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Wande Abimbola @91: How an àbíkú decided to live (3)

Published

1 year ago

January 19, 2024

Tunde Odesola

Wande’s star shone brightly in the galaxy of stars twinkling up above the world so high. His star was distinct in the heavens whose cloudy blanket covers every inch of the earth in suspended animation science calls gravitational force. But religion calls it ‘agbára tó so ilé ayé ró’ – the divine power that keeps the world in place.

In a profound gift to humanity, predestination wedded Ifa to scholarship, resulting in the birth of Ògúnwandé Abímbolá, the progeny of the gods. Wande’s destiny was surely set among the stars.

Though he was 12 years old in 1945 when he enrolled at Native Authority Town School, Idi Ope, Oyo, he shone brightly in junior primary school and got promoted to senior primary school – Native Authority Durbar School, Idi Ope, Oyo, where his little feet were set in the trail of distinction, dedication and determination.

“In my time, you spend four years in junior school and two years in senior primary school. Afterwards, you go to secondary school to spend another six years. But passing from junior to senior primary school was a great task because the standard and competition were high,” Wande began.

“There were white men among our teachers, many of whom were ex-soldiers who fought in the First World War. One of them, Mr Bullock, used to enter the class through the window. Many of the ex-soldiers suffered post-war trauma in their various communities and they often vent their frustration on innocent people, raping, beating and looting.

“From 1949 to 1952, I went to Native Authority Durbar (Primary) School after I left junior primary school in 1948. Durbar means an assembly of kings. A royal court (durbar) was built in Oyo town when Nigeria was preparing to host King George (V), the grandfather of the late Queen Elizabeth. The royal court was to be used to house Yoruba traditional rulers who would host King George in Oyo.

FROM THE AUTHOR: Wande Abimbola @91: How an àbíkú decided to live (2)

“But an outbreak of smallpox occurred around 1925/1926 when the king arrived Lagos and he was advised against visiting the hinterlands, thus the visit was aborted and the durbar was converted into a school which I later attended.”

Recalling events of his childhood with astonishing clarity, singing the panegyrics of his father, mother, siblings and grandfather, Ògúnwandé said his father, Iroko, frequented Ibadan to buy books for him at the CMS Bookshop established in 1930.

“My father later gave his full support to my educational aspirations. He was even buying me textbooks for the next grade in advance. So, I was always ahead of the class. I believe in the power of listening. My teacher would threaten to send me out of her class because I wasn’t making notes. But I believe it was better to listen attentively in class than to make notes. After the class, I would go to those who copied notes during class and make my notes.

“I had a seatmate, Okunade Adegbola, he was always coming first while I was second. It was in secondary school that I got to know listening was key to learning. Some days before the exam, I borrowed the books of my mates to make comprehensive notes. I came second in the public schools essay competition in the entire Commonwealth in 1952. Thus, the number of pupils who applied to Government College, Ibadan, from Oyo, was pruned to three – Okunade, myself and one other student. It was later pruned to two, that is, Okunade and myself. We sat the qualifying exam.

“Okunade and I waited to get our letters of admission but to no avail. After a long time, an adult, who saw my name on the list in Ibadan, met me in Oyo and asked why I didn’t come to resume school. He said I could still resume in January but I said no. Okunade wasn’t admitted. So, I went to Baptist Boys High School, Oyo, where I emerged as the best-graduating student in 1958 with four A1, two A2, one A3 and one C5. The name of BBHS, Oyo, was later changed to Olivet Baptist Boys High School, Oyo,” Wande recollected.

FROM THE AUTHOR: Wande Abimbola @91: How An Ábíkú Decided To Live (1) [OPINION]

Wande’s destiny was set among the stars. Founded in 1948, University College, Ibadan, was one of the colleges of the University of London. Wande was admitted to University College, Ibadan, in 1959, as a state scholar. The whole student population of the college wasn’t more than 500. This was the period when the student that led in each faculty was given a state scholarship.

“I bagged a state scholarship. This entitles you to a full scholarship. It also entitles your WIFE to a monthly salary. Apart from your wife, FOUR of your children are also entitled to separate monthly salaries, if you’re married. I waited till 1959 to start schooling at the university college because the university calendar was different from the secondary school calendar. I bagged ‘A’s in science subjects, so I could’ve done well in the sciences but I chose to read History because of my love for Ifa and to know the history and secrets of the world. I read Linguistics at the Master’s degree level to deepen my understanding of the Yoruba Language. Yoruba wasn’t available as a course at the time I got admitted,” Ogunwande said.

