Snippets on the Life
of Hon. Adegoke Adelabu (Penkelemesi)
I
was holding a copy of Wole Soyinka’s IBADAN – The Penkelemesi Years. I didn’t
notice that the elderly man beside me was looking at the book. Suddenly he
nudged me slightly and asked in an unmistakable Ibadan accent: “You know
Penkelemesi?” I nodded.
Of
course, like most young people who grew up in the Western part of Nigeria,
‘Penkelemesi’ was a familiar word. It was the word attributed to the genius of
one man, Adegoke Adelabu. He had described the Western House of Assembly as
being in a ‘peculiar mess’.
“But
do you know EBULLITION?”
What
is EBULLITION? According to my new friend, Ebullition was another word
contributed to the English Language by Adegoke Adelabu. Baba went on to inform
me that Adelabu even wrote a book on EBULLITION!
That
marked the beginning of my quest for the mysterious book. Did I find it?
Adegoke
Adelabu! He was an almost mythical figure. He was flamboyant, dashing, sharp,
witty, smart and suave. From my researches, Adelabu came before his time. The
profundity of his thoughts, the depth of his reasoning, and his mastery of
politics was first class.
Adegoke
Adelabu was born in 1915 at Oke-Oluokun, Ibadan. His father, Sanusi Ashiyanbi
Adelabu, belonged to the extended family of the Oluokun Chieftaincy Ruling
House who are direct maternal descendants of the Alaafin Ruling House in Oyo. Pa
Sanusi Adelabu was a weaver and a textile merchant. He was one of the first
people to put up a 2-storey house in the whole of Ibadan!
Adelabu’s
mother, Awujola Ajoke, hailed from the Igbaro/Oparinde/Olokunesin families of Isalejebu and are kinsmen of Abasi Okunola Aleshinloye,
the first Olubadan of Ibadan.
He
attended the St. David’s CMS Elementary School, Kudeti between 1925 and 1929.
In 1930, he moved on to the CMS Central School, Mapo where he completed his
primary education. He was admitted to the Government College, Ibadan in 1931
and left the school that produced the likes of Professors Wole Soyinka and
Ladipo Akinkugbe with flying colours in 1935.
It
was at Government College that the seed of his nationalism as an African was
planted. One of the teachers at GCI was a white man whose “easy assumption that
England was the hub of the Universe…exasperated and infuriated me. It ignited
the glowing ember into a burning flame.”
He
later attended Higher College, Yaba for one year in 1936.
Adelabu
had a brilliant scholastic career, earning accelerated promotions on three
occasions. Adelabu was anything but modest. He knew he was brilliant and he
flaunted it. “Despite this (my accelerated promotion), I never took second
position throughout my school days. Instead, I was always several laps ahead of
my runner-up and, not infrequently, saved tutors from tight holes.” What an
ego!
Mind
you, he was a self-admitted showoff. According to him: “Anybody reading me and
exclaiming in justifiable wrath, ‘this fellow is an impossible egotist’ will be
paying me just the kind of compliment I delight in!”
When
his General Manager at UAC, E. H. L. Richardson blurted out in a moment of
utter exasperation: “Look here, Adelabu, you are a confounded intellectual
snob!” Adelabu’s day was made! He was just 22 at the time!
On
leaving school, he worked for about four years with the United African Company
Limited. He held managerial appointments in various departments of the
company’s extensive undertakings – Produce, General Goods, Singlet Factory and
the Welfare Section.
He
later left UAC to join the Civil Service in 1938. He worked as an Inspector in
the Cooperative Department. In the course of his public service duty, Adelabu
toured the Western province and even did a short spell of six-month European
relief duty in the British Cameroons.
He
resigned from public service after seven years and became a private
entrepreneur. He was engaged in produce buying, transport proprietary, cocoa
farming, textile merchandising, real estate holding, journalism and political
activism.
In
1946, the young politician paid a half-guinea into the NCNC London Delegation
Fund. That humble milestone marked the beginning of an auspicious political
life.
In
1951, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, the legendary Zik of Africa, led NCNC Delegates to
Ibadan. Zik needed a formidable interpreter for his Queen’s English. Who else?
Adegoke Adelabu confidently stepped onto the podium and with effortless ease,
translated the memorable speech into Yoruba, to a standing ovation. Zik nodded
with approval!
In
12 months, he steadily climbed from being Assistant General Secretary, Ibadan
Branch to General Secretary, Ibadan Grand Alliance; and then General Secretary,
Western Working Committee.
With
the emergence of Action Group on the political landscape, Adelabu was
confronted with a dilemma. He had to decide whether to stay with Zik in NCNC or
move with his Ibadan People’s Party to the new party led by its charismatic
leader, Obafemi Awolowo.
It
was an agonizing time for the young politician. He had many sleepless nights.
In his words: “I was torn between two loyalties. The Ibadan People’s Party is
dear to my heart. It is the child of my creation. But Nigeria is dearer to my
heart. She is my mother. If my child dies and I live long enough I may bear
another. If my mother dies, I shall go through life a wandering orphan. My mind
was made up.”
On a
wet Saturday evening, without warning his family, Adelabu left Ibadan for Lagos.
