Ultimately, it is not the years of your life that matter. It is the life in your years.
- Abraham Lincoln.
By
Kola Adesina
Why are we here? What is the
purpose of man on earth? This ordinary and simple question has challenged the
greatest minds since the beginning of time. It has also posed an unending
challenge to kings, philosophers, well-decorated scholars, and researchers. In
one of such attempts for an answer, one of the greatest Chinese
philosopher-kings of the 12th Century assembled one thousand best
thinkers and opinion leaders of his time and gave them a ten-year assignment to
supply answers to two troublesome questions. Their first task was to deliberate
and agree on one statement that would always be true and relevant until the end
of time. After a decade of intense debate and research, they could only agree
on "Whatever has a beginning must have an end”.
The
second assignment is the theme of this piece, “Why are we here? The Chinese richest minds of that era could
not agree on a single answer and their report to the king was that each person
must find a personal solution and reaction to the golden question. Apart from
the Chinese philosophers, other well-endowed minds including Aristotle,
Socrates, Pluto, and even Einstein have failed to find a universally acceptable
solution to the question. Therefore, it became incumbent on each individual to
fashion out a reaction and to chart a course for his sojourn on earth.
In
furtherance of this need for finding a purpose for life, many people have gone
into the arts, humanities, science, and religion, everyone coming up with
different purposes and outlines, some noble, others, negative and unenviable. In looking for great men of noble purposes of
this era in human existence one cannot but mention Femi Iyanda the toddler who
rose from the remote vastness of Delesolu, Awaiye and Olooshii compounds in
Abeokuta, south-west Nigeria to the very heights of international journalism
and public relations practice.
Against this background, one could justifiably
and without equivocation pick Femi Ogunleye for a case study on great men who
have created a purpose for themselves; those who imprinted indelible footprints
on the sands of time through dint of hard work, commitment to serve humanity
and the fear God.
In fathoming a philosophy of life, the young
Femi Ogunleye benefitted firstly from Yoruba practical realism underpinning the
philosophy behind informal education handed down by elders in the family
compound (Agbo-Ile) setting in Abeokuta. In these classrooms of culture,
extensive and appropriate application of Yoruba proverbs, imagery, good conduct
and values of honesty, and modesty are taught and encouraged.
As
a young son of peasant farmer/hunter of those days, he had a tough beginning
trying to acquire Western education and had to settle for primary school and a
bit of modern school education. He later left for Jos, Northern Nigeria where
he learnt typewriting and shorthand which got him a job with Nigeria Post and
Telecommunication (P&T) of those days. He also passed his O Levels as an
external candidate and moved to reporting.
Femi Ogunleye
started his media career as a typist and rookie reporter pounding the streets
of Kano and Jos. He later moved to Lagos to train in print journalism as an
apprentice at the Daily Times training school and the prestigious University of
Lagos for the academic touch. His sojourn at the Daily Times earned him
employment as first Public Relations Officer of the defunct Nigeria Airways.
Towards the tail end of his meritorious but often tempestuous stint at the
former national carrier, Femi Ogunleye, his pen name in journalism, ventured
into publishing with the launch in Akinale of Nigeria’s first rural newspaper,
THE VILLAGE NEWS and later an aviation newsmagazine titled FLIGHT AFRICA and a
newspaper called the FLIGHT EXPRESS. The Village News then operated almost on
zero budget and was driven by dogged leadership from Olufemi Iyanda Omo Baale
(a pen nick name for Femi Ogunleye) and committed followership from this writer
and host of colleagues and friends, who are still making waves in various sectors
of the media industry.
The long list
includes, Oba (Professor) Adeyemi Obalanlege, current Olota of Ota a top Mass
communication lecturer at the department of Mass Communication, Crescent
University, Abeokuta, Dr Niran Malaolu, CEO of Rock City FM and a former
Commissioner of Information in Ogun State, Dr. Sina Aina, former Head of
Department of Mass Communication Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta,
Dr Goke Raufu, also former Head of Department of Mass Communication and later
Director, School of Communication and Information Technology (MAPOLY). Dr. Goke
Rauf is currently, the Rector, D.S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori.
