Arise

IT WAS HELL IN THE KIDNAPPER'S DEN – Senator Ayo Arise

Former Senator, Ekiti North senatorial district, Ayo Arise was kidnapped in December last year and he cautions that only the decentralization of the police structure would solve the problem of insecurity in the country. The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation between 2007 and 2011 says there is an urgent need to improve the nation’s road network and other transportation modes to allow for free movement in the country. In this interview with WILLY EYA, he examines activities of last year and recounts his ordeal in the kidnappers’ den.

With all that happened in the year 2017 that just ended, how do you feel about the state of affairs in Nigeria?

Many things happened in 2017, one of which is that I was kidnapped between Kabba and Okene in Kogi State. The same year, the government also announced me as the chairman of Sheda Science and Technology Complex. All those happened in succession and within the same month. And of course people also experienced fuel shortages during the Christmas celebration. It was surprising because the petroleum product supply has been consistent for some time now. And of course also, we are happy that our president got almost a complete rejuvenation of his energy, stamina and health. There are other positive things that also happened in the year that just ended. Nigeria in the area of sports did very well as we qualified for the World Cup and a number of developments in terms of revenue generation for the country even now that the crude oil is going at $60 to $67 per barrel. I do not recall when we had this kind of remarkable improvement in our foreign reserve which today stands at about over $40 billion. In the year as well, we saw a significant transformation in the areas of other revenue generation in the country. The importation of rice has reduced significantly because of local production, which is trying to catch up with the local consumption in the country. We have seen a remarkable improvement never experienced in this country in revenue from tax collections. I believe the gentleman in charge of FIRS is doing a good job. In the same vein, if you look at the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), it has reached the N1 trillion mark in terms of revenue generation from duties. Several areas have made significant improvements. Even the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has become an income generating organization for the Federal Government.
In the area of fighting corruption, I believe the government has tried. I think apart from a very slow judicial system, a number of people should have been in jail by now. But again, the whole essence of the fight is to get the nation’s money back from those people and maybe, give them a form of sentence that would exclude them from holding public office in future as a minimum. I believe the fight against corruption is on course. I sincerely hope that the President would not relent. Any nation that condones crimes has become a criminal enterprise. So, we should all continue to support the government. That same last year, about two to three hundred thousand youths were employed through the Federal Government initiatives like the NPower which is on course and so on. There are other social policies to guarantee that some level of succour is given to the people. But I believe there are ways to improve on this and of course, it is work in progress. I do realize that a number of people believe that the Federal Government should have solved all the problems as promised in their manifesto in the last two years. But I do not think that government works that way because if you do not follow procedure and process based on transparency, we cannot move forward. And these things take time to put together. By law, you must advertise any project for 21 days and you do the evaluation, the award and you would be waiting for the budget and all that. The Federal Government has done the budget and presented to the National Assembly and we are now expecting that the legislative arm will quickly look at the document and ensure that our budget is rolled out early enough in the year not later than February so that we begin to work with the budget. I think by and large, one can continue to talk from now till tomorrow. There are so many policies that the government has put in place. A contract has been awarded to the General Electric for our rail line for the transportation of goods and services across the country. I had the privilege of listening to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi ,before my experience with the kidnappers. He made it clear that the railway lines have been designed in such a way that all parts of this country would be connected by rail. The design covers most of the states of the federation. In some of those efforts, you can see improvements and of course it has shown that a government can promise something and it can make it happen. The Federal Government promised to open the Abuja airport and they did. That is quite commendable.

Particularly on the issue of security, how do you feel about Nigeria especially with regards to your experience in the hands of kidnappers toward the end of the year that just ended?

It is a very scary experience to tell and it is a question of what kind of solution do we proffer. I was captured between Kabba and Okene and taken into a forest that is about 15 kilometers in terms of circumference. So, the question I kept asking myself was how would the Nigerian police rescue somebody from such a forest. As soon as the kidnappers made use of the phone, the journey starts again. There is no fixed address or house inside the forest. How do you start looking for somebody inside that place when it is not as if there is a house or an address? And in that case, how many police officers would they deploy to such a bush where they were hiding. So, it is a big challenge. And another question is what has made people to move into such a forest? It is dangerous for the victim, dangerous for them too and when you look at it, I do not think that this category of people is in that business because they do not have employment or means of livelihood. No. This is because I had to talk to the kidnappers. At the point when they wanted to go and collect the money, I asked them, if you collect this kind of money, why don’t you leave this business that you do inside the bush to go and live with your family. If you take this money, you can go and buy yam from Abuja and take it to Lagos to sell. If you invest N5 million out of this money and each of you now takes N500,000 or so, your life would never remain the same. You would be living happily and not be running away from people. They said no, it is our boss that would collect the money and that they would give them just small. That is the problem because how many jobs can you create that would give people the kind of money that these people collect. So, it has become a very big business for them. The only thing I want to call on government to do is to quickly move and repair the roads. This is because these people stay in areas where there are potholes because they know that motorists would slow down on getting there. It is from there they push people out of their vehicles and lead you to where they want. If the roads are good, the rate at which people are kidnapped would reduce because motorists would not have any need to unnecessarily slow down on the highways. If we do our roads and rail lines, the situation would drastically reduce. The majority of the people cannot be flying but if we have enough transportation system like the rail line, the situation won’t be this bad. But we hope the rail line would be constructed in such a way that the hoodlums would not go and block the lines. And how many places can the government cover. This is why the issue of state, local government and civil policing should be a priority. The Federal Government cannot carry out the whole job of policing the nation because they do not have the resources. It is a big challenge for the government and they should look at the issue of decentralization of the police to the local environment. We are now too big for that central police command arrangement. There is no reason for it. In the United States, you have the Federal Bureau of Intelligence(FBI) and every city and local council has its own police. They have the Sheriffs and they call them marshals. In the United States, if the marshals come to the state to effect an arrest, everybody would know that this is a Federal Government police. They are superior but they cannot come out looking for somebody kidnapped inside a bush in a council area. So, I think the challenge is that of every Nigerian. If we see suspicious people around our neighborhood, just quickly call the police, but the police we have now do not have the resources and what it takes to check some of these security issues. Sometimes, they say they do not even have fuel in their patrol vehicles. They complain of all manner of problems. There must be emergency solutions that all stakeholders must agree on to move forward. This is because the population of the country is growing every day. The number of people requiring policing would continue to increase. The population is not being checked, so the number of people to employ would continue to increase; the universities are increasing and everybody wants to work for the government. All these are challenges that we need to find solutions to. Even if Buhari who I personally think deserves a second term solves that problem, if it is the only thing he can achieve, that would be enough. Let us put the necessary infrastructure in place. I have spoken about modular refineries that everybody who can establish one should be allowed to do so. And the same solutions should be applied to the power sector. It is too late in the day for the government to think that it can provide all the power required for the whole country through the Ministry of power. I do not understand how that can be possible. This is because what you need in Abuja and Lagos is not the same in terms of consumption. So, they must try to look at the issue of decentralization. You issue licences and the guidelines must be there. The moment the person meets all the requirements, the person should be given a licence. There should never be sentiment in matters that require the growth and development of the country. We need to begin to address these issues and bring it to the attention of Mr President. We have to be the one talking. The President cannot be in the villa and come out with the solutions to every problem. Those who have access to him must listen to the people so that they can guide the President. But I think by and large, we cannot resolve all these problems over night.

From your interaction with these kidnappers, what is their thinking? Do you think that their frustration is against the state or what? And what is their level of communication? Do they sound like educated people or are they the illiterate hoodlums struggling to eke a living?