The Lone Star from Ibadan was ready to stand alone! He was in his early 30s.
In
Lagos, the mercurial young man made two campaign speeches at Campos and
Isalegangan. With his colourful mastery of both Yoruba and English, he captured
the imagination of the masses as the ‘Strong Man of Ibadan and the Authentic
Voice of the West’.
What
followed the 1951 elections had been documented in many other places. New
expression was added to the political vocabulary; ‘Cross Carpeting’. But the
principled Adelabu stood firm. He was resolute. He would sail or sink with the
Zik of Africa.
Adelabu
was a Nigerian to the core. He abhorred tribalism and detested appeal to
religious and tribal sentiments. “”My Yoruba birth is an accident. I shall
always love the Igbos, the Ibibios, the Hausas, the Ijaws, the Kanuris, the
Jukuns, the Nupes, the Bakweris, the Edos… as much as I love the Yorubas, the
Eguns, the Ibarapas, the Aworis and all other kinsmen nearer home. I shall
never be a party to laying claims to special privileges, exploiting
circumstantial advantages or enjoying preferential treatment on the part of my
tribe. That will be unfair, unjust, immoral and in the end suicidal and
prejudicial.”
Notwithstanding
his devotion to his Islamic faith, Adelabu was not a religious bigot. “Any
sentimental appeal to my Oduduwan ancestry or subtle attempt to exploit my
religious susceptibilities is doomed to failure. Christians, heathens and
atheists will always have my political confidence, respect and support.”
Penkelemesi
was a committed democrat. When Action Group emerged and his party men
cross-carpeted, Adelabu was not concerned about the loss of his political base or grassroots
supports. To him, democracy without a
thriving opposition was a mere farce. He
therefore considered the emergence of the Action Group as “a happy augury for
the democratic way of life in post-freedom Nigeria. I have seen so much of
human nature in practical life that I would not confer the interminable control
of the State Apparatus on any one man or group however brilliant or
well-meaning.”
One
thing I found intriguing about the personality of Adegoke Adelabu is his
ability to forensically analyse issues from sociological, political and
historical perspectives. Behind the façade of his flamboyance, Adegoke Adelabu
was a thinker and a philosopher.
To
Adelabu, an individual is a product of his society and his time. An Igbo baby
adopted at birth by a couple from Kano would grow up as a Muslim Hausa man.
This baby if adopted by a couple from Ile-Ife would probably grow up as either
as a Yoruba Muslim or Christian. He
therefore regarded appeal to tribe, religion, colour of skin as not being
convincing enough.
He
illustrated this dynamism with the following vivid imagery: “Politically, as a
West African in 1952, I am a radical socialist and a fanatical nationalist.
This means that in other circumstances, I could have been other things. If I
were an Englishman, I would be a Conservative. If French, a De Gaullist.
If Russian, a Communist. If Indian, on
the left wing of the Congress. If German, a Nazi. If an American, an incurable
capitalist, and if South African, a racial bigot.” What a deep man! And he was
just 37!
Oh!
By the way, I found the book. Its title is AFRICA IN EBULLITION - a Handbook of
Freedom for Nigerian Nationalists. Contrary to what my old friend told me,
ebullition was not another word formed by the redoubtable Adelabu. It was first
used in 16th century. It is derived from the Latin word ‘ebullire’,
meaning to boil. What Penkelemesi did was to adopt the word and used it to
describe the momentum of Nigerian nationalism which was boiling like a cauldron
in 1950s.
You know PENKELEMESI! And now you know EBULLITION!
Thanks for your time.
- Olanrewaju Onigegewura
Always refreshing and enlightening reading your pieces. It sheds more light on some stories I had heard in passing while I also learn about some for the first time.
ReplyDeletePlease post more write ups as these have left me wanting for more
This was a good read
ReplyDeleteNice write up.You are one of the best bloggers of this generation. In fact, you are a leading light in the field of history.
ReplyDeleteAdelabu said Perculiar mess but Yoruba indigenous turned it to Penkelemesi, lol. Welding
ReplyDeleteNICE PIECE, KEEP IT UP
ReplyDeleteOH SO IT WAS PECULIAR MESS, THAT'S VERY FUNNY THOUGH
ReplyDeleteNICE BLOG INDEED, YOU ARE THE BEST, KEEP IT UP AND MORE GREASE TO YOUR ELBOWS
ReplyDeleteThat must also be where the adjective ebullient derives from! I learn something new everyday!
ReplyDeleteAnother fantastic read.
ReplyDeleteYou just gained a new follower by stroke of luck today. A preacher of socialism and one who abhors anything capitalism especially in a developing economy. An historian by heart too.Good read,terrific write up. Thumbs up .
ReplyDeleteI have read the two articles on Penkelemesi. When I was growing up in the 90s, I remember we used to abuse ourselves back then as little kids like this....."olori gboro bii posi adelabu." I didn't know there is a story behind it until now. Thanks so much onigegewura for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're simply one of the best. Your write-up is educative. Thanks a million. Taiwo Ajenifari
ReplyDeleteThank you
ReplyDeleteEducative and still reflecting on our present state as a nation.Good piece
ReplyDeleteYour writing is phenomenal
ReplyDelete