Isador Model School - IMS

A few days ago, our principal, Dayo Moyo, received a message from Tolani Alli inviting Isador Model School - IMS to be her special guest at The Hatricks.

On January 21, 2026, ten students from IMS were present live at the studio session of the event.

Beyond photography, Tolani’s session was really a session about life. When we returned to school the next day, and the students were asked to share their experiences with their peers, we were awestruck by the depth of the lessons they drew, not only from what happened on stage but also from the behind-the-scenes moments they were privileged to witness.

More than one student remarked that Tolani is an excellent speaker, and we couldn't agree more. Our sincere thanks to Tolani Alli for giving us this opportunity, and to Payaza for sponsoring the event.

A new year demands a new YOU.
Emerge.

Like every year before it, 2026 will have 12 months, 365 days, and the same number of hours.

What truly determines whether this year will be new or different is YOU.

You may need to let go of old habits.
You may need to double down on what is already working.
You may need to listen to your heart a little more.

Either way, change will demand courage.

The road may be less travelled.
And if it requires wearing a yellow suit on a hot 2026 afternoon while others choose dark suits, so be it.

Happy New Year. Please, make 2026 count.

A Day of Purpose, and Storytelling with Tolani Alli

This week, we had the honour of hosting Tolani Alli—renowned documentary photographer, storyteller, and one of the most respected visual voices in Africa—at Isador Model School (IMS).

What began as a simple message months ago became a moment that felt nothing short of divine timing. Despite her demanding schedule and international commitments, she said yes.

The moment she stepped unto the microphone, our students lit up. They listened with rapt attention, engaged with her talk and at the end, asked thought provoking questions.

Tolani reminded our students that:

Their voices matter.
Their stories matter.
Their creativity is valid.
And the world still has room for their possibilities.

She poured into them with humility and depth, and walked away with renewed inspiration.

At IMS, we are building more than a school.
We are building a global village where leaders, creators, innovators, and visionaries like Tolani can shape the next generation of builders and problem-solvers.

To Tolani Alli:
Thank you for obeying the whisper.
Thank you for choosing impact over convenience.
Thank you for seeing our students—not just who they are, but who they are becoming.

To our students:
The world is waiting for your light. Keep rising.

🥇 And finally our winners of the “House Challenge”

We can’t miss the chance to celebrate the amazing work of Group 5. Their house design, creative household items, smart use of materials, and beautiful articles won the hearts of the judges. 🏡. The Alpha House channeled their strength to perfecting all articles along with a well structured 2 bedroom flat, one for the visitor and one for the Master.

They were able to carry this out successfully as the House agent stated that the house is perfect for a bachelor, situated around a whole lot of big companies 😎😌

Congratulations, ALPHA HOUSE, you truly set the bar high with your resilience and creativity. 👏💯

Just as the house name implies, THE AESTHETICOS MODEL HOUSE is uniquely built with stylishly designed materials and creatively crafted articles. In group 4 they were able to do something different from the other house. The AESTHETICOS MODEL HOUSE has different qualities and that is what made it stand out 💯✅️

Group 3 displayed great teamwork and originality in bringing their house to life. Their team work was second to none considering the fact that it was a storey building. They needed more attention and a whole lot of materials to get the job done and they did just that 💯✨️

Their roof top was creatively crafted out while they also gave room for the tank that would be supplying water to various places in the home 😎😌

Do you think they deserved to get the winner award ?
Let us know in the comment section 🤪

THE MAISON CASA HOUSE crafted their house with cartons, paper, and bottle caps, using a lot of super glue to bring their creative vision together. Here is a bungalow with a raillike roof top and three play house for relaxation 😎😌 . You are looking for comfort, the MC house got you covered with a touch of classy lifestyle 👌🏽

Their colorful community map includes a bank, school, and more. Group 2 went all in with their design! From creative furniture pieces to a well-planned community layout, their work reflected true collaboration and imagination.💡

Big kudos to Group 2 for an excellent job!

Better late than never!

Earlier during the summer coaching before the commencement of this new session, our students were given a special mission: build a model house and design a small community around it — all using everyday or recycled materials.

Group 1 truly showed teamwork, creativity, and innovation, from their neatly crafted house to the thoughtful community design, they impressed us with their effort and commitment. During presentation the house agent made it clear that though the house is simple yet it is elegant.

Bachelor’s Alert! 😂 1 room and Parlor 🤪. THE SUPERSTAR HOUSE 🏠
Perfect for any bachelor who just needs a place to sleep, chill, and maybe host small “committee meetings” with friends 🍲🎮.

