Son to the late Head of Secretariat, Pro-National Conference Organisation, Mr. Oluwide Omojola, Akinola, talks about the life of his father in this interview with GBENGA ADENIJI
Tell us briefly about yourself?
My name is Akinola Ajibola. I am a son to Babarinde Ajibola who is also known as Baba Oluwide Omojola. His grandfather’s name was Ajala Oluwide, so he adopted it. I am a researcher having studied philosophy at the London School of Economics, same school where my father studied economics. I am the third child and only boy in a family of four. I have two elder sisters; Adeola and Eyinade. The last child is Titilope. Our mother was Mrs. Sally Ajibola, a Briton.
Can you recall any fond memories with your father?
Yes, there were many fond memories to remember. We had a lot of fun growing up. My father always liked to have many children around him, not only his biological children. I was born in Kano and he was working there at that time. We lived in a big house with my cousins, relatives and many people around.
We ate together and shared things among ourselves. If there was anything left, it must go round because he taught us never to be greedy. When we moved to Lagos, we were about 12 to 15 children living in the house. He was always travelling around the country and he would take along as many children as the car could contain. We would tour Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa lands. He would buy food for us along the way as we made merry. We would sing, read the Book of Psalms. I know that he liked Psalm 23. At home, he encouraged us to wake up early so as to pray as a family. He was not a rich man but comfortable. My father was able to cater for his children and the people around him.
How did the family cope when he was incarcerated by the military?
Since he had many children around him, it was easy for us to be together and cater for ourselves. I remember that he had been going to prison since 1954. He was imprisoned along with Pa Michael Imodu and others. He was conscious of his life of activism and I think that was why he ensured that he gave attention to his family and cared for many other children so that we could help one another. I recall when he was taken to Kuje prison in 1992. It was one of his friends and my older cousins who took care of me.
In 1995, he had a very terrible time when he was imprisoned in Bauchi by the late Sani Abacha. They thought he would not get any support there. But fortunately, he had support all over the country, even some of the prison officials smuggled in letters for him. The family network is strong and it worked for us whenever he was away.
How did he make up for his absence whenever he returned from prison?
My father did not have to explain where he went but we knew. But sometimes, he would joke by saying he went on vacation. He also used to tell us that there was nothing bad in being imprisoned, but that the bad thing was to be kept in isolation away from people and newspapers. He was a humorous man and made us happy whenever he was around.
What values have you imbibed from him?
There are a lot of values. He emphasised communal and family values. He also taught us to be hard working and to pray together as a family. He encouraged everybody to do household chores on daily basis. He cherished family values and discipline. He loved good education and instilled that in us. He inaugurated a scholarship fund to assist people. I have imbibed all these from him.
What help has his name brought your way?
My father used to tell us that he did not train us to be paupers but that he gave us good education to be able help ourselves and people around us. He did not train us to use his name to seek for favours but he trained us to live for others. As his child, it will be hard to think only of one’s personal gains. That is the last thing on the mind of any of his children. If he had used the connections he had, he could have become a billionaire. But he chose to be selfless.
How did he correct any child who misbehaved?
His method of expressing his annoyance over any child who misbehaved was to make his position known very clear to such a child. He never used the cane on anyone of us. My father would never tell any child who did anything wrong to go to a corner and raise his or hands up as a form of punishment. But the way he would state his position was enough to embarrass the erring child. As a teenager, I used to go out late and that offended him. I later apologised to him and he just told me not to do such again.
Why didn’t he encourage you to study economics like he did?
At a time, he encouraged me to follow a particular career path. When I was growing up, he wanted me to become a biochemist. One day, he took me to one of his friends in Ibadan who was a renowned biochemist. He was not the kind of father who would just ask one to become a biochemist because his friend was one. No, my father would not do such. But he would only impress one with the person’s profession and expect one to aspire to be like such a person. That was what he did to me. He introduced his biochemist friend to me and impressed me with his profession with the hope that I would show interest in it. But some things in life later showed that the discipline was not for one. He never forced any course on us. He desired we studied courses that would empower us to be useful to ourselves and others. He liked the course I studied and my mother studied philosophy too. We used to discuss philosophy and he taught me economics.
