Pa Jonathan Senbanjo Ayanfalu was born in 1885. He started his elementary education in 1904, after learning shoemaking and carpentry. He was one of the earliest pupils of St. Mary’s Anglican School, Ijebu Imusin.
Between 1912 and 1917, he was a student at St. Andrew’s College, Oyo. He was the second trained and certified teacher after late Mr. S. A. Adegbesan. He served in many schools in Oshogbo, and also at St. Mark’s School, Ijebu-Igbo, and at St. Stephen School, Ora, in Benin Province. In 1922, he returned to St. Mary’s Anglican School, Ijebu Imusin, to serve as headmaster of the school.
During his time as headmaster of St. Mary’s Anglican School, the school enjoyed full recognition and support from the government as it received more Grant-in-Aid from the government than ever before. All through this period, the school attained the 100% ‘Standard Six’ status when the pupils of the school scored 100% in the Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination. In December 1927, he was transferred to develop many schools in Ijebu and Lagos Diocese. In 1946, he returned to the school as Head Teacher, and also worked in various capacities in the school, town and church.
He was the Acting Vicar of the church at a time when it had no residential vicar. He conducted prayers, services, class meetings, and choir practices as the organist. In concert with many others, he inaugurated the Ijebu Imusin Annual Rally in 1944.