Abimbola wrote only one letter of application all his life. All other jobs he got – OAU Vice Chancellor, Senator, Senate Majority Leader, professorial chairs, presidential adviser to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, etc – he never applied nor lobbied; he was lobbied.

After his preliminary exam at the university college, he was picked along with Omolara Ogundipe, as a student for Honours English class. Both of them didn’t sit any exam to qualify for the Honours class. However, Abimbola turned down the offer, selling his English textbooks to Abiodun Adetugbo and Oyin Ogunba, both of whom later became distinguished professors. Poet, critic and activist, Ogundipe, who died in 2019, also became a professor and an authority on feminism.

“I sold my English literature textbooks to Abiodun Adetugbo and Oyin Ogunba, and I went to sit the exam for History Honours class. Omoniyi Adewoye, former Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan; Olatunji Oloruntimehin, Professor of History and International Studies, and J. Adebowale Atanda, Professor of History, were in the Honours class. We were only 13 in the honours class. I have never seen any honours programme as rich as that of Ibadan. It was hectic. We were practically sleeping in the library.

FROM THE AUTHOR: Ebenezer Obey: Unstoppable Flight Of Destiny (1) [OPINION ]

“Oloruntimehin was my closest friend in the university just like Okunade was my closest friend in primary school. Oloruntimehin was the most brilliant of my friends. One day, he came to tell me to apply for a vacancy in the university; they were looking for a ‘Junior Research Fellow in Yoruba Studies’. The job of the research fellow was collecting and analysing Ifa literature for the institute,” Wande explained.

I told Oloruntimehin I neither have an MA in English nor divinity or anthropology which were the prerequisites for the job because I was still an undergraduate, but he said, “Do you think anyone can beat you in that area?” So, I applied to the Institute of African Studies through its director, Prof R. G. Armstrong, a white man.

The next day after I applied, I got a response from Prof Armstrong, acknowledging the receipt of my application, and saying though I didn’t possess an MA degree, I would still be interviewed to see if I could be shortlisted.

“Because my surname starts with the letter ‘A’, I was the first to be interviewed. The interview lasted for about two hours. It turned out to be a class where I was the teacher and my interviewers became the students. There were still nine candidates waiting to be interviewed. I was still in the institute when the second candidate entered and came out in less than 15 minutes.

“Thus, I was employed and became a faculty (member) before I graduated. After I was employed, an official of UI Estates came and showed me around vacant staff apartments. I picked one apartment. It has a telephone and you can call anywhere in the world anytime. I bought a car before I graduated in June. The maintenance unit of the university takes care of the staff’s cars almost for free. So, I got salaries from April to June when I graduated,” Wande stated.

That was the only letter of application Wande wrote all his life. He proceeded to the North-Western Evanston University, Chicago, Illinois, for his Master’s degree.

“In those days, if you had an honours degree, you could skip the MA degree but I couldn’t because I opted to study a different course at the MA level – Linguistics. I finished my programme and returned home to receive two letters of appointment. One as Research Fellow, African Studies Department, University of Ife; and the other as Lecturer II in the proposed Department of Yoruba, University of Lagos,” he said.

To be continued.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

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How Atiku, El-Rufai, Amaechi Can Learn From Tinubu’s School Of Politics

Published

2 minutes ago

June 22, 2025

Editor

By Festus Adedayo

Power politics in the animal kingdom could be as intense, deceptive and selfish as it is in the human kingdom. An ancient African allegory whose patent cannot be credited to a particular tradition illustrates this. It is the fable of an old forest warhorse, the lion. After years of feasting on animals, his mane soaked in their innocent blood, Old Lion became too senescent to hunt for games. Stricken with old age, diverse infirmities and unable to put food on his own table, the King decided to get food by subterfuge and trickery.

Always by himself and soaked in myriad thoughts and stratagems for many nights and days, one day a thought sidled into his mind. He would pretend to be so infirm that he could not hunt and thus court ‘get well’ visits of other animals. He then got emissaries to broadcast his infirmity round and about the forest. As the message got to them, the animals debated the prospect of visiting him after the debilitating havoc he had wrecked on their peers and forebears. The majority of opinions supported paying the king of the jungle get-well-quick visits.

