News

Wande Abimbola @91: How an àbíkú decided to live (4)

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2024

Tunde Odesola

Longevity is a predominant gene in Ogunwande’s lineage. His grandfather, Akínsílolá Légbéjure, aka Agbólelelogunyábárá, inhabited the earth for more than a hundred years. His father, Iroko, a First World War soldier, also lived five years beyond hundred. Sangodayo, his mother, breathed her last at 112 while his eldest sibling, Ogunyoyin, was two years shy of 100 when death closed her eyes, and his second eldest sibling, Ogundiya, the Asipade, and Aàre Ìsègùn of Oyo, died suddenly on December 31, 2011 when he was 88 years young. For ’Wande, Life is a marathon of battles requiring the armours of endurance, courage and determination.

“My father died in 1971. His sight never dimmed, his awareness never waned, his memory remained sharp and he still walked to and fro the town hall in Akesan, a journey of two miles, to pay his monthly water bill. He walked longer distances to visit his friends. My mother was perceptive and fit until she died in 2007. The same thing applied to all my siblings,” Wande recalled in his soft voice.

When Wande finished his M.A. degree in the US, in 1966, and returned to Nigeria, two letters of employment were already waiting for him. He never applied for either of the two jobs, one of which was an appointment as a Research Fellow at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and the other employment was as Lecturer II at the proposed Department of Yoruba Language, University of Lagos.

So, Ogunwande arrived at the crossroads of dual employment opportunities, fully aware of what he wanted but quite oblivious to the twists and turns of the academic marathon that lay ahead of him.

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

“As I started moving up the ladder in my academic career, my mother would admonish me to be mindful of the son of whom I am. She would tell me not to steal or engage in any form of corruption,” Wande began. “I never stole a kobo all my life. What for? What am I going to do with millions?”

Wande later became a professor at Harvard, Boston University, Amherst College, University of Louisville, Kentucky; Smith College, Massachusetts; and Colgate University, among others. “I didn’t apply to be a professor in any of these universities. They made me a professor because they needed me. That’s how it should be. My elder brother, Ogundiya, never saw the inside of a classroom but when I took him to Boston for a year, he delivered lectures all over the US, with various institutions getting interpreters to explain his teachings. That’s how it should be. We should be teaching in our own language,” Ogunwande emphasised.

As an àbíkú, who was almost beheaded by an age-mate at 9, Abimbola came to an early realisation that life was a battle requiring the caution of the chameleon, the strength of the buffalo and the agility of the tiger. He soon knew that the life of an àbíkú was the tale of Ikún and Dèdè – the squirrel and the trap. Ikún n de dèdè, dèdè n de ikún.

Wande, the àbíkú, is tied down in the mortal realm by charmed intervention and prevented from going back to the underworld, but death lurks still, like a baited trap, seeking to crush the squirrel by the neck, just like Wande’s attacker sought to cut his neck with a machete. The Yoruba advise that gratitude should be the song of a victim who lost his cap instead of his life to death, “Iku to ba fe pa’ni, to ba si’ni ni fila, o ye ka dupe.”

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

“The boy who attempted to behead me ran away from the village for one month. In his absence, his father and mother, who were good and responsible people, apologised profusely. We became ‘friends’ again when I recovered from my illness. Needless to say, I was never too close to him, and I never trusted him again until he died about 10 years ago,” Ogunwande stated.

An academic senior, Adeboye Babalola, who bagged a PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, in 1964, was the one who invited Abimbola to join the proposed Department of Yoruba at UNILAG.

“Baba Babalola was a lecturer at the Institute of African and Asian Studies, UNILAG. He was a former student of Igbobi College. He rose to become the principal of Igbobi College in the 50s, after studying at Oxford University. Babalola bagged 9 ‘A’s in his secondary school certificate exam. I decided to join him at UNILAG because the offer had to do with teaching and Yoruba.

“So, in 1966, we started a B.A degree programme in UNILAG with only two students. In choosing the UNILAG offer over UNIFE, I asked if Baba Babalola could supervise my PhD, a proposal to which he agreed. Thus, I did my PhD on part-time while I was lecturing at UNILAG, and finished my thesis in 1969, graduating in 1970. The title of my thesis is, “Ifa: An exposition of Ifa Literary Corpus.” My thesis was the first PhD awarded by UNILAG,” Ogunwande explained.

