PROFESSOR Mercy Ogunsola Bamidele was born in Minna, now in Niger State, northern Nigeria, on the 25th of March, 1957, to the family of Professor Albert and Victoria Ogunsola.

She was really fortunate to be born into a family where her father is a professor and her mother holds a masters degree. Having educated parents made her journey into education and life very smooth. She started her primary education in Kano, at the Holy Trinity School.

After that, she went to Queen’s School, Ilorin for her secondary education, from 1970 to 1974. Five years later, she was at the Advanced Teachers’ College, Zaria for her National Certificate of Education (NCE), which she obtained in 1977. From the Advanced Teachers’ College, she went to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where she spent close to ten years 1978 – 1987, studying for her Bachelors degree, Masters degree and Ph.D, majoring in Curriculum and Instruction in Science Education. Within this period, she took time off, between 1991 and 1992, to go to the Indiana State University , Terre Haute, USA, for a Post-Doctoral study. To cap her intellectual pursuit in Science Education, Professor Mercy Ogunsola Bamidele received an award of Doctor of Science, Chemistry, in the United Kingdom, in 2002.

As if to prove that in education, the difference between science and arts is purely artificial, she undertook a study of Law (part time) at the ABU, from 1992 to 2001, graduating with an LLB Degree. She, thereafter, went to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was subsequently called to the Bar as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In October 2005, she was certified as a Justice of Peace with a Certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution from the Miltidoor Court House, Federal High Court Lagos. Armed with intimidating credentials, she rose to the pinnacle and it is also gratifying to note that she spends her time promoting education and learning, both in the classroom and outside within the larger society.

Before coming to Adamawa State University, Mubi, in 2006, she was an Associate Professor and Acting Dean, School of Education, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). She is a Visiting Professor to many universities, including the Amstead University, British Island, Indiana State, USA, in the Department of Secondary Education and Industrial Technology Education. She is also an External Supervisor and Examiner for masters and Ph.D to universities in Nigeria, South Africa , Europe and the United States of America. A renowned educationist and acknowledged Gender Specialist, Professor Mercy Ogunsola Bamidele is a Consultant to the UNESCO  (the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation), the World Bank and several African regional development agencies.

She has served on the accreditation panels of both the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education.

A prolific writer and avid researcher, she has a total of 96 research papers published or presented at international and local conferences. An accomplished woman, (Mrs.) Mercy Ogunsola Bamidele who has received several honours and awards and listed in the 18th Edition of Marquis’s Who is Who in the World, since 2006 speaks on her formative years:

My parents
My dad, Professor of Education, Albert Ogunsola, is a disciplinarian and I am one out of six children. The type of discipline our parents gave us made us to be focused in life. It made us to know the importance of education, to know the importance of being good, the importance of living an upright life. They are good Christians and they taught us the way of God. My Dad was my mentor; he saw the talent in me and encouraged me that I could do things better each time I was discouraged.

He made me realise there is always room for improvement. Dad was a headmaster at Minna, in a Baptist school, by the time I was born and he later came to Zaria, where we all grew up. He rose to become the Deputy Vice Chancellor at ABU and he was there all through as my mentor while I had my degrees. Mum was also there teaching at the Ahmadu Bello University College of Agriculture. She read Home Economics in the United States of America. So, we were always under their umbrella and I think this protection really helped us to face life squarely.

Students’ exchange programme
My secondary school life was at Queen’s School, Ilorin, was interesting but, intially, I found it difficult to mix with the students who came from the South, while those from there also did not mix freely with those of us raised in the North. That changed later and before then, succour came in the form of northern students who came to the school on exchange programme.

Father’s tough decision
I started my undergraduate life in 1978. I read Science Education, with specialization in Chemistry. Now, let me take you a step backward, when I finished my School Certificate Examination in Queen’s School, Ilorin, the principal, staff members and others felt I was a candidate for Medicine because I was so good in the sciences, I did so well in my mock exams.

Unfortunately, however, when the WASC results came out, I did not make all the necessary credits to qualify for Medicine. Before then, I had entered the School of Basic Studies in ABU.

My father was then the chief executive of the school and when I did not make the necessary credits, I thought he would just give a note to say, ‘my daughter will re-write the WASC,’ so that I can continue at the School of Basic Studies. But, the moment he saw my WASC result, he said, “you are withdrawing from the School of Basic Studies today, you are moving to the Advanced Teachers’ College.” He was a tough disciplinarian; he would not compromise merit, he would not go begging.

He said, “you are not good enough for this but you will be good for the Advanced Teachers’ College.”

I wept, but God had a plan
I got to the Advanced Teachers’ College, ABU, weeping, but I later found out that God actually did not want me to study Medicine. At the Advanced Teachers’ College, I made the best out of it and I made excellent grades. When I finished from there, I immediately went back again for my Bachelors Degree at ABU, in Science Education and Chemistry. When I finished, the same year, I continued with my Masters Degree. It would be interesting to note that at the time I was finishing my masters, despite the fact that I went through the long route of the Advanced Teachers’ College, I still graduated with some of my mates at the School of Basic Studies.

This is to show children that they should never be discouraged. There are ups and downs in life. It’s not how many times you have fallen that matters, but how many times you were able to pick up. I was lucky to have my parents there who said, “look, you have fallen, but you can move to another thing and keep moving.” I think that has really helped me.

Role model
I told you earlier, my dad is my role model. Professor Okebukola, the former secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) happens to be my role model too. Each time I see him, I just admire him.

Philosophy
To make the best out of life; no matter the hurdles, I keep pushing ahead.