Thus, one after the other, animals of various kinds paid the King visits in his supposed infirmary. As each sauntered in, the King made barbecue of their fleshes. However, Tortoise, the wily Trickster animal, according to the Yoruba version of that fable, burst the King’s bubble. Some other African climes’ account say it was not Tortoise but the Red Fox. So, the animal came to the conclusion that, though he would satisfy the majority’s decision to pay the King obeisance, he would be a whiff careful and wiser.

So Fox/Tortoise devised a trick. He presented himself at a respectable distance from a cave by the hill that led to the King’s lair. From there, he shouted at the top of his voice to the aged King Lion to announce his presence. On hearing his voice, the King peered out queasily and bade him come into the lair. Like an Apiroro, one who feigns sleep, who must be atop the mastery of the theatrics of their game, the Lion dragged his response with great effort and said, “I am not so well… But, my friend, why do you stand without? Pray, come in and wish me well.” The Fox/Tortoise, in a sarcasm that mocked the Lion’s theatrics said: “No, thank you, Your Majesty. But, I noticed that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning.”

Last Friday, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi and their co-travelers inside the Nigerian National Coalition Group (NNCG) coach arrived at a significant juncture in their bid to send President Bola Tinubu back to Lagos in 2027. On that day, the NNCG formally applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) party.

As far as formality goes, the dramatis personae on this journey have many reasons to clink champagne glasses. In semiotic representation, which is the study of signs, symbols, their use and representation, ADA would seem to be the greatest weapon in the NNCG’s hands to skewer the heart of the Broom, symbol of the reigning All Progressives Congress (APC).

Like the old wily Lion, virtually all the political characters on the two aisles of the divide – opposition and in government – suffer similar fates in the estimation of Nigerians today. In relationship calculus, Yoruba advise a younger one burying the elder in the presence of the younger sibling to be mindful of the depth of the grave they dig because same fate awaits them. At the joint sitting of the National Assembly on Democracy Day, Tinubu literally gloated about the walnut-pod-seeds schism and discord that characterize Nigeria’s opposition parties. “It is, indeed, a pleasure to witness you in such disarray,” he said.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu And The Fish God

A few days later, the demon came out of its seclusion. The deodorant the APC had been spraying over its messy internal power struggles expired and the putrid smell hit the nose with the bang of an Iraqi missile. The party’s Northeast leaders’ meeting for the adoption of Tinubu for a second term exposed vultures gathering round the APC in an ominous exclusion plan against Kashim Shettima. The game is to spike Shettima’s name from the 2027 presidential ballot.

Today, APC’s power apparatchik is running helter-skelter. The task is to paper over a grisly crack, an implosion tornado that may erupt in the Shettima exclusion gambit. It is a throwback into a historic Tinubu total power holding tendency, a total frown at and intolerance for sharing power with anyone. As Lagos governor, Tinubu dispensed with deputies as a junky changes syringes.

All of a sudden, erstwhile good governance poster-boy, Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, a Shettima boy, has become the proverbial Elúùlù, a Yoruba-named brown-feathered Wood Dove bird whose cry is reputed to possess the mystical power of drawing rains from the heavens. The belief is that Elúùlù’s rain could cause everyone to scamper out for alternative shield. As Zulum chirps like Elúùlù, either on the insecure security in his state, against the Tinubu government’s dissonant narrative of peace in Borno, or even over other matters, power watchers see an internal power disruption in the APC.

Zulum’s Elúùlù may be foreshadowing a bitter rain that will pour in the APC over Shettima’s exclusion from a second term. This cry may also be a reminder of a Kowée, another mystic bird which Yoruba mythological belief says whenever it chirps, a lurking danger of death is imminent.

The Shettima travails may point to a saying that the whiplash used to trounce the older wife is kept for the younger one on the rafter. It was this same Shettima who, on a Channels Television interview, mocked the totalitarian system of Nigerian presidency which sidelined Yemi Osinbajo under Muhammadu Buhari. Shettima had said, “Osinbajo is a good man; he’s a nice man. But nice men do not make good leaders, because nice men tend to be nasty. Nice men should be selling popcorn, ice cream.” Today, Shettima sells a medley of ice cream and popcorn under a nasty and grim presidential power play.

Then, there is intense hunger and anger in the land which government is obviously too lame to tame. Statistics have become ballistics which the Tinubu government’s mind-doctor evangelists bombard Nigerians with. The latest ballistic is that inflation figure has decreased. Yet, the spinners of these figures are unable to explain the fit of sulks Nigerians relapse into when they confront skyrocketing foods and goods in the market. Neither is anyone responding to the people’s groan at their ebbing purchasing power which the twin policies of subsidy withdrawal and Naira flotation have birthed. It is obvious that, as Nigerians walk into the electioneering years, government will have no balm to apply on the people’s aches.

