J.O.B. Omotosho

REMEMBERING COMRADE J.O.B. OMOTOSHO 1918-1967

Seye Adetunmbi, 21/5/21

Hardly can you find a community, state or nation that had not lost patriotic and prominent sons in their prime. Ekiti district in western part of Nigeria has had her own share of this on a number of occasions in contemporary history. Comrade James Olajuyigbe Bolarinde Omotosho was among the distinguished ones in this category. As a teenager, I heard people talked about the Ipoti-Ekiti man, a legal luminary that was exemplary in his integrated dispositions and was a huge asset to his community, nation and profession. I was so fascinated by his impressive profile and brief eventful life that I said to myself that one day I will write about him and celebrate his chequered and impactful 48 years on earth. My findings revealed that he was dedicated to humanity cause. His devotion was outstandingly purposeful and resourceful which appealed to me because of my personal inclinations. The lifetime of Comrade Omotosho is worthy of study for posterity and benefit of those who wish to make the difference in their community, profession and nation. I wanted to do this write-up when his wife, Mrs Lydia Olaitan Omotosho passed-on in January 2021 but decided to use the opportunity of his 103rd posthumous birthday anniversary on 21/5/21 to publish this tribute after during some basic research on the inimitable personality

       Comrade J.O.B. Omotosho was born to christian parents, Pa Samuel Akande Omotosho and Madam Rebecca Omotosho on May 21st 1918 in Makurdi, Benue-State. His parents were of Ipoti-Ekiti origin, member of Pakuta family compound and he was the first born. His siblings were Madam Beatrice Adeoti Ayeni‐Akinola, Madam Alice Bamidele Saola, Madam Margaret Wuraola Omotosho, Mr Ayotunde Omotosho,  Mrs. Abike Ajibola, Mrs. Grace Ebunola Ige,  Mrs. Adunola Olagunju and Chief Mrs. Rachael Modupe Familade.

        He had primary education in Port Harcourt and passed Standard Six Examination to obtain the First Leaving Certificate in 1935. He started as a pupil teacher in Aba  where he worked from 1936 to 1939 and came back to Port Harcourt in 1941 after passing his Cambridge examination to work with her majesty custom and excise. He was brilliant and made conscious efforts to further his education. His academic qualifications and attainments included LLB. University College, London, (1945-1948), Diploma in International Affairs from the London Institute of World Affairs, University College, London (1948-1950) B. Sc. Economics, Regent Street Polytechnic (1951-1953) and Diploma in French and German from the Language Tuition Centre, London (1954).

Consequent to training as a legal practitioner in the United Kingdom and having been admitted by the Council of Legal Education, he was called to the British Bar as Barrister and Solicitor in Lincoln Inns. His desire was to deploy his academic laurels for the benefit of his nation and to serve his people. His inclination to progressive activism manifested while in the United Kingdom when he became very active in the affairs and activities of the Pan African Movement, the West African Student Union (WASU) which was established to protect and promote the welfare of West African Students in the United Kingdom and awaken nationalist consciousness in West African countries. Apparently his involvement with WASU exposed him to the ideology of communism which eventually became the basis of his choice of engagement with society as a legal practitioner and a front-liner of grassroots development agenda. He was also associated with the Daily Worker, a periodical publication that was the mouth piece of workers and the proletariat. 

        On his return to Nigeria in 1957, he to took up appointment in the Western Region as the Secretary of the then Western Region Production and Development Board at Ibadan. His capacity and inner zeal for greater exploits could not tolerate the conservative bureaucracy associated with the civil service and had to quit. Comrade Omotosho settled for private legal practice in 1958 as an enrolled barrister and solicitor up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was based in Ibadan, yet his practice covered most part of the country and beyond. He was committed to using his mastery of the law, procedure and evidence to protect the interest of the ordinary man against the atrocities of the state and privileged individuals. One of his celebrated cases was that of Professor Victor Allen, a British citizen, a sociologist, historian, economist and Professor at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom who was accused of sedition against the Nigerian State in 1964. Despite the seriousness of the charges, as the Defence Counsel. he succeeded in securing a very light sentence of 12 months imprisonment for the accused. It was feat that got the attention of the British House of Commons that commended the efficiency, diligence and brilliance of the legal luminary. ​

        He was a member of the editorial board of the Nigerian Socialist, the first publication that espoused scientific socialism in Nigeria. also served as a legal adviser to many trade unions, the Nigerian Tenants Association and was a member of the Nigerian Academy of Scientific and Technical Workers. His passion was to pursue how best to use the agency of law as shield in the protection of basic human rights and freedoms of citizens and also employ it as sword in the struggle against poverty, ignorance, squalor and disease imposed by unequal and inequitable access to national wealth typified by neo-liberal and capitalist arrangements. 