Others
include; Olatunde Abatan, former Senior Special Assistant (Media) to the former
Deputy Governor of Lagos State and currently Editor in Chief and CEO of New
Dawn, an upwardly mobile online news medium, as well as Femi Dokunmu who
retired as Public Relations Officer of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development
Authority. On the list is also Barrister
Femi Aina, a London based lawyer who is currently the publisher of Village News
after acquiring the title few years back.
From
its Akinale base, The Village News and offices in Abeokuta and Ikeja in Lagos
was able to play effective advocacy roles in governance, especially with
successive military governments in Ogun State. One of the earliest triumphs in
this regard in the 80s, was the campaign led by the Village News in Ewekoro
/Elere axis that forced Ewekoro Cement Factory (now Lafarge) to start paying
serious attention to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. The
Village News should take appreciable credit for the current expansion of this
(CSR) programme among villages in that corridor. After his turbulent tenure
with Nigeria Airways, Kabiyesi Oba Femi Ogunleye went into full blown
consultancy in Public Relations and journalism
THE BURDEN OF HISTORY
Oba Ogunleye
also got fascinated by the internal traditional politics of his hometown,
Abeokuta, partly because of his involvement in media coverage of events and
people in the city. Just like many indigenes of Abeokuta, he had to a maintain
a balancing act under the burden of history. It was indeed a burden and a
challenge for all indigenes of Abeokuta whose great forefathers migrated in
linguistic groups from various parts of Yorubaland with their distinct crowns
and personages. This demand for dual loyalty was managed by the author and was
rewarded with the title of Ekerin Apagun Egba, by late Oba Oyebade Lipede,
quickly following the footsteps of a thoroughbred Egba Patriot, the late Apagun
Oluwole Olumide, the first Apagun Pote of Egbaland. It must be underlined here
that history will remember Apagun Olumide for the time, money and material he
expended on promoting development in Abeokuta.
KABIYESI AT LAW
Few
years ago, Oba Femi Ogunleye visited Crescent University, Abeokuta and got
fascinated by law study. He immediately enrolled on a Diploma Course as ladder
into the LLB Law programme which he later capped with an LLM and PhD in Law
from Babcock University. Oba Ogunleye later extended his coast with a sojourn
into law training and practice ranging from alternative dispute resolution,
conflict prevention and peace sustenance, as well as arbitration.
Though Oba
Ogunleye returned to formal university education after the age of 70, his
itinerary graphically show that he was already an excellent product of the
University of Adversity where he learnt among other virtues, resilience,
determination to succeed against all odds, exemplary courage and adaptability.
He life also depicted strong optimism, exceptional problem-solving skills, deep
empathy with others and a mindset built positive growth. Throughout his sojourn
on earth, adversity, to him has always been a challenge and a stepping stone to
success. Here was a man of many parts who touched so many lives and will always
be remembered by many across the world.
Therefore, a publication like this book of tributes can only manage a
peep into the life and times of this dignified personage. It is just a key-hole
view into his achievement- laden life as there can never be enough time to wade
through an ocean of information available on him worldwide.
It is also
impossible for find enough space for all condolence messages and tributes from
friends, relatives, colleagues and acquaintances all over the world. It is
pertinent here to draw attention to one of Oba Ogunleye’s abiding philosophical
compasses. It is a golden view of service to humanity in all its shapes and
ramifications. This code of conduct brings out the best in humanity and
beautifies the purpose of man on earth. It was coined, actualised and
popularised by late Judge Bola Ajibola of blessed memory throughout his life.
One can also see it clearly in the speeches and performance of the Olowu of Owu
Kingdom, HRM Oba Professor Saka Matemilola FNSE, who has opened another chapter
in service-centred approach to traditional rulership
“What
is required in life is more than the mundane activities of caring for our
family and ourselves alone. Animals too, do that. To those who are privileged and blessed to
do, life needs value added contribution. Something has to be put into it to
make it a better place than we found it. Caring for one’s family alone will not
amount to good reason for not caring for our fellow men and women. Caring for
people is not limited to gifts of money; people with no money or materials can
give their time or utilise their knowledge in reaching the same goal”
●
Kola Adesina, PhD, is head of department of Mass Communication,
Crescent University, Abeokuta
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