So tell us… 👉
If this house was really up for sale, would you buy it or pass? 💸🏃‍♂️

Drop your thoughts in the comments —

✨ MOM, WHAT OF DADDY? ✨

It was just another evening in your life, or so you thought.

You had just returned from work, tired but determined to put food on the table. While fixing dinner for your nine-year-old son, a question slipped out of his tongue:

“Mom, what of daddy?”

And suddenly, the reality of single motherhood slapped you across the face.

At moments like this, it’s easy to feel hurt. You might be tempted to flare up—“After all I’ve done, you’re still asking of daddy?” Or you might sink into guilt, thinking, “Maybe I’m not enough.”
But there is a third option—a better option—you can choose.

When your child asks, “what of daddy?”, silence, denial, or harshness can do more harm than good. Children are naturally curious. Their questions are not attacks; they’re simply trying to make sense of their world.

This is where transparency and wisdom are required.
Transparency means you are not being dodgy or untruthful. If your child discovers that you’ve lied once, it becomes harder for them to trust anything else you say—even when it’s true.

Wisdom means being age appropriate. The truth can be told in different ways and to different degrees. Knowing what to say, and what to leave out for now, is crucial.

One thing to avoid as much as possible is bad mouthing the absent parent. It’s not about painting false pictures, but about presenting the truth in a way that preserves their innocence without deceiving them.

If you made mistakes, don’t be afraid to admit them. Children often respect honesty more than perfection. If the other parent genuinely did wrong, present the facts, but resist planting seeds of bitterness.

Children are not fools, especially if you’ve raised them well. And remember:

👉🏽 One day, they will grow.
👉🏽 One day, they will connect the dots.
👉🏽 And when they do, may they look back and see that you raised them with love, dignity, and honesty.

That’s why it’s best not to wait until your child asks before telling them the truth. As soon as they are mature enough to understand, gently let them know. It’s not about when you feel ready—they deserve to know, and you owe it to them.

To every single mother reading this: you are not failing.
Your effort, your love, and your courage count more than you realize.

✨ Do you have an experience to share or question to ask? Drop it in the comments!

Every summer coaching, students of IMS (Modellas) are always tasked with a project. This year, the prompt read:

Build a house, make as many articles as possible, and create an accompanying map and a video to sell the house.

They were divided into 5 groups with them choosing a leader for their groups.The interesting thing with building is that people usually underestimate what it takes to ship. Building also opens one's eyes to the dynamics of working in teams to get things done. You cannot sweet-talk your way out of the situation, you have to get your hands dirty and get things done.

For example, the leaders had to learn how to lead and delegate appropriately. One of them came to me to complain that her teammates were not meeting her standards.

Today, we took inventory of the progress of each group only to discover that all of them are behind. I had to do a Steve Jobs on them and in just two and a half hours they made so much progress with the help of the teachers. Motivated, many of them volunteered to come to school tomorrow to work. I sincerely commend their commitment and dedication.

Our goal with this project is for the students to imbibe the mantra- more than talking, learn to build, much more than building, learn to ship.

Children Don’t Follow Orders, They Follow Examples👣
Let me quickly reframe the title for those who, like me, are sensitive to words:

Children don’t follow orders (they may obey them) — but they follow examples.

When I was younger, my dad told me a story about one of the most disciplined seasons in Nigeria’s history. During the military regime of Idiagbon and Buhari, people actually:

👉 queued up to enter public buses,
👉 civil servants showed up to work punctually,
👉 nobody dared to throw dirt on the floor.

Unbelievable, right?! I know.
But here’s the twist: that regime only lasted twenty months. After it ended, people joyfully returned to their old ways. Why? Because orders can coerce, but they don’t transform. True change flows from leadership by example. 🌱

Now here’s a question for you as a parent (and really, all adults):
👉 If your child had the chance to hire you as their parent by choice, would they pick you? 🤔

Here are ✋ 5 signs to show that you’re a boss not a leader:
👉 You can’t get anything done unless you shout.
👉 You rule by fear rather than by love.
👉 You enforce respect instead of earning it.
👉 You tell your children to do what you do not do.
👉 Your child cannot have a conversation with you.

One day, your child will leave home and face influences you cannot control. Whether they completely change or hold on to the values you desire will depend largely on whether you were a leader or just a boss at home.

Let’s hear from you: were you raised by a leader or a boss or a blend of both?