MINDSCOPE: Milestone

Celebrating Alagba Ayodele Omowumi at 80

Seye Adetunmbi

Not all intellectuals are technocrats and not all technocrats are distinguished intellectuals. It is therefore a matter of significance when there is anyone who has such a distinct combined attributes. One of the few people who stands out in intellectualism and as a remarkable technocrat in the public sector where he rose to the position of a director in the federal civil service is ojogbon Ayodele Omowumi. The manner in which he interrogates issues in the various intellectual communities and e-forums, points to the fact that he is a brilliant person, who is well read and very knowledgeable about contemporary issues around the world. He is an upright intellectual and an ideologue with a progressive bent. This is evident in the way he consistently expressed himself intrepidly in Ekitipanupo Indigenous Intellectual Roundtable and Atokeibeirosi Initiative Forum that we have been privileged to have him as an active member over the years. His educative writings and commentaries are driven by the truth, objectivity and passion for detesting the cant and the chicanery. Ayo Omomumi is a native of Usi-Ekiti, and was born on the 2nd of May, 1944. He had his primary school education at Igbajo in Osun-State. He is a product of Ekiti Parapo College, Ido-Ekiti; Molusi College Ijebu-Igbo for HSC and University of Ibadan, where he studied Physics and graduated in 1971. His working career started as a teacher at Ondo High School in 1971 to 1972. He joined the federal civil service as a pupil surveyor in the Federal Ministry of Works. In 1974, he was transferred to the Federal Ministry of Industry. He worked at the Nigeria Standards Organization, where he was privileged to serve as the Secretary to the National Metrication Committee, made up of experts from the academia, industry, and the public service. It was the committee that supervised the change over from the British system to the metric system of measurement. The renowned Prof Funmilayo Ojo a.k.a. Ojo Ugbole was a prominent member of the committee.

When the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology was established in 1982, he was transferred there and rose to the position of Director of Industrial Technology and Energy Research. He led the team that produced the Nigeria Wind Information System, a software by which with a click on the computer, will display longitude and latitude of any point in Nigeria, the wind speed and direction at heights 10 to 80 metres and the wind electricity derivable for 5 different wind turbines. The software is meant to serve as decision making tool for potential investors in wind electricity generation. He finished well as a career public servant and retired from the civil service in 2006, to take an appointment with the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) on a consultancy basis. He led the team that established a research unit, at the ECN. The team established Energy Research Centres at four of the Nigerian universities: University of Lagos - the Center for Energy Efficiency and Conservation; University of Benin - the Center for Energy and Environment; University of Ilorin - the Center for Hydropower Research and Development and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi - the Center for Petroleum Research and Development. He designed the mandates and the structures for all the centers. He served the ECN meritoriously for six years and took a bow from the public service in 2012.

His calling in the public service turned him to be a widely travelled scientist and technocrat around the world. The various travelling engagements exposed him to meeting and interacting with counterparts, and institutions on issues relating to research and development in Science and Technology. The countries he visited include United Kingdom, United States of America, Russia, France, Germany, Switzerland, India, China, South Korea, South Africa, and Kenya. He was a member of the Nigerian delegation to United Nations General Assembly Meetings, in 2002 to 2012 during which he served on the committee for Peaceful Use of Energy in Outer Space. He also served as a member of the governing councils of a number of federal government agencies, and government owned enterprises.

He is a consummate family man, happily married with children and grandchildren. I must say that it is a privilege for me to have the rare opportunity of being in some interactive forums with the distinguished scientist, technocrat and intellectual of repute. He is one of the intellectuals in Ekitipanupo and Atokeibeirosi portals whose commentaries and interjections I read religiously and from which I have benefited a lot. My prayer is that God will keep him for us and grant him more years in good health and with peace of mind. happy 80th birthday to you sir. Ajinde ora a je o, láse Edumare, amin.

Dance to the Forest of thousand words

●For Prof Wole Soyinka @86
By,
Evelyn D'Poet Osagie

Let the Pots clang
Strike the Calabashes
Let's wave our Shekere
And dance to the Forest
Baba is 86 today!

Let Mortar kiss the Pestle
As Sticks embrace Drums
Let’s dance to his Music of a thousand Words
Let Poetic Purgation marry Dramatic Dance
To the road of Ijegba, we go

We, women, wait to celebrate the Hunter's Kill
We wait at his Amphitheater in Egba
Gele round our Waists
Our ankle Beads are eager to dance
We await the Hunter's Game at 86

In the forest of Life, of Trees, of Words
His grey Hair mirrors his great Exploits
His strong Stance explains his warrior's Frame
Kongi is 86 today!
We celebrate with fine Wine
The metaphors that herald his fine Lines

Dance … Dance …Dance
Let’s dance to the Rhythm of his Muse

Like Sprites fashioned by Ogun's Son
Who in spite of Nietzsche
Thunders against storms
Ot shady Regimes, of Injustice
Your Words vibrate against corrupt Practices
Drawing us to the Forest

Clanging our Pots
Shaking our Shekere
Rolling our Waists
Stamping our Feet
We take the celebration to the Forest,
Your Forest, not of a thousand Demons
But of a thousand Words

© Evelyn D'Poet, 13/7/2020.
evelynosagieart@gmail.com

NATAL DAY CELEBRATIONS
55th Birthday Surprise Party for Yinka Adekunle

Olayinka Adekunle a.k.a. Bob Fey was treated to a surprise party at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos on May 11th, 2018. He was joined by his relations, colleagues in Shell, childhood friends and Caucus Men. How his wife and close friends managed to keep it so secrete and Bob Fey didn't get to know about it until he got to the venue remains a feat. The gentleman and a jolly good fellow is wished more fruitful years in the land of the living. Amen.