Abraham Adesanya: exit of a man of courage

HE came, saw and conquered. It will not be presposterous to enrobe Chief Abraham Aderibigbe Adesanya, who died on Sunday, 27 April, 2008, in that Shakespearian garb. Chief Adesanya was generally seen as the leader of the Yoruba in his active years. But a careful analysis of his roles in the democratic rebirth of Nigeria would indicate that Chief Adesanya, eminently, qualified to be a national leader.

BUT whether as the leader of the pan-Yoruba organisation, Afenifere, or as a national leader, it is an indisputable fact that he was a man of courage and a committed patriot who believed strongly in his country. Chief Adesanya was a leading warrior in the struggle to free Nigeria from the clutches of terrorist leaders. He led many others to confront the military junta of General Sani Abacha headlong. And he nearly paid with his life for standing up to the dictator and causing many Nigerians to protest the gross violation of their rights.

IT was not only against the government of General Abacha that Adesanya led civil resistance. He was one of the few courageous Nigerians who dared the Ibrahim Babangida government and forced the self-styled evil genius to truncate his ambition of prolonging his government’s tenure. Adesanya was one of the few patriots who looked Babangida straight in the eye and declared his annulment of June 12 presidential election criminal. Following the annulment of the election that was globally adjudged as the freest and fairest in the history of the country, Chief Adesanya, along with Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Professor Wole Soyinka, and other Nigerians, floated the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which mounted serious campaigns against military rule and called for the restoration of the democratic programmes that Babangida destroyed with the annulment of the June 12 election.

DESPITE the pseudo-democratic arrangement, which brought in Chief Ernest Sonekan as head of the interim government, NADECO insisted on a full-scale democracy, which would see the military completely exiting the corridors of power. Not even the transition programme rolled out by Abacha, after the palace coup that pushed Chief Sonekan out of government, was enough to persuade the pro-democracy activists. Therefore, when all the overtures made to the coalition by the Abacha government failed, it resorted to selective elimination of some of the arrowheads of the struggle. Kudirat, wife of Chief Moshood Abiola, who was believed to have won the June 12 election, was brutally murdered. There was an attempt on the life of Chief Alex Ibru, owner of The Guardian newspaper. And on January 4, 1997, Chief Adesanya’s car was hit by a hail of bullets in an attack ordered by the governmnent but escaped unhurt.

THE strong determination of the democratic coalition was crucial to the eventual expiration of General Abacha, paving the way for the government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar which successfully returned the country to democratic rule.

ADESANYA was a staunch follower of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Action Group in the First Republic. He was a member of the Western House of Assembly. He was, also, in the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic. He was elected a senator, representing Ogun State on the ticket of the UPN and served as the Senate Minority Chief Whip.

ONE of his memorable activities in the Senate was his opposition of the confirmation of Justice Ovie Whiskey as the chairman of the then Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). As a proponent of the rule of law, he pursued the matter to the Supreme Court. Chief Adesanya was also a member of the legal team which defended Chief Awolowo, when the sage was charged with treason.

UPON the death of Chief Ajasin on October 3, 1997, Chief Adesanya became the leader of Afenifere. He held that position of eminence until 2004, when his health began to deteriorate. Not much was heard about him until his death on April 27, 2008. Like most great men, there is no doubt that the good deeds of Chief Adesanya would live on after him. He never left anybody in doubt about his position on any particular issue. It was on this account that tributes have continued to pour in, even from those with whom he shared dissenting views, commending and appreciating his selfless life.

WE commiserate with the Adesanya family, Afenifere and the Yoruba nation on the demise of an illustrious and courageous son, who played his role so well that he got a thunderous applause. It is our hope that the Yoruba will use the opportunity of Adesanya’s death to close ranks and stop the bickering which is tearing the nation apart.

Adieu Abraham Adesanya, a man of uncommon courage, a patriot, statesman and an outstanding democrat.     

uncharitable diplomacy

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Aliyu Modibo, is not one who brookes any nonsense, especially from those perceived to be in the opposition. Modibo, who, for some time, has engaged in a pitch battle with his predecessor, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, over whose house was legally demolished and whose was not, turned his arsenal full blast on “busy bodi” diplomats who were daring enough to call his attention to some “trivial” issues like insecurity and power outages.

THE diplomats, through their spokesman, Mohammed P. Bayoh, the ambassador of Sierra Leone, had complained to Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), about the insecurity of life and property in the FCT. “Our problem here is insecurity, because we are always being visited by armed robbers in our homes and offices…” Mr. Bayoh told the PDP chairman. The diplomats claimed touts were encroaching on the plots of land assigned to them to build their embassies, among other complaints, such as lack of water and electricity.

BUT Modibo, who saw the diplomats’ complaints as a shot from the enemies, fired back immediately, saying the complaints were uncharitable. Modibo, indeed, has every reason to be indignant. Or what rights did the diplomats have to make such loud complaints about insecurity, when Nigerians, who should feel more concerned, have never made even a whimper about the daily visits robbers pay to their homes?

WE agree with Modibo. The ambassadors were not charitable to their Nigerian host, the FCT minister. They did not also tell the whole truth. Where else in the world is life more secure? Kidnappers here don’t kill in the brutal manner, as is often the case in Europe and the United States; they are benevolent and will only demand for handsome ransoms. They are also ready and willing to haggle the price. Where else in the world do you have such caring criminals?

AS for electricity, let the ambassadors invest in generating sets. After all, why should they be expecting light from their host when they can afford to buy the best generating sets in the market? These foreigners should not expect government to do everything for them. Now, they are being uncharitable to a government they should, in fact, be commending. It is, certainly, not charitable to ask a host country to stretch its extreme hospitality and generosity to its limits. Is that not so Minister Modibo?