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Kabiyesi Alayeluwa, Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo: The Exceptional King Of Ondo Kingdom

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Kabiyesi Alayeluwa, Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo: The Exceptional King Of Ondo Kingdom
Kabiyesi Alayeluwa Of Ondo Kingdom, Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo

By

Toyin Falola

Since time immemorial, wonderful things have been spoken about people who have excelled in different areas of life. Some observant individuals, however, might have noticed that this set of people has reduced in number, as it seems that the zeal to become outstanding is continually waning. Nonetheless, some great people would not drop the ball and succumb to the pressure of conforming to mediocrity. Kabiyesi Alayeluwa, Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo, is one of the exceptional individuals who, by their way of life and commitment to personal development, have made significant contributions to the course of humanity. We would have the honor of rubbing minds with His Imperial Majesty during the Toyin Falola Interviews on July 25, 2021.

Our people have a saying that if you desire to walk on mild and comforting grounds, you must first make an effort to wet the ground before you take your first step. No doubt, we all desire to have a smooth conversation with Kabiyesi Alayeluwa, so I think we should make some efforts to understand how his life has evolved and how much we can all learn from his exemplary life. I believe this will give us all a comforting and interesting sojourn with the king.

His Kingdom and his People

If anyone here is familiar with royalty among the Yoruba, they would know that a king does not exist without a kingdom and his people—the same way we would not all be here if His Imperial Majesty had refused to grace this Interview with his regal presence. In the same manner, His Imperial Majesty is well recognized because there is a kingdom in Ondo and a people standing firmly behind him.
As a historian, I believe it is worthwhile to begin with a brief overview of how the Ondo kingdom and its people came to be, before delving into details about the king. Like every other great kingdom in Yorubaland, the Ondo kingdom traces its mythological origin to many centuries ago when Princess Pupupu established it. The existence of this kingdom for centuries and how it continues to wax strong is fascinating. This tells the story of a resilient kingdom that has lived through tides to establish its magnificence in our hearts today.

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There is a fascinating myth. According to one legend, before the establishment of the Ondo kingdom, giving birth to twins or even sighting them was an abomination in the court of Oduduwa in Ile-Ife. In a twist of event, one of Oduduwa’s favourite wives gave birth to a set of twins. Rather than order their killing as was the tradition, Oduduwa dispatched his favoured wife and her twin children on a journey from Ile-Ife to nowhere. Not a few servants, guides and at least three chiefs were put on the entourage. This exiled band moved southward of Ile-Ife until it settled in Èpè (in present day Ondo Kingdom), where it stayed for some years, before finally proceeding to Ondo. The initial resistance of the people indigenous to this new location, the Ìdòko and Ìfòré, was swiftly overcome, and Ondo became a permanent feature of this location. Púpùpuú became the first Òsemàwé (from ‘ese omo re’ – the name by which the set of twins was called).

As a strong woman and former wife of Oduduwa who had tasted power in her old kingdom, and a visionary who was not willing to be dissuaded—an enviable character we have seen in the lives of Ondo indigenes both at home and abroad—Princess Púpùpuú became the first ruler of the Ondo Kingdom. Following her rule and death, her descendants took over the throne, and despite the turmoil that rocked old empires across Nigeria, the genealogy of the Ondo kingdom was firmly built till it got to the turn of Kabiyesi Alayeluwa Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo.

For the people of Ondo, there is no better way to describe a resilient people with the love of industry, education, and peace without referring to the citizens of His Imperial Majesty. The support shown to His Imperial Majesty and other previous kings has earned and accelerated the coveted development and growth of the kingdom today. I know if I could get into the mind of Kabiyesi right now, I am certain he is continually grateful to his people and his kingdom.

READ ALSO: Mental Health Isn’t About Crazy People, It’s About All Of US – Akindotun Merino

A Peep into the Educational Qualifications of His Imperial Majesty

In Ibadan, where I had some of my training and education, we believe that a mind that knows is a mind that is free. To know and consequently be free to lead your people aright, you have to, at least, be formally educated or versed in the traditional workings of your people. For His Imperial Majesty, Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo, these things are not just present; they have been mastered all through the years by diligently giving himself to study and practice long before he became a revered king.