From the way they communicated, they are educated. My suspicion is that these people, the money they get, they use it to fund the Boko Haram sect. This is because the moment I spoke to them on what they can do to change their lifestyles, they were not forthcoming and my suspicion is that there is nothing you can do to change them. They must have a passion for something and I believe that the quantum of money they are getting on more or less a regular basis, for them not to utilise it for something meaningful is a source of worry for me. You make some money in that way and you are not planning to leave that business. It should be a source of worry to everybody. We must make sure that if such people are caught, they must pay a price, otherwise people would feel that they can just come out, make money and become lords. Nobody can trust these people because the money at their disposal is too much. I think we need a national discourse on this matter. It is a terrible situation. To me and even to my wife and a lot of my friends, the kidnappers did not appear to me as people who did not have tertiary institution certificates. They were speaking good English. They did not know me and when they asked me who I am, I told them that I am retired. This is because I was thinking ahead and I was very calm. I felt that if I told these guys a lie and they found out, I would be in trouble. They asked me ‘you have retired from where’ and I told them from the National Assembly. I told them that I retired six years ago. So, by the time the newspapers and other news platforms started talking and writing about it, they came back to me the second day and asked me when you were in the National Assembly, where did you retire from and I said the Senate. They asked me which department did I work in the National Assembly. You can imagine the person questioning me asking me which department of the National Assembly. That would tell you that he is a very educated person. They subjected me to many interviews. They told me you are a politician, what have you done. You deceived everybody and when you get there, you forget everybody and I was just wondering about these young chaps. It is not a funny experience. I have so many friends from all the ethnic groups in the country. Even my friends that sent the first N1 million is from the North. So, do you now zero it that this thing was done by these people. It gave me another school of thought completely and I believe that we would be able to resolve our differences in this country without looking at where somebody comes from. We should look for the person who would proffer the solutions; the person can be from anywhere. If there are new jobs, people who are willing to work would still find something there, because there are so many opportunities opening up in this country today. People are getting access to money and agricultural supplements to go into farming. The Bank of Industry(BOI) is there. I think the APC is doing a lot to better the lives of Nigerians. But as quickly as possible, something should be done about restructuring. We have a huge population and we can benefit from the amount of human and material resources that we have.

While you were in the kidnappers den, did you imagine that the worst could happen and you could lose your life in the hands of the criminals?

Oh! yes, I had no doubt in my mind that these people could kill me. When I told them that all I could give them was N10 million, they subjected me to some kind of torture and tied my hands. That was when I had to call my friend that these people are getting very rough with me so that he could see how he can quickly raise some money. I still have some marks in my hands. But of course, God was so very kind. People rallied round me –my friends, my community people supported me. My community put about N4 million and it was amazing. Many people including those of the grassroots were there for me. I am not talking of the rich folks. It was an eye opener for me. I told them that if you make the money you are demanding too big, the government would get involved somehow and that they would not give them money but capture them. And may be you can kill me. They told me that if the government comes they would kill me. But I kept telling them that if you kill me, no money would come here because I had told my friends that if you do not hear from me, you should not bring any money. I knew from my discussion with them that what they were after was the money. And they told me that they killed some people. So, I was not unmindful of the fact that these people could kill me. But the most worrisome part was the persons bringing the money in which case, if they were stopped by the police, it was trouble for me. If it got into the hands of good policemen, they would take them to the police station with the money but if they got into the hands of bad cops, they might take them to the bush and shoot two of them. That was very worrisome. We just have to continue to pray for our country to improve.

Tunde Adelusi

PROFESSOR TUNDE ADELUSI REFLECTS ON INTEGRATED ISSUES AS HE MARKS 80

Today, it will take us 30 years to go back to the good old Days of 1960, if we could only have a good leader, this is extrapolating from the view of one of our ambassadors at an independence party at his Embassy in 1998. Nigeria has produced the best of doctors but not…” – Prof. Tunde Adelusi.

Professor Tunde Adelusi clocked 80 on June 30, 2019. As the first medical doctor and professor to have hailed from his hometown, Ifaki-Ekiti, he was feted by those he had helped to shape their careers as a brother, uncle, teacher, and role model. Apart from Wesley College and the University of Ibadan, where he was part of the first indigenous medical doctors trained and certified by the prestigious institution, he also went to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia as a Post-doctoral Medical Research Fellow, this in addition to practicing in Britain and Saudi Arabia. Professor Adelusi finally returned to Nigeria in 2001. He spoke glowingly about his life, marriage, family, his home town; his state, medical practice, and Nigeria politics in this interview coordinated by Akin Adeoya.

Q. Congratulations on your new age, sir!

A. Thank God for His goodness, His mercy, and above all else, for His faithfulness.

Q. This is an age where a lot of people look back to examine the paths that they have taken in life. For you how does it feel coming this far?

A. The path, in my case, has been a mixed bag of possibilities, some very lows; and others very highs. Overall, I thank God that I am where I am today. When I talk about the lows, I cannot but talk about losing my mother when I was relatively young – a newly qualified medical doctor. I cannot but recall losing my wife at the point when she would have started enjoying the benefits of life. I cannot but talk about losing my first son at the age when he was blooming, after his graduation with a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London, and neither can I forget the giant steps that each of my other children have accomplished as they continue to make progress in their various ways. Overall, when I look back on those things, the joy of reaching 80 years overwhelms me. If anybody had told me that I would live to be 80 years, most especially twenty-five years ago when I lost my priceless precious Gem, I would have told him to go and re-examine his vision, especially if he was the herbalist with all his divination and magic. This is because I never thought I could get this far. Even now, every day when I go on my knees all I pray for is the next day; nothing more.

Q. Something must have kept you going, especially since you lost your heartthrob and charismatic wife more than 20 Years ago; what is the secret of your longevity?

A. That is exactly what I said initially. It’s been God’s grace, and faithfulness, for He has been there directing my footpaths, even without my knowing. You know what? When this charismatic lady who eventually became my wife was around, she virtually guided my footpaths to God. I knew now, looking back that God was using her to guide me. When I married her, I never thought of anything, for were married young, when I was a penniless medical student. In those days people married early, and we did at 26-27 years, but looking back now, I realise it was God’s guidance. She went with me everywhere I went, to Britain for my professional training, even if we had to come back very quickly after passing my examinations because of the status of her parents whom we left behind in old age. When I came back, there was no job for me at the UCH; and I said let me go into the army, but she said, “Never”! I said alright, what of Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa but she said again, “Never”, and that we will get a job in Ibadan. Eventually I obtained a job in Ibadan that led me to becoming a lecturer. Initially, I had to step down from what I was entitled to, and began as a ‘university scholar’ in 1972. It was like a downgrade, if you think of it, but it paid off eventually. I was awarded the Rockefeller Medical Research Fellowship a year later, appointed a lecturer in 1975, and promoted senior lecturer in 1976; and 3 to 4 years after that I became a professor. Each time I look back, I knew God was in charge of my life because I never wanted to be a teacher despite the fact that I was trained in Wesley College. Although I became a teacher in the university, but a teacher is a teacher. Also, in Wesley College, I vowed that I would never be found dead in the church ministry, when it was God’s time, not only did I come in, I also came to serve and make disciples for Him. That is why I always say it is by God’s grace and faithfulness that I am where I am today. I never wanted to be a teacher, neither did I want to be a minister. I ended up being both. So He knew where He was taking me to from the beginning – and that, to me, is His way of His doing His things. People always talk about this English proverb that “you can lead a horse to the stream but you cannot force it to drink water”. You know what? I counter this with ‘it is because God is not involved in that. In the case of God, ‘a le kun lo si oko baba eni, a kii ko ni’, that is we can grumble to our father’s farm but we cannot refuse’. That is my case.

