He already, for a couple of years again, had had his flight ticket tucked in his briefcase, or so it appeared. He was wont to say that he could possibly be known as away from out of the materiality of this world at any time and the baton can be handed to the youthful technology to face the challenges of pulling Nigeria out of the swamp. He collected his boarding go and his flight was known as on Friday, 14 February, 2025.
At his passing, he wish to go away a legacy of equity and fairness in nationwide affairs, it was all he struggled for all his life. I’m referring to Chief Ayo Adebanjo. The colossus fought to his final breath what he believed in, characteristically with out mincing phrases. To have a transparent image of who Chief Adebanjo was, it grew to become essential to go reminiscence lane by digging into the archives.
By so doing we refresh recollections of the actions of the titan and of his convictions. Following is the characterisation of him this column printed on 12 April, 2018 almost seven years in the past, on the event of his ninetieth birthday. If dying had tarried for simply two extra months Adebanjo would have been 97 subsequent month. The stated article is right here reproduced:
If Chief Ayo Adebanjo was ready for a day of redefining who he’s and an endorsement as chief and the warfare basic of the South West folks, final Thursday it was. It was the day of intrinsic reward and extrinsic acknowledgement of him as chief and hero. The true chief of the Yoruba goes past symbolism. He should be a confirmed embodiment of ideas; it’s he whose adherence to reality is pasted on his brow. He should be unswerved by the temptation or sway of short-term good points or lucre of workplace. He should be capable of step out with out consideration for self. There should be no gaps between utterances and actions which should be taken with absolute disregard to non-public penalties so long as these are pushed by a quest for reality, justice and equity. For Ayo Adebanjo, the Yoruba chief should be capable of distinguish between the Jew and the Gentile. Then the query arises: the place do you stand? Are you a Jew or a Gentile? You can’t be each. With him there isn’t a query of the place he stands always.
On Tuesday, it was a sea of heads. The church was crammed to overflowing and so had been the reception grounds. A usually dandy fellow even when modest, his affect on the crescendo capping a week-long preparation for the D-Day was unmistakable. Every thing bore his signature for style. The St. Phillips Anglican Church was glowing with new paint. The entire village, Isanya Ogbo-Ijebu noticed the ninetieth birthday of their worthy son as their very own. They wore a particular costume of inexperienced cloth interspersed with traces of subdued brown. For the folks of his start place, it was celebration galore, all the best way, dancing and rejoicing outdoors the large and expansive reception tent.
The signpost to the village was artistically executed and it learn AA@90. The neat look of the village testified to Adebanjo’s intolerance of ugliness. It was a unique form of recent air attribute of unspoilt countryside. Adebanjo’s personal compound on which is seated his modest bungalow shouldn’t be a jungle of concrete. Put in command of the association was Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi, an animated fellow who makes pals simply together with his warm-heartedness and who equally cares about requirements. For Ogunbiyi, there aren’t any half-measures. Whether or not at Harbour Port at Victoria Island or Isanya Ogbo-Ijebu his signature for style and requirements was boldly written.
Current to grace the event had been Adebanjo’s comrades within the unrelenting drive for a brand new, united and vibrant restructured Nigeria for significant, self-evident, measurable and sustainable growth and progress. His colleagues within the handshake throughout the Niger and throughout Benue to Plateau had been effectively represented. Step ahead and be counted amidst clapping, the nationalist Chief Edwin Clark; Chief John Nwodo, the nationwide president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo; and the chief of the Center Belt Discussion board, Dr. Bala Takaya who succeeded Prof. Jerry Gana. Former Commonwealth Secretary, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, was in attendance. So was Dan Suleiman who was within the trenches with Adebanjo within the NADECO days as head at the UK entrance.
The political leaders who numbered among the many dignitaries had been the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State and Senator Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State. Former Governors Olusegun Osoba, Niyi Adebayo and Gbenga Daniel had been on the occasion. There as effectively had been Normal Alani Akinrinade; Dr. Amos Akingba; Sam Amuka the Vanguard writer about whose writings within the days of yore Adebanjo spoke with nostalgia; public spirited Professor Pat Utomi; Pharmacist and politician Jimi Agbaje; Nike Akande, former Minister and till just lately President, Lagos Chambers of Commerce; Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu; chairman of Perception Communications, Biodun Sobanjo; Tunde Adelaja, chief government officer of Rosabel; Lawyer Yemi Adefulu; Lawyer Ayanlaja; Dare Babarinsa and Gbenga Adefaye, each respected and main journalists; Lawyer Dipo Jimilehin; public affairs commentator Olu Ademulegun.
Predictably, it was a full home of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, however extra effectively often called a cultural cum political automobile to observe over the curiosity of the Yoruba folks. Main Afenifere was its chief, Reuben Fasoranti; there have been Chief Olu Falae; Professor Banji Akintoye, Chief Femi Okunrounmu; Chief Akinfenwa; indefatigable Nationwide Publicity Secretary Yinka Odumakin and a number of different key members of the affiliation. The household of Chief Adebanjo’s ‘twin brother’, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, was prominently represented by Professor Konyin Ajayi and Dr. Ajayi, his brother. It was an exceedingly vibrant event with Bisi Olatilo because the anchor man.
