Greensprings School has stood as a landmark of educational innovation in Lagos since its modest beginning in 1985. What began as a Montessori nursery with just three pupils has evolved into a multi-campus institution across Nigerian offering crèche, preschool, elementary, secondary, and sixth form education. Today, it serves over 3,500 students across Anthony, Lekki, and Ikoyi campuses; an enduring testament to vision, continuity, and leadership. In this editorial, we will be introducing you to the Leadership Team Behind the Excellence at Greensprings School, read on:
Visionary Founding Leadership
But vision alone cannot sustain an educational institution. Behind Greensprings’ reputation for academic rigour, child-centered learning, and progressive themes lies a leadership team committed to education that empowers and not just instructs. At the heart of this leadership is Mrs Lai Koiki, whose foresight and unwavering commitment continue to guide the school’s growth.
A Visionary Founding Leader: Mrs Lai Koiki
Mrs Lai Koiki conceived Greensprings School in 1985, starting with only three pupils, an early indication of her courage and conviction. A geography graduate from the University of Lagos, she further honed her pedagogical approach with a Montessori Diploma from the UK’s St. Nicholas Montessori Training Centre. Her exposure to Montessori principles has shaped Greensprings’ emphasis on child-centred, holistic learning environments.
As Executive Director and CEO of Greensprings Educational Services Ltd, Mrs Koiki has steered the institution through nearly four decades of growth. Under her leadership, the school expanded to three campuses and introduced Anthos House, a model for inclusive special needs education in Nigeria. Her initiatives have raised awareness, capacity-building, and acceptance of special needs education across the country.
Beyond her role at Greensprings, Mrs Koiki chairs the Association of Private Educators in Nigeria (APEN) and serves on the Board of Accreditation International, a US body that accredits international schools and sets educational benchmarks. Her annual “Open House” event, where thousands of educators visit the school to observe best practices, highlights her commitment to peer-driven improvement and transparency.
Strategic Leadership
Strategic Leadership: Uche Ogbu, Chief Strategy Officer
Sitting just behind Mrs Koiki in guiding the school’s strategic direction is Mr Uche Ogbu, Chief Strategy Officer at Greensprings Educational Services. With nearly two decades of experience across FMCG, banking, hospitality, and education, Mr Ogbu blends corporate strategy with educational development. Holding an MBA from a Netherlands business school, he is known for introducing structures that align the school’s expansion with sustainable, high-impact growth.
Greensprings Training College
Campus Leadership Making Learning Happen
Greensprings’ philosophy thrives across its campuses, upheld by experienced educators empowered to tailor learning to each setting:
Mrs Feyisara Ojugo, Deputy Director of Education and Head of School at the Lekki Campus, leads with an emphasis on deep thinking. Here, students engage with themes like “RIGOUR” and “Habits of Mind”, alongside hands-on learning modules such as coding, robotics, and portfolio building. This approach reflects a broader philosophy of learning as active, differentiated, and future-ready.
At the Anthony Campus, Mrs Magdalene Okrikri (Head of School) champions child-centred education. In her view, all decisions, from resource allocation to teacher development should revolve around what’s best for the student as a whole person.
Mrs Olayemi (Oluranti) Bankole, Head of Admissions and also leading the Ikoyi Campus, ensures enrollment processes and parent engagement are seamless and parent-friendly. She is integral to preserving the school’s welcoming culture as it grows.
Dr Kimberley Scollard, the Head of School at Anthos House. She is also known for championing mental health counselling for special needs children. Anthos House is an initiative of Greensprings School. It was established in 2018 to provide intensive care, quality education, and therapy for students aged from 10-year-old to +17 with mild to moderate learning needs, as well as children with Autism, Down’s Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy, among others.
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Behind each theme and programme of the school lies leadership that lives the school’s ethos, not for reputation, but for real impact. At their 40th anniversary in 2025, Mrs Koiki in a conversation with the Guardian described the school’s journey as rooted in “nurturing young minds in knowledge, character, discipline, and purpose.” When she reflected on the gaps in Nigeria’s education system lack of access, shortages of resources she urged all stakeholders to move beyond celebration toward urgent commitment. Together, Leadership Team Behind the Excellence at Greensprings School are not chasing rankings, they are stewarding an institution whose daily decisions matter, a school where leadership is visible in themes, classrooms, admissions, and milestone celebrations alike.