EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
AND IN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP:
MR. JOHN ADISA
A GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT
MAKING LIFE FULLY
ALL ABOUT JESUS
Proverbs 4:25-27 ESV
Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.
THE GODLY KEEP THEIR FEET STRAIGHT ON THE PATH
The godly keep their feet straight
on the path laid out before them
whether its way leads beside
a pleasant stream in
the midst of a fresh green
meadow filled with lovely
flowers or through a rocky,
dried up field cluttered
with nothing but cracks and
crevices and challenges.
God’s own faithful people
keep Him in mind both when
their trek seems simple and
when every step seems
painful and difficult—and
in the end they leave a trail
honorable to a destination
so beautiful every single
challenge along the way
proves it perfectly beautiful.
Praise God! I have had the privilege of serving under very fine Christlike leaders—who made my paths along the way essentially good and certainly beneficial in following the ways of God. In my very first job I worked for Mr. Gurley who ran a small grocery store just across the street from our church. He definitely kept to the pathway of integrity even as he and his family worked hard to provide through his modest business a good living. Then I worked for the visionary Marsha Eichenberg in our Baptist Association’s Summer Mission Program. In my first teaching job I had the privilege of serving under another faithful, godly man, Mr. Bill Owens. Next, I had the honor of serving in our Etowah Baptist office, being supervised by Rev. George Y. Williams as our Associational Missionary. Then I was off to south Georgia once again, coming under the leadership of Principal Charles Estes in St. Marys. While teaching there I also served under Rev. John Goad as one of the youth directors at the First Baptist Church. When I began teaching at Baptist High School in Jos, Nigeria, I taught under the supervision of our Principal, Rev. Dr. Musa Bawa and our Vice-Principal, Mr. John Adisa, the well-deserving subject of this post. At Hillcrest School, also in Jos, I became the Secondary School Principal under our Superintendent, Mr. Dick Seinan. When we moved to Niger, I again worked as the Secondary School Principal under our Director, Mr. Brian Bliss and under Miss Beverly Farrer, now Mrs. Beverly Bean. Finally, I taught at Westbrook Christian School, under Mrs. Cindy Greer and Mrs. Rachel Neal. I can truly say, each of these leaders became mentors and examples used by the Lord to open up His Good Way for me.
I have chosen to write about Mr. John Adisa, the Vice-Principal at Baptist High School, Jos, because he truly exemplified and taught me the lessons of hard work and integrity in leadership. When I arrived at Baptist High School in Jos, he had already spent many years as a chemistry teacher and then, as Vice-Principal. He had been born in April of 1934 in the Manguna area of Bokkos in Plateau State. He attended primary school in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, and the Boys Secondary School in Gindiri, back in Plateau State. He also completed studies at the Teachers Training College in Gindiri, after which he began teaching at the Boys Secondary School in Gindiri before moving to Kwai Girls Secondary School back in Kaduna State, where he taught chemistry, physics, biology and additional (or advanced) mathematics. At that school he developed a love for photography, and so became the school photographer. He earned his B.Sc at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria in 1980, and then his Master’s at the University of Jos.
In the meantime he met his future wife, Monilola , while she was completing her nurses training at the Wesley Guild School of Nursing and Midwifery. They were married on April 27, 1967. Then they moved to Jos where Mr. Adisa went to work at Baptist High School in 1974. He began his work under Mr. Sambo, the first Nigerian Principal, and continued his service under Rev. Dr. Musa Baka. While his first job assignment was as the chemistry teacher, he faithfully served in many roles, as an academic adviser, as a chapel preacher, and certainly as a Christian mentor to many Baptist High School teachers. I certainly count myself as one of those teachers blessed to have had him as a role model.
Mr. and Mrs. Adisa were blessed
with four girls and one boy,
and their house was always filled with
the joy and laughter of these,
along with beloved
nieces and nephews also.
He was always recognized for his devoted and loving family life as fine Christian husband and father. The staff house where they lived on the BHS campus was typically full, overflowing with family and friends and enjoyable activities. He lived as a highly principled and disciplined man, who clearly spoke out in the face of any questionable activities. This sometimes led to a misunderstanding of his personality, which not only remained constant and disciplined, but also featured a heart filled with compassion. He was quick to offer comfort and help and support as students and other staff members met various challenges.
Now, Mr. Adisa, an extremely hard worker himself, had high expectations for other teachers, and certainly his students. Some students, as they will, complained about his being overly tough and thorough in his teaching. Many of them came back later and paid tribute to him for “pushing” them to success. In the midst of the challenges he faced at Baptist High School, he faithfully worked through them, pointing to God’s own faithfulness. Having proved his excellence in teaching and in working among other teachers, he was appointed as Vice-Principal.
Mr. Adisa helped to establish
a heritage of excellence in
chemistry student’s performance
at Baptist High School.
I had the privilege of leading his son, Akin, in a small discipleship group. Akin always impressed me with his intelligence, his desire for Christian growth, his delight in our times of fun and fellowship, and in his sincere desire to become a godly man. He reflected in every way the very best of his father’s heart for God, his loving respect for other people, and in his determination to do the right thing in the face of every challenge. For me Akin always exemplified the goodness of his godly father.
When time came for him to finish his service at Baptist High School, Mr. Adisa was certainly recognized for his godliness, his hard work, his excellent teaching, and his faithfulness to God’s Way over the world’s way. There is no doubt that he accomplished God’s Purpose for him as he gave a lifetime of service to countless students and their families through his teaching, his mentoring and leading students and teachers in the Way of his Lord Jesus. Mr Adisa truly made his life a powerful influence for good. He demonstrated clearly how to make life ALL ABOUT JESUS.
How blessed we are
to walk in the footsteps
of godly educators
like John Adisa.