Abimbola’s academic journey at UNILAG took another turn when Professor Adeagbo Akinjogbin, a world-class historian, visited him, saying the Vice Chancellor, UNIFE, Prof Ezekiah Oluwasanmi, wanted to see Wande the next day.

“By 1971, I had resigned from UNILAG but UNILAG VC, Professor Ade Ajayi, didn’t approve my resignation because he didn’t want me to go. Anyway, I went to see Oluwasanmi, who told me of his intention to start Yoruba Studies in Ife. I told Oluwasanmi that Indiana University had sent an air ticket to me and had even employed a graduate assistant for me from Nigeria, who had gone to the US ahead of me. His name is Ajibade Ajuwon, my childhood friend, who later became a professor at UNIFE.

“Oluwasanmi convinced me not to go to Indiana until January. So, I taught in UNIFE up till January 1, 1972, preparatory to going to Indiana University. I had to go and teach at Indiana because I didn’t want them to feel bad. After teaching for some time, I told them that my country needed me, so I returned to Nigeria. In 1976, I became the first professor at the Department of African Languages and Literatures, UNIFE, thus making me the chair of the department,” Abimbola recounted.

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

Abimbola became the Dean, Faculty of Arts, in 1977, and was enjoying his job until one evening in 1982 when he heard a knock on his office door.

“Come in,” Wande said. It was Dr Oyewusi, a colleague. Ogunwande was in a chatty mood but Oyewusi wasn’t. “Where’s your CV?” Oyewusi asked. “My CV?” Ogunwande searched Oyewusi’s eyes for a clue. “Yes, your CV. Didn’t you hear that the VC, Prof Cyril Onwumechili Agodi, has said he wasn’t going for a second term in office?” Oyewusi asked, declaring, “You’re the next VC.”

It wasn’t hard to fetch Wande’s CV as he always had copies in his drawer. He gave his excited colleague a copy of his CV so that Oyewusi could leave his office on time.

“I neither asked nor heard anything about the issue again. It was Oyewusi who filled out the form, got someone to nominate me, and also submitted it. He only said I should sign. Oyewusi taught at the Department of Physical and Health Education. At the time, a seven-member committee consisting of three members of council, three members of senate and the chairman of council made up the selection committee. That selection committee would recommend three shortlisted names to the Visitor of the university, President Shehu Shagari.

“Oyewusi was convinced nobody was better than me for the post. But he was afraid I might go ahead and support any candidate that solicited my support. To me, Oyewusi was just joking. I busied myself with my work, teaching in Nigeria and crisscrossing the Atlantic over 12 times per year to deliver papers across the world,” Ogunwande said.

A long time afterwards, an Oyo prince, Adebayo Sàndà, who was a director with the Nigerian Television Authority, Ibadan, visited Abimbola in his Ife office, breaking some news to the scholar.

“Congratulations! The president signed your letter of appointment as VC yesterday,” Sàndà gushed. Ogunwande was shocked. “Letter!?” he asked. Sàndà said, “Yes,” adding that he could collect the letter on my behalf.

“I was billed for a conference abroad around that time. I told my friend, Sàndà, about the conference, and I left Nigeria. When I returned, I went to Sàndà’s office in Ibadan to tell him I was back,” said Wande.

I noticed Sàndà wasn’t his usual self. “Maybe I should’ve told you not to go abroad. It appears they want to dabaru the whole thing. They said the National Chairman of the ruling National Party of Nigeria, Chief Adisa Akinloye, has collected your letter,” Sàndà said. Wande asked him why, and Sàndà said he didn’t know.

To be continued.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

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News

Parents Accuse FG Of Neglect As BEA Scholars Go Hungry Abroad

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The Forum of Parents and Guardians of Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) Scholars has issued a distress call to the Federal Government following what they describe as three years of systemic neglect of Nigerian students studying abroad under the BEA scholarship programme.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the group narrated harrowing accounts of students stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of stipends.

The situation, they say, has now resulted in the death of a scholar in Morocco, with fears that more tragedies may occur.

This incident has sparked anger and renewed calls for urgent intervention.

During a press briefing in Abuja, the affected group shared harrowing accounts of students stranded across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa due to the prolonged non-payment of stipends.

