Sunday, 13 February 2022

Rt Rev Peter Awelewa Adebiyi

BEFITTING FAREWELL FOR RT. REV. P. A. ADEBIYI
It was a commendable final rites, on the 29th of April, 2022 at St. Peter's Church, Osi-Ekiti for Right Reverend Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, the immediate past Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West. He was in fact the pioneer bishop and served there from 1999 to 2013. He was a remarkable prelate in the Anglican church family, a brilliant and resourceful priest in his lifetime. May his gentle soul rest in peace, amen.












THE PRELATE HAS GONE HOME: RT. REV. P. A. ADEBIYI (1943-2022)
By
Seye Adetunmbi
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion parades one of the best episcopal clergymen who are well read, characterised with strong advocacy for the interest of the masses and uniquely articulate in their calling and their responsibility to the larger society as the moral compass. One of the distinguished Lord Bishops who represented the face of the Anglican Church in the public space in their active years was Rt. Rev. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi PhD. Like his senior colleagues, Primate Adetiloye and Bishop Gbonigi, he spoke authoritatively on issues concerning the Body of Christ, expressed his mind on critical national issues and known for his unambiguous revolutionary thoughts as a bishop. After Ikeja Archdeaconry was created, he was collated as a venerable in 1990 at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja. In 1993, he was elected as a bishop and posted to the Diocese of Owo in Ondo State. In 1999, the Diocese of Lagos West was created by the College of Bishops under Primate Adetiloye and the Rt. Rev. Adebiyi was translated from Owo to become the first Lord Bishop of the diocese. His over four decades career as a priest was not without life threatening situations, thanks be to God for seeing him through. One of such was when armed robbers invaded his vicarage on November 16, 1987; they shot the gateman dead and moved in into his private quarters. The bandits targeted the church offerings, especially the N100,000 announced as donation to the church during the Sunday morning service. The money was not available for the robbers to steal, they shot him and fled. God kept the priest to survive the attack through His unfailing power.
Bishop Adebiyi was born on the 27th of April in 1943 into a Christian family in Osi-Ekiti, as the 3rd child in a polygamous home of 13 children. He completed primary school in 1956 and graduated from the Community Modern School in 1960. He worked as a pupil teacher at Saint Paul Primary School, Osi, his alma mater. He gained admission to the All Saints Teachers Training College, Usi-Ekiti in 1963. As a trained Grade II Teacher, he was posted to St Phillip’s Primary School, Aramoko-Ekiti where he met his beloved wife an indigene of the town, Princess Caroline Adefiola. He was also encouraged to become a priest by Rt. Rev. Joshua Oloniyo who was his vicar in Aramoko. He attended Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan in 1967 and graduated in 1970. He started his career as a deacon at Holy Trinity Church, Ilawe-Ekiti and in 1971, he was ordained by the Right Reverend Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye, the 2nd Bishop of the old Ekiti Diocese. He later became one of the chaplains of the Lord Bishop. He is a product of Obafemi Awolowo University where he obtained 1st degree in 1975, 2nd degree in 1981 and PhD in 1987.
The scholar priest became a Canon in 1983. He worked as the Chaplain and Vice-Principal of Babatope Memorial High School, Ikoro-Ekiti from1975 to 1983 and from1976 to 1980, he served as a member of the Board of Governors of Oganganmodu Grammar School, Ido-Ekiti. He was a lecturer at Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti between 1983 and 1987 and Lagos State University, Ojoo, between 1987 and 1990. He had published seminal essays and books to his credit which include The Ministry of Women in Ekiti land, Christian Missions in Ekiti land 1893 to 1973, The Planting of Christianity in Ekiti land: The Role of Ex-Slaves, Divine Messages for Special Seasons, History of Christianity in Ekiti land, Let the Nations Hear and co-authored 150 Years of Christianity in Nigeria and The Church Fathers with the Right Reverend (Dr.) Akin Omoyajowo. He served as the episcopal secretary to the Church of Nigeria in 1994 to 2005; as the National Patron of the Scripture Union of Nigeria in 2001 to 2007 and the National Patron of the Anglican Youth Fellowship of Nigeria from 2001 to 2007. 
He was the representative of the Church of Nigeria to the Conference of Anglican Provinces in Africa, chairman of the Church of Nigeria Inter-Anglican Global Relations and served as the chairman of the Diocese of Lagos West Election Monitoring Group accredited by INEC during the 2007 elections.
I first knew Bishop Adebiyi as a chaplain of Baba Adetiloye and naturally I looked up to him as my Bishop in the Diocese of Lagos West. His health challenges after his retirement in 2013 notwithstanding, his faith remained unshaken. Three of his children are priests, two of his daughters are married to priests, while his the husband of the last daughter is a postulant who will soon be ordained as a priest and his two brothers are venerable archdeacons. When I visited him after I heard about his ailment, I said that Adebiyi family is an inspiration for Christians because they remained faithful in Jesus Christ and were not deterred by troubles of life. May God continue to keep the family well and strong in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
    My mind went to him in the first week of February in 2022 because it was long I checked on him. I woke up in the morning of Friday, February 11 in 2022 to read the message of a reverend brother on my WhatsApp breaking the sad news of his transition. Thank God I was able to see him 3 days earlier on his bed, deep asleep on Tuesday, 7th of February in 2022 when I dropped copies of my books - Christianity and Anglicanism and the latest book, Abridged Biographies and Integrated Panegyrics in which I dedicated a chapter to write about him; for keeps in his library. The prelate and a remarkable bishop among his peers, has gone home to rest, where there is no pain anymore. Sleep well sir.