Q. You spoke passionately about mama, your wife, what was life like with her every day, while she was alive?

A. Well, let me make one confession. I never knew any couple that quarrelled and argued like me and my wife. That is the honest truth. In a day, if I did not have an argument with her, or she did not have an argument with me, by the time we get to bed in the night I would ask whether we woke up on the right side of the bed that day., and she would ask “Why”? Of course I would reply, “because we had not argued that day” and she would scream “Aaaaah!!!, you don’t even know when people are happy”. I would respond “O, I just want to be sure”. But I can assure you that not one individual ever settled differences for us. Our mutual uncle, Chief J O O Ojo (late) of Wesley College was the only one who ever spoke to us individually, whenever she reported me to him, her mother, my mother, and our relations never heard that we quarrelled. Without her, let me make another confession, there is every possibility that I would have lost my children, because of ‘My way or the highway’ idiosyncrasy. It was she that would come around to talk to the children; and make reconciliations between my way and their ways.  Eventually we were fine.

When my children say now that they were brought up properly, my mind goes to my wife. It was she who did all the tutoring. I only gave orders and walked away while she was the backbone of our home. These much I can tell anybody, without her I don’t know what I would have been in life. I became a professor because she guided my decisions. By the time I became a minister in the Church of course, she has passed on to rest with the Lord, but even when she was alive, she never once quarrelled that I didn’t go to church. She was a Christian – I don’t use the yerm ‘good Christian’ or ‘excellent Christian’ – but I know she was a Christian. I used to take her to church and after dropping the children in the Sunday school classes I would return would go back home to do my own things. After service, I would go and pick the children, and then pick her. She never once forced me to attend church. Between 1959 and 1979, I did not go to any church except when I know who was speaking in UI, like Professor J Ferguson, or Professor E O Idowu, but she never once quarrelled that I didn’t follow her to church. While in the US, a lady Miss Evelyn Green invited me to her church, and you know what, her Church was Presbyterian. My grandfather was among the three people who brought Methodism to Ifaki, and my father was an itinerary minister in the Methodist Church. The first time I decided to go to church I went to a Presbyterian Church!!! Later, my wife went with me, and we became members until we came to Ibadan.  And then we started attending the Chapel of the Resurrection, UI. She was such a wonderful girl that each time I look back, I miss her. I am sorry to say that I haven’t been able to find someone who could have taken her place.

Q. You are the first medical doctor from Ifaki, you must have attracted a lot of attention in those days; how did you use that to spur yourself to greater achievements?

A. When I became a doctor, well, it was strange, as many people never thought that a student from Wesley College could ever rise to become a medical doctor. But the town welcomed me as the first doctor; at the same time they welcomed my wife as the first lady graduate in Ifaki. So one has to think about the younger generation and play the role of a mentor. I must have encouraged young ones after me, within Ifaki and its environs, to aspire to greater heights. Dr. Adeniyi Fateye from Ifisin-Ekiti was one of those who followed in my footsteps from Wesley College. There are many of the younger generations from Ifaki who became medical doctors. When I became a professor, I was the first, but today Ifaki can boast of 20 professors, 2 of which, I am proud to confirm are from an illiterate woman, my mother.

Q. Who were your contemporaries at the University of Ibadan, and can you tell us a little bit about some of them who also went on to do the nation proud?

A. There are so many of them beyond enumeration. Among my classmates, I can’t count the number of us who became professors. Bamidele Abdurrahman, pediatrics, Canada Femi Jaiyesimi, pediatrics Ibadan, Kayode Jegede, psychiatrist US, Mrs. Adenike Abiose, Ophthalmology, Nigeria, Kofi Formuford, US, Nsa Ani, Surgery, Dr. Ame Idoko, a retired consultant paediatrician, and a private hospital owner in Makurdi, Mrs Fadeke Aderonmu, among so many. If I start counting, the list is inexhaustible because we were the first set of ‘made-in-Ibadan’ medical doctors. Indeed, we called ourselves Ibadan ‘native doctors’, because the set before us were trained as London graduates. So we were the first to emerge from Ibadan. Unfortunately, many of those brilliant doctors are serving excellently outside the boarders of our nation.

Q. Going by your specialisation, you deal with issues surrounding women’s health. Please can you tell us a bit about the trends that have affected female health, and advise the government on steps to take?

A. I chose obstetrics as a specialization because I was good in that area while in the college. I went for my postgraduate training abroad for so many reasons, but came back to help improve women’s health. Yes, there are new changes in care of women. At a time, no one believed a woman above 40 years of age could have children, but today, medicine has advanced so much that women now have babies at 55, especially if they have problems with pregnancy, and a 16-year old girl who had not started menstruation would not be seen as abnormal. You can see the gap between the first ‘menses’ and the last babies had widened because of improved health care. That a woman aged 55 can have babies today is part of the advancement in health care, and if I see a girl aged 10 years who had not started menstruation, I would start to ask questions. Various management procedures have been innovated, including ‘pin-hole’ surgeries.

Unfortunately, in spite of scientific advancement in health care, Nigeria has never been able to match this, in spite of these great advancements, such that if I am asked to come and practice my profession of obstetrics today, I would not honor such a request. Although I can still practice, but the new technologies notwithstanding, many of us retired early so that we can keep our sanity while the younger generations continue to struggle against all the odds. As far as the government is concerned, there is a lot they can do to improve medical health. In fairness to doctors, Nigeria has produced the best of the best of doctors, but they are not here because the facilities are not available, and the working condition is quite unacceptable. If I was practicing medicine today, I won’t be in Nigeria. When I came back in 2001, I made up my mind that I was done with medicine. That is why I can look back and say I am happy that I am not practicing in Nigeria. If you go to hospitals in Nigeria, you will be baffled by the state of deterioration. The government has a lot to do, not just by providing money, but by encouraging people to give their best. It can be achieved by improving the working environment.

I have peace of mind because I am not practicing in Nigeria. Having practiced in the USA, UK and Saudi Arabia, there is no way I can work in this country without the facilities. Take for instance, how can I charge a patient when the patient herself has not eaten?  Rather than serving meals to indigent patients and running freebies, it is better to say I am not practicing. I still see and ask questions, and advise patients (not private patients but familiar contacts), and afterward refer them to doctors in UCH who can treat them. That way I am contributing my quota without expecting remunerations from government or anyone. I can’t see myself practicing medicine in Nigeria under the present condition.

Q. Ifaki, your hometown, has gone through phases of transformations, what is different today compared to the time you and mama were growing up in the town?

A. Unfortunately, my wife never grew up in Ifaki, she was of Ifaki extraction, but she didn’t visit Ifaki until she finished secondary school. So she had no idea of what Ifaki was like in those days. However we were both so passionate about Ifaki. I left Ifaki as soon as I finished my Standard 6. Ever since, I haven’t lived in Ifaki. However, I have not been distant from the town. I have served the town through one of the young clubs. I was one of the first set of people who organised youth clubs in Ifaki, Ifaki Klub 75. There were so many of the clubs, but our club was very active. We graded the roads in Ifaki, brought banks – our club must have brought about three banks and other development programmes to Ifaki. I als served as the National Secretary of umbrella body of the Ifaki Progressive Union (IPU) for years before I travelled out of the country during the era of IBB, and we went in pursuit of what the leaders of yesteryears like Chiefs J O O Ojo, J. O. Adeoya (the Principal of the Grammar School), D.O.A. Adetunmbi (the Vice Principal) set as worthy examples of serve back then. These leaders brought the post office, the Grammar School, ECN (now PHCN or NEPA), and the Methodist Girls High School to Ifaki.

