Yinka Craig heads out to recovery

I owe it to my readers, and to the thousands, even millions, of anxious Nigerians eager for news on Yinka Craig’s health to provide an update on his state and the progress so far.

In my last but one column I indicated that the response being received by the Craigs to my plea for aid to get Yinka Craig off to the States for the urgent bone-marrow transplant was heart-warming.

Yes, it was. His Eminence, Sa’adu Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, proved what a personal friend of Yinka Craig he is by not only leaving his domain in Sokoto to travel down all the way to Abuja just to ‘sneak’ in a surprise and unheralded visit late into the night to Yinka at the private hospital he was staying, but also to boost the funds handsomely and boost his morale with a royal prayer before Yinka flew out of the country.

Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr, known as “the guru” by his acolytes and admirers, was also reported as “taking the bull by the horns” and providing enough to assure the hospital in the States admits Yinka and goes ahead with the operation. It was a mighty help from the very private, even reclusive, business guru; and, coming as it was on Adenuga’s 55th birthday, there couldn’t have been a more significant gratitude to God for his own life and health.

I also mentioned Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the Osun State governor, and his touching contribution, touching because it was instant, quiet, yet large! I also mentioned the widow’s mite of my friend, Lai Alabi.

It shouldn’t be all, and it is not enough – not yet. There is no saying how long the hospitalization will be and the final cost, not to talk of the post-treatment rehabilitation needs. And so, for those still desirous of yielding support, Yinka Craig’s bank account in Nigeria and abroad, and contact for him and his wife in Minnesota where they now are, will be supplied. Email me.

Well, Yinka actually departed Nigeria on Tuesday, 6th May, accompanied by his medical doctor wife, Kehinde. They arrived at London Heathrow by 3.30pm on the day and checked into the Hilton Hotel at the Terminal 4 for the night, just to break the otherwise long journey which in his state would have been intolerable. Friends were at hand to welcome and see them off the next day when they departed for the States. To join me were Rufus Orisayomi, aka Papi Ruf, that bohemian cinematographer friend of all, and Peter Badejo, OBE – the renowned choreographer and dance impresario.

Even though Yinka was holding out bravely by giving his trademark toothy grin, even attempting to squeeze our hands in turn, we held back our tears just beholding how frail he had turned as he was being wheelchaired through the departure lounge.

“You got to come back!” I hailed out to him as the wheelchair negotiated the last bend out of my view. I caught sight (or thought I did) of his hand lift slightly in acknowledgment, I even thought I heard a feeble but determined response, “yes, I will.”

Yes, he will. Yinka will.

Re: Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State politics

Dear Tunde,
Forgive me if I call you by your first name while I am responding to the story on ''Rauf Aregbesola in Osun State politics'' your weekly column.

First of all, let me thank you for your sentiment and encomiums on Aregbesola and his vision. Let me also thank you, Tunde, for standing up for Yinka Craig. May God crown your efforts. May Yinka also feel and get better.

It was very comical for Oyinlola to have said that Aregbesola was forcing himself on the people of Osun and causing mayhem and fomenting trouble.

This statement is a misnomer. For a recap, it should interest you to know that Aregbesola`s foray into Osun politics was borne out of a genuine intention to heed the clarion call for participation in the democratic process. If the umpires reflect their intention not to create a level playing ground from the onset, we would have stayed out and allowed the PDP to enjoy their intended field day. Ask anyone in Osun who is fomenting trouble, from the road side mechanics to the `buka` joint patrons to civil servants at Abere, they all will tell you it is Oyinlola and his despicable minions who are fomenting trouble and mayhem in the state.

Right from the day Aregbesola indicated his intention to contest for the Governorship position in Osun State in April 2005, Oyinlola never hid his intention to crush any known opposition with military precision. At every opportunity Oyinlola never hesitated to express his readiness to bring to bear his thirty years experience in the military irrespective of whether we are in a democracy or not.