Saturday, 12 February 2022

Give Power Back to the People

DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL POWER BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE
By, Seye Adetunmbi

Every effort made by well-meaning individuals and various progressive groups towards getting our politics right in Nigeria should be encouraged. More importantly, the deliberate intervention groups at states' level are strategic. Yoruba would say that "ka ti ibi pelebe mu ole/eko je" . Fundamentally, if we get our politics right at wards' level, it will graduate to the local government areas and  to the state level. It is the aggregated positive efforts of states that can cause the desired change at national level. This is why I commend the Ekiti indigenes who volunteered in the Atokeibeirosi Steering Committee, which was constituted in early 2022. History will judge initiatives such as Atokeibeirosi Group (AG), one day. Until then, the minimum those who mean well can do, is to keep hope alive and support the next phase of a workable process structured to drive a better-Ekiti-project.
    Atokeibeirosi Group (AG) is not about any individual, it is about us. It is a school of thought on a collective resolve to be instrumental to the desired paradigm in the governance of the state. The group is committed to associating with every credible person who endorses the mission of Atokeibeirosi Leadership Initiative. AG didn’t choose this path on its own, the collective desire of well-meaning Ekiti people for a credible alternative for a lasting good governance in Ekiti, imposes itself on everyone who subscribes to a progressive change. It is a compelling call to duty and God will see well-meaning indigenes through.
    When AG was convened on March 1st in 2021, it was a mission driven by a paradigm shift vision in the way our state and the people are governed. Members of AG cut across all the active political parties in Ekiti, including reputable indigenes who are not partisan or do not get involved with partisan politics. If the Atokeibeirosi mission couldn’t accomplish the goal within the ruling party now, the vision should not die, albeit. 
    Therefore, considering the change the group desires, through coalition of AG with as many credible political groups as possible, it is worthy of pursuing to a logical end. The commission is to align with individuals who share the vision and mission, irrespective of the political party, from the local government areas to the national level.
    Atokeibeirosi Leadership Initiative is about shared vision, departure from the status quo and commitment to issues based campaigns for the good of Ekiti people at home and abroad. Don’t be discouraged by any pyrrhic conquest facilitated by a warped system.
AG should remain the harbinger of the desired reform and the bearer of hope on Ekiti project. The group must not betray the collective resolve and trust as a group. Getting to the end of the mission is a task that all well-meaning stakeholders should all be committed to, through the grace of God. Whatever is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well. Let all well-meaning stakeholders go about the project structurally and gradually entrench paradigm shift culture in the grassroots. Reaching out to the respective wards should be the next phase of the intervention of AG and other well-meaning elites in Ekiti politics. The political power belongs to the people. It is a matter of time, the masses shall overcome.
    However, it must be stated here that the challenge of democracy in Nigeria today is that voting during elections or the electoral process is hugely monetized. Those who can not be influenced or bribed with money to change their progressive voting pattern, are not in the majority. For instance, check out those on the queue in the last APC direct primaries in Ekiti-State. If you think that the majority of them who participated did it out of patriotism or loyalty to the political party with the sense of exercising civic franchise without promise of some money per head, then it amounts to self deceit like “eye afin”.
    To mobilize the people to vote for change at the ward level is not the problem. Where the problem lies is after your “iwasu”, and someone offers the dejected voters who have not seen N1000 in lump sum for weeks or months, some N3,000 or more to vote and you want them to look the other way? Come on! Let's get real. In essence, to a reasonable extent, for any Third Force to work effectively under this political dispensation, some war chest is required. It would be easier to work on their sentiments not to accept money from those who don’t mean well for them. No doubt, a lot of effort is required for the narrative to change. The truth is that, some of our people in government who may want to see a change through are helpless. Afi ki Olorun ran wa l’owo.
    In the absence of a collective resolve to restructure the nation appropriately or make deliberate effort to get things right, I have since come to the conclusion that the only way out of the warped political system in Nigeria will require what I call Moses-Model. How this will play out is that the power that be, will field candidate they perceive(d) to be one of them and when he/she gets the political power, larger interest would be served. The alternative to this is for a fierce coordinated movement, outside the two leading political parties that will work arduously to give political power back to the people in the real sense of it. The reality is that Nigeria may not make the desired progress and be at peace with itself until the political power truly belongs to the people.