As far as one can tell as a young boy growing up in Ifaki, there was nothing that the government ever did for Ifaki that I can remember. The people did everything by self-help projects. That is why when the IPU was active we were looking at it as a role model for the new clubs. Some of the clubs are still active, while some others have become moribund. The present day Ifaki is however something that one can envy, and the towns around used to envy Ifaki because of the progress that it was making in education. When one remembers that the Methodist Church has been in the town for as long as anybody can remember, it is a thing of pride that my grandfather was the leader of the trio that included Ojo Abudu and Moses Ajiboro who brought Methodism to Ifaki. So Ifaki Methodist School was the only school with Standard Six in the whole of the area up to Aiyedun, Ijurin and Osi. Hence people came to Ifaki to complete their schooling back then. That was why we who lived in Ifaki had an advantage. Fortunately, I can lay claim on the fact that when Engr. Segun Oni became Governor of Ekiti, not only did he serve Ekiti, he served Ifaki to the best of his abilities such that Ifaki can now boast of having a General Hospital comparable to a few others, like the one in Ado that they have now turned into a teaching hospital. These types of achievements will encourage the younger generation to look forward to doing something for Ifaki. When people look to history they should be able to say “Yes, Ifaki developed itself”. I can’t remember anything that is in Ifaki that is government-made, it is all self-help until his tenure.

Q. You have spoken so well of Ifaki. Is it possible for the town to become a real dominating force in terms of education, commerce, and leadership especially in Ekiti state?

A. Ifaki has always been a great town. But when Engr. Segun Oni became the Governor of the state, and established a university in Ifaki and many of us were very enthusiastic that the town would sure become a pivotal city. In the first place, it was virtually the centre point of Ekiti, considering the distance from Ikere, Ikole, Aiyedun and Efon, and this had such a great impact. Somehow Segun Oni’s programme was disrupted. The university is still there, whatever they call it now, but the programme that was initiated by Segun Oni, which would have transformed Ifaki from a rural centre to a big administrative, academic and religious centre are no longer in place. I am not losing hope though; the people can still decide that they would want to go ahead.

Q. What are the issues you see affecting Ekiti state in this dispensation?

A. Politics is pushing Ekiti towards what is called the modern trend of money acquisition. Everything in Ekiti now is money. If you give people money, they would do whatever you ask them to do, even to vote. During the past election you could see people on television openly confirming they received money to vote. And I used to think when a governor gives you N4,000 without providing anything by way of infrastructure, work and necessary amenities, it is worrisome. I often say, “Well, you can spend your N4,000 over the next 4 years”. That is one thing that is paramount in Ekiti now, and very unfortunately, we haven’t got the right leaders to lead the state with pure objectives of making Ekiti great. There are so many Ekiti leaders, academics, and businessmen. Everything that the state needs, it has it in human resources. Ekiti used to be the academic centre of the whole western region in those days. Ekiti students were topmost in most institutions. But where are we today? Can we regard Ekiti as the ‘centre of academic excellence’ now? I doubt it. The people who are theremay still be  making waves, however many of our young generation are out of this country with no hope of coming back. They should be serving Ekiti, and by extension, Nigeria, but they live outside Nigeria because they cannot cope with life in Nigeria.

Q. What advice will you give to the new crop of industrialists and leaders coming out of Ekiti state now?

A. It is difficult to advise people you don’t know. I don’t know any of them. They have their own ideas and agenda. And if there are people with money and the brilliance of establishing industries in Ekiti, there is no way the state wouldn’t progress. Chief J O O Ojo was the person I always refer to as a brilliant genius and academically qualified mind. When he was alive, he established a lot of small-scale industries in and around Ifaki. I still remember the printing press that he brought to Ifaki. He sent one of his brothers to go and learn about bookshop management so that he could establish one in the town. He brought the weaving industry to Oke-Aparin, the Teacher Training College that ceased to exist there. If they had followed the pattern of linking up with Oodua Textile Industry in Ado-Ekiti, which was making uniforms for Ekiti schools in those days, the industry would have been sustained. Unfortunately, the Aparin one collapsed just as many other industries also collapsed, very unfortunately. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Solid minerals that should map out industrial development of the states had woefully failed the nation.

     Many industries were brought to Ekiti but none of them seems to be functioning today. As I stand here, I don’t know which Industry is functioning in the state. I don’t know whatever they have made of the Ikogosi tourist attraction, so it would be difficult to advise anybody when you don’t know them. What I know is that if we have good government and a Governor who knows what is good for the state and has the brains, like the previous governor, an intellectually committed individual, the fortune of the state could still turn around. I remember having a discussion with him saying that he would want to make Ekiti State a pivotal state whereby if you are enter the Ekiti State from anywhere outside the state, whether Ilesha or Akure or Omuo, the first towns you entered, which is Ita-awure, Omuo and Ikere, he was going to make them into big cities with light, water, good roads and every infrastructure, so that anyone coming into the state will think well of the Ekiti. The bad politics around the state did not allow any of the plans to materialise before he was removed. That was quite unfortunate.  The last time he attempted to make a comeback, I wasn’t too keen for him to do this, and I told him, because I knew the politics in Ekiti had become too destructive. Personalities rather than the people took over the running of Ekiti.

Q. As a Professor, seeing the level of deterioration in our educational system, I think you should feel concerned? What do you think is responsible for the decline?

A. Every Nigerian should be concerned not just some of us. The challenge is multifaceted. People are no longer willing to give their talent to serving the nation; rather they are looking for ways to make money by plundering the nation. I am sorry to say this. Look, if you ask young boys today what they want to become; the first thing they will say is, “I want to be a millionaire”. That is the mentality of the whole nation. Everyone wants to become a millionaire, even those in primary one. In this case, the prioritization of money over learning, has not allowed many Nigerians to build useful skills and hone their talents. The government hasn’t helped either. If government fails to invest in people with progressive ideas they will be on the lookout for how to survive, and that can lead people astray.

    Most of the people in government today are out to make money. Mention any one of them who wants to develop the nation; you won’t find one. All they want is to acquire or siphon money.  I am sure you are conversant with the internet. What benefit does a man derive from making N148 billion and putting it in a warehouse with air conditioner to keep the money safe? This is money that should have been invested in projects and businesses. You only need to read some of the online news, including WhatsApp and Facebook messages and you will see how decadent the nation has completely become because money has become the priority of everyone. In my days, I mean my growing up in the Methodist School, Wesley College, and University of Ibadan I never recall what a million pounds was. The government budget of Awolowo that I can remember never went beyond 500,000 pounds. Today I understand our budget is in trillion. I know a million is about 6 zeros, but I don’t comprehend what a billion is, it blows my mind.

    A retired judge once told of a case in a group discussion I was part of.  A young lady, less than 35-years, brought a problem to him and they started discussing the cost of taking the case to court. They calculated the cost at N2.5 billion, and the young girl said, “O, that is nothing”. The judge was amazed and wanted to know was the nature of her job that fetched her so much money; she replied that she was into oil and gas business. If a judge didn’t know what N2.5 billion was in terms of real cash, because it was beyond his imagination, and here was a young girl who said that such money was “Nothing”, imagine the present state of Nigeria. I think Awolowo must be turning in his grave when he hears that people are now talking of billions when his budget for the whole western region, which covered up to Benin and Asaba, was less than 500 thousand pounds the state of decadence of the nation when it comes to money matters in Nigeria is disgusting.