The situation has escalated to the point where a scholar has lost their life in Morocco, raising fears of further tragedies.

The group revealed that the Federal Scholarship Board (FSB) has consistently failed to pay scholars their full entitlements for three consecutive years.

In the current year, no stipend payments have been made to any BEA scholar since the beginning of the year.

Furthermore, in 2024, the monthly allowance was reduced from the stipulated $500 to $220, leaving students unable to secure accommodation, food, medical care, or basic utilities.

In 2023, scholars faced a two-month payment gap and an additional four months of arrears that remain unresolved.

The crisis reached a breaking point when Bashir Malami, a Nigerian BEA scholar in Morocco, passed away on Saturday, November 8, 2025. Malami’s death was attributed to his inability to access timely medical treatment due to the lack of funds.

The parents’ protest at the Ministry of Finance in Abuja yesterday highlighted the dire situation.

No reform can succeed if integrity is compromised, Tinubu tells Judges
They expressed their concerns about their children being “hungry, homeless, depressed, and slipping into medical crises.”

Many students are also facing challenges in obtaining visas and residency due to their inability to meet the financial requirements of their host countries.

Abang Matthew, representing the Parents’ Forum, expressed deep sorrow over the recent loss of their children, emphasising that their death was preventable. He attributed this tragedy to the government’s failure to provide adequate support to the scholars who were sent abroad.

The Parents’ Forum has come to the attention of many other scholars who are grappling with deteriorating mental and physical health. Simultaneously, parents in Nigeria are facing immense financial difficulties, resorting to borrowing, selling assets, and drowning in debt to support their children’s education abroad.

Over the past year, the Parents’ Forum said it has made repeated efforts to reach out to relevant authorities, including the Federal Scholarship Board, Federal Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, National Assembly, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

Despite these efforts, they alleged that they have not received any concrete response, even as the crisis continues to escalate.

In response to this urgent situation, the Parents’ Forum called on President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Education, and the National Assembly to take immediate action.

Their demands include the immediate release of all outstanding scholarship arrears, which amount to over 16 months unpaid.

Additionally, they seek the restoration of the original $500 monthly stipend as outlined in the award letters and signed agreements, as well as the establishment of a predictable and transparent payment framework to prevent future administrative delays.

The parents believe that the plight of BEA scholars is a national embarrassment and poses a significant risk to Nigeria’s future. They express concern that this situation could result in the loss of some of the country’s most talented young professionals in fields such as medicine, engineering, agriculture, diplomacy, and technology.

The Forum has gone beyond the press briefing and has also submitted a formal letter to the Honourable Minister of Finance, requesting urgent action to release funds to the Ministry of Education. These funds will then be used to make the necessary payments to the affected scholars.

The extended non-payment of scholarship stipends is not unrelated to the cash crunch plaguing the Federal Government, which has been conveniently overlooked in official quarters amidst the lean budget allocated to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the government.

News

Electricity Workers Threatens Shutdown Over Staff Brutality

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has threatened a nationwide shutdown following an alleged attack on staff of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Imo State.

In a statement issued by its Acting General Secretary, Dominic Igwebike, the union said the action became necessary after workers on duty at the Egbu 132/33kV Transmission Substation were allegedly beaten, held hostage at gunpoint, and some abducted by armed police officers said to be acting on the orders of the state government.

According to the union, the police officers forcefully entered the control rooms, vandalised equipment and disrupted operations. Workers were reportedly held at gunpoint, assaulted, and taken to an undisclosed location.

The union said it has already directed its members to halt power supply operations in Imo State until further notice.

It further warned that it would withdraw services nationwide unless authorities took immediate action to guarantee the safety and protection of electricity workers across the country.

The statement read: “NUEE expresses deep shock and outrage over the level of gangsterism and unprofessional conduct displayed today by police officers acting on behalf of Imo State government.

“These officers forcibly invaded and vandalised the control rooms at Egbu 132/33KV Transmission Substation in an attempt to compel operators to grant an illegal outage.

“During the invasion, the officers allegedly disconnected power at gunpoint and held all staff on duty hostage, forcing them to open breakers under duress.

“They further unleashed violence on our members, beating, molesting and assaulting every staff member in sight. Personal belongings, including phones, laptops, and vehicles, were destroyed, while CCTV cameras were also vandalised.