J.O.B. got married to his beloved wife, Mrs Lydia Olaitan Omotosho, nee Omotade in June 1960 and the matrimony is blessed with successful children. Mrs L.O. Omotoso was born on April 27th and passed-on on January 19th, 2021. The family is a member of Our Saviour Anglican Church, Ipoti-Ekiti and they worshipped St Anne Anglican Church, Molete, Ibadan.

        The nation lost him to road accident on Saturday 20th 1967 at Sotubo Village near Shagamu after an unidentified driver hit his stationary Volvo Saloon Car in which J.O.B. Omotosho was travelling. Quoting an eye witness account: "J.O.B. was coming from Ibadan and heading towards Lagos on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode-Shagamu-Lagos highway. He was going to join other nationalists in resolving the Nigerian crisis and prevent the outbreak of the Biafra/Nigerian civil war. He had earlier been to Ipoti-Ekiti his home town where he was constructing and supervising a collectivist development agenda for his people and had thought that he would return to base after the meeting to complete the project and give his people a lifeline and a quantum leap forward in grassroots development. Comrade Omotosho noticed the recklessness of the approaching reckless driver and instructed his driver to pullover so that he could counsel the careless driver on safe driving. Unfortunately, the he ran into him and that was the end" No doubt his death caused so much pain for his kinsmen. This is evident in the tribute of the community at his burial on Saturday 27th May in 1967 at Ipoti-Ekiti and I quote: "He encouraged all our noble activities for the progress of our town and spent his hard earned money and efforts on us. He was executing communal projects that included: A fish pond, Rest House, Recreation Gardens, Parks, Nursing Homes, Dam, Industrial Estate and a Saw Mill."

    May his gentle soul continue to rest in peace.

Rejigging community values

DILAPIDATION OF ANCIENT WALLS: CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS

By, Seye Adetunmbi

Being a Presentation as the Guest Speaker at the Symposium Organised by Ifaki Youth Council, scheduled to hold on December 26th, 2020

Protocols

Let me first appreciate you my kinsmen for requesting that I should be your Guest Speaker at the Symposium hosted by Ifaki Youth Council (IPC) during 2020 Christmas. Apparently, IPC is driven by a vision and this is why I deem it a great honor to be associated with your progressive activities.

   I was touched by the theme of the Symposium - FUTURE: TO BUILD OUR DILAPIDATED ANCIENT WALL and in particular for asking me to speak on the causes and solutions.

    Consequently, I put the dilapidated ancient walls in perspective by trying to define it philosophically beyond physical wall, but in relation to our peculiarities as a people, our lasting culture, enduring tradition and timeless values which made Ifaki to be unique and an outstanding community in Ekiti.

    Before highlighting the causes and solutions to the dilapidated ancient walls, let’s first relate the visionary IYC to Nehemiah in the Holy Bible. “When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem were still broken down more than a half-century after the completion of the rebuilding of the temple, he “sat down and wept,” fasting and praying before God” (Nehemiah 1:4).

I see Ifaki Youth Council from this perspective because they must have seen the need for Ifaki people as a community to take stock, brainstorm and plan for the future. Implicitly, IYC took the challenge to initiate formulating a plan that will contribute to finding a lasting remedy to the situation in Ifaki. This is commendable and apt on the part of Ifaki youths because the future belongs to them. It is the right thing to do by rising to the occasion because if they don’t do it now, they will face the consequences in future.