Friday, 24 December 2021

Remembering Chief Hector Adeyeye Omooba 1924-1996

Chief Hector Adeyeye Vincent Omooba (1924 – 1996) 
By
Seye Adetunmbi
One of the very few men of impeccable character who gave the Nigerian Police Force of old good name, was Chief Hector Adeyeye Vincent Omooba. The super cop was born on December 18, 1924 in Iyin-Ekiti. Had his primary education at All Saints’ Primary School, Iyin-Ekiti (Infant 1 to Primary III) in 1933 to 1938 and Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti where he attended Standard IV in 1939. 
    He was a product of Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti which he attended between 1940 and 1945, his school number was 40/027. Chief Omooba was among the seven students who passed through the exclusive coaching of Archdeacon Dallimore the founder of Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti and obtained Senior Cambridge School Certificate with the exemption of London University Matriculation Examination. The magnificent seven were the first set that passed the Cambridge exam which gave Christ’s School the maiden boost in excellence. From the 4th of January 1946 to 31st of December 1947, he was at the School of Agriculture Ibadan and worked as Agricultural Assistant Grade III in Rotational Laboratory (Cocoa Research) Moor Plantation, Ibadan between 1st of January 1948 and 31st of July 1948.
On the 1st of August 1948 he got enlisted in the colonial police force as a Constable. He rose through the ranks in the Nigerian Police, in 1955, he was already of an Inspector rank. Between 1st of January 1960 and 30th of June 1960, he was at the Police Staff College, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Coventry in United Kingdom. He attended Secret Intelligence Course with the British Secret Service between 1st of July 1967 and 31st of July 1967. On the 1st of June 1971, he was promoted to the rank of a Commissioner of Police. He later served as a Commissioner of Police in virtually all the old 12 States of the Nigerian federation. The distinguished Ekiti man was “true to type” in his honourable ways.
    As a product of Christ’s School, he kept to the ethos of his alma mater, “not in name only, but in deeds and in truth”. For being a straight, disciplined and upright cop of integrity that would not tolerate corruption he was made to face a Police Court Marshal to castigate him in 1973. Chief Omooba came out of it unscathed as the first police officer ever to win such a trial in the history of Police Force in Nigeria. He retired as the Commissioner of Police for the South Eastern State in 1975. 
Apart from his devotion to the police career, he was available to serve in different honourable capacities. He was a member of Lagos Area Football Association as far back as 1966 and between 1967 and 1968 he was a member of Western Nigeria Football Association, Ibadan. Between 1st of April in 1967 and 28th of March 1968, he served as a Director on the Board of Western Nigeria Housing Corporation, Ibadan. During the federal military government of 1966 and 1975 in Nigeria, he served in the government of North-Eastern State Government in Maiduguri in 1968 to 1970, Kano State Government in 1970 to 1971, Mid-Western State in Benin-City in 1971 and South Eastern State Government in Calabar in 1975.
Chief H. A. V. Omooba was a member of AWAM Society that was a front-line promoter of I.K. Dairo and Ebenezer Obey in their early days. He kept company of high profile of fellow omoluabi Yoruba men of repute. Apparently, he was in good company and a jolly good fellow among his clique of friends that included Oba Okunade Sijuade, Chief Henry Fajemirokun, Chief Lekan Salami, Chief Abiola Abioro, Chief Abiola Oshodi, the erudite lawyer of the Tapa Oshodi family of Lagos, Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo, onetime Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Chief Ola, Chief Odunewu Allah Deh, Chief Odueke, Chief Oshinubi, Chief Oshinjirin and Prince Adejugbe.
    He was married to Chief (Mrs) Victoria Sunmola Omooba, a virtuous and resourceful wife and mother. The marriage was blessed with successful children to the glory of God. Also, he was a dedicated member of Anglican Communion; a prominent member of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church. He was quite close to the then Primate, the Most Reverend Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye and served on the board of the property and investment company of the Diocese of Lagos.
 Chief Hector Omooba was among the old students of Christ’s School who attached so much to the heritage of the great institution. Virtually all his children attended Christ’s School. His son, Pastor Segun Omoba was one of my favourite junior students when I was in the school. His other children who attended the school are Mrs Dele Adeyemi, Mrs Modupe Alex-Zitto and Pastor Debo Omooba. I was very happy when I saw Baba in the early 1980s when I came to Lagos with a brother-in-law who stopped over at his Modupe House in Maryland, Lagos to pay him a courtesy call.
    An accomplished senior cop like him could not have hard such a colourful career without awards, honours and rewards. He won War Medal, Independence Medal, Nigeria Police Medal for Meritorious Service and Nigeria Police Long Service Award. On retirement, he went into private business of transportation in 1975 to 1976. He joined Lovell Stewart Nigeria Limited on the 20th of April 1976 as the General Manager, Administration for the company of building and civil engineering contractors in Lagos and was appointed an Executive Director of the company on the 31st of January 1979. The company built the first set of Hangers at the old Ikeja Airport.
    His hobbies included photography, walking, gardening and the sport of badminton. Chief Hector Omooba passed on in September 1996, may his gentle soul continue to rest in peace.

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