“The police officers executed this brutal and barbaric assault on innocent workers and abducted them to an undisclosed location.

“NUEE strongly condemns this reprehensible act and demands the immediate release of our abducted members. We also call for a formal undertaking from TCN management, the Federal Ministry of Power, and the Inspector General of Police to ensure the protection of our members.

“Additionally, we demand the immediate replacement of all staff property damaged or taken away, and insist that all assaulted workers be provided with full medical attention.

“Consequently, NUEE directs all members to stay away from the office until further notice, as we cannot continue to work under conditions of brutality, intimidation, and threats to life. Work can only resume when the safety of staff and property is fully guaranteed.

“Failure to address these issues promptly will leave the union with no alternative but to withdraw our services nationwide until adequate safety and protection are secured at all workplaces.”

News

Lecturers Threaten Fresh Showdown Over FG’s Unfulfilled Agreements

Published

8 hours ago

November 17, 2025

Editor

University lecturers have cautioned that a fresh confrontation with the Federal Government may be unavoidable, citing unfulfilled agreements and what they described as a continued lack of genuine commitment during negotiations.

The Abuja Zonal Coordinator of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Adam Al-Amin Abdullahi, stated this while speaking with the press in Abuja on Monday.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the Chairman of ASUU at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly University of Abuja), Dr. Sylvanus Ugoh, said the union was compelled to brief Nigerians because the issues at the heart of our struggle remain far from resolved.”

He recalled that ASUU’s National Executive Council (NEC) had considered the government’s proposals on 21 October 2025 and accepted them in good faith, despite their being extremely inadequate.

According to him, the decision to suspend the two-week strike on 22 October was taken out of respect for our students, parents, the media, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and other well-meaning Nigerians.

“Nearly four weeks later, it is obvious that the Federal Government has not used the goodwill period effectively. The measures taken so far are inadequate and nowhere near addressing the fundamental issues. There is simply no sense of urgency.

“We believe that the best way to revitalise public universities is through sincere negotiation rather than propaganda. However, when agreements are broken, payments are withheld, or deception is employed in place of interaction, the Union has a moral and constitutional obligation to defend public education and safeguard its members.

“ASUU will not think twice about using every lawful tool at its disposal if the government continues to trivialise challenges that undermine the existence of public universities. In conclusion, we implore all Nigerians to persuade the government to take the necessary steps right away in order to prevent another preventable industrial crisis.

“The future of Nigeria’s public universities, as well as the future of our students, cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity. indifference, and political grandstanding,” he said.

A key area of contention, he stated, remains the issue of salaries and working conditions.

Ugoh noted that the government’s proposed adjustments were merely tokenistic, insisting they were insufficient to halt the ongoing exodus of academics. “These proposals cannot restore honour to the profession, nor can they keep our best minds in the system,” he said.

He acknowledged some recent actions by the government, including the release of certain third-party deductions and partial payment of long-outstanding promotion arrears. Still, he dismissed them as confidence-building measures rather than concrete steps toward resolving the core issues.

According to him, government officials continue to exaggerate these minor moves as major achievements, adding that financial data shows both federal and state revenues have grown significantly in recent years, contradicting claims of limited resources.

The union maintained that several critical matters remain unresolved, including full renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, the release of withheld salaries for three and a half months, and the payment of outstanding wage awards and unremitted deductions.

“It is unfortunate that the Honourable Minister of Education has repeatedly made untrue public claims suggesting these issues have been resolved. Only a small fraction of what is owed has been released.”

“The combination of unpaid awards, withheld salaries, and chronic underfunding is crippling the university system. Students are suffering through prolonged calendars and disrupted learning. Lecturers are demoralised, and the quality of teaching and research is sinking.”

The Abuja Zone appealed to parents, students, civil society organisations, the National Assembly, and traditional rulers to demand transparency and accountability in the management of education resources. “Nigerians must reject false information and insist on verifiable evidence. This struggle is about the survival of public universities.”

While emphasising the union’s preference for dialogue, Ugoh cautioned that ASUU would not hesitate to act if necessary, urging Nigerians to pressure the government to act swiftly to avoid another avoidable crisis. “The future of our students and the stability of our universities cannot be sacrificed on the altar of insincerity and political grandstanding.”