Olusegun Obasanjo Is 81 Today: Source of Strength Revealed

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Ph.D., is 81 years old today, March 5, 2018. As a military officer, he rose to the peak of his profession as a General and a Military Head of State. As a politician, he was elected a civil President for two terms. As a scholar, he is a proud holder of Doctor of Philosophy Degree and he is also a celebrated author. As a farmer, he makes success of farming.

In case you have been wondering what the source of strength the former President is, Onigegewura will tell you today.

According to Baba Iyabo: “I have faith in my aided ability and support to overcome any disabling words, thoughts, actions or deeds from any quarter. I leave nothing to chance, I prepare but after preparation I leave room for the will of God which passes human understanding.

I have never been seriously caught off guard or disappointed because I always leave room for the worst after preparing for the best. And invariably, if you do not achieve the best you avoid the worst. I substitute faith for fear and hope for despair.

I react almost instantly when necessary to obnoxiously unacceptable acts, events and issues, deceptions and heinous crimes and gross injustices from any quarters to any quarters to the extent that such instant reactions have been inaccurately described as impulsive or temperamental. I am not moved by such description because what I will not accept, I will not accept, I keep no malice.

My disagreement or non-acceptance does not mean break in communication. I honour commitment and my word is my bond. I count a lot on honour and integrity because a man without honour and integrity is a poor man indeed no matter what earthly possessions he may acquire. I believe that life is too short for a man to be indolent or for him not to always attempt to do good.”

Happy Birthday!

Credit: Olusegun Obasanjo, Not My Will, University Press Limited, Ibadan [1990]

First Nigerian to Graduate With 2:1 in Law from a Nigerian University

Prof. Itse Sagay

I am certain that you know Professor Itsejuwa Sagay. You probably know him as a distinguished Professor of Law, a respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, former Dean of Law of Universities of Ife and Benin, author of landmark legal texts and of course, as the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption.

The Trailblazers: First Set of Unife Law Students Called to the Nigerian Bar [1966]

But did you know that Professor Itse Sagay made history in 1965 when he graduated from the University of Ife? He passed in the Second Class [Upper Division] and thus became the first Nigerian law student graduate from any Nigerian university to achieve such a distinction. That was 53 years ago!

Nigeria Was To Have Become An Industrialised Nation by mid-70s – Maitama Sule

"The purpose of history is to know the past in order to adjust the present and to plan for the future. What was our past? What was Nigeria in the First Republic? What were the leaders of the First Republic like? They were human beings and they had their weakness, they were not perfect.

But comparatively speaking, those leaders, our founding fathers, were excellent: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Mallam Aminu Kano, J. S. Tarka. They were leaders who went into politics to serve and not to be served; to give, but not to take. They were leaders concerned with the welfare of the people; leaders who in spite of their political differences were at all times prepared to come together and unite and accommodate one another in the interest of the nation.

Indeed, as a result of their good leadership, there was a report in 1961 or 1962, which indicated that Nigeria with two other developing countries of the world would in 15 to 20 years join the industrialised countries of the world. The other two countries were India and Brazil.

India and Brazil have made it today or haven’t they? India is a nuclear power, and India is in the forefront in the field of computer technology. India manufactures planes, build ships, produces more medical doctors than any country in the world today. India had the same problems as Nigeria; the religious bigotry, so many differences, the second largest population in the world and yet they were able to overcome all the difficulties. They are where they are today because of the leadership.

Brazil has the finest agricultural programme in the world today. Brazil builds ships, manufactures planes, cars and all sorts of things. Incidentally, Brazil and Nigeria established their defence industry the same year. What is our defence industry in Kaduna doing?"

Credit: Chike F. Okolocha The Genius Orator – Ambassador (Alhaji) Yusuf Maitma Sule [2017]

Goodnight, Professor Akinwumi Isola!