Then, there is the gale of insecurity in the country. Unbeknown to Nigerians, the Tandi of the Buhari government which they thought was dance-shy, cannot even stand the TandiTandi of the Tinubu government which does not have a waist to wag to any danceable tune. Northeast terrorists dance to celebratory songs as they hijack Nigerian local governments as their spoils of war. Same terrorists drink palm-wine with dead Nigerians’ skulls as gourds. In the Northwest, bandits kill Nigerians en-masse as you trample on cockroaches. Benue and Plateau States are poster-boys of government’s helplessness in the face of superior herders’ brains, weapons and strategies. Nigerians in those states bury their dead in silence as federal government regurgitates obituaries, condolence messages as press releases which mask its cowardice. The recent Benue massacre is an example.

So many other missteps of the last two years line the dais. They are missteps which an opposition group or party could weaponize to win Nigerians’ hearts. Is it the Gilbert Chagoury-lization of the Nigerian economy? Or the lack of openness and accountability in the Lagos-Calabar 700km N15trillion road project which the president awarded to a man he openly admitted was his ally? Is it the Airbus A330 presidential aircraft which cost Nigeria $100million and which never passed the senate lens? Is it the flying rumour of mind-boggling corruption that has stuck to this government like a leech in two years? You do not have to scrape more than the surface to amass a shovelful.

To rehash what wily Trickster Tortoise told Lion, King of the jungle, those putting together the ADA as Nigeria’s opposition party also have Tinubu-type logs in their eyes. Nigerians see them as people who have “many prints of feet entering your cave, but (see) no trace of any returning”.

Tinubu was right by claiming, as he did in Kaduna last week, that Uba Sani had transformed the State from a “toxic, uncontrollable environment”.

Under El-Rufai, Kaduna was a horror scene. Though ranked comparatively higher than any other state in Nigeria by multilateral agencies on the scorecard of good governance and accountability, in eight years, El-Rufai’s Kaduna was a state of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. The peace in Southern Kaduna today is a departure from the toxicity of the El-Rufai era. When you now have the same character seeking to play leading role in bringing a let to the suffering of the people of Nigeria, it speaks volumes of the kind of leadership Nigerians should look forward to.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR: Olunloyo: Goodnight, Voltaire

Then, Atiku Abubakar. The ex-VP’s politics is undoubtedly woven round self. Since 1993, he has been a presidential candidate and has failed on each occasion. It is obvious that the current ADA is again primed round him. When self is the issue as in this manner, Yoruba ask if the individual’s esophagus is the sole route to Oyo (Onàofu ntienikanniwonn’gbalos’Oyóní?)

Amaechi is not any better. Having lost out in the power equation of the post-Tinubu era, this former Transport Minister has become an emergency critic, even being ludicrous enough to claim he is hungry. The trio and their co-travelers are united by anger and lust for power, rather than any meaningful attempt to rescue Nigeria from the vice grip of Tinubu. ADA is a huge log that has stayed afloat on and fed on the ecosystem of the murky and filthy river of Fourth Republic Nigerian politics for too long. It has stayed so long on the river that it is mistaking itself for an amphibian animal. And Yoruba say, no matter how long a log stays in the river, it will never become a crocodile.

Borrowing from Lasisi Olagunju, ADA and its minders are like mourners at their own funeral. They can never be a soothing counterpoise to the rot of the Tinubu government. Were it to be possible, the Ibrahim Babangida newbreed model would have been a perfect reply to this current order where, head or tail, Nigerians may lose.

The ADA crew, especially Atiku Abubakar, would need to learn some basic lessons that Tinubu taught Nigerian politics. Between 2007 when he left Lagos governorship and 2023 when he became president, Tinubu wore the strategic patience garment of the vulture. He waited patiently within this period, biding his time for Aso Rock. He could have put himself forth to be Nigeria’s president in 2015 but strategically supported Buhari.

Conversely, at every election season, Atiku’s face thoughtlessly adorns presidential campaign posters like a boring epigram. It is obvious that he and his ADA are too mired in the problems and challenges of Nigeria to be a solution to them. Amaechi and El-Rufai are obviously in ADA out of anger and hungry for revenge against those who chucked them out of their birthright of being in government in perpetuity.

The little I know about anger is, when you are consumed by it, you wake up lost, and you will lose sight of everything. Including your sense.

