Adedapo Adeniran: An inspiring life

It is a great privilege and honour to be asked to propose the toast of Pa Prince Adedapo Adeniran, a man for whom I have utmost respect and immense admiration as he celebrates his 90th Birthday today – first at the church service at First Baptist Church, 24 Broad Street, Lagos followed by a truly memorable reception within the hallowed precincts of Lagos City Hall.

To have survived 90 years and remained unscathed, although there may be a few bruises and scars here and there plus the inevitable stiffening of the joints, is not a mean achievement in the turmoil and turbulence of life in Nigeria considering the challenges of dealing with epileptic power supply, restive youths who are hostage to unemployment on a grand scale combined with drug taking and licentious crimes and governance by impunity.   Indeed, statistically to be 90 in Nigeria is the equivalent of 200 years in more civilized climes such as Britain, United States of America, Switzerland, Japan.

I stand to be corrected, but I suspect that the average life expectancy in Nigeria is only 47 years which is exactly what it was when my father died fifty-eight years ago (in 1956).

There is abundant evidence before the Court that longevity is by the special grace of the Almighty.  While there is no reason to insist on challenging the verdict of the High Court by proceeding to the Court of Appeal, we should at least acknowledge that Dr. (Mrs.) Abiola Adeniran is an accomplice in this noble endeavour.  She has been a solid rock – lavishing love and care on the celebrant for fifty-two years of marriage that has produced a daughter, Oyindamola and a son, Biodun who have flourished in their own chosen professions.     They are manifestly a great source of pride and joy to Prince and Dr. (Mrs.) Adedapo Adeniran.

Again the evidence before the Court makes it abundantly clear that the celebrant is a man of fixed habits.    You may even be tempted to conclude that he is very much set in his ways with a distinct inclination to confine his choice to only one of each item – one wife; one house; one school (King’s College, Lagos); one city, Lagos; one country, Nigeria and one truth.    You may wish to add one church; and only one tie – the King’s College tie.    The only exception, perhaps, are the two children.     There is good sense in having an insurance.   However, the celebrant is fluent in several languages, namely Yoruba, English (and I must emphasise Queen’s English, not the “broken English” that is being canvassed by the new American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle) as well as the classical Latin which he learnt at King’s College and further embellished at the Law School (Lincoln’s Inn, London).

For the benefit of the wistfully unlearned and the blissfully ignorant, we should place it on record that Prince Adeniran has earned the favour of God and the admiration of his fellow human beings by being steadfast, faithful, diligent and honest in all his dealings as well as utterances.   With him what you see is what you get.    He speaks his mind freely; says what he thinks and means what he says.   He never quibbles or waffles. Equivocation and double-talk are not in his dictionary.

You may not agree with his views (to the best of my knowledge not many people do).    Judges are exempted of course!!  What is beyond dispute is that both inside the courtroom and outside in the larger arena of human endeavour, he is a man of guts and conviction.

Last week, in Britain, Anthony Benn the veteran politician passed on at the age of 88.   Virtually, all the leading politicians from the Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative) to Ed Miliband [Labour] were fulsome in their tribute to a life devoted to the politics of conviction by the Labour politician. By general consensus, Prince Adeniran is the closest illustration of the unrelenting voyage of courage, integrity, truthfulness and steadfastness we have.   It is yet another confirmation that we as a people have the capability to match the British stride for stride in the domain of uprightness and sincerity of purpose.

Without any shadow of doubt Prince Adeniran is the ultimate arbiter in virtually all disputes – be they family, matrimonial, patrimonial, religious, ethics etc. in the axis of Bamgbose / Igbosere / Tokunbo / Campos Square / Catholic Mission Streets.   Indeed, he is an unrivalled encyclopedia on the pedigree and antecedents of all the leading families in Lagos and its environs.

He is also a distