Rev

The Revd. Capt. Philip Adebayo Okunoren is the 28th Principal of the prestigious Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos. The school is the second oldest secondary school in Nigeria which produced the first President of Nigeria, the Rt. Hon. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe; the first Governor of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Mobolaji Johnson; Aremo Olusegun Osoba, the former Governor of Ogun State; Pastor D.K. Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry and Sunday Oliseh, the former Captain of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles and other eminent personalities.

Philip Adebayo Okunoren is at once a combatant soldier, a priest of the Methodist Church Nigeria, an astute administrator and a businessman.

He was born in Lagos on April 13, 1950 to Late Omo-Oba Olanipekun Benneth and Omo-Oba Bolajoko Julianah Okunoren. He had his primary education at the African Church Cathedral Bethel, Lagos from 1956 to 1963. In 1964, he gained admission into Benevolent High School, Lagos where he was briefly. His father was keen on seeing Adebayo enroll at Methodist Boys’ High School, located on Broad Street, Lagos which his two elder brothers, Kunle and Dapo also attended. Since he could not be transferred easily to Methodist Boys’ High School, his father made him sit for another entrance examination into form one. He eventually attended the school from 1965 to 1970. His brilliance began to manifest in form one where he recorded superlative academic performance especially in Music where he remained unbeaten until form three when Yingifa (now a pilot) beat him by just two marks (78 – 76).

His love for music encouraged him to enroll for the Cambridge Music Examination where he scored A1. Till date, this excellent result remains unbroken by any student of the school.

At Methodist Boys’ High School, he was the treasurer of Handsworth’s House and also an active member of the Literary and Debating Society. Shortly after his graduation, he worked as an account clerk at the Nigerian Ports Authority for a year and nine months.

His love for music made him to enrol at the University of Nigeria Nsukka for a Diploma in Music Education and he graduated with a credit. Thereafter, he obtained Second Class Upper Division in Music Education and had his National Youth Service with the Nigeria Police Force School of Music where he affected the lives of the members of his department positively by encouraging them to enroll for the Royal School of Music.

Philip Okunoren joined the Nigeria Army on  March 31, 1979. Before that time, he had developed special interest in the force as a member of the Boys’ Brigade who loved parade music. Not only that, at the University of Nigeria, he met soldiers who were referred to as “gentlemen officers”. This served as a total eye opener for him from the general belief that the Army was meant for the dropouts and never– do–well members of the society. This fuelled his resolve and desire to serve in the Army.

While in the Nigerian Army, he was the Band Master at Headquarters. He pioneered the 82 Division of the Nigeria Army Band Corps and later became the first Assistant Director of 82 Division Band.

In 1983, Okunoren composed the Nigeria Army Day Anthem which was well admired by rank and file of the force.

Before he retired on October 31 ,1991, he served as the Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Music and Director of Music, Nigerian Army Depot, Zaria. During his tenure as a commandant, he always instructed his subordinates to be creative by composing their personal songs.

After his retirement, he establishment Okbay Enterprises and Crown Security Guards Nigeria Limited. This invariably made him a businessman and an employer of labour.

His calling into the ministry started right from his service in the Army. This was however confirmed sixteen and a half years later by the Lord. But before he obeyed the call of God, he argued and gave excuses like Moses and Jeremiah in the Bible. His excuses and pleas were not accepted by God. Incidentally, his first salary as a priest of Methodist Church was N16,680 – a meagre allowance he squandered within two days!

Philip Adebayo Okunoren served at the Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos for eight years where he was a big example to many worshippers of God. He is generally regarded as a priest who preaches the total word of God without mincing words, a preacher of holiness and righteousness just like John Wesley, a charismatic leader who believes absolutely in what God can do rather than following the crowd and a pragmatic priest who believes in individual talents and team spirit of other people.

Even though he was very naughty, quarrelsome, aggressive and wayward as a youth, today, he remains a happy and contented priest serving the ever gracious, ever faithful, ever glorious and loving God.

In October 2012, the Church posted him to Methodist Boys High School as the Principal. This posting did not go well with the congregation at the Tinubu Church because they preferred having their indefatigable, dynamic and spirit–filled man of God in their midst. He however prayed on the issue and the Lord gave him a “go ahead”. He arrived the school officially on the October  4 ,2012.

On January 10, 2013, the management, staff and students of Methodist Boys’ High School commemorated his 100 days in office. During the programme, the Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Sunday Ola Makinde and other archbishops of the church commissioned a lot of projects embarked upon by the retired captain. The projects included the conversion of some of the classrooms to mega classrooms with air–conditioners; foundation laying of a two–storey hostel capable of accommodating 500 students and the foundation laying of the school’s chapel donated by one of the old boys of the school.

Other innovations were the introduction of General Bible Class on Wednesdays, introduction of Readers’ Club, procurement of IPAD for the teaching and non–teaching   staff of the school; enforcement of discipline among the staff and students of the school, construction of a security post that is equipped with intercom facility and CCTV devices and the introduction of “Charity Fund” aimed at teaching the students how to give.

His role as a priest and a principal in Methodist Boys’ High School is to save lives and offer the free salvation of Christ to members of the school’s community. On February 26, 2013, a total number of 79 students who had earlier on given their lives to Christ were baptised at Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos. This was achieved through the effort of the Holy Spirit and The Revd. Philip Adebayo Okunoren.

His vision is to make his alma mater a role model and a mega secondary school to reckon with in and outside Nigeria. As an old boy of the school, his aspiration is to maintain the unique tradition of the school by transmitting it to others not less but greater and better than it was transmitted to him.

He loves playing the billiard and watching good films. He would like to be remembered for his honesty, transparency, humility and obedience to the word of God. His best verse of the Bible is “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flirt and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”( Isa. 50:7.)

His favourite songs are: “I love the man of Galilee”, “What a friend we have in Jesus “, and “To God be the Glory”.

Okunoren has been honoured with several awards and recognitions which include the PSR Development in Nigeria Merit Award and The Grand Award for Productivity in Africa

He is married to Mrs. Helen Olufunmilayo Okunoren (nee Somoye), an employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and they are blessed with four children and two grandchildren.