By Patrick Ochei
January 13, 2022, was that memorable day Deaconess (Mrs.) Olutayo Samuel, Deputy Director, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), bowed out of the civil service having meritoriously and patriotically served her fatherland Nigeria for 35 good years. In solidarity with her for accomplishing such feat, the NYSC family, friends and well wishers decided to honour her on February 3, 2022, to welcome her into the forum of senior citizens.
The city of Oshogbo in Osun State was agog on this 3rd day of February as staff and corps members of NYSC, family, church members, friends and well wishers from all walks of life gathered at the Adebinpe Events Centre inside Halatria Hotel and Suites, Omo-West area of Oshogbo to honour a woman who passionately served her country and retired strong and energetic for more services going forward. It was a day that will remain indelible in the memory of guests that graced the occasion.
Olutayo Samuel, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, enlisted into the Federal Ministry of Education with a Bachelor’s Degree in Yoruba Language immediately after her youth service in 1986. After a few years working with the Ministry of Education, she transfered her career to NYSC where she has since risen from different cadre until her retirement.
Samuel was the State Coordinator, Delta State, up until late 2021 before she was transfered to North Central Area Office in Niger State where she eventually retired as Head of Operations.
Even though according to her retirement testimony of how she faced several challenges in the course of her tour of duty, she remained a strong woman who built relationships along the way. She said three times, detractors in opposition to her stance on Diligence, Transparency and Accountability had wanted her dismissed from Service, just because of her imminent refusal to play ball.
At the earlier stages, she was sorrowful and heart-broken. She couldn’t fathom why a vibrant, dedicated and zealous young career civil servant like her should face so much distress in a bid to diligently and honestly serve her Nation. However, the Word of God kept building strong faith in her and she continued to conquer every obstacle that came her way. The last straw that almost broke the camel’s back was the fire incident that gutted the NYSC Secretariat in Delta State which became a well orchestrated sabotage to bring her down and render all her years of achievements irrelevant. It could have been worse but God took control and she was transfered from Delta State to Niger State just few months to her retirement.
Her words, “I am overwhelmed that in spite of all the challenges I faced, I was eventually celebrated. I never knew I could ever be celebrated, because my detractors never wanted me to reap the benefits of my hardwork and achievements. My God has eventually proved pundits wrong and I can see that nothing matters more than good friends indeed. The Word of God was my comfort and it kept me going during these challenging moments. I thank God for His mercy and grace for seeing me through my retirement a happier and more joyous woman.”
The event tagged “Olutayo Samuel Retires” couldn’t have commenced on such an auspicious day without first taking and giving the Thanks to God. Of course, the celebrant’s Spiritual Father and head of the Church of Faith a.k.a Winners Chapel in Oshogbo, Pastor Michael Olusola was in the building to inform Christians never to run away from challenges along the journeys of life. Again, he said there is no retirement for a child of God, insisting that until our last day on earth, we all have a duty to continue to work in fulfillment of God’s purpose for mankind.
He titled his message “Moving From Retirement To Refirement”, using the life of an Eagle to draw inferences, analogies and illustrations to a child of God.
Pastor Olusola said, Eagles when old, do not think of dying but go on retreat to remove the old wings and wait for new ones to grow. That period is a period of rejuvenation and gathering of more strength to resume the task of life afresh and stronger.
He said, “Abraham at 185 was still working. Moses at 40 retired to change gear, and at 80 he retired again but never tired; he continued to work until he eventually died at 120. Those were replica of the Eagle as recorded in the bible.”
He however, inferred that some were not Eagles, yet they borrowed the principles of an Eagle to refire. He gave example of Tina Turner as one of them.
In a more familiar terrain like Nigeria, Pastor Olusola indicated that Eagles like Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye who continues to wax very strong at 79 and Rev. William Folorunso Kumuyi who has remained phenomenal in doing the work of God at 85 are worthy of emulation.
According to him as he establishes the focus of his message, “The kingdom we belong, we don’t retire, instead we refire. We are on Refirement not Retirement. We have too much assignment to accomplish on earth; and so there is no room for retirement, we can only refire.
“We are here to celebrate because of our colleague, our friend and our family, Mrs. Olutayo Samuel who has meritoriously put in 35 years in the service of her fatherland and is refiring from today. We are happy for her and so have come from different parts of the country to felicitate with her as customary of persons who have achieved the type of feat she recorded in a tasking organisation as the NYSC.
“However, she is on refirement not retirement. This is the time to take up more tasks and assignments in the house of God going forward. There is no vacuum and there is no time to waste. We have a purpose on earth, we are running a race that we must not get tired.
“As your father, I pray God to endow you with more strength, more grace and more grounds to break. Congratulations on your Refirement”, Pastor Michael Olusola declared.
In her Keynote address, the retired NYSC Director for South West Area Office, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Akin Moses welcomed Mrs. Olutayo Samuel into the elders club of retired senior members of the NYSC.
She gave glory to God for His grace upon Mrs. Samuel to have served her country for 35 unbroken years.
The Director described Samuel as a wonderful woman who rendered quality service to the Nation through NYSC and gave a good account of herself, adding that she came, she saw and she conquered as a hardworking, diligent and selfless Nigerian.
In her goodwill message to Mrs. Olutayo Samuel, the NYSC Coordinator, Osun State, Mrs. Winifred Ngozi Shokpeka said, a bulldozer and a workaholic has bowed out of the NYSC, leaving the Scheme in vacuum of her type. She averred that there may never be anyone so brave, so energetic and resilient enough to step into Olutayo Samuel’s shoes.
The Coordinator wished her long standing friend well in her future endeavour, urging Nigeria to still leverage on Olutayo Samuel’s doggedness and ingenuity for the drastic changes it earnestly desires for the country.
It was indeed a day to remember. Different performances were staged by the NYSC cultural and dance troupes including a magnetic dance group from Abeokuta. There were also lots of goodwill messages from people who testified to the goodness of Mrs. Olutayo Samuel who is inclined to quality relationships.