A STELLAR CIVIL SERVANT WHO SERVED HIS GENERATION: CHIEF MICHAEL SUNDAY ADIGUN
(1930-2014)
By
Seye Adetunmbi, 29th September 2014
For a very long time, and until
the Nigerian system is conscientiously restructured in line with the reality of
what obtains in the developed nations of the world, the class of diligent,
honest and selfless public servant in the mold of Chief Michael Sunday Babatunde Oyetunde
Adigun has gone for good in our clime. By the time he retired from the service
of the old Oyo State government in 1980 where he held two key offices
simultaneously, Head of Service and Secretary to the State Government, he had
already created a niche for himself as an exemplary premium civil servant of
repute who stood out like a magnificent cathedral in the midst of shanties! Of
course the federal government that was looking for the best appointed him a
federal minister to benefit from his wealth of experience and good reputation.
He fell into the last category of Nigerian government officials who were truly
public servants in the pragmatic sense of it by protecting public treasury and
the integrity of the civil service. It is one’s hope that there will be a
rebirth of the virtuous old days for the good of Nigeria as a going concern.
Chief Michael Sunday Adigun CON, took his
final bow on Saturday August 29, 2014 at 7.10 pm
The family of Mr Joseph Adigun
and Victoria Adejoke Adigun of Imologun family in the Kudeti area of Ibadan
metropolis was blessed with the birth of Chief M. S. Adigun on October 19th
1930. He had his primary education at Mapo Central School, among other various
schools. M. S. Adigun was a product of Ibadan Grammar School which he attended
between 1946 and 1950, and passed Cambridge School Certificate with exemption
from London Matriculation. Through private study which underscored his studious
nature, he obtained B.A. Hons Geography. Under the auspices of Government, he
passed various management courses in Western Europe and Austria.
Chief M.S. Adigun was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Western State of Nigeria in 1973. He held Permanent Secretary position in the Western State Ministry of Agriculture & Natural Resources, the Western State Ministry of Education, Oyo-State Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry, and Oyo-State Ministry of Local Government and Information. In 1978 he became the Head of Service for the old Oyo-State (which comprised of the new Oyo & Osun States) and was also appointed the Secretary to the State Government on July 1st, 1978. He retired from the civil service at the peak of his career as the Head of Service and Secretary to the state government on May 31st, 1980.
April 22, 1962 at Emmanuel Church, Italupe, Ijebu-Ode and the
inseparable lovebirds in 2007
Like the proverbial golden
fish, he was sought after to serve at the federal level when government of the
day took delight in good character, in-depth administrative experience and
believed in the value the integrity of the national officers would add to good
governance in Nigeria. Consequently, Chief MS Adigun served meritoriously as
the Federal Minister of National Planning between January 17th 1984
and August 31st 1985.
MS as he was popularly called
earned various commendations, awards, honors and chieftaincy titles for his
meritorious contributions to the civil service, Christian sect and society in
general. He was a member, Council of Ministers of ECOWAS and later became the
Chairman; OAU and later became the Vice-Chairman; EEC/ACP and later became the
Vice-Chairman; and Co-Chairman of various Joint Commissions of Nigeria with
other nations between 1985 and 1985 and was the Chairman of Oyo State Elders Consultative
Committee from 1994 to 1999.
Send forth to London in 1963
He was actively involved in the Lions Club, Ibadan Foundation, Ibadan Elders Forum,
Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship and the Church of Nigeria Anglican
Communion. He held the title of the Balogun Bobajiro of Ibadan and national
honors of the Commander Order of Niger of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
At Golders Green with Abi, Mummy & Yemisi (new baby) and family friends
Christening of
Yemisi in London After Confirmation ceremony of
Abi Adigun
He
was a pragmatic and devoted family man to the core. In his own words, he
captured his family background, early days in life and blissful marriage to his
beloved wife thus:
QUOTE
“My
home background and early life in a polygamous family discouraged me about
marriage as it reduced my enthusiasm about it. Early
loss of my mother (at 6 years eight months) did not help matters either. God, however, had his own plans for me. I had my
posting to Ijebu Ode within two months of my appointment in 1951 as a Third
Class Clerk. Fortunately for me, my boss in the Sub-Treasury, Ijebu Ode late Pa Cornelius Olusoga Olusanya was at Kudeti where he taught for
eight years on passing out of St. Andrew's College in 1929 and where he got married and
had his first child, a daughter. We got on quite well in the office and she showed so much interest in me and
my aspirations. At that time, I was preparing for my London University's Inter B.A. Examination notwithstanding the heavy schedule of duties in the office with
which, to his admiration I was able to cope.