    Spiritually speaking and quoting from a commentary on Nehemiah 1:1-7:73 with respect to the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem “Both the sacred and the secular were necessary to fulfil God’s plan to restore the nation of Israel. If the walls were unfinished, the temple was unfinished too. The work was of a single piece. The reason for this is easy to understand. Without a wall, no city in the ancient Near East was safe from bandits, gangs and wild animals, even though the empire might be at peace. The more economically and culturally developed a city was, the greater the value of things in the city, and the greater the need for the wall. The temple, with its rich decorations, would have been particularly at risk. Practically speaking, no wall means no city, and no city means no temple. In essence, the temple and the wall are mutually dependent. The wall is an integral part of the city’s protection, yet so is the temple wherein dwells the Lord”.

    Yes, Ifaki-Ekiti is our Jerusalem. If we put our acts right, consciously review some of the ways we go about our affairs, be sincere with ourselves and deliberately chart a lasting progressive course in unison as the early builders of modern Ifaki community, then we will have a city that we will all be proud of and be at peace with God too.

    Just as Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the king (Nehemiah 1:11), who had immediate access to the king as the one who tested and served his beverages, as a trusted advisor and a high-ranking Persian official, Ifaki youths constitute the heartbeat and engine room of Ifaki community. They have the capacity to make things happen and actualize the larger dreams for our Jerusalem with the support of other stakeholders in Ifaki. Our youths have the energy and good vision. Therefore, with the right attitude, they can build on the professional experience of the older generation and position by deploying collective resources to a great advantage as we embark upon the work of rebuilding the ancient walls of our Jerusalem, Ifaki-Ekiti. Once we put our trust in God coupled with sincerity of purpose, the task ahead is surmountable.

    Ifaki is a distinct community that’s why it is located in the centre of Ekiti-State which earned it the title of Abuja Ekiti from me. We are also peculiar as a people 1Peter 2:9. Rev D. O. Ayorinde was among the first set of priests to be ordained before 1930 in Anglican Communion in Ekiti. Rev D. A. Omotunde was the first graduate Methodist priest in Ekiti and Ifaki is the Headquarter of the church in Ekiti. The first African Principal of Wesley College, Ibadan was Chief J.O.O. Ojo while the first Ekiti man to lead the Nigerian Union of Teachers was Chief D.O. Adetunmbi. Ifaki has also produced a governor and a senator, yet God is not done with us. Okorobo festival remains the biggest cultural event that naturally pools the hugest crowd from all over in the history of Ekiti.

CAUSES OF DILAPIDATION

The causes of dilapidation generally include neglect, indifference, lack of planning, self centeredness, double standard, old age without succession plan and good maintenance culture, lack of fear of God, insensitivity etc. Our ancient walls have broken down because we allow our values and cultural heritage that made us unique people to be eroded away. Apart from our location advantage, it was our forefathers who brought greatness to Ifaki community because they were people of excellent character and huge intellect who loved the town with a passion and selflessly too. We must not render our community desolate by our actions and inactions either through internal strife or by allowing foreigners to infiltrate us for selfish sectional gain that devour shining or rising stars among the inhabitants. Isaiah 1:7, 24:6.

SOLUTIONS

To continue to make the difference as a community and rebuild the ancient walls on a lasting note, Ifaki community must not leave things to chances. We must plan deliberately in order not to fail and prepare adequately for the future.

    “Aso ko ba da fun igba na i lo fun igba”. For instance, if Okorobo festival could be repacked, it can graduate to a state carnival that will attract people all over the world without losing its traditional touch.

    Acknowledge and reward every good deed no matter how small. Rejig our corporate motto as a community. This will encourage people to do more for their community and prompt the undecided ones to act positively.

    In essence, Ifaki community will standout to the admiration of all if we are committed to ethics, as basic principles. Integrity must not be compromised while taking responsibility for our actions individually and collectively. Our people must continuously respect laws and regulations. We must respect one another as well as respect individual rights and of course give honor to whom honor is due. Our people must love work and be diligent at it, it is the way to productivity. The culture of saving and investing is imperative, wastage and squandering must be avoided like a plague. In all whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well and it should be done with dispatch. Procrastination is the thief of time.

In ku ajodun o, as’eyi s’eremurin rin o.

Ajuse o l’ase Edumare.

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