By Ayo Fajana
(Center for Culture Renaissance)
I confess my sin for failing most of his literary obligations while alive. I found my mind pulled towards rockier shores, first longings leapt up to brush my heart as distant voices appeared to frustrate the first assignment; the biographical sketch of Oba Daniel Aladesanmi II upon which he gave an authority. Prince Aladesanmi enthused “Oba Aladesanmi dynasty of which I am the patriarch found you diligent and capable in Ado historiography. We, therefore, cannot resist the prospect of this arduous task of our father’s chronicles.”
Despite initial frustrations, I was thrilled with hope and fired with ambition to blue pen until his sudden death in January 2017.
Fortunately, The Archival Repository of their legendary father, Oba ANIRARE later contracted by the duo of Prince Bisi and Professor Julius Aladesanmi and the work will soon see the light of the day.
I partially accomplished the second literary task upon which I prepared text on The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity -Reminiscences since 1914, been a centenary paper commemorating the 100 years anniversary of the Society.
I could not deliver the paper, full of startling facts. I absconded, the reason far-fetched from my agenda setting comments. “I am totally neutral in this forum; some of the things I have to say are basically from literature of some books, newsletters, dispatch and journals, so I don’t have the burden of restraint to comply with the rules of the fraternal club”.
By my multiple training and also for my flair in Cultural history, I fully understand that Media and History have vital inter-play between formal and informal organizations, the symbiotic connections which have major impacts on public perception of how members practice their craft and the social contract that ‘Society deserves to know’
Prince Adewale Aladesanmi, undauntedly, a Senior ROF and Freemasonry. ROF gave him a lot of strength and confidence; he knew many people that he kept at save distance of respectatabilty and honorability. His ambition was tempered. They pushed him into lot of contests that he could have won, despite, his letting go principles was commendable at every instances.
Abilagba wrestled with prophetic boon of life interminable with clandestine prince-hood, chronicles of which started on August 4, 1938 when he was born into the royal family of Oba Anirare Aladesanmi II, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti (1937-1983).
Ewi’s royal institution was, ultimately, sacred, no floodgate as it was then possible to differentiate between a real prince and those that suddenly became one. Abilagba’s birth by Olori Awawu Omosuwaola heralded by Ado tradition, with great deal of dialogue, action, music, dance and décor; a total ritual incidence crystallized in the making of the alternate king, culturally referred to as Abilagba, an office that could only be equated to the Edaiken of Benin and Aremo Alaafin of Oyo.
There was beating of special royal drums on the three hills surrounding the ancient city of Ado-Ekiti amidst a mysterious seven days downpour.
Painfully obvious, I lost the chance to document the rich culture of his royal esteem before his death at the early hour of Saturday, January 21, 2017.
We hit it on the right chord at the first briefing. He inspired me with the words of Ernest Hemmingway
“Someday, I would like to have somebody who really knew me to write a book about me”. Never knew that (iye ku kata kata seyin agbe) translates; his days were numbered.
He was a self-contended person, not interested in most ordinary things and not in hot pursuit of the extra-ordinary. If one is asked for panoramic review of his 78 years sojourned of this world, it was discipline all through.
Despite all entreaties and endeavors made possible by some of his friends and senior members of the society, such as Gan ri ma pa, the former Senate President, very distinguished David Mark, Dan Etete, Prof. Jubril Aminu and his cousin Late A.V.M. Olawumi Adeleye (rtd), and Dr. Orire, Prince Aladesanmi refused to be a full-time player in the profane world of politics and business as he maintained his honor and took little financial risk.
He operated a coldly calculated financial accounting system, almost able to predict his annual expenses with minimal variations and deviations.
His positive mindset got him many lucky breaks.
He was a good mixer, excellent at keeping cordial relationships.
Upon his return to Nigeria in 1967, after his combined honours degree in Accounting and Banking at the University of Newcastle, United Kingdom. Aladesanmi had uninterrupted meritorious services in Banking and attained the post of an Assistant General Manager (Credit and Operation) at the National Bank of Nigeria. Besides, he worked at Lyord Bank and Barclay’s Bank in London.
On his voluntary retirement in 1989, he, however, had a Federal Government appointment as a member of the Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti and, subsequently, appointed a Director in Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), seconded to African Petroleum.
History shone like a headlight, it did not happen alone in Aladesanmi’s dynasty, I joined the entire Ado community, the royal dynasties and particularly Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III to remember Abilagba Adewale Aladesanmi on the anniversary of his seventh year’s translation. Indeed, Blood is thicker than water, their relationship was not minor shuffling of the royal diary to satisfy some vague personal desires. Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) noted this and remarked that Abilagba’s death would surely mark with an eerie precision some of the royal landscape and the Palace will greatly miss his magical skills for conflict resolutions.
Tanto no mini Nullum par elogium of this great man, no praise is adequate.
There are unending list and variety of talents, resources, skills and gifts which God has deposited in him, his good ones for emulation, his untoward few to learn from and his enviable ones to strive for. If you pass through him, you must take away something from him, symbolically; the late Prince Aladesanmi represented one of the few lines in the colors of rainbow, the arch in the middle form the sky to admire.
He is not easy to imitate and impossible to clone, one has to keep struggling to reach the silver linen of his illustrious cloud. Abilagba, spit and polished, a man of courage and compassion, handsome man of impeccable style and appearance, a man of incisive sense of humor and many more unique attributes of a traditionalist and heir prince. This he constantly and continually demonstrated in dignified fashion in his lifetime.
He shall be greatly missed. In his children, we see him as we deeply mourn his passing still. Goodnight Omo Olori Alade Elenpe Ekiti.
