Chronicle Summer 2024

41 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

John Adedoyin OSE By Chris Jones OSE, Chair of Governors

Like any board, a Governing Body will not be much use if it is composed only of people who think the same way. The only thing board members must unquestionably have in common is belief in the institution which they oversee. After that, a diversity of ways of seeing things will always benefit board debate and improve decisions. I was introduced to John Adedoyin by Malcolm Oxley, whose endorsement when it comes to independent thinking is powerful. I quickly concluded that John would be a valuable colleague and so it proved. John clearly felt that his own time at Teddies had been both positive and formative and he was very keen, especially in his work on the Bursary Committee, to ensure that the same opportunities could be given to pupils with the determination to seize them as he had. I think John was one of those fortunate adults who still have a conscious link with their younger selves and this informed his strong commitment to the safeguarding and well-being of Teddies pupils today. In addition to his independent mind, John had no self-importance, a great sense of humour and a captivating smile. These ensured that his robust interventions in debates, which were not uncommon, were always received with a similar warmth. The news of his death came as a horrible shock to us all. We are profoundly grateful for all that he brought to us and to Teddies and we all know that our future meetings will be that much less rich for his absence.

By Malcolm Oxley, John’s former Housemaster in Segar’s: John Adedoyin came to St Edward’s and to Segar’s in 1980 when I was in my last five years as its Housemaster. He immediately made an impact on his lively group of contemporaries as a boy with a wide range of talents. His friendships were quickly forged and actively cultivated throughout his life. One will always remember him for his marked intellectual intelligence which eventually led him to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he read English Literature. I got to know him over those five crucial years both as a classroom pupil, in my subject, History, and as a member of my

House. He was a questioning spirit, probing in argument, assessing the environment and the people in it – he was always fun to argue with. Above all he had a warmth about him, making him extremely popular among his peers, several of whom have been in touch with me since his sad death. Though mature beyond his years and reticent about his personal life and background, he was gregarious, fun-loving and a pleasure to be with, as I re-discovered recently when we were in touch again as he became a governor of the School. He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him.