Q. Younger Nigerians, especially those aged between 30 and 40, are complaining of not being given a chance to contribute their quotas at the very top of leadership in the country. When you were younger, many of the leaders starting from Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, were youths, do you think limiting the roles of young people at the top of the social and political leadership is fair?

A. Let me ask you one question. Is Seyi Makinde, the new Governor of Oyo, a young man? Is Kayode Fayemi, an old man? These are young boys by my standard. Many of the governors who have been there are all young. The commissioners are in their 20s and 30s. Gowon was 33 or 34 when he became the Head of State. Well, he performed relatively well, except that he wasn’t well informed compared with when he had gone to Britain to study. If he had become a Head of State after his PhD for example, he would have been a better Head of State. After he went from the Army into education, he became more knowledgeable and informed about life. However, the younger generations today are not ready to put any effort into learning, for all they want is to make money. Ask any of your Senators of today (of course, there were no Senators in my time; we had the House of Assembly and the House of Chiefs), none of them can boast of being a millionaires, but today, your senators are billionaires. Nobody talks of millions anymore.

    A few days ago I received a chat where one of your senators brought out 3 SUVs, each of which I was made to understand would cost N100 million. Please what is he doing with 3 cars of N300 million? In the days of Shagari presidency, the highest car a minister could ride was 505 Evolution during the tightening of the belt era, although they used to ride those beautiful American cars.

   When they were using Peugeot 404, Peugeot 403, and Peugeot 505 – those were cars of those ,day - Nigerians were living well. Today everybody wants to ride cars worth millions. One young boy brought a car to my house early in the New Year and said, “Daddy, do you know the cost of that car”? I replied that I don’t buy cars as I have my own cars and I know how much I paid for them. The boy said the Toyota Corolla he brought costs N8 million. I looked at him, N8 million to buy a Corolla! He said, “Daddy, if it was this year, it would have been N12 million. I wondered how one should buy a car at such cost when it only serves to convey one from place to place. When I bought my first Mercedes cat, as a senior lecturer back then, how much did I pay? N8, 000! That was even because they have increased the price by the time I had to buy mine as It used to be N7, 000. But these days people are counting their cars in terms of millions. It means nobody will buy a car of N100, 000 in this current dispensation and be proud of owning a car. People measure personal worth in terms of millions of naira. Things have changed and I don’t see how it could be turned around to come back to ‘normal’. 

Q. What Nigeria and Ekiti state, do you imagine in the next 10 years, if the current political and socio-economic realities do not change?

A. Young man, looking at this nation today, I can’t even imagine anything. To be honest with you, I don’t know what is going to happen to Nigeria tomorrow. With the present situations in this country, at the Federal, State and Local government levels, I cannot imagine what Nigeria would be in a year, much less 10 years. That is my honest confession. If you tell me something is going to happen to Nigeria, I will ask you; what is that likely to be? I am not even thinking of Nigeria of 10 years now, and none of the leaders is thinking of Nigeria of 10 years now. Find out from them, you will discover that everyone is thinking about how much they can siphon today even if they cannot spend it. That is the unfortunate situation in Nigeria. Let me remind you, the reason I am thinking this way. When I was abroad I attended an independence embassy party. As usual, we the so called academics got together to talk politics, and the ambassador said that if Nigeria had a good leader it would take the country 10 years to get back to what Nigeria was in 1960! This was in 1998, In which case he believed, as an ambassador that Nigeria has never had a good leader. That is a depressive statement. Now it has been 20 years since. Has Nigeria had any good leader since 1998? That is the question you young ones have to ask. If Nigeria has never had a good leader from the beginning to 1998, I haven’t seen a good leader from 1998 till today. So, to go back to 1998, that means that if we have a good leader today, we will need another 30 years to get us back to the good old days of 1960. That is not a situation you can plan easily. That is it. I don’t know therefore what Nigeria will look like in 10 years time.

Q. You must be relaxing so much these days? Do you miss work?

A. It is easy when you have planned your life ahead of retirement. My ambition is simple. I want a quiet and peaceful private life, hence I make my environment comfortable, thanks to the grace and the faithfulness of God. We, my wife and I bought the land on loan the month I graduated, even when it was unheard of to build houses in those days because my wife insisted that we must have our own house within a time limit. We started building when I was a Senior House Officer in UCH, and we completed it when we returned from my postgraduate studies in Britain. People wanted me to rent it out as was the practice at that time but I said to myself “why labour and then let somebody else enjoy the harvest!” This was because in those days the university or the teaching hospital would have given me a house at 7% of my basic salary, but we preferred to live in our own home. The condition I gave to the agent who wanted us to rent it out was just so impossible that he couldn’t accept it, so he said ‘you are not serious’ and I said ‘I am because I did not want to rent it out#. Hence, I made everything comfortable here for the family.

     Now, I am not looking for too much money, neither am I looking for too little money. When I wake up in the morning, I pray to God: Father, I don’t want too much so that I will not forget You, and I don’t want too little so that I will not deny You, just give me enough so that I can praise You. I remember somebody once asking me, ‘What is enough for me?’, and I said ‘that is a question that only God can answer. He knows what he has put in my lap to do; and He will give me enough to fulfil it to His satisfaction’. That is why I live a comfortable life now, so I don’t miss work.

     In this house, I have a local government. That is what gives me comfort. When I get here I have water, not from the well but from a borehole I dug in 2001 when I returned to Nigeria. I have light because I invested first in inverter and later solar energy. So whether NEPA comes or doesn’t come, it doesn’t make a dent on me. I have also a small generator so that if the sun doesn’t shine in the rainy season, I will get the generator to power my batteries, and I will get light in the evening. I have personal phone, cell phone which I carry everywhere. It is far better than what we had in the NITEL days, so I can contact people. Now, I have regular light, I can eat whatever I like, enough to the full. For as long as I am comfortable in this environment I don’t bother my head about what the government does. That is how I have been able to live comfortably.

     Let me tell you this. People talk about me being a millionaire, including even my children, of course. I tell them that if you ask me for a million, I haven’t got it, that is the honest truth. I am therefore not a millionaire who has a million to carry as cash. I have never handled a million naira. Conversely however, I think I am a millionaire if I calculate all the money that I have spent on my children’s education. All of them went abroad to be re-educated. They are all away. In fact I am not proud to say that I am the only Nigerian in my family. But the circumstances in Nigeria made me the only Nigerian in the family. They asked me to come and become a British citizen but I told them that I am not interested. Nigeria is my country; I will live here, I will be comfortable here. When it is time to die, I will die here. Like Professor Wole Soyinka said in those days when we were students in university, ‘I love this country Nigeria, na him and me we go live and quench. If he push me here, I go push am there’. It was Soyinka’s song in the 60s and I still like it.

Q. What advice do you have for young Ekiti people who are looking up to you?

A. I have never told anybody to copy my lifestyle, but I tell you what I did to be where I am today. I was trained in Wesley College to be a teacher, hence I veered out by determination that I wasn’t going to be a teacher. I wanted to go into pharmacy but ended up in medicine. After all said and done, I ended up teaching, even if at the university. It was the grace of God who has been guiding me. I also never planned to be a priest but I went into the Seminary at His insistence. He virtually forced me into it. I went in, and I have no regrets. It wasn’t easy. I have been a professor for over 20 years before I became a Priest but I came in when I was old enough to be a Bishop. I started from the base, and God continued to guide me. Today I am happy for where I am and I am happy that I have served Him. I am happy that I have done His will; happy that I have retired and happy that I am comfortable. I can assure you that I am not rich by any measure but I am comfortable by God’s grace and His faithfulness. I ask Him every morning to give me the grace to serve Him till the end so that I will see His face before I see death. Then I will hear that voice: ‘Well done, thou faithful servant, get to the kingdom of your beloved Father’. ! If that is the only thing I achieved in my life. Then I will be happy, content and grateful to Him. That is my only way to teach the younger generation, telling my personal story, not for them to copy verbatim, but for them to learn from my experience and be wiser.

