USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: ||NaijaObserver|| Ife at 50! There is Only One University; Angola Hall - Olu Ojedokun

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From: Olu Ojedokun <employlawone@aol.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 26, 2012 at 3:58 PM
Subject: ||NaijaObserver|| Ife at 50! There is Only One University; Angola Hall - Olu Ojedokun
To: NaijaExcel@yahoogroups.com, nigerianworldforum@yahoogroups.com, naijaobserver@yahoogroups.com, OmoOdua@yahoogroups.com, nigeria360@yahoogroups.com, NIDOA@yahoogroups.com

 

'THERE IS ONLY ONE UNIVERSITY'

 

Whilst my nascent Christian Faith was not a barrier to the increasing bond that was developing amongst Ayowale Ogunye, Oladele Olawoye and I, slowly and surely our paths diverged.  They diverged on account of their progress with their studies and stalemate with mine.  I was marking time at King's College, Lagos while they progressed to University of Ife and Repton College, Derby in the United Kingdom respectively.  This was a huge but inevitable wrench but we maintained regular contact.  It is interesting to note that through 'Dele, his sister Mopelola became my school daughter and the bond with the family remains strong as I speak.

 

I remember that every holiday, back from Ile-Ife, Ayo who lived at the University of Lagos Staff Quarters would, on my visits, entertain me with tales about life in Ife, of its glory, its beauty and the new vista of opportunities it opened up.  He would entertain me with 'gist' about the Elite Club and its intrigues.  At home, I also received some interesting accounts from my twin sister, Folashade, through letters or when she ventured home on holidays.  I always suspected that there might be some slight exaggerations but I was proved wrong.  I was full of envy but was torn between going to Ife or settling into University of Lagos near where we lived.   It would have been very advantageous to be close proximity to Panaf Olajide Olakanmi who now worked at the University so that I could effortlessly resume my career in student politics.

 

However, there were two hurdles to cross, that of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) and the School Certificate Examinations.  There was some confusion with my JAMB registration, which was only resolved thanks to the efforts of Dr. E. A. Akinluyi, the Director of Planning at University of Lagos.  I had consistently scored highly in my Fifth Form examinations except in the subject of Mathematics. This was a disappointment to my mother because despite all the investments she made in providing me various Mathematics tutors I simply could not hack it.  I acquired a reputation with a few classmates of scampering out through the classroom windows on the arrival of the Math's teacher, I simply dreaded the subject and I was no longer interested in giving it the benefit of doubt.  

 

Eventually I received my School Certificate results and I was solely disappointed, not because I failed.   However, I was unable to obtain the highest distinctions in all my seven subjects and was reduced to distinctions in only five of them.  Of course I knew there was no hope for me with Mathematics where I managed a pass but Biology?  I thought I deserved more that a Credit and Oral English, a pass?  I thought after my debating experience I could speak English with effortless diction only to be proved wrong.  In any case my results were excellent enough for me to be admitted into University. 

 

Now I had to await the JAMB results to see if I would be admitted into the Ife Law Faculty.  The cut off mark for Law was very high, you needed to score over 300 out of 400 to be in with a chance.  In my case I fell short, I only scored 278, it seemed my mother's dream of me studying Law would not be realised for the moment.  The study of History, my second choice, beckoned me like my father before or I could take up the option of a return to King's College for 'A' Levels so I could retake JAMB, this was the dilemma I faced.

Taking cue from my father's path I settled for History at Ife but obfuscated when telling my friends what I was studying.  I felt rather inferior to those studying professional courses.  In the past I had long arguments with Ayo Ogunye when I suggested to him I wanted to study Political Science, he always looked at me puzzled, wondering what for?  When I pointed him to the example of my father, he simply responded by suggesting times had changed.   I had the opportunity during the long vacation of spending some time in Ile-Ife.  On my first visit I was blown off my feet by its majestic beauty, the immaculately kept lawns, the variety of flowers and the vitality it embodied.   

