve

A review of Olubunmi Olufunke Oni’s Grace and Legacy by OLUMUYIWA OJO. Inkfluence Afromedia House; 137 PP, 2026.

GRACE and Legacy: A Journey of Faith, Service and Purpose by Mrs Olubunmi Olufunke Oni, retired head of service, Oyo State, spans 137 pages neatly divided into 10 chapters across three thematic sections. Each section features a descriptive title that provides a clear guide to the focus of its chapters and their relevance to the author’s life.

Section One is titled ‘Roots: The Emergence of the Child of Destiny’; Section Two is ‘Education and Service Path’; and Section Three is ‘The Woman Behind the Office’. These divisions grant the book a compact, elegant structure that mirrors the disciplined and organised mind of its subject. Moving in a linear pattern, these three sections deliver the life story of Chief Mrs. Olubunmi Olufunke Oni, mni, in a thoroughly fascinating narrative.

The first section, ‘Roots: The Emergence of the Child of Destiny’, comprises three chapters covering the birth, lives, and times of the author’s parents, as well as her own role as the eldest child in a nuclear family—a setting that provided her first laboratory for leadership experience.

The opening chapter situates the author’s arrival into the world on May 31, 1966, at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, within the larger context of historical events in the defunct Western Region, and ultimately, the entire country. The backdrop was the political violence that had gripped the once peaceful and progressive region, turning it into a theatre of arson and carnage known in local parlance as “Operation Wetie.” The fire lit in the Western Region sparked a chain of events that culminated in the coup of January 15, 1966, and the counter-coup of July 29, 1966. It was amidst this national upheaval that the first child of a young, educated couple—Joshua Adedeji Ogunkeyede and Rachael Jolade Ogunkeyede—was born.

The child of destiny was aptly named Olubunmi, Olufunke, Omolara, Ayodele, Ajike. She was a blessed child who soon heralded the birth of four younger siblings. Consequently, rather than being pampered, she was immediately initiated into the responsibilities of the ‘Akobi’ (the firstborn child) in a traditional Yoruba home.

The influence of parental legacy

In the second chapter, ‘My Parents: Instructors of Life and Intercessors for my Destiny’, the author acknowledges the primal role her parents played in shaping her life. Her voice is loud and clear in emphasizing that her ultimate success is directly tethered to the values inculcated by Chief Joshua Adedeji Ogunkeyede and Chief Mrs. Rachael Jolade Ogunkeyede.

Her father was an educationist, administrator, community leader, and respected school principal. At home, he was a builder of lives, a custodian of standards, and a man whose legacy was defined by influence rather than office. Averse to loudness or brute force, his authority emerged naturally from consistency, competence, integrity, and visible self-discipline. Expectedly, he built a home where discipline was normal, excellence was expected, and responsibility was non-negotiable.

In the wider society, he was a deeply committed family man who sacrificed his time and resources for his extended family. As a school principal, he served across various institutions in Southwestern Nigeria, including African Girls Grammar School, Olivet Baptist High School (Oyo), and Hope Grammar School (Ilesa). His enduring philosophies were clear:

Discipline is stronger than talent without effort; Education is a responsibility, not a burden; Truth should be spoken, but with wisdom; Respect is earned through conduct, and Leadership begins with self-government.

These principles undoubtedly influenced the author in every area of her life, as the reader discovers later in the book.

While her father provided the structural framework for the home, her mother, Chief Mrs. Jolade Ogunkeyede, provided the spirit that anchored it. She infused warmth, prayer, endurance, service, emotional intelligence, and moral vigilance into her children. Much like her husband, she was a quiet yet transformative woman. Her faith in God was the cornerstone of the household.

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Firm, clear, and exacting with her children, she was also an educator, teaching at several schools, including Wesley College Practicing School (Elekuro), Sanga Primary School (Ido-Osun), and St. Peter’s Primary School (Esa- Oke). She was a strict disciplinarian, but “her discipline was not rooted in ego or cruelty. It was rooted in care.” Furthermore, she passed down highly practical skills, including cake-baking, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance.

First Lessons in Leadership

These two formidable individuals provided the structured environment from which Olubunmi drew her formative life principles. The home they built, paired with her natural position as the eldest child, served as her first laboratory for leadership lessons. In stepping into this role, she quickly learned that “people can be corrected without being diminished”.

She put this philosophy into practice through her relationships with her younger siblings. Part of her responsibility was to recognize and address challenges confronting them during their formative years. She learned to step up with practical, unobtrusive interventions to correct and redirect them with love. Whether providing academic tutoring in subjects like Mathematics or identifying emerging negative peer influences, her role as the Akobi demanded vigilance, patience, methodical intervention, and deep affection. She profoundly reflects:

“The Akobi is not a title to be worn, but a weight to be carried. It is not a privilege to be displayed, but a responsibility to be lived.”

Ultimately, her childhood home prepared Olubunmi in a matchless way for the heights her future held.

In Section Two, ‘Education and Service Path’, the subsequent chapters trace the author’s trajectory from the classroom to the very pinnacle of the civil service as the Head of Service.

The opening chapter of this section offers a detailed record of her academic journey from elementary school to university. Particularly, her education at the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (1986–1989) exposed her to broader national conversations, ideological debates, political consciousness, and a more sophisticated understanding of society and governance. During this period, she joined like-minded students to form the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ), a prominent political and ideological student group.

Her subsequent postgraduate studies in Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Ibadan further deepened her understanding of governance, institutional management, policy systems, and administrative structures. Unsatiated by these accomplishments, she returned to Obafemi Awolowo University to obtain an additional Master’s degree in Public Administration.

In 2021, she attended the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, for the Senior Executive Course. This apex training exposed her to national strategic thinking, policy formulation, leadership development, and institutional analysis at the highest echelon of governance. Her continuous thirst for knowledge is succinctly captured in her belief that:

“Education is not a destination you arrive at. It is a companion you walk with for life.”

Her primary objective was never to impress observers, but rather to fully equip herself for the weighty responsibilities of leadership and public service.

Career Progression and Proving Grounds

This extensive education was profoundly tested within the civil service of Oyo State over the course of her checkered and distinguished career. Beginning her journey as an Information Officer II, she made a pivotal decision in 1993 to sit for the qualifying examination to transfer into the administrative cadre. This strategic move set her career on an exponential trajectory. She subsequently served across multiple ministries, departments, and agencies within the Oyo State civil service. Her insatiable appetite for knowledge and the diverse skills she accumulated ensured that no intellectual barriers could impede her advancement.

Anchored by her faith in God, rigorous self-discipline, and an unyielding commitment to excellence, she chose to wait for divine providence rather than struggle or lobby for promotions. Indeed, her initial entry into the civil service was facilitated by providence through a friend she met in a postgraduate class. Consequently, she learnt early on that:

“Sometimes, destiny does not arrive loudly. It comes through people, through moments, through decisions that seem small at the time but carry the weight of a lifetime.”

The Crucible of Leadership

The definitive turning point in her career emerged as a rigorous test of her emotional fortitude and administrative expertise. In 2017, she was transferred to the Oyo State Post Primary Schools’ Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) as the Coordinating Director. She was tasked with leading a vital institutional unit that had lapsed into severe disorder, characterised by financial instability, administrative breakdown, and a leadership vacuum triggered by mass retirements.

Recognised as a highly disciplined and competent officer, she was deployed specifically to rectify these systemic issues, earning the full support and confidence of her Head of Service, Mr. Adesoji Eniade, mni. Her approach was not performative or dramatic; instead, it was structural and meticulously calculated. Within a short period, she successfully restored administrative order, rebuilt financial accountability, and re-established institutional confidence.