Q. Thank you so much sir.

A. Thank you and God Bless you.

PROFESSOR BABATUNDE ADELUSI: AN ACADEMIC OF REPUTE AND A DEDICATED MAN OF GOD

By

Seye Adetunmbi, 3/4/18

Most of the people that were privileged to pass through the early front-line Nigerian teacher training colleges and later gained admission to the university were exceptionally brilliant students. Professor Babatunde Adelusi is among the few scholars in this category who turned out to become the first medical doctor in his Ifaki-Ekiti home town. He does not only stand out as an academic of note in medicine but remains a distinguished international professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Professor Adelusi was born in Ifaki-Ekiti on June 30^th in 1939 to Christian parents: Pa Abraham Oluyemi Adelusi (circa 1900-1984) and Madam Dorcas Esan Adelusi, nee Fayemi (circa 1990-1974). Baba Abraham Adelusi was a Methodist Catechist who served in Iloko, Ilupeju-Ekiti and environs. The grandfather of the professor, Pa David Adelusi was among the three Ifaki indigenes that were instrumental to how Methodist mission got to Ifaki in the early 20^th century.

   He is a product of the famous Wesley College, Ibadan which he attended between 1956 and 1960 after passing his Standard Six at Methodist Primary School, Ifaki-Ekiti in 1955. He graduated from the University of Ibadan with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BS) in June 1967. He later obtained Certificate of Immunology from University of Ibadan in September 1973, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D) from University of Ibadan in 1976 and Doctor of Medicine in 1983 from University of Ibadan. Between 1979 and 1980 he attended Emory University, Atlanta Georgia, USA. His scholarships and prizes include being a scholar of Federal Republic of Germany in 1964 to 1967 for medicine and University of Ibadan postgraduate scholarship for medicine in 1972.

His postgraduate professional qualifications include: Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in June 1985, Fellow (New York) Academy of Sciences in February 1982, Fellow of the International College of Surgeons in October 1977, Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons in 1976, Fellow of the Medical College in Obstetrics and Gynecology (Nigeria) in September 1975 and member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in January 1972.

To his credit are the following honors and distinctions: Member of American Fertility Society in December 1984, Fellow of the Biographical Association in January 1983, Fogarty International Research Fellowship of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA in 1979-1980, World Health Organisation Fellowship for postgraduate studies in Immunovirology of Cancer, Lyon, France in 1974, Rockefeller postgraduate medical research training fellowship in 1973 to 1974 and university of Ibadan postgraduate medical research training in 1972 to 1973.

Prof is a member of reputable learned societies which include The Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, The Nigeria Medical Association, The United Kingdom Royal Society of Medicine, The Nigerian Society for Immunology, The Nigerian Cancer Society, The Nigerian Society for Endoscopy, The New York Academy of Science, The Royal the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of United Kingdom, American Fertility Society, International Biographers Association, Riyadh Obstetrics and Gynecology Club and Riyadh Perinatology Club.

 

Until retirement from active medical practice and teaching, he worked as a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Honorary Consultant Obstetrician and gynecologist at King Khalid University Hospital, Saudi Arabia in 1987 to early 1990s. His previous teaching appointments since 1971 included working as a Resident in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Lewisham Hospital, London as a research fellow (1971-1972); and from lecturer in 1975 to professor in 1980 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Ibadan. Some of his other clinical calls included serving as the Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Research and Training, University of Ibadan College of Medicine in 1986, Professor Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan University College Hospital (UCH) in 1980 to 1987; Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, UCH in 1976 to 1980 and Lecturer in 1975 to 1976. Prior to this he worked as Senior House Officer in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Lewisham Hospital, London in 1970; Senior House Officer in Obstetrics and Gynecology in the District Hospital, Peterborough, England in 1969 to 1971 and Senior House Officer in Medicine and Surgery, UCH Ibadan in 1968 to 1969. All along he was running consultation clinics in the Special Treatment Clinic for the female patients with STD, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease. He contributed chapters to over six various books on medicine; chapters to 5 different proceedings, two monographs to his credit over 90 articles published in learned journals.

Professor Tunde Adelusi first met his heartthrob, Dr Mrs Remi Iyabo Adelusi (nee Adeyemi) an adorable fellow Ifaki-Ekiti indigene in 1957 at Ibadan in his Wesley College, Ibadan days. They cultivated lasting friendship when providence brought them together again at University of Ibadan as undergraduates. Long vacation job brought the two of them together at Ifaki in 1963 which further gave them the opportunity to nurture their friendship and he got married to his beautiful wife on January 30^th 1966 and God blessed the marriage with four fruitful children. Their marriage was an imitable couple to behold considering how they bonded and did things together to the admiration of their loved ones until death did separate them when Mrs Iyabo Adelusi passed-on in 1995.

Prof Adelusi is a passionate Ifaki-Ekiti man who always shows interest in the progress of his community. He and some of his kinsmen and contemporaries established Ifaki Club 75 in 1975. They set good example for the younger ones to follow by coming together as clubs to promote socio-economic development activities for the upliftment of their Jerusalem. As far back as 1979 he served as the National Secretary of Ifaki Progressive Union. Up till now he responds to any clarion call from the community whenever his attention or input is needed on matters of communal interest. I took special note of how he respected my parents and was always stopping over to see them anytime he came to Ifaki in their lifetime, coupled with the love he shows us the children. It gives me great pleasure to do this write-up to celebrate an uncle I have always admired all along as a little boy up till today. He makes me comfortable around him and as such I look forward to spending time with him in his Ibadan residence. My prayer is that God will grant him more years in good health and the grace to continue to inspire his kinsmen.

CHARISMATIC VIRTUOUS WOMAN: DR MRS REMI ADELUSI (1939-1995)

By

Seye Adetunmbi

 It is a thing of significance to record a first in one’s community and most people that usually have this distinct record are usually special individuals. Such was the person of Dr Mrs Remi Adelusi who was the first female university graduate in Ifaki-Ekiti. By virtue of her comfortable parents, she was a privileged child from birth by standard of the time and the environment where she grew up. Being the only issue that survived her caring parents, she had the best of things affordable and available in her generation. It was apparent that she was destined for greater heights because her well to do and God fearing parents did not leave anything to chances in ensuring her safety through the grace of the almighty God.  Her father was the respected High Chief Moses Abejide Adeyemi, the Alao of Ilao community in Ifaki-Ekiti who retired as a nurse in 1930 and was based in Ekotedo, Ibadan. Her mother was Madam Janet Ibiyemi Adeyemi, a native of Akure and a trader of ceramic bowls and plates in Dugbe market, Ibadan.

   Dr Mrs Remi Adelusi was born on October 12^th 1939 in Ibadan after a long wait by her loving parents that were already advancing in age who lost their first issue when he was a toddler. She was enrolled in January 1946 at Ebenezer African School under the proprietorship of St. Saviour’s African Church, along Salvation Army Road, Ibadan. She was very brilliant and led her class. After the completion of junior primary section she joined Anglican Girls School, Orita Mefa, Ibadan where she had a good showing as a sports person in sprinting and netball. She gained admission to the premier girls’ secondary school in Ibadan, St Anne’ Girls’ Grammar School in 1955 after passing with high grades in her first primary six certificate examinations. With Grade One result in West African School Certificate she gained admission to Ibadan Grammar School for Higher School Certificate course in 1960. Consequent to having excellent HSC result, she gained admission to University of Ibadan in September 1962 to study for the degree of Bachelor of Arts and became the first Ifaki lady in the university. She was an old Western Region scholar between 1960 and 1965, also bagged British Council Award, London, UK 1970-71. She held Master of English Language Education from University of London, UK in 1971 and Dr of Philosophy in Language Education from University of Ibadan in 1982.