Starting as a young and ambitious man in 1974, he gained admission to the University of Ife, where he was a federal government scholar and graduated as a medical doctor, with two degrees—one in Health Science, and the other a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. He later went to the United Kingdom for his post-graduate training at the University of Liverpool, where he was trained as a reproductive health professional. This great feat did not end there. Kabiyesi diligently worked till he became a certified professional in healthcare quality and a consultant to the Liverpool Associate of Tropical Health. Today, his outstanding performance both at home and abroad has earned him a lot of respect, accolades, and awards in different spheres of life. Notable of mention is the Nigeria Merit Award in Human Medicine, an Award of Excellence by the National Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, the Service of Humanity Award by Rotary International District, and many other desirable awards that our time would not permit us to exhaust.

READ ALSO: Can Lagos Take the Lead In Flood Resilience Governance?

Recognizing Excellence in an Exemplary Man

Within the spheres of those who are learned in the technicalities and operation of the law, you will often hear that evidence is the end of an argument. Though this is not in any way an argument, I still feel proud to flaunt the pieces of evidence of His Imperial Majesty’s excellent contributions over the years.

Let me start by stating that Kabiyesi is a recipient of one of the highest honors in Nigeria—the National Honor of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR). His friends and associates confirm that that the Kabiyesi has led a decent life. Aside from this, different pieces of evidence speak volumes of his excellent contributions. They include the African Leader of Integrity Award; the Continental Distinguished Leadership Award by African Youth Society; Grand Commander of Peace and Security of Niger (HCPSN) by the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); a distinguished member of 50 selected outstanding traditional rulers in Nigeria, among others.

As a thinker, what I find interesting here is not so much the number of awards but how they all recognize what His Royal Majesty stands for. If you look through, you will see a recognition of Kabiyesi’s integrity, leadership, love for peace, and, more importantly, as a keeper of Yoruba traditional heritage. From all this, I do not think anyone needs a seer to tell them that meeting and speaking with a man of this caliber would have a profound futuristic impact on their lives.

His Majesty’s Contributions to the Things that Matter

Many people make contributions to their society, but only a few people do so to the things that matter. Interestingly, it takes a lot of resources and courage to identify what you can contribute to make a great impact on your society. In this regard, Kabiyesi has made a name for himself. He has not only contributed to his society, but he has also contributed to the things that matter to advance growth and development in the Ondo kingdom.

Through the Kiladejo Crown Foundation, a non-profit, non-political, and non-governmental foundation started by His Royal Majesty, there have been many contributions in health care, child education, freedom, and rehabilitation of prisoners, and more significantly, economic empowerment.

What intrigues me the most is that the major indices of societal development, health, education and economy, have been captured by this Foundation. This demonstrates Kabiyesi’s foresight and genuine desire to elevate his people and contribute immensely to their success.

READ ALSO: Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi On Marginalizing Femininity

Leading a Life that Challenges all of us
I remember the stories of people who reached a particular point in their career and achievements in life and then decided to retire and drop the ball at that point. Unfortunately, this people often begin to lose form and deteriorate because eventually, a mind that has stopped learning will start to die. For Kabiyesi the Òsemàwé, one would think that after his academic, humanitarian, and royal achievements, he should take a break and retire, but that is not the case. It seems that he has wholeheartedly adopted the mantra of “not retiring because he is not tired.” Instead, his life reveals a drive and yearn for more and greater success and a continued desire to live a life that defies the status quo and challenges every one of us to listen to him on July 25.

One of the ways he challenges us is his involvement in ensuring that the least of his people get the best healthcare, education, and sensitization. I learned that through the Ondo City Vision Committee, His Majesty has been working round the clock to accelerate growth and development in his kingdom and for his people. He has paved the way for many people to have a reason to aspire for more, even when faced with life’s difficulties.

On July 25, we have the privilege of having a lifetime conversation with His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom. Without a doubt, everyone who joins us, just like me, is looking forward to this conversation with His Majesty and the opportunity to peep through his magnifying lenses of life achievements.