True leadership reveals its mettle during crises rather than in moments of comfort. In 2019, she was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet and Special Services Department in the Office of the Governor. She approached this new assignment with her signature quiet, purposeful efficiency. Ultimately, to the glory of God, she rose to the apex of her career, becoming the Head of Service in 2023.

While this autobiography reads like a practical manual for personal growth and leadership effectiveness, the author cautions that it should not be treated as a rigid rulebook or a collection of flawless formulas. Instead, she prefers that these lessons be viewed as a “distilled reflection of decades in public service, leadership, institutional reform, personal trials, and sustained learning”. The anecdotes narrated within the text are carefully selected for their direct relevance to themes of personal discipline, diligent preparation, perseverance, selfless public service, and the recognition of divine grace.

Significantly, the work is not a vainglorious exercise in self-justification or a curated public relations effort. Rather, it aligns beautifully with the literary theory of realism, which endows personal narratives with deep believability. The incidents shared by the author portray her in the stark reality of her humanity. Beyond her imposing public profile as the Head of Service, Olubunmi Oni is revealed in her moments of profound vulnerability, pain, anguish, and self-doubt during her protracted period of waiting for a child.

Family, Fortitude, and Motherhood

The author generously invites readers into the inner recesses of her soul as a protective wife and mother. We see her as a devoted spouse waging a relentless battle for justice on behalf of her husband, Engr. Taiwo Oni, who was wrongly dismissed from the civil service. An entire chapter is dedicated to her husband, whom she describes as an invaluable pillar of support, an accomplished engineer, and a meticulous professional whose “reputation is not grounded in mere technical proficiency, but also in diligence, accountability and service” (p. 88).

Their marriage is depicted as a true partnership defined by mutual endurance, shared values, and unwavering faith. This conviction led her into the trenches of a legal battle to restore her husband’s position—a gruelling process that spanned two long years. Furthermore, the family had to wait an additional five agonizing years for the court victory obtained in 2014 to be fully implemented.

This challenging phase revealed a new dimension of the author’s character, shifting the reader’s perception. Up to this point, she had relied primarily on faith, discipline, intellect, and integrity to navigate life’s hurdles. However, this crisis demanded an entirely different kind of fortitude.

Ultimately, the author overcame her greatest personal challenges, culminating in the effusive joy of motherhood. Beyond her stellar achievements in public service and corporate accolades, she triumphantly welcomed a child at a time when many would have relinquished all hope. Making no pretences, she openly confesses how deeply motherhood transformed her:

“Before becoming a mother, I believed I understood sacrifice through public service, demanding schedules, institutional pressures, and professional responsibility. But motherhood introduced a different dimension of sacrifice – one rooted not in duty, but in love.”

A Relatable Model of Leadership

Ultimately, ‘Grace and Legacy’ presents a highly relatable hero to the world. The author’s numerous triumphs are clearly shown to be the hard-earned outcome of years of personal sacrifice, painstaking attention to discipline, and consistent adherence to ethical rules.

The extraordinary heights achieved by Chief Mrs. Olubunmi Olufunke Oni are never framed as unattainable to the average person. Instead, they are presented as a practical, well-lit path that anyone with character, diligence, and faith can successfully follow.

‘Grace and Legacy’ is a well-written autobiography. The narrative style effectively delivers on the promises made in the book’s title. Grace, defined as the favour of God, consistently followed the footsteps of the author. Equally, her actions, decisions, and demeanour were deliberate and designed to leave an enduring legacy. The language is simple and didactic. Part of the author’s style is to draw the attention of the reader to the lessons inherent in every stage of the narration. These lessons are again captured as quotable quotes listed at the end of the book. ‘Grace and Legacy’, therefore, is a book I strongly recommend for every bookshelf. It is a useful navigational tool for every stage of career and family life, and above all, a treasure to cherish.

Dr Ojo is an academic, playwright and leadership consultant.