Orangun to Nairobi: Journey to the heart of agenda 2063 — by Adedokun Abolarin

It started not in Nairobi, but in Oke-Ila Orangun.
In 2006, two babies were born in Africa.
One was the Adventist University of Africa, on the beautiful hills of Nairobi — established by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to train leaders for Africa.
The other was a dream in my heart in Oke-Ila Orangun: that the child of the poorest farmer would go to school free, eat free, sleep well, learn coding and farming, learn Yoruba culture and the fear of God, and become a world citizen.

In 2014, that dream became Abolarin College — a free boarding school for the poorest of the poor. No fees. No charges. Just GRACE.
That is where my journey to Nairobi began.

Leg One: The Call to Nairobi

A letter came: “Your Majesty is invited to the UN Conference on Global Sustainable Development in Nairobi, and to interact with the Adventist University of Africa.”
I smiled. My twin brother is calling me.
I left Oke-Ila Orangun with a simple mission: I will not go to Nairobi to speak big English. I will go to show Africa one small proof that Agenda 2063 is possible.

I carried no gold in my bag. I carried pictures of my children across Nigeria — indigent pupils who entered Abolarin and are leaving as graduates, future doctors, teachers, coders, innovators and leaders who will lift this country.

Leg Two: At the UN Conference — The World Listens

The hall in Nairobi was full. Banners: Inclusive Education. Leaving No One Behind. Intergenerational Equity. SDG 4. Agenda 2063.
Experts spoke with charts. When it was my turn, I spoke as a Yoruba traditional ruler, a Seventh-day Adventist layman, lawyer, political scientist, teacher and father.

I said: “Distinguished delegates, you are speaking about Agenda 2063. I live Agenda 2063.” And I showed them Abolarin College:
SDG 1 — No Poverty: We deliberately look for the poorest child.

SDG 2 — Zero Hunger: We feed every child three times daily some from our own farm.

SDG 4 — Quality Education: We teach character. We teach coding and cutlass, computer and culture.

SDG 17 — Partnership: One king cannot do it. We have many partners, and we need more . Yes, we need more.
The hall was quiet. Then applause. From a town in Osun, they saw a model the world has been searching for.

While sitting there, pictures entered my phone , Barakat (Ikirun), Rofiat (Iragbiji) and Opeyemi (Ikirun), recent graduates of the University of Ilorin, in their convocation gowns. I smiled in the middle of the conference and said in my heart: This is Agenda 2063 in real life.
I became a happy father inside a UN Conference.

Leg Three: At AUA — Meeting My Twin
After the UN, I went home — to Adventist University of Africa (AUA).

AUA was born in January 2006. I became Orangun of Oke-Ila in 2006. Twins.
I was received by my son and brother, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo — erudite scholar, immediate past Vice Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, and a man of faith — and his management team.
It was an unforgettable interactive session. I did not meet strangers. I met family — people who believe true education is the harmonious development of the physical, mental and spiritual, as Ellen G. White taught us.
I told Prof. Tayo: “We have built the secondary school. You are building the university. Let us join hands. Let AUA adopt Oke-Ila Orangun as a laboratory for Agenda 2063. Let your students come and teach. Let your researchers document what God is doing with poor children in Oke-Ila Orangun. Let us prove Africa does not need to import its future. We can educate it.”
He understood. We prayed. We discussed partnership — student missionaries, teacher exchange, research on indigent education, and AUA support for our agriculture programme.
At that moment, I knew the journey that started in Oke-Ila Orangun had found its academic home in Nairobi.

Leg Four: Back Home — The Message

I am now back in my palace. My beads are back on my neck. The drums of Oke-Ila Orangun have welcomed me.
But I returned with fire:
From Nairobi, I learned the world is waiting for African solutions.
From AUA, I learned my little dream of 2006 is now a continental testimony.
From Barakat, Aminat, Opeyemi and Rofiat, I learned a father’s joy is deeper than any UN resolution.
So I tell our elite, our people, my Nigeria:
We are not just running a school in Oke-Ila Orangun.
We are massively investing in the greatness of Nigeria. We are massively investing in Agenda 2063. We are showing that a traditional ruler who loves education can change a generation.

My journey is a circle: Oke-Ila to Nairobi, Nairobi to Oke-Ila.
What I took to Nairobi was Oke-Ila Orangun.
What I brought back from Nairobi is the world, to Oke-Ila Orangun.

–HRM Abolarin is the Orangun of Oke-Ila