Pa Adebanjo @ 95

I have always been fascinated by the worldview and insights of old people— fellow mortals who have trodden these ever changing paths for so long that the story of their lives is the story of an era. I am doubly enthralled when such old people have impacted their societies and LIVED FOR SOMETHING. 

In a world where expediency is fast becoming the norm, where men and women of principle are fast going the way of the dodo, I have nothing but adulation for those who have stood by their commitment to what they perceive as the common good.

It was that fascination with veterans of popular struggles that propelled me, in 2018, to attempt speaking to President Mugabe after he was deposed. I still had fond memories of the liberation struggle days when, as university students in Nigeria, we fought on the side of our oppressed brethren in southern Africa. A chat with 94-year-old Mugabe would have been a fitting climax to my visit to Harare. But the interview never happened because elements within the new government advised against it. 

This year, I felt the same kind of hunger for the wisdom of the aged when veteran politician and leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, clocked 95. This time around, there were no impediments. I came away with an understanding of the reason why Pa Adebanjo, one of the last surviving direct disciples of the sage, Obafemi Awolowo, is still figuratively in the trenches. The elder statesman is as constant as the northern star.

Afenifere is the mainstream sociocultural organisation established by Yoruba people. Notably, the agenda of Afenifere was adopted as the official manifesto of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) political party in 1998, Most Yorubas view the pressure group as a legitimate body for the protection of their interests, maintenance of political equilibrium and preservation of the Yoruba people’s ethnic identity.

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At 95, Chief Adebanjo should be celebrating, especially considering the fact that life expectancy in Nigeria is put at 53 years. But he isn’t. Rather than roll out the drums in festive celebration, he opted for a thanksgiving to thank God for mercies big and small. Thanks to Prof. Akin Onigbinde, I managed to sneak into his crowded schedule as he solemnly marked his 95th year. I can think of no better way to take advantage of still having the durable chief with us than to drink from his fount of wisdom with the hope that the younger generation will be inspired by a life dedicated to the service of others. Enjoy:

NIGERIA’S FUTURE

The British colonised the various nationalities that make up today’s Nigeria: Yoruba nation, Igbo nation, northern emirates , etc. There was no Nigeria. That was why our Independence Constitution took cognisance of our various differences and gave each region autonomy in running its affairs while we all related under one national flag. The military changed all that and installed a unitary system which unduly favoured the North against the rest of the country. Now, even the North is not at peace. You can’t have peace with such a fraudulent arrangement. A country of heterogeneous peoples cannot be run as a unitary entity.

VIOLENCE AGAINST IGBOS

During the 2023 elections rigging and violence were done with impunity; stealing of ballot boxes while security and INEC staff looked the other way. Look at the violence against Igbos in Lagos. The same Tinubu who brought Igbos into the cabinet when it suited him was now unleashing violence against them and calling them evil people because he suspected that they would not vote for him. Can anyone defend that?

TURN BY TURN

Of course, I am convinced that if we want an enduring democracy, it is the turn of the South east to produce the president. When the Igbos wanted to secede, Nigeria said no. Now, they have stayed in the country and you still want to deny them their rights. I say, No. It was in this same country that the military head of state bent the rules to accommodate the Yoruba political organisation, Alliance for Democracy, in 1998.

 If the rules were to be followed strictly, we wouldn’t have qualified for registration. And Gen Abubakar saw the danger in keeping the core Yoruba party out of the democratic exercise. So, there is nothing extraordinary in making room for every part of the country to have its turn. 

Look at the way the PDP threw away its zoning policy enshrined in its constitution to make room for Atiku who called himself a unifier. Who are you unifying when you’re denying the Southeast zone the chance of producing the president? Are they not Nigerians?

NOTHING PERSONAL AGAINST TINUBU

What is right is right. All those who say they are championing Tinubu’s cause now don’t really know him. They are in it for what they can get. I have nothing personal against Bola Tinubu. I should be proud that somebody I made the governor is now president-elect. He has always been respectful to me, very liberal. There’s no Christmas he wouldn’t send me presents — even during the COVID pandemic. But that is not the issue. When he returned from overseas medical treatment, I went to greet him. He calls me Uncle. My children call him uncle. I did everything in my power to make him governor without collecting one kobo from him. That is my record.

AFENIFERE

It is impossible to divide Afenifere. Impossible! There have been attempts to divide us, but they have all failed. There is no crisis in Afenifere. Regarding the unfortunate incident before the elections, I felt sorry for Pa Fasoranti that those who were originally opposed to his emergence as Afenifere leader now turned around to try to use his name to divide the group. Since when did Tinubu become a friend of Fasoranti? Were they friends three years ago? 

BOKO HARAM SPONSORS

Where is the list of 200 Boko Haram sponsors received by our government from our foreign friends? The attorney-general announced that the government was investigating the list, but has anybody heard anything about it again? Is it right to cover up crime, especially sponsorship of terrorism?

PARTISAN MEDIA

At times I marvel at the partisanship of a section of the media. For example, one newspaper refused to publish the story of the world press conference addressed by Afenifere but found it expedient to publish reactions to our position. Why publish reactions when you ignored the original story? Very unethical. Carry the message; forget the messenger.

NO FUTURE IN PDP OR APC

To the younger generation, I will say: Continue to insist on doing what is right. I am not a member of the Labour Party. But I support the Obi/Datti ticket. I am telling the youths that there is no light for them in either the PDP or APC. Nigerian youths must remain steadfast. They are making their voices heard in spite of all odds. As at now, the Labour Party has lost the battle, not the war. Until the Supreme Court delivers its judgement on the last election, there is still a long way to go. Youths should not be afraid or hesitant, or anxious; they should stay the course.

LOYALTY TO PRINCIPLES

I can’t be bothered if anyone considers me rigid because I loyally follow my principles. As a Yoruba man, I live by a set of values. To subvert your principles in order to be accepted as not rigid is unwise and fraudulent. Those who have no principles are always quick to label others as rigid because they will do anything to get what they want. For me, the rightness of a cause is critically important. I don’t owe anybody an apology for staying true to the principles established by our leader, Papa Awolowo.

Throughout his life, Pa Ayo Adebanjo has been an outspoken critic of numerous policies and actions of the state both under military rule and during the democratic dispensation– a member of a vanishing breed of men and women who choose the straight and narrow path of rectitude in public life and who are not afraid to stand alone if necessary in the pursuit of the greatest good for the greatest number. Happy birthday, Pa Adebanjo.

ETUKWU ONAH, SAN (RIP)

News of the untimely demise of Barrister Etukwu Onah, SAN, makes one wonder how unkind fate can be. Just when a man has successfully ascended the ladder of professional recognition and is deservedly looking forward to more fulfilling times, bang comes the grim reaper. May God rest his soul and comfort his family.