She worked as English language tutor at African Church Grammar School, Ibadan in 1962, Ministry of Establishment & Training, Ibadan between 1965 and 1972; Education Officer (Government College) in the Ministry of Education, Ibadan 1972 to 1974; Senior Education Officer at Queen’s School, Ibadan 1974-1977 and served as the Vice-Principal of Queen’s School in 1977. She became lecturer at University of Ibadan in 1980 and worked as a senior lecturer in the Department of Communications and Language Arts at University of Ibadan in 1985 to 1989. Between 1974 and 1976 she served as a supervisor for West African Examination Council ordinary/advanced level examinations. She also served as the President of the Ladies Corona Society, Ibadan in 1979-1983. Dr Mrs Remi Adelusi was a member of West African Modern Languages Association, Nigeria; a member of Nigeria English Studies Association; a member of the Board of Governors of Ibadan Grammar school and was a sub-Dean (Gen.) (Assistant to the Dean) Faculty of Arts 1984-1986. She had numerous publications, articles and papers presented in various fora to her credit.

She first met her charming husband, Professor Babatunde Adelusi, a fellow kinsman from Ifaki-Ekiti by a chance in 1957 at Ibadan residence of Chief J.O. Ojo, the first African Principal of Wesley College, Ibadan. They later met at University of Ibadan as undergraduates. Adorable Mrs Adelusi got a long vacation job at Methodist Girls High School, Ifaki in 1963 while Professor Tunde Adelusi too was posted as an Agricultural Officer to Orin-Ekiti farm settlement. This long vacation job gave them the opportunity nurture their friendship. To the glory of God the destined courtship blossomed and they got married on January 30^th 1966 and the marriage was blessed with four worthy children that turned out well in their respective callings.

My very fond memory of Mrs Adelusi was that of a pretty woman that I always saw in company of her husband in Ifaki when they came home together for one function or the other. The couple bonded so well and made lasting impression on my young innocent mind as a little boy that my wish was to be like them when I grow up. Most couples that started as friends before getting married always end up to become inseparable, that was the case of the Professor and Mrs Tunde Adelusi. They made marriage so beautiful, adoring and inspiring. Mrs Iyabo Adelusi took good care of her husband and vice versa. The couple planned and did things together. She was always accompanying her husband to wherever work took him after leaving University College Teaching Hospital, Ibadan.

 

She was a very caring woman with a good heart who took care of many people around her that were not her biological children. On January 4^th 1995, Dr Mrs Remi Adelusi passed on and her body was laid to rest in Ibadan. Her departure at the age of 56 years was painful for all her loved ones to bear. As a Christian family the will of God was accepted with resolve to keep her memory alive by sustaining her good works after her transition, as much as possible. In 1996, Remilekun Foundation was launched in memory of the priceless gem and Chief Emmanuel Osunkunle was the pioneer Chairman Board of Trustees.

   May her gentle soul continue to rest in peace, amen.

Obasanjo

THE ORACLE HAS SPOKEN ON RESTRUCTURING NIGERIA 

President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday, warned that Nigeria risks division without renegotiating how it wants to move ahead as one united entity.

“Nigeria must continue to renegotiate its unity and give listening ear to the complaints of all ethnic groups in the country. 

.... “such periodic discussions will provide opportunity for all stakeholders to ventilate their views, grievances and possibly provide superior arguments, solutions or ideas that could positively challenge the existing practices.”

According to him, the existing federal system of government practiced in Nigeria needed additional deliberate arrangements that require intricate deals, trade-offs and reciprocities to build and sustain.

He added, “Secondly, the federal systems are delicate and difficult to manage. This was because their success cannot be guaranteed or taken for granted. Research confirmed that the number of failed federal systems outnumbered the successful ones.

“Restructuring represents a continuous correction, adjustment, and reconfiguration process by which federal system works and reworks its instrumentalities; to guarantee success and efficiencies of federalism.”

Oyebode

CELEBRATING A DISTINGUISHED JURIST AND SCHOLAR OF REPUTE: PROFESSOR AKIN OYEBODE

By

Seye Adetunmbi

There couldn’t have been a better time to celebrate Professor Akindele Babatunde Oyebode than now that he has met the mandatory retirement age as a lecturer at University of Lagos, Nigeria.  The Professor of Law and Chairman, Office of International Relations, Partnerships and Prospects at University of Lagos, Nigeria has joined the septuagenarian league to the glory of God. Naturally in all human endeavours, whatever has a beginning must have an end; however what makes this one a unique happy ending is how eventful the academic career has been, coupled with the special grace of finishing well by celebrating 70^th natal day anniversary which has made it a double celebration for the Oyebode family. No doubt, family members and friends of the erudite legal luminary have every reason to appreciate God for the marvelous thing He has done in the life of Professor Akin Oyebode. His students, professional colleagues, wide range of multifaceted associates, kinsmen and old school mates do have so many beautiful things to say about the brilliant professor of jurisprudence. That the academic and jurist of repute stands out in reputation may not be a surprise to those who have known him over the years.

Prof Akin Oyebode LLM, D. Jur. BL MNIM
Most of the distinguished people in the contemporary world often have something outstanding usually peculiar to them and what a remarkable gem is often noted for is a reflection of the inner self and values that drive the person’s convictions. One thing that cannot be taken away from Professor Akin Oyebode is the fact that he stands for honour, integrity and honorable ways generally. His word is his bond. A discerning person can figure out his position and views on national or world issues and you can know where he stands with you at every point in time without pretenses. Relatively, most upright people are comfortable with him while he keeps the company of respectable citizens. His inimitable personality earned him respect in the academic community and various constituencies he is associated with.

On December 9^th 1947, the prominent Oyebode family of Ikole-Ekiti was blessed with the birth of an exceptional child, christened Akindele Babatunde. The notable child was born in Ado-Ekiti to Chief Zacheaus Oladipo Oyebode and Madam Janet Olarewaju Oyebode. His father was a product of Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti with the school number 38/012 and at various times the patriarch served in the army, worked as a school teacher, party apparatchik and social worker in the civil service. His parents wanted the best for their children as reflected in the schools Professor Oyebode and other members of the clan attended.

Prof Akin Oyebode (sitting 1st left) with other prefects of Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti in 1966 with the school principal, Canon L.D. Mason and Venerable R.A. Ogunlade

The academic brilliance of Professor Oyebode started in Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti where he had his secondary education from 1960 to 1966 with the school number 60/057 and his excellent character earned him a place among the school prefects in his senior class. He passed out with grade one in his West African School Certificate Examination. A product of Harvard Law School in 1974 to 1975, holds LL.M. with Highest Distinction (Otlichnik) from Kiev State University, Kiev, Ukraine in 1973 and Doctor of Jurisprudence from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Toronto, Canada in 1988. His scholarship, prizes and fellowship include JFK Essay Competition School Level Winner in 1966, Soviet Institute of World Economy and International Relations Scholarship in 1967, Harvard University Tuition Fellowship in 1974, Ford Foundation/International Legal Center Fellowship in 1974 and York University Graduate Assistantship 1981.

