Modupe Oluwayomi Nubi was born on Wednesday, 9th October 1940 to Chief Zaccheus Mobolaji Nubi and Madam Ruth Oluwaseyi Nubi
EDUCATION – EARLY SCHOOLING
He started his elementary education in January 1947 in Ondo state. His mother, being a nurse, was transferred from one town to another for her work so he had to change schools in accordance with his mother’s various transfers.
Thanks to the love and superlative teaching skill of his two older sisters who would spend long hours with him, after school, to teach him the English Alphabet. These two noble ladies remained indelible in daddy’s psyche as the architects of his intellectual instinct. In standard five, instead of six, he completed his primary education in 1955. He took up employment as a clerk throughout 1956.
POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION
For his secondary education, he went to his father’s alma mater, Ijebu-Ode Grammar school where he passed his West African School Certificate examination in flying colours – in the sciences and arts.
Daddy wanted to become a lawyer. That remained the cornerstone of his ambition. In preparation for University education, he enrolled for private correspondence studies with Rapid results college, London SW19, while he was employed as a third class officer with the Board of customs, (1963 -1965). By January 1965, he passed the University of London GCE advanced level in Economics, History and British constitution.
SEARCHING FOR THE GOLDEN FLEECE
On 7th April 1965, Daddy boarded the ship, S S TARKWA, and sailed to the United Kingdom for further studies, arriving the Port of Liverpool on 23rd April 1965. He was armed with the Cambridge School Certificate, £125 (i.e. two hundred and fifty naira) and a determination that, ‘once there is a will, there is a way’.
Largely, a self-made man, dad had to work throughout to fund his education. He attended different polytechnics in the UK; Manchester college of Further Education, North East London Polytechnic, City of London Polytechnic, Wednesbury College of Technology and London School of Accountancy. He qualified as a Certified Accountant in 1975.
He immediately started work with Peat, Marwick, Casselton-Elliot & Co (Chartered Accountants); he left them in July 1980 to become the Chief Accountant/Company Secretary of Gold and Base Metal Mine Nigeria Ltd, in Jos Plateau state up till 1988. He then moved down south and took up employment with Ondo State Polytechnic, as Senior Lecturer in Accounting (1989-1992). In 1993, he was persuaded to jettison academics by the proprietors of Okhebo Farm Industries Ltd, Edo State, becoming their Financial Controller (1993 -1995).
He returned to Lagos in 1995, to become the pioneer General Manager of THISDAY Newspapers (1995-1998). He later joined Folio Communications Ltd, in 1998 as General Manager (Finance/Admin), leaving their service in December 2008. In the last few years since he retired in 2008, Daddy engaged in small business consultancy projects, advising on incorporation, feasibility studies and taxation planning.
CAUSES
Dad had an insatiable appetite for learning. He had over a thousand books ( yes we counted) in his personal library with books across so many different disciplines that he read. He called himself a lifelong student.
It was that passion for education and learning that made him such a compassionate advocate for young people with limited opportunities. He sponsored and supported hundreds of young people in their education and vocation – often out of the very little he had.
FAMILY LIFE
Daddy was happily married to his beautiful wife, Caroline Rantiola Nubi. He suffered the devastating loss of his first two sons on 22nd October 1980 in a car accident. He was a dedicated father to his children and was much loved for his humility, gentleness, and integrity. He was a core member of his local church, offering career and vocational advice as well as debt advice to people who needed his help.
PASSING ON TO GLORY
Daddy passed away at 7.21pm on Thursday 31st of October in the United Kingdom after a very brief illness. He was 73 but for us it felt like he was gone too soon. Even in the last days, he remained thankful and wanted us to bring books to be read to him. One could say he was a man who truly died empty – having given all of himself and holding nothing back.
His adult children have created this foundation in honour of his life so we can carry on doing that which he loved the most – creating access and opportunities for those whose life would be completely different without it.