Two weeks after the launch of Oranmiyan movement, i.e. Rauf Aregbesola`s campaign organisation, the effect of Oyinlola`s threat became manifest as Alhaji Hassan Olajoku a major financier of Aregbesola`s aspiration was murdered in cold blood at Gbongan junction on his way back to Lagos while Hon Jide Omoworare then Majority Leader Lagos House of Assembly escaped death by the whiskers. Several other instances like the disruption of Aregbesola`s birthday carnival in Ilesa on May 26 2005, attempt on his life at Oroki Day 2006, attack and disruption of several AC rallies, attack on AC Campaign Secretariat on 7th April 2007, brutal and violent murder of not less than twelve [12] AC supporters during the April 14th Governorship and House of Assembly election are tips about Oyinlola`s ruthlessness not to talk of cases of harassment and abuse of peoples right which has become the order of the day since after the 2007 election.

Even when Oyinlola and Osun PDP leaders were busy beating the drums of war ahead of the 2007 election, Aregbesola was busy preaching peace and non violent electioneering; an example was the workshop spearheaded and organised to discuss the conduct of a non violent election on 7th March 2007 to which Oyinlola personally wrote to express his refusal to attend because he is supposed to initiate such meeting.
While thanking you for your kind words about Aregbesola, I sincerely believe Oyinlola should not be allowed to get away with the false claim of a gentleman, peace-loving, kind and humane God-loving person, but rather should be seen by the whole world as a ruthless fascist which he is.

Aregbesola`s support and love was mainly from the Oyos in Osun, i.e. Osogbo, Iwo, Ejigbo, Ila etc and there should be no musing about `Omo eni o sedi bebere`.
Otunba JMK Ogunkeyede
afatajmk@yahoo.com

Dear Sir,
Governor Oyinlola`s claim that Rauf Aregbesola wants to rule at all cost is an attempt to pull the wool over our eyes. Rather it is Oyinlola, with due respect, that is forcing himself on the people knowing fully well that he (Oyinlola) never won any election in Osun state on the 14th April, 2007.

Isn’t it funny that Gov. Oyinlola who holds court over a stolen mandate made such a statement? The Brigadier-Gen. knew in the innermost part of his heart that he never won any election. Rauf Aregbesola overwhelmingly secured the endorsement and mandate of the people, defeating Oyinlola even in Odo-Otin (Oyinlola`s L.G.A.).

The problem certainly is not Aregbesola but Oyinlola who couldn’t find an answer to the political wizardry exhibited by the younger Aregbesola hence his resort to employing the arsenal of violence which is the hallmark of a human specie that is inferior politically.
Femi Abiodun
abiodun_femi@yahoo.com

The unacceptable plagiarism by Tell Magazine

Talking of Yinka Craig, I got the shock of my life to see my article (which was published in my Sunday column of April 20) that broke the news on Yinka Craig’s health condition plagiarised by one Taiwo Fasoranti in the TELL magazine of May 5, 2008.

The offending article appeared on page 12 of the edition, in the “Panorama” section. Headlined, “This Man Must Not Die!” as opposed to my “Yinka Craig, Hope For A Friend”, the article went ahead to present, verbatim, my column and credit it to this Taiwo Fasoranti of a fellow, whoever he is.

It is sad and unacceptable. First because it is a violation of one of the most sacred tenets of the trade, copyright credit, but more importantly because of the distress it caused the Craigs, especially Yinka’s wife, Dr Kehinde Craig, who would be presumed, by someone reading the article for the first time, as knowing this Taiwo Fasoranti of a guy to the point of regular and familial communication.

The distress was patent enough as the Craigs called my attention to it from Nigeria before they left and even brought a copy of the magazine to me here in London on their way out. According to them, there were those who actually missed the original piece in my column (in both Sunday Tribune and Sunday Trust) and were reading of it through this Taiwo Fasoranti, for the first time!

The TELL is an otherwise reputable magazine, and it is owned and run by a few friends of mine, the more so why this sort of blatant plagiarism should not have escaped the notice of the hard-nosed professionals in the TELL. The missing credit is not inadvertent as the plagiarist craftily excised the little give-away portion of age-group buddy greetings between Yinka and me.

I do not ask to be contacted before the article was reproduced (and there were a few other columnists who did cull it appropriately) but it is only decent to credit the owner of it and not present it as this Taiwo Fasoranti’s intellectual work.

An apology and correction will be in order – for all our sakes!