“Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds” – GEORGE ELLIOT
Wole is a personable being any decent person would love to associate with. In terms of age difference and Yoruba protocol of code of ethics, I believe I am not qualified to write this synopsis about his intimidating credentials of life of service, sacrifice, perseverance and humanity in the past six decades. However, considering our ‘cult-like” bound from childhood to adolescent through adulthood to this stage of life, I can authoritatively state that I am not less qualified to express my thought on how his deeds shape my life and younger ones in a family that its breadwinner was cut down in his prime.
Arguably, Wole was born into a family that could afford/was affording “easy access to good life” until the tragedy of the 11th June, 1973, fell on the family. It is not an exaggeration to call it a communal tragedy as we were told, we were too young to have comprehended the gravity of the misfortune that really shaped our life in taking our destiny into our hands. By God’s design, he was the one first chosen to rise from the rubble that redirected our lives.
Rising from hopelessness to hopefulness, Wole methodically tied his load and focused on his journey of life. He did not allow the travails of early life to prevent his present triumphs. No wonder, the sterling foundational academic performance that propelled his ambition to be a medical doctor which consequently yielded bountiful harvests. Today, he is an accomplished gynaecologist with intercontinental years of service to humanity.
Mama has a special place in Wole’s heart, as he got all the necessary maternal kindness and supports from her to achieve greatness. Interestingly, he cut his political teeth from Mama, who was a great mobiliser of men and women towards community development. She was a Women Leader of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, in the old Irepodun Local Government, Oyo State, now, Osun State, under the leadership of Chief Ayo Ojewumi. Her political association with the political elite of the dominant political tendency in the West was a huge encouragement towards our educational pursuit. It was an emotional moment for both Mama and Wole when he flew in from the Republic of Ireland in June 2005 to give Mama the last minutes medical care at her convalescence, he paid the historical due by moving Mama on a Wheelchair before her final departure on 18 June 2005.
As a round character, he is endowed to be in any area of professional callings. In other words, he could have been in humanity, law or management sciences. He chose medical sciences for two principal reasons, namely: to advance the cause of his father to another level, moving it from where “the young man” abruptly stopped, more importantly for economic reasons; economic reasons not for his personal survival, but an urgent intervention to get a job placement after the university education, in order to bring up his younger siblings. As he opined, Lekan, doctors would always get job placements in Nigeria, “I need to take this profession, in order to address the urgent educational needs of my young ones”
Looking back, at 60, Wole has fulfilled his self-imposed covenants with his family, community, profession and humanity. His silent philosophy of generosity would not permit me to name different professionals who have drunk from his well of wealth to achieve their present professional standings.
However, there are institutional endowments, self-sponsored by him for the benefits of his immediate constituency, among others. Worthy of note is ITESIWAJU SUMMER SCHOOL, this is a free Summer Class for the students in Irepodun/Orolu/Osogbo/Olorunda Federal Constituency, Osun State and this has been a yearly event since the year 2014.
Of particular importance is his unfathomable giving spirit to people with health challenges; his annual budget on health issues to people far and near is unbelievable. His is a life of service to the people. Of course, the self-sponsored educational and health endowments are in line with Benjamin Disrali’s saying that, “The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own”.
Yetunde has been a very great partner of Wole in this journey of life. She believes in his philosophy of service to the people. She fully stands with her husband to have a common front in giving back to the people. It would have been very difficult if not impossible for Wole to be relevant to his people without the unity of purpose of the spouse. The family has not laboured in vain, as the fruits of the union are already showing leadership traits and accomplishment.
Despite his humongous contributions to advance the cause of humanity, he is wise enough to realise that the societal problems could better be addressed by governments at all levels that are constitutionally empowered to do so. He is not a person that is want of solution to societal issues, no wonder, he threw his hat in the ring by joining and participating in one of the ruling class political parties. His politics of idea, honesty, integrity and performance is very strange to the power that be who believe in exclusive appropriation of commonwealth for their family needs. The character and content of politics in Nigeria is a major barricade that denied the people a quality representation in the Green Chambers in the Year 2015. I can only say don’t be discouraged.
Your deeds in the past six decades have really eloquently spoken for you. You have become an open book to be read, understood and imbibed by younger generations who yearn for greatness. My wish is to urge you not to relent on your efforts to salvage the society by continue bringing succour to the people. This is rolling out drums to celebrate my “father”, brother, confidant and soulmate by singing the melody of your childhood “…Omo Ikubolaje, ba le ni kan a loLorun…..”
Lekan Alabi is a Lagos-based lawyer, human rights defender, and political analyst.