Please join us on:
Sunday, July 25, 2021
5:00 PM Nigeria
4:00 PM GMT
11:00 AM Austin CST
Register and Watch:
https://www.tfinterviews.com/post/osemawe-of-ondo
Join via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85716330560
Watch on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tfinterviews/live
Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2lvX7A2iVndiCq0NfFcb0w/live

 

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Opinion

Religious Mumu

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Dele Jegede In Conversation With Prince Yemisi Shyllon
Prof. Toyin Falola

By Toyin Falola

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” – Galileo Galilei

Religion remains a much-debated issue, especially in Africa. It is one of the determining factors of our identity. It determines who we are, our beliefs, actions and reactions, and even our thought processes. Africans had their own culture and traditional religion until the advent of western civilization, which brought with it the ‘gift’ of Abrahamic religions—,Christianity and Islam—and judged African traditional religious practices as evil, pagan practice and witchcraft. The missionaries did a thorough job of making people believe that their religion was superior and righteous. Africans accepted these imported religions, and their traditional beliefs began to fade. Christianity and Islam are now the new order, and people are extremely devoted to these newly found Gods. 

The Toyin Falola Interviews recently played host to music composer and songwriter, Beautiful Nubia. The question of Beautiful Nubia’s stance on religion pops up during the interview. He is known to promote African spirituality but has also defended foreign religions as advantageous. In response, he talks about his ancestral line: his paternal family were Olu Orogbo devotees (the Yoruba god of letters), and his maternal family were Ifa priests and Esu devotees. He said, “religion has always fascinated me like it gets people’s minds.”  He opines that spirituality ties into what gets people so much into religion. Although he no longer practices religion, he affirms that these religions have positively influenced people to do good and show kindness to their fellow human beings.

He states, “Any organized religion has a set of dogma or doctrines they use to guide you to put you in there. You are there; it is like a strait jacket to keep you on the straight and narrow. Why I said religion is a good thing is because the purpose of this is to ensure that you stay on the straight and narrow, that you do good things.” We can agree that religion has contributed to the rise of morals to a certain extent, as the fear of God keeps many people from doing evil. It has curbed wickedness and negative traits inherent in humans and made many people see the world in a new light. Religion has spread the message of doing good and becoming a better human being.

                                        Beautiful  Nubia

The issue, however, is not the practice of these religions but the ability of leaders to sway people easily. Although imported religions have helped to stop the extremities of African religious practices, it has only accentuated people’s gullibility. Beautiful Nubia further states, “What is wrong with religion is that it gives certain people the power to use their followers. It is not the religion itself; it is the human beings who run these religious organizations who use their power to extract money from them and push them in the wrong direction.” Owning a church is one of the easiest and quickest ways to get rich, particularly in Nigeria. All that is needed to succeed in this business is to be a good actor, have nice clothes (suits, particularly), can win people over with words and give yourself an extraordinary title such as Rabbi

It is common knowledge that the major reason why people attend church and Jumat services religiously are that they seek solutions to their problems. As much bad governance is enough to seek God’s intervention for various human issues ranging from terminal illnesses, protection, promotion, unhappiness, barrenness, unemployment, and marital problems, to poverty, which is an average African’s motivation to seek God’s face, also cause people to become staunch believers. To get swift, miraculous answers to these problems, many people fall prey to the traps of “men of God”, who only look to fill their pockets and bellies. This explains why a “pastor” would shut down his church after winning a 100 million Naira bet.

Pastors and Muslim clerics are considered mini gods who can do no wrong. The Bible verse, “touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm,” is an ever-ready response by Christians in defense of their highly revered pastors who would not think twice before taking advantage of their desperation to get their problems solved. They forget that a “man of God” is first a man. Religion has rendered humans gullible to the extent that they excuse things their religious leaders do that are not even in tune with what is written in the Holy books. How do you explain a pastor who sleeps with a woman looking for the fruit of the womb and says his sperm is the anointing that will cause her to have her child? What do we say to a pastor who instructs his congregation to bring a greater percentage of their salaries to him so that God can answer their prayers? Should the man who claims to be an alfa but has exploited so many people in the name of being a ‘wonder healer’ be left alone? Churches and mosques nowadays see the desperation of people and feed off it. Many people come to church for prosperity and get ripped off the little they have, all in the name of miracles, signs and wonders. You could be in a church service and then suddenly hear the pastor say, “I see seven stars. I need seven people who will give the Lord Seven Hundred Thousand to come out now at the count of seven. One, Two…Seven!” You will be amazed at the number of people who will run to the altar to give the ‘Lord’ that amount of money in this present economy. Unsurprisingly, some borrow money to give to their pastors to receive blessings, then struggle to pay back the borrowed money. Monkey dey work, Baboon dey chop.