News

Diri Approves Automatic Employment For UAT First Class Graduates

Published

14 hours ago

June 21, 2025

Editor

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has offered automatic employment to First Class degree graduates of the University of Africa, Toru-Orua (UAT), in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to governor, Daniel Alabrah, said Diri made the announcement on Saturday at the maiden combined convocation ceremony of 2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2024 academic sessions of the university.

Diri said the gesture was part of measures to check the brain drain syndrome.

The governor said the gesture had been replicated in other state-owned tertiary institutions such as the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, in line with his administration’s policy to prioritise education and boost human capital development.

Congratulating the graduands, the governor praised his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson representing Bayelsa West, for his vision and political will in establishing the UAT, which he noted was meeting the educational needs of the state and beyond.

“ln line with our government’s policy, all First Class graduates of UAT will be offered automatic employment to ensure that we do not lose our best brains.

“This first combined convocation ceremony of UAT is momentous and historical. When l took over as governor, l had a lot of presentations, which included closing down the UAT. But l came to the inescapable conclusion that rather than shutting it down, l opted to establish more because education remains our number one priority.”

As Visitor to the UAT, Diri announced the appointment and investiture of Dr. Nwachukwu Nnam Obi III, Ogba of Ogbaland in Rivers State, as the institution’s Chancellor.

Responding to the challenges presented by the Vice Chancellor, Diri said government will continue to address them through collaborative efforts and urged the institution to explore funding modules towards generating income.

While assuring that the auditorium and Senate building projects would be completed before the end of his tenure, the state’s chief executive promised that government would also address the problem of staff accommodation and that transport vehicles will be provided to ease the challenges faced by workers and students at UAT, NDU and the Federal University, Otuoke.

On the institution’s power needs, Diri said when the 60mw independent power plant procured by the government becomes functional, it would cover the university’s location.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Ebobrah, announced that 66 were awarded first class degrees out of the 905 graduands of the four academic sessions.

He expressed appreciation to the Diri administration for its increased monthly subvention to the UAT and listed a number of challenges to include uncompleted auditorium and Senate buildings, lack of perimeter fencing, power supply, staff accommodation, lecture theatres, teaching and non-teaching staff office accommodation among others.

In his remarks, the Pro Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Barr. Kemela Okara, equally expressed gratitude to government for its support towards the successful accreditation of all programmes by the National Universities Commission.

News

Aiyedatiwa Proposes Death Penalty For Kidnappers

Published

15 hours ago

June 21, 2025

Editor

In a bid to eradicate kidnapping in the state, the Ondo State Government has proposed a death sentence for whoever is found guilty of kidnapping in the state.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Dr Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, disclosed this while speaking with journalists on Saturday after the weekly state executive council meeting.

It was gathered that the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa presided over the meeting.

Ajulo said the proposal would soon be transmitted to the state House of Assembly for necessary legislative action.

He said, ”Kidnapping and cultism have become major threats to safety and public order and strengthening relevant legal frameworks would help deter such crimes and improve the overall security landscape.

”The proposals would soon be transmitted to the House of Assembly for necessary legislative action, including sentencing convicted kidnappers to death.”

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Abiola Olawoye, revealed that the Executive Council approved the construction of two major dual-carriageway road projects in the state.

According to him, the first is the construction of a 24.75-kilometre dual carriageway from Ugbeyin Junction – Okitipupa Market – OAUSTECH – Ugbonla Junction – Igbokoda Jetty.

“The road will feature a 9.3-metre wide carriageway on both sides, a 1.2-metre median, concrete line drains, walkways, asphaltic shoulders in undeveloped areas, a 3-metre utility area, and solar-powered streetlights along the median. The entire road corridor is 28 metres wide, with a total right of way of 40 metres. It will also include modern traffic lights at critical intersections and is designed to carry heavy traffic with a reinforced pavement structure.

”The second project is the construction of a 6.7-kilometre dual carriageway from Supare Junction – Akungba – Ikare Road in Akoko area of the state. The specifications are similar, including a 9.3-metre carriageway on either side, 1.2-metre median, reinforced concrete line drains, walkways, a 3-metre utility area, solar-powered streetlights, and traffic management systems. It is also built to withstand heavy vehicular movement.

“In addition to these, the council approved the provision and installation of 6,000 standalone solar streetlights across the three senatorial districts—2,000 each for Ondo North, Ondo Central, and Ondo South. This is part of the state’s agenda to improve safety and public lighting infrastructure.”