The jury is still out but for Onigegewura,  Ó Le Kú is my favourite of Prof Akinwumi Isola’s seminal literary works. Since the first time I read it in Form One, I must have read it more than 100 times. It’s that engrossing.

Immediately I heard of the tragic passage of the celebrated author earlier this morning, I began to look for my most recent copy. Finally, I located it hidden between Femi Jeboda’s Olowolayemo and Adegoke Durojaiye’s Gbe ‘Ku De ati Ise Abe.

I also found Prof’s Efunsetan Aniwura and Kòseégbé. They are all Yoruba Classics. Is there anything penned by Akinwumi Isola that is not a classic?

On flipping through my copy of  O Le Ku, I remember why it made such an impression on me in my teenage years. It is the story of Ajani, a young undergraduate of University of Ibadan. Ajani wanted to get married to his fiancée, Asake, but Asake’s father was the stumbling block. Baba Kekere wanted Asake to become a graduate before settling down.

Ajani was however impatient. He moved on to Lola Ajasa, an undergraduate like him. Lola was however already engaged to Dotun, a broadcaster. Tenacious like the snail, Ajani succeeded in extricating Lola from Dotun. The relationship was however to hit the rock when Lola discovered, through her estranged Dotun, that Asake was pregnant for Ajani.

With pressure from her father, Asake also decided to give Ajani a breather. Ajani became the proverbial hunter that chased two rats and caught none. It was at this point that Sade came into Ajani’s life. Before you could say Onigegewura, the lovebirds had fixed a date for their wedding.

When Asake heard the news of the wedding, she attempted to take her life. Ajani and Lola had a successful wedding. The new groom was on a ‘thank you’ visit to his friends when he learnt of Asake’s attempted suicide, he ran back to his car and sped off and that was when the unthinkable happened…

One thing that struck me about the book is Prof Ishola’s use of language. Rich in idioms and proverbs, the book is a collector item any day. Ajani composed a poem for each of his three lovers. Back in our College days when letter writing was the only way to convince a girl of your love, I adapted the poems for many of my friends. Don’t worry, I am not going to mention any name. What happened in College stayed in College.

By the way, the legendary filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, had made a movie adaptation of the book.

To mark the passage of the literary giant, I have attempted to translate one of the poems in the book for Onigegewura’s readers.

'Sadé

If you see one who fetches burning ember with his naked palm

Blame him not, he must have his reason

Perhaps he wants to smoke

Or he wants to fry an insect

Or may be he wants to burn his rival’s house

I have seen someone who walked into a moving train

He was neither blind nor lame

He was engrossed in watching a robbery scene

Ajani and Lola

The young man who takes to his heel in the King’s market

Don’t blame him

He has to run to escape arrest from tax police

I was strolling in the market when I bumped into a textile stall

The merchant struck me, I cried not

I endured the pain and moved on

It pained me not, I knew what I was doing

The mother of twins dancing in the market place is far from being mad

It is the Oracle that prescribes dancing for her children to survive

Whether you strike me with cane or cudgel

It is the sight of beautiful ebony that carried me away

That I stumbled into a textile stall

I can’t help myself

I can’t look away from a radiant beauty

You can’t behold her beauty without running into stalls

When eyes see beauty, the eyes must blink without control

When you see elegance in a lady, you are bound to become dizzy

Ajani and Asake

Two eyes are not enough; Even four are not enough to behold wonder

To behold the wonder that I am looking at

The wonder I am looking at in my soul mate

My soul mate who is as beautiful as daybreak

Who is as gentle as a dove

Who is perfect without blemish

It appears the Almighty did not slumber

On the day Sade was created

Sade is perfect, perfect like perfection

Tall and beautiful

She intoxicates me to no end

She is as luxuriant as fresh vegetable

Vegetable that blossoms by the riverside

Sade’s beauty is matched with noble character

Her beauty and character I found alluring

Happiness meets with joy

Our union will certainly be blessed with children.

May Professor Akinwumi Isola’s soul rest in peace. 

-Onigegewura