Aremu Abiodun My Friend Of 40 Years Is Gone. A Great Star Has Fallen From Our Sky!

Aremson (as we called him) and I met in 1986 as young activists. I was in the School of Basic studies and Aremu in the school of Technology, both Campuses of the College of Technology Ilorin with the third college being School of Management and vocation.

Aremu and I belonged to the Youths Thinkers Club, a group of Patriotic young thinkers committed to a better Nigeria and the Liberation of our Fatherland from underdevelopment. We were also Joint members of the Patriotic Liberation Movement, a working class and peasantry focused left group with leading figures like M Yaqub (later Rotimi Obadofin), Femi Ahmed, Didi Adodo, Rev Father Ofei, Bona Chizea, Alex Ayatollah, Sunday Ewen etc.

Ilorin where Aremson cut his activist political teeth like I, was an idealogical melting pot in the mid 80s. At the Youth and Students fronts were actors like Shola Olorunuomi now a University Professor, Denja Yaq, Lanre Fulani, Mathew Keyi, Hamzat Ibn Suleman, etc. In the media were Dapo Olorunyomi, Lanre Kawu (Modibo Kawu Ladi Abdul Azeez) who eventually became Dapo Olorunyomi’s wife etc etc.

A tribute to Aremson’s unwavering commitment to the working people of Nigeria and the cause of a better Nigeria cannot leave out the influence of the family of patriots that produced him and ideologically birthed some of us.

Aremu and I had a closer bond, we were very passionate about change. Some people say every opportunity to confront the status quo was like a birthday ceremony for Aremu and I. Some more uncharitable critics called us “Petty bourgeois exhibitionists”.

In May 1986, Aremu as President of Students Union led protesting students of School of Technology and I led thousands of students from school of Basic studies to protest the Killing of students in Abu Zaria in what became the Ango must go protest. We were heading to rendezvous at the NTA Ilorin where we had planned to make a broadcast, when we were confronted by large detachment of Mobile Anti riot policemen at Ministry of Agriculture in Ilorin. The Government declared a curfew but we managed to get together later at my grandmother’s place to a plate of mama’s Amala and Ewedu soup.

Aremson and I kept close contact and visited with each other regularly over the past four decades.

He recently survived stroke, but fell to the cruel assault of a hit and run driver.

Why was Aremu crossing the road all by himself? He had a car which he seldom use because the road to his house was simply impassable, the last time i visited. Most residents of the community simply just park their cars.

Aremu built his house amongst the poor even though I won’t consider him poor, he chose by himself what he did, not because he lacked better options.

His choice was made easy for him by the understanding and cooperation of his loyal wife who must now bear the greatest weight of this loss.

Aremson was an Internationalist, particularly a friend of Cuba and a promoter of the Legacy of Amicar Cabral.

We were ideologically bonded until his death. Though we chose different paths as we grew up, he, a professional revolutionary, I chose entrepreneurship and Mass Democratic Politics, but our cord of commitment to a better Nigeria remained unbroken.

A rare patriot has fallen, a combatant for the cause of the poor is gone, my friend has become the pool of water after the rain that passes by the street never to return home again. Adieu great one!