Chief Adebanjo has come a good distance, urgent, pushing and advocating the curiosity of the folks of South West. His autobiography titled Say It As It Is captures Adebanjo in his unveiled essence. His political training started in Awolowo Faculty of Rules. The merchandise are often called Awoists. In that college, unremitting software to a simply trigger is a credo and loyalty with out extenuation is the byword. Fixed studying, training and re-education is the tradition. You should be knowledgeable. You should learn. So was it that after Adebanjo grew to become the Organising Secretary of Motion Group, it didn’t take him lengthy to understand that the trail he had chosen to be within the picture of his hero and mentor was strewn with thorns and damaged bottles.
To efficiently stroll the trail, you should be impartial and the soles of the sneakers impregnably fortified. You could possibly not be combating the identical institution from which you’d flip spherical to search for monetary succour both as an worker or for an appointive political workplace. That was the reasoning. You should be free to provide expression to the braveness of your convictions. You should be ready to go to jail and return to don your wig and robe so long as it was not for fraud or different crimes for which anybody would know disgrace. However in your political views and activism, your toilet kits should be ever prepared, and Kirikiri was anticipated to take word as you could possibly be a visitor there any day, at any time! And, certainly, these outlined Adebanjo’s journey to reckoning and celebration among the many Yoruba. He was a couple of occasions a tenant in a single jail home or the opposite. These are credentials an Awoist should be able to brandish.
The necessity for independence and unhindered political pursuits for the wellbeing of his folks made him to shortly tear off and, it drove him to the UK to learn legislation. The final time he was locked up was throughout the Abacha Administration. Guess over what! It was over the dying of Kudirat Abiola for whose husband’s mandate he and his leaders had been unrelenting. Once more, guess who had been locked up with him: the indefatigable chief of Afenifere and NADECO, Abraham Adesanya; Solanke Onasanya was requested to be reporting to the police. He was spared of the jail home as a result of his age was put into consideration. Olu Falae was youthful, he was clamped into jail for a similar trigger.
The error the Administration made was that it left Bola Ige free and he roamed far and broad, He was not locked up with them. He had had his personal justifiable share of jail expertise throughout Buhari’s first coming. Abacha didn’t reckon with the truth that Bola Ige was the spokesman for the Yoruba and their trigger with virtually matchless reward of the gab. Like everybody else from the Awolowo clan, he was daring, he was articulate, he was unsparing together with his tongue. Promptly, Bola Ige went to courtroom to free his colleagues from Abacha’s infamous gulag. In 1962, Adebanjo was amongst Awolowo’s associates wished to face treasonable felony cost. He and Sam Ikoku fled to Ghana to take refuge underneath Kwame Nkrumah who shared the identical political philosophy with them and their get together. In his absence, his father was arrested in his place.
Adebanjo is a repository of the historical past of the political growth of our nation. He would overwhelm you with what conferences had been held, the place and on what date. Who had been these current and who stated what! He would then recap virtually phrase for phrase what Chief Awolowo stated on the event. Not stunning, he at a time took residence in Chief Awolowo’s home at Ikenne the place he sat on the sage’s ft to be taught knowledge and soak up ample political training and what holding onto ideas means, making an allowance for that the battle may proceed after Awolowo’s would have left them. He wished to be on the beck and name of his chief. He was a member of the board of administrators of the Nigerian Tribune.
Due to this fact, what we see in him at the moment is a product of that lengthy tutelage and respectable closeness to his mentor and chief; loyalty, bluntness, unwavering adherence to ideas and decency. He’s assured however could possibly be combative and abrasive as he doesn’t endure fools gladly. For his arguments, he comes ready and he delivers his punches with all of the power he can muster. Certainly, he’s by no means non-plussed and fast witted in relation to how Nigerians ought to keep collectively. For him, there should be an informed debate and negotiation. He wouldn’t tolerate dictatorship. Which is why Jonathan’s doc from the 2014 Nationwide Convention is one which holds the important thing for enduring worth for the progress and happiness of all throughout the Nigerian frontiers.
His dependable adherence to ideas virtually introduced him on a collision course together with his colleagues on who ought to be the governorship candidate for Lagos State in 1998 in readiness for 1999. As a result of Afenifere was simply out of the warfare with Abacha and frayed nerves pretty massaged and soothed by Abdulsalami Abubakar, they didn’t know sufficient about their followers nor did they’ve a transparent concept of who amongst them had been loyal and examined sufficient to be trusted with the all-important workplace of the Governor of Lagos State. They first mulled the potential for Ganiyu Dawodu occupying the coveted place. Dawodu declined the provide to fly the AD flag; he prompt that Afenifere ought to go for a younger man who was stuffed with vitality and was effectively educated. Lagos then grew to become a take a look at case. Following unsavoury developments in some unspecified time in the future, Sir Olaniwun Ajayi by no means missed to thrust needle within the wrist of Dawodu. Dawodu who was the Afenifere and AD chief in Lagos was rooting for Funsho Williams and the report the Afenifere obtained from him was that Funsho Williams received the governorship primaries. Chief Adebanjo argued forcibly that Funsho Williams was not a part of the wrestle and never a lot was recognized about his antecedents. However Bola Tinubu they knew. On the time, Funsho Williams was simply popping out of the civil service.