The inaugural lecture of Professor Akin Oyebode in 2011, University of Lagos auditorium was full to the brim

The professor started his academic career at University of Lagos in 1973 as an Assistant Lecturer. He became Lecturer Grade II in 1976, Lecturer Grade I in 1978 and Senior Lecturer in 1981. In 1992, he became professor and dean, faculty of law, Ondo State University now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. Some of his administrative activities included being a member of the university governing council in 1994 to 1997, member of finance and general purposes committee in 1994 to 1997, member of development committee in 1992 to 1997, member of committee of deans in 1992 to 1997, member of Senate in 1992 to 1997, member of appointments and promotions committee in 1992 to 1997, member of senior staff disciplinary committee in 1994 to 1997, member of housing loans committee in 1992 to 1994, member of joint committee for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor in 1993, chairman, security committee in 1994 to 1997, chairman of committee of inquiry into the missing dumpy level in 1994, chairman of committee on financing a functional university health centre in 1994 to 1995, chairman of committee on merger of the physical planning unit with the department of works and services in 1995, member of sub-committee on planning unit structure       in 1993 and chairman of committee on excess workload in 1995 to 1996. He held appointment as the Head of Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, University of Lagos and the Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti-State University in 2002-2004.

On 60th birthday of Prof Akin Oyebode in 2007

Oyebode clan

At University of Lagos, his exposure to administrative duties included being a member of appointments and promotions committee in 1999 to 2000 & 2006, member of Senate Honours Committee 2006, member of selection committee for the appointment of University Registrar in 2005, Head of Department in 2004, member of the board of school of postgraduate studies in 2004 to 2006, member of academic programmes committee, school of postgraduate studies in 2004 to 2006, chairman of postgraduate students’ disciplinary committee in 2005, chairman of International School Management Board in 2000, member of central research committee in 1999 to 2000,  chairman of faculty research committee in 1999 to 2000, co-ordinator of the faculty LL.M. programme in1989 to 1990, member of 5-year LL.B. curriculum committee in  1990, the faculty/departmental representative at post-graduate board of studies in 1986 to 1990, member of post-graduate school admissions committee in 1989/90, member of university publications committee in 1988 to1990, member of committee on sexual harassment in 1990, member of selection committee for the appointment of university registrar in 1988/89, member of advisory committee on students’ feeding  in 1988/89, member of senate of the University of Lagos in 1988 to 1990 and 1998 to 2017, chairman of ad-hoc panel of investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Master S.A. Ogundubore at the University of Lagos swimming pool in 1998, member of ad-hoc panel of investigation into the constitutional controversy within the university students’ union in 1989, chairman of the faculty committee on admission requirements in 1989, member of committee of inquiry to investigate alleged activities of proscribed students’ societies on campus in 1984, member of university library committee in 1981 to 1983, Assistant Warden, New Hall, Phase III in 1980 to 1982, member of the faculty admissions committee in 1979 to 1981, member of faculty departmentalization committee     in 1978, member of LL.B. (evening) regulations committee in 1977 and faculty examination officer in 1978/1979

Some of his travel grants and awards were:

·        First Foreign Graduate to be inducted into the Permanent Roll of Honour of Kiev State University in 1973

·        UN Travel Grant for the International Law Commission Seminar, Geneva  in 1976

·        UN Travel Grant for the Seminar on the New International Economic Order, Geneva in      1977

·        French Government Travel Grant for the Colloquium on the Life of the Law in Africa, Centre d’Etudes Jurisdiques Comparative, University of Paris 1, Sorbonne 1977

·        Travel Grant to attend the Joint Annual Convention of the British International Studies Association and the International Studies Association, London in 1980

·        Juche Academy of Science Study Tour of North Korea in1989

·        National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL) Distinguished Jurist Award            , 2002

·        Nigerian Association of Law Teachers Long Service Award in 2004

·        Outstanding Law Teacher Award, Justice Chambers, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2005

·        Best Lecturer Award, Final-Year Students, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos in 2005, 2006

He is a member of front-line learned societies and leading professional associations such as Nigerian Society of International Law, American Society of International Law, International Law Association, Nigerian Association of Law Teachers, Nigerian Bar Association and Nigerian Institute of Management. He has over 31 books and monographs, over 82 journal articles as well as many research works and numerous unpublished major conference and seminar papers to his credit.

Maiden EXCO meeting of Ekitipanupo in 2005

When duty called for him to lead Ekitipanupo Forum, he responded accordingly as the pioneer leader of the indigenous intellectual roundtable of well meaning Ekiti people at home and abroad

Prof Akin Oyebode, the pioneer leader of Ekitipanupo at the 1^st Ekitipanupo Public Lecture held at Adetiloye Hall on April 7, 2007 in Ado-Ekiti, flanked left to right by Prof Demola Omojola, Chief Aderiye, Dr Ayo Ajayi, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, High-Chief Babatola & Chief Bolanle Olatunde

At Ekiti Stakeholders' meeting held in Ibadan in November 2006

Condolence visit to the family of Dr Ayo Daramola on behalf of Ekitipanupo Forum

Prof on 29/8/11 with Alagba Paul Olatoye, Chief Bukola Oluwadiya & Seye Adetunmbi in Lagos

The other activities of Professor Oyebode include being a guest lecturer in public international law, law of the sea and outer space at Foreign Service Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lagos; member of board of directors of African and African-American Foundation on Science, Education and Economic Development Inc., New York; chairman and editor-in-chief, Nigerian Journal of Contemporary Law; member of editorial board, Lagos State University Law Journal; member of editorial board, University of Jos Law Journal; member of editorial board, Journal of Human Rights Law and Practice; member of editorial advisory council, The News; contributing editor, Environment Network; expert consultant, National Boundary Commission; consultant, Civil Liberties Organization; member, advisory board, Centre for Human Rights and Development; consultant, UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, Vienna; Chair, International Advisory Board, Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law; chair, board of governors, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre; member of board of Trustees, National Association of Democratic Lawyers; member of board of directors, Centre for Advanced Social Science; editorial consultant, Guardian Newspapers; chairman, Catholic secretariat of Nigeria think-tank; member of advisory board of Leadership Watch; and member of the board of trustees, Ekitipanupo Community Development Association.

Wedding ceremony of Akintunde Oyebode

The international jurist and an academic of note is an exemplary family man. God in His faithfulness blessed his marriage to Chief Mrs Morenike Abosede Oyebode who retired as a senior official of West African Examination Council; with successful children: Akintunde, Akindeji and Olajumoke. To the glory of God he is a grandfather.

Professor Oyebode is indeed a blessing to Nigeria having produced many qualified lawyers in the country that have occupied and still occupying strategic positions in government at states and federal level. Naturally, he is a pride of Ekiti people which unequivocally earned him the position of pioneer leadership of Ekitipanupo Forum, the preeminent indigenous intellectual roundtable for Ekiti people at home and in Diaspora. He represented Ekiti State in the last national conference during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The last convocation of Prof Akin Oyebode as a staff of University of Lagos

Memorable valedictory session of the University of Lagos Senate on November 29th, 2017

What else can one say to this towering profile of an intellectual giant? It would amount to understating it that I admire Prof Oyebode a lot. It is a rare privilege for me to be associated with him. It gives me great joy that he has confidence in me and trust me as his stockbroker. When I needed him, he stood by me with his substance as one of my encouragers and inspirers in my professional career path. Thanks for believing and for the integrated support over the years each time I approached him for one thing or the other including Ekitipanupo initiative. I wish oga more years in good health with peace of mind in retirement. Happy 70^th birthday and fruitful retired life sir.