 

The full extent of the beauty of Ife campus was concealed from the entrance but as you left the gates behind and approached, venturing deeper into its grounds much more awaited you.  You were slowly but deliberately beckoned into its environs as it emerged like a tantalising picture from the arts gallery, the beauty of the campus welcomed you, its magnificence seduced you and its architecture enraptured you, rendering you speechless!   There was indeed only one University in the world and any desire for the University of Lagos simply faded into the background.  My uncle Professor 'Kayode Adetugbo was a political activist in the University and played host to many such figures, it is from him I received my first introduction in the political life at Ife.

 

On resumption day, the 2^nd of December 1984 together with my mother driving and twin sister in the car I travelled to Ile-Ife in our crammed blue Nissan car weighed down with so much of my twin sister's luggage.  We arrived at 'Great Ife' after about four hours of uneventful travel and I was armed with lots of money, some from my mother but most of it from my uncle Dr. Benjamin Abimbola Adigun who was always generous to me.  A few weeks later my spending spree came to an abrupt end when my wallet containing all my cash was stolen during a film show at Oduduwa Hall.  Dr. Adigun was my father's second cousin and a director of the AGIP OIL, he was tall and very regal in appearance and very wise, a man of great means.  While my twin was guaranteed some accommodation in Mozambique Hall, there was no chance I would get one on account of my late admission.  However, my uncle, Professor Adetugbo agreed to harbour me temporarily in his Staff Quarters whilst I settled down.  Settling down was far from my mind I was already plotting how I would seize the political scene in Ife by storm.  Academics were very remote from my mind; I reasoned that if I could succeed in my acquisition of power at King's College, Lagos there was no reason why at University of Ife it could not be my oyster, however, I was to receive a rude awakening.

ANGOLA HALL

 

In time 'Segun Aderemi and 'Lanre Arogundade, members of the University of Ife Students' Socialist Group approached me on the campus with suggestions that I should become their ally.   They had a claim to be principled and stout defenders of students' rights, they were fearless and 'Lanre Arogundade was the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).  They had read my articles, which I posted on strategic boards on the campus, 'In Defence of Panafism' which suggested rather flatteringly I had great potential.  I was quick to retort that I was no Socialist but a 'Panafist'.  They listened with bemusement and then assured me we could still work together.   The truth was at the time I was in awe of them.

 

The Socialist Group was a closely knit and highly disciplined, it was like another family.  They had regular Sunday meetings where various Marxist texts were explored, critiqued and considered, I attended these meetings and participated in their discussions. I was well placed to contribute to the discussions having learnt a thing or two from my uncle Professor 'Kayode Adetugbo who described himself as a 'Marxian'.  However, the real power in the group lay with the 'Central Committee', it actually made the decisions and directed political strategy.  It decided whom to support at Union elections and whether to sponsor any candidate for the elections.  

 

In time I was approached and it was suggested I run for the Office of Angola Hall Chairman and Tesslim Adewuyi one of the loyal cadre to stand for General Secretary.  Angola Hall was traditionally a hall of residence for first year students, consisting of many sprawling bungalows sub divided into ten rooms, set out in dormitory style with four double bunks.  It was bounded by another hall of residence, Obafemi Awolowo on one side and the forest on the other side.  A few yards from it was Mozambique Hall where the ladies resided and it was always busy at night.  Angola Hall and Mozambique Hall were designed as temporary accommodation but had assumed permanent status. 

 

However, I faced a difficulty about contesting because I was a squatter and not a legal resident of the Hall.  The Socialist boys assured me that they would take care of things and that it should be the least of my worries.    I had been unable to secure student accommodation in the Hall so I joined the ranks of squatters in Angola Hall.  There was an acute shortage of accommodation so many had to sleep on any available space in the rooms.  'Emeka Okolo, an old classmate from King's College, Lagos extended his heart of kindness towards me and invited me to be his 'squatter' in Room D10, but he was sworn to secrecy.  To my friends and acquaintances who visited me in the room they assumed I was the landlord.