The mutual love developed to the extent that my boss and his wife, also a trained teacher regarded me as a member of their family. I eventually took the expected step of proposing to my future wife, their eldest child who, at that time had completed her secondary education at Remo Secondary School, Shagamu under late Canon E.A. Odusanwo who incidentally had earlier on admitted me to Ibadan Grammar School. She was teaching at Ekimogun Secondary Modern School, Ondo when we got married on 22nd April, 1962. My decision in my wife's favour was dictated by two factors: the type and quality of the home where she was brought up and her own quality too. To my pleasure, I found her family home a truly Christian home where there was peace, mutual cooperation and much love. It was an ideal home for child up-bringing. The parents were not earning fat salaries but were able to achieve much as they pooled their resources together to give sound education to their children and at the same time achieve a reasonably good standard of living. A child brought up in such a healthy and wholesome environment is the type of life partner I was looking for.
The mutual love developed to the extent that my boss and his wife, also a trained teacher regarded me as a member of their family. I eventually took the expected step of proposing to my future wife, their eldest child who, at that time had completed her secondary education at Remo Secondary School, Shagamu under late Canon E.A. Odusanwo who incidentally had earlier on admitted me to Ibadan Grammar School. She was teaching at Ekimogun Secondary Modern School, Ondo when we got married on 22nd April, 1962. My decision in my wife's favour was dictated by two factors: the type and quality of the home where she was brought up and her own quality too. To my pleasure, I found her family home a truly Christian home where there was peace, mutual cooperation and much love. It was an ideal home for child up-bringing. The parents were not earning fat salaries but were able to achieve much as they pooled their resources together to give sound education to their children and at the same time achieve a reasonably good standard of living. A child brought up in such a healthy and wholesome environment is the type of life partner I was looking for.
Looking back, I have cause to be grateful to the Almighty God for giving me someone with that type of background as a wife. Ayodele Olusola Modupe did not disappoint me in any area of family life; she did her best to ensure we had
a happy and highly successful married life. The superb upbringing came into play such that while I was preoccupied with the challenges of Government
work, she took perfect care of the home front. Arising from her upbringing, she labored tirelessly to please me as much as it was humanly possible and displayed sincere and unstinted love at all times.
All the children have
nothing but sincere
gratitude to her for directing them
aright. She made sure that the high position I held in government did not result in pampering any child or any form of laxity at home. The passion she had for building a good home encouraged her to give me so much support. Her business
was already doing well and becoming profitable such that she relieved
me of the monthly
allowances for domestic up-keep, thereby making it possible for me to devote my entire resources to a building project which, by God's grace, was a good source of income for the family
at a time government pensions
have become irregular and unreliable. That I am able to sustain a reasonable standard of living
notwithstanding is due to the grace of God and my late wife's initiative and support.”
UNQUOTE
During his retirement service at The Cathedral of St David, Kudeti, Ibadan
M.S. Adigun Dynasty; L-R: Yemisi, Daddy, Bunmi, Mummy,
Abi & Gbenro
1.
Chief & Mrs M.S. Adigun after the signing of the
marriage Register for their last born, Bunmi at the Anglican Church of the
Ascension, Omodara Opebi, Lagos
2.
Mr & Mrs Wale Arogun flanked by Chief & Mrs
Adigun, Bukunmi Adetunmbi (Ring Bearer) & Morayo Omogbenigun (Little Bride)
Chief MS Adigun, Mrs Gbenro Oyekanmi, Mrs Yemisi John,
Mr & Mrs Abi Adigun, Mrs Bunmi Arogun
At his
wife’s funeral on April 11, 2013
Chief & Mrs Adigun on a visit to their Stockbroker,
Seye Adetunmbi in 2007
Daddy M.S. Adigun was among those
I first knew reading about in the newspapers and admired from a distance until
the privilege of getting close to him through my friendship with his son, Abi
Adigun. A Yoruba adage goes thus; “ti ile
ba san ni, awo la nwo”. When you see how the wards of MS Adigun dynasty
turned out well, then you give God the glory and for good upbringing and the
manifestation of worthy parents that have done well by giving their children
the best at their disposal. Brilliance runs in the family. The first born of
the family and his three sisters are graduates of Engineering with distinction
from the University of Ilorin. Abi is an expertrate with ExxonMobil in Fairfax,
Virginia. Yemisi is self-employed in Lagos with her flourishing integrated
business ventures. Gbenro works for City Hall in Dallas and Bunmi is a senior
staff of the Schlumberger in Lagos.
1. Seye Adetunmbi with Daddy & Mummy Adigun in 2007in
Lagos 2. Baba MS, Madiba Adetunmbi
(Godson of Abi Adigun) & Seye in 2012 during a courtesy call at his
residence in Basorun, Ibadan
It would amount to an
understatement saying that I was fond of Baba MS and mummy, Mrs Ayodele Olusola
Adigun (1937-2013). I was their Stockbroker and at every opportunity, I visited
them in Ibadan. My rapport with Daddy that my buddy Abi took after in looks,
excellence, frankness and sincerity of purpose in friendship got more exciting
for me when we discussed good choral church music and he played his Piano and I
sang my favorite tunes with descant along with him. Those cherished moments
have gone with the winds yet the memory lingers on, until we meet to part no
more.
Sleep well sir, a very beloved father.
Sleep well sir, a very beloved father.
FUNERAL CEREMONY - November 2014
Christian Wake Keep - 13/11/14
Funeral Service - 14/11/2014