These men of God add false doctrines to their fraudulent, shady activities. Beautiful Nubia quotes his mother, a Christian singer, as saying, ” any church where they are a lot of people there, you know there are telling them lies there.” He made an example of a Muslim cleric who tells his followers that every other person is evil, an infidel and a pastor who tells his congregation that their Jesus is not a Jesus of poverty, that He died for them to be wealthy. It is now rare to find churches that preach about the kingdom of God and how to live a life that pleases God. Churches today entice and then mislead people.

Sometimes, people realize all these things are wrong but lack the courage to question these atrocities. According to Beautiful Nubia, “…as a child, you are fully indoctrinated, and as an adult, you are scared to question these beliefs.” Asking a pastor why he preaches only prosperity and how to get rich as a Christian would be considered as seeking the wrath of God because the pastor can call down fire to consume his ‘enemy’. Questioning an Imam on why he sleeps with young girls will only attract curses from the Quran on such a person, followed by “who are you to question God’s prophet? The ways and dealings of God are mysterious”. Really, who dares question these men of God? The fear that has been unconsciously programmed into your mind from a very young age holds your voice and makes you look away from the evils of these religious leaders.

This is not to say that there are no genuine men of God, but there is a plague of greedy religious leaders who, because of their power over their members, influence them to bend to their will while satisfying their greed and lust. “We should not focus too much on religion being our enemy. We need to focus more on ourselves, fix ourselves, and we can use traditional wisdom to do that”, says Nubia. The way we question and demand accountability from the government should be the same way we question our religious leaders. Not every “God says” is true. The Bible in 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved , believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” Many religious leaders are gods of their bellies and are only out to exploit people to put food in their fat stomachs and live expensive lifestyles with their poor congregation’s money. Child of God, shine ya eye!

This is Part 1 of the report on the interview with Beautiful on March 19, 2023. The extensive interview, which has received millions of views across different platforms, talks about the role of music in society. For the transcripts, see:

YouTube

https://youtube.com/watch?v=7fyHlf1QIsI

Facebook

https://fb.watch/jn7id9OeYd/

 

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Opinion

Death At Dawn, Rebirth At Dusk 

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Dele Jegede In Conversation With Prince Yemisi Shyllon
Prof. Toyin Falola

By Toyin Falola

 

I

Death

Twilight-zone, Afterlife, What-Mays, and Whatnots;

Questions that transcend mortal thoughts.

Uncertainties plucked by the hands of certainty

pondering life beyond the galaxy.

 

Philosophies, religions, and sciences; 

Ancient lenses to dissect and ponder.

Beliefs, opinions, and standpoints in their multiplicities;

Scalpels that open the heart of certain death

Blazing free the skins of uncertainty.

 

Science, a nobility I revere,

But it stammers answering to the afterlife.

For science is knowledge and knowledge from experience 

But the dead neither speak, nor take records.

 

Their journeys, ordeals, triumphs or woes?

No one bears witness.

But as dead, we must all be witnesses;

witnesses that testify not.

So, for now, we survive the knowledge of death.

 

II

On my Agbàlàgbà head lies my Ọ́kpụ́ Ágwụ́

With eagle feathers, rare and honorable

Adorning it for three scores, a decade, and some more days.

I had flipped my Kente given by the Gaa

And danced to crescendos from Gàngàn drums

 

I have been celebrated and celebrating 

For the miracles, I have worked with pen, paper, keyboard, and brain

I have taken the tales we tell in my village square beyond the Atlantic

Changed the songs that disdain us into appraisals

I have called my brothers not to point to our fathers’ house with their left hands

 

I have honed Africa and beyond

To answer the calls of the people’s need

I have reached the thinkable and done the unthinkable

So, I danced and keep dancing. 

 

Suddenly, I felt a touch on my host?

Electrifying my hand, leg, brain, and my whole

Telling me that my jur from the Dinka people awaits me.

That my hourglass tells of crossing the bar.

 

I thought I knew what it was like,

But my grasping convictions of approaching jur were perceptions

Just surviving the death of the knowledge of death

So, arms wide open ready to abound

 

What was there to fear?

No catacomb of secrets

No palm oil-drenched white garments

I have taken many to my gourmet

To feast and to see.

 

What was there not to fear?

With medicine men and women,

Syringes, lights, water, ECG, Oximeters, voices, and touches

Hovering around me like a sacred etutu

Making conversations with me and beyond

 

I was thrown into a pool of reminiscence

one leg and a part of me were already in the boat

It beckoned but I heard another. 

 

A loud voice like my mother’s.

Who takes a journey without locking his home?

Who takes the jur with unpatched palm fronds on his hut?

While the thunder rages up the sky?

The walls are broken and Balogun journeys?

So, I left the sea to clear the cobwebs and light up the night lamb.

 

The past few weeks have opened new lights of understanding to me. I now see the world from different hills and have helped to reach new resolutions. I know I have written about “transitioning to nothingness,” but my emphasis was on the “nothingness” with lesser attention on “transitioning.” I think we need to continue to ask questions. Philosophies, religion, sociology, psychology, science, and other ramifications are mere perceptions and we are uncertain. The transitioning occurs when death becomes an angel to hug not a beast to fear. We do not know what it entails but one must always endeavor to go with clean hands. 

My recovery from an illness may have offered me a fresh opportunity to shout some more, point to societal needs, and settle unfinished businesses. No, not those caused by my personal undoing, but rather those of the people who would be left unguided, and for matters untold about life, society, and individuals. I can say I have passed through the lessons of tantra transfiguration, to use an elegant phrase that I recently came across, to move from secular to sacred activism. No one survives death because of its finality, but when it seems that you did, it is a renewed quest, offering a new purpose.

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Opinion

Professors On INEC’s Will (3)

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Readers’ Showers Of Encouragement
Prof. Tony Afejuku

By Tony Afejuku

The debate has progressed well so far. Our professors, whose strokes have centred on their fellow professor’s manned INEC have tried as best as they could not to confine their impressions solely to the prism of subjectivity. Even when their impressions seem to be subjective, they still make allowance for contrary views, for opposing views. This obviously gives clarity, objectivity and logic to the subject at hand. Is the will of INEC of a professor minder and mincer of words’ control the will of the people or of the masses? On whose side are the Professors who are as concerned as almost everybody is with what is going – or with what has gone on – primarily about our Presidential 2023 elections? Our Professors who are debating the subject constitute the courageous and prophetic Nigerian voices of our day. Their authentic and responsible thoughts are not restricted to the local or regional. They are also not confined to electoral duties and responsibilities expected of the umpire and the will that belongs elsewhere. The truth about the quality of leadership about our country and elsewhere is also told in the debate of the literati.

Professor (Mrs.) Razinatu Mohamed in her submission, in her salvo-cum-explosion actually, drew attention to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s explosive explosion in the presidency. If Professor Osinbajo had provided the right vice-presidential leadership there would not have been the need for him to explode as he did as per a viral video Professor Razinatu Mohamed referred her fellow debaters to. “What has he been doing in the eight years of their administration? Irritated my foot; he is complicit.” Not done, Professor Razinatu drew attention to the kind of leaders that Nigeria and Africa need: “Leaders that understand the rudiments of modern socio-economic development and systems; Leaders that understand the crux of requirements for economic growth. Leaders that could demonstrate to the rest of the world that just as the world needs Africa, African countries need the world in a symbiotic relationship and partnership context where assistance becomes a dual role…..” 

Razinata’s concern is clear. Nothing in Nigeria will climb out of its hollow hole. In fact, the will of the people will remain hollow so long as a hollow mincer and minder is in charge of its electoral affairs. 

Professor Da Sylva perhaps responds better to Professor Razinatu Mohamed’s algebraic stroke. “Unfortunately, Nigeria’s democracy is trapped in its primordial self-made ethnic and religious sentiments and so, standards, merit, competence and pedigrees are measured by their curious divides of religion and ethnic inclinations. Until we all come to realize that heavens help those who help themselves, Nigeria ain’t going no-where – meeen!” 

    But below is Professor Da Sylva’s sledge hammer response to Professor Razinatu Mohamed’s Osinbajo hammer blow:

“Prof Osinbajo’s office demands he does what he did. Besides, it shows maturity and spirit of sportsmanship on his part. Every loser in a game “healthily” contested, is naturally expected to do the same. The only difference which again shows Osinbajo’s magnanimity is that in this context, the contest under reference was neither healthy nor just. The umpire seemed compromised and merely worked to a prepared answer. Yet the gentleman did the needful. I guess, brothers and sisters, that we should put all that behind us, and work for our common good, and the wellbeing of the country, provided the mythical Aso cabal will let the President-elect be, and let the masses be, and as such, they should not create any cause for us to think otherwise, lest they provoke our sense of patriotism to take appropriate action! I guess that those were the reading or feelings of the dirty-minded Aso Villa cabal. People that kill with sword never wish that any folk should pass a sword over their heads, a wise saying goes in Yoruba. The human principalities simply suspected that should they allow PMB to give the VP the intended latitude, they might not be able to control him. I remember on his return from London, he commended the efforts of his VP while he was away. He said he would still continue acting while he would still have some more rest at home. The following day everything changed, PMB decided to take charge as the President. I suspected some back door politics was playing out. My co-debaters, quite naturally, you’ll agree with me that, it is not over-ambition or sheer opportunism as you might insinuate for any deputy in an office to aspire to the next higher office, in a legitimate manner, there is nothing really unusual about it, and it would amount to killing a mosquito with a sledge hammer, should Oshinbajo be crucified for that, if at all. And as for his wishing Buhari’s non-recovery, I think that, again, like my Sister R, is a little unkind and not fair to the gentleman who I know to be a servant of God. He knows as much as I do, by our true Christian orientation and Biblical injunctions that, should he ever wish Buhari’s death or wish him any form of misfortune in those trying periods of the President, God Almighty who we serve would deal mercilessly and ruthlessly with him. That is what Psalm 41:1-13 is all about. So rule that out, because it is not, and could never be in his character. I can vouch for him. Rather, I saw him in those times that he acted for his principal, as someone zealous and appreciative of the trust his principal invested in him, and as such he tried to do his very best to merit the trust and the opportunity! I know and I am also sure that this is what an IBK, or a Razinat, would have done too had they found themselves in a similar situation! It does not amount to wishing one’s principal any evil, not at all. Not everyone can be like Chief Obafemi Awolowo who resigned his position under Gowon when the regime became financially reckless shortly after the civil war. Awolowo also gave very profound argumentation to justify convincingly his actions. He also turned down some other appointments including the “49 Wise Men of the Constitution Drafting Committee.” Oshinbajo couldn’t have resigned, normally, and naturally his principal, PMB should have supported him as a capable successor, but again, the President’s ethnic and religious bigotry took the better part of the President. Besides, PMB’s mind was long poisoned against his VP, a clean job by the Aso Villa cabal. IBK, Lady R, until the faceless cabal is permanently silenced the wheel of Nigeria might continue to go round in a circle, and to nowhere in particular”.

And Professor IBK takes the floor: “Prof. DAO, yours is a powerfully convincing submission, at least in a large measure. Now I am willing to hold a slightly different opinion about Osinbajo. Yet, I cannot fathom why he chose to run against Tinubu, days or weeks after the latter had begun his campaign in the party primaries. There’s much we don’t know about why OSBJ decided to run against BAT. Nothing is wrong with that politically but a little problematic from an Ethical or, at least Moral, point of view. Osinbajo did a poor job of it and came out a distant 4th in the primaries. I think he didn’t read the situation correctly and was probably misled by some cabal of sorts. Either way Osinbajo made a politically fatal error in this regard. Perhaps he must have sensed, or was told, that BAT was not the anointed candidate, or that BAT would be crippled by some ill-health or a medical condition. I remember the party’s screening committee publicly recommending that only younger contestants would be recommended to the NWC or such. Clearly there was an attempt to sideline BAT. Whatever the explanation, Osinbajo make the error in his campaign of promising to be more Buhari than Buhari. A man despised by whole sections of the northern population, a man whose reputation for laziness and incompetence was on the ascendant. Anyway, all is now history and Osinbajo has not given a good account of himself in this particular case. Prof DAO, I think your concept of the Trickster should account for Osinbajo’s situation here. FULL DISCLOSURE: a very close family member of mine was drafted to head Osinbajo’s campaign effort in Kano. We discussed extensively about Osinbajo’s pledge to carry on with Buhari’s policies. There was bewilderment and shock within the members. A week later half of the membership resigned on account of Osinbajo’s increasing identification with Buhari’s policies. Many mistakenly thought that Osinbajo was Buhari’s anointed one! I could go on…”

Interestingly interesting and intriguingly intriguing, dear, dearly dear readers: this debate.

To be terminated by the columnist-terminator and terminator-columnist next week after Professor Olu Obafemi’s summation of the debate he presided over.

Afejuku can be reached via 08055213059.

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