 

The campaign for Angola Hall Chairman commenced but it was miles away from the King's College's 'Marquess of Queensberry' rules.  The campaign was full of dirty tricks.  It was while I was campaigning room to room, that I met Kolawole Onifade aka 'Mazini', a Part Two History/Political Science undergraduate who had previously contested under similar circumstances.   He was very sympathetic to me and we struck a cord.  Mazini was one of the most generous students I knew, he contained a physique, moderate in bulk and in personality, he was very articulate and full of mischief and bombast.  Mazini was much younger than he looked and claimed but 'his can' do attitude masked his relative youth.

 

He joined forces with me and on the Speech Night, went around mobilising for me.  I had set up no campaign committee because the Socialist boys promised to take care of things, but in reality I was left to my own devices.  At the Speech Night venue, in the Angola Hall's common room I was disrupted and prevented from speaking, confusion ensued, the whole election descended into utter chaos.  In the aftermath my opponent  'Ozidi' claimed victory and was declared 'the winner'!  This was a huge disappointment for I had promised much and seen little results.  I had assumed that with my pedigree I would walk the election but the rules had changed and I could not expect everyone to play by my own idealistic rules.  After a protest in form of a petition lodged at the Students' Union Judicial Council the Angola Hall Executive elections were nullified.   The Executive Committee of the Hall was left in abeyance for a several weeks.  I used the hiatus to build up myself, learnt a few lessons and was determined to come back stronger.  At this stage I had completely relegated my Christian life to the background.

 

The new election date was set and I entered the fray once more but was now better prepared.  Mazini was on hand to offer strategic and political advice.  Using the skills developed at King's College I covered the length and breadth of the hall of residence, the common room, visited every room and shook every hand.  I espoused Panafism, and a welfarist manifesto; there was no hint that the Socialist boys were 'sponsoring' me.  My posters were everywhere and many where enthused by what I was offering.

 

At the Speech Night I wore the same trademark black fess cap and silky white 'Danshiki' with a pair of black trousers.  I summoned all my powers of oratory and my voice soared across the room:

 

 "Gentlemen, fellow compatriots, I Panaf Olu Ojedokun hereby declare that with the making use of all the resources at my disposal, supported with facts and figures to achieve your goals and will use other means should they become inevitable…."  

 

The response from the audience in the common room was ecstatic, the whole place went ballistic and my soaring rhetoric had put me ahead for now.  'Ozidi' spoke but only a few paid rapt attention for I had 'bewitched' them with my speech.  At the end of the night I was declared the new Chairman of Angola Hall while Tess became the General Secretary.  The amiable but more mature 'Kolapo Ganiyu aka 'Baba Kolly', who had tribal marks on his face, became the Financial Secretary.  

 

On reflection I tend to agree with the words of Brett and Kate McKay that there is:

 

"The great myth perpetuated about public speaking is that talent in this area is inherent and inborn and cannot be learned.  But our manly forbearers knew better.  The great orators of the world from Cicero to Rockne practiced the art of oratory with resolute single-mindedness. Demosthenes exemplified this drive particularly well. As he was a child he was weak and awkward in both body and speech."

 

In my new role as Hall Chairman I automatically became a member of the Students' Representative Council and I was duly sworn in at the next meeting.  Soon I became a popular face around the campus.  At night, Mozambique Hall was my regular destination, to get replenished in my twin, Folashade's room or to visit my cousin Kikelomo Ojedele.  I became famous around the campus due to my distinct form of dressing, which I wore like a uniform, no one except my room mates every caught a glimpse of the top of my head, it was always covered with a black beret or fez cap. 

 

On a few occasions I ventured out without my trademark attire, I was completely incognito.  We were, however, hard at work, with Tes at my side, we ensured new fridges were purchased, a successful 'Angola Week' was organised courtesy of sponsorship from the Angolan Embassy, the common room was refurbished, cleanliness became a priority for the Hall authorities and we facilitated the supply of essential commodities.  In less than six months we transformed the hopes and dreams of the residents from their past reality and they were well pleased. 

 

 

With Regards

Olu

Olu Ojedokun

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