Adebanjo stated Tinubu had thrown his all into the wrestle, by means of finance and activism, at dwelling and after fleeing into exile. Whereas in exile, he was granting interviews to additional the trigger. His dwelling in London grew to become a refuge for some fleeing activists and journalists a few of whom he gave pocket cash. The highly effective argument resonated together with his colleagues extra in order that it bordered on loyalty, dedication and antecedents, components on which Afenifere put quite a lot of premium.
Adebanjo carried the day. For the group, get together is supreme. A candidate goes into workplace to implement get together programmes offered to the citizens. The candidate should, subsequently, be one that’s persuaded on get together programme and should be recognized. He should have antecedents and should be loyal and be ready to undergo get together self-discipline.
There was additionally respect for hierarchy of their group. With the sensing of imminent departure from earthly lifetime of Chief Adekunle Ajasin, management was transferred to Abraham Adesanya who himself had been an extended runner by the facet of Awolowo. He was one among his defence counsel throughout the treasonable felony trial. He was not simply additionally blunt, however versed within the conventional moral imperatives and thought stream patterns of their folks, punctuating and elucidating his pronouncements with proverbs. After Adesanya, the mantle of management went to Chief Reuben Fasoranti. As a result of age has caught up with Fasoranti, Adebanjo grew to become the face of Afenifere, talking and travelling, travelling and talking. He is able to take anyone on, eyeball to eyeball. His pals reduce throughout all age teams. He’s at dwelling within the firm of the youth with jokes and his sunny smiles and hearty laughter, and lit-up youthful face as he’s within the firm of octogenarians.
In fact, one can not play his sort position with out attracting criticisms. His critics accuse him of rigidity and that he’s unable to differentiate between flexibility to succeed in goal purpose and a yearning for opportunism. Their illustration, for instance, is that in case you are driving to Ibadan from Lagos and an enormous tree is discovered to have fallen throughout the highway and also you wouldn’t have an axe to chop it and free the highway, the wise factor can be to think about another highway which suggests you flip again and take Abeokuta or Ijebu-Ode and also you get to Ibadan the identical vacation spot.
Adebanjo shouldn’t be averse to flexibility so long as the purpose shouldn’t be negotiable. However his expertise is that those that sought such flexibility with out preserving the purpose sacrosanct due to lack of power of character had wandered into irreversibly into what he calls wilderness. When he speaks like that your thoughts races to the times of AD which was quickly to be engrossed in disaster and Adesanya was preoccupied with settling them.
Adebanjo loves Nigeria however wouldn’t give up his Yorubaness. Even then it shouldn’t be on the expense of others and others, too, in pursuit of their pursuits ought to accomplish that however not on the expense of their fellow nationalities. He believes that Nigeria of our goals can by no means come up if it’s not restructured. His argument is that the lighter a burden the better it’s to hold.
The Federal Authorities, in accordance with him, is overloaded. If the zones and states share within the burden the lighter it might grow to be and the sooner the motion of the nation on the trail of growth and modernity. Chief Awolowo had stated {that a} unitary type of authorities in a rustic of various peoples and nationalities with their cultures breeds envy and never-ending hostilities among the many element elements. Restructuring of Nigeria, for Adebanjo, is a process to which he’s completely dedicated. His pains and lament at the moment on the age of 90 is absence of ample variety of youths with the proper political training, who’re armed with historical past and who’re endued the power of character to withstand opportunism. His hope has been such youths would emerge to whom his technology would gladly hand over the nation, within the quest and battle for equality earlier than the legislation, fairness and justice for all.
Those that gathered on Tuesday to pay homage and rejoice Adebanjo couldn’t however go away with a deep impression that it’s good to be good. It’s eternally rewarding to be selfless. Adebanjo is little question appreciated not simply by solely his folks however by an excellent many from throughout the nation for his doggedness and selflessness within the pursuit of their happiness and fulfilment. There have been drinks and the comestibles had been inexhaustible. It was his wonderful day.
All of the foregoing was captured seven years in the past. I consider the multitude that can collect at Isanya Ogbo-Ijebu in early Might to mourn and bid him farewell on his persevering with journey within the past will even be extra. Adebanjo was full of affection and he had an acute sense of justice. Nothing modified on this his pursuit of those virtues as much as his final second on earth. He was ever set to rise within the defence of those. He lived an eventful and noteworthy life.