I remember an event that made me love my father so much. When I was graduating, he came to London to witness the occasion. That day, I told my sister my grade but she misheard me and told my father that I earned a Third Class. He came to me and hugged me warmly for the supposed grade I earned. I later told him I made a First Class. He did not show any disappointment when he was wrongly told that I got a Third Class. Third Class does not connote failure but it is close to a failure. He still showed happiness before he heard of my actual grade.
How often was he visiting you when you were studying?
My father communicated often with me especially through letters. There was a letter he wrote to me, which I still cherish till today. In it, he said, ‘‘Since you are quite politically conscious, you have to be socially conscious as a humanist.’’
He was passionate about activism. But it seems none of his children are toeing that part … (Cuts in)
I am following in that path, maybe not publicly. I am into activism alongside my cousin, Yemisi Adelaja. When I was in England, I was quite active in the English Movement. Upon my return, I am still trying to adapt myself to the political culture here. It is very different from where I was coming from. One cannot be with my father and not be like that part of him. Even if one is not politically active, one will still be involved in things that will make one to contribute to the development of the country. But sadly, my father was no more before some of us could join him properly in the struggle. I think it is time for some of us to be more active in the struggle to ensure that what he believed in becomes a reality.
Did you see him before he left for Akure where he died after making a presentation to the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference?
I did not see him when he was leaving for Akure, Ondo State. In fact, I was in Abuja at that time. We communicated well on phone when I was there. I always visited him in his house on weekends. I missed one of our weekends because I was in Abuja that week. When I arrived Lagos, I told him I was back and he said he would be going to Akure. It was on a Friday. The conversation was brief because my father did not like speaking for long on the phone.
Did he show any premonition about his death?
I can say yes. Nobody knows but before he died, he phoned a lot of people and gave many people gifts. Two weeks before he died, he came to visit me in my house in Ikeja, which he did not usually do. He spent three hours with me. I was about to go out that day but I encouraged him to come since he wanted to. We ate and talked. If there was a premonition, I think that I can hold for the rest of my life.
How did you receive the news of his demise?
I was relaxing, preparing to visit him. I said earlier that I called him and told him I would visit after his return from Akure. That day, I was not sure when he would be back. I was waiting. Normally, I used to visit him on Saturday night but I decided to go early that day. But I felt somehow. I was just relaxing and couldn’t move. It was in the afternoon around 1pm that someone phoned me and broke the news.
Did you weep after receiving the news?
Yes, I wept but I am yet to grieve. I have been busy for some weeks regarding the event for the celebration of his life.
What was his best food?
He liked any food made of beans. That is the same thing I like to eat too. He also liked fruits. He used to buy all types of fruits after the sun sets everyday and members of the family would gather to eat. We did the same thing in the morning.
What was his special drink?
My father liked tea or coffee.
Did he have any style of dressing?
Yes he did. My father was a snappy dresser. In his early life, he liked wearing suits. But in his later days, he opted for traditional clothes like dansiki.
What do you miss most about him ?
I miss his company. I could talk to him about anything under the sun. He was a man that was so easy to talk to. He was not the kind of person that would not allow others to express their views or beliefs because they do not conform with his.
Who were his friends?
I was his friend. He was my best friend. On a broad sense, many of his friends have passed away. He had two best friends: Prof. Akin Fadahunsi and Olu Fadahunsi. Prof. Akin Fadahunsi was fondly called Uncle Akin in our family. He died many years ago. He was also close to Alao Aka-Bashorun and many comrades.
How sociable was he?
My father was very sociable. He liked hanging out with his closest friends. It was when he lost many of his friends that he became less sociable.
How close were you to him?
No words can describe how close I was to my father. We were almost inseparable. It was time and circumstance that separated us.
7 things you didn’t know about my father
• He liked any food made of beans
• He loved having children around him
• He liked fruits
• He didn’t beat his children
• He was a snappy dresser
• He was sociable
• He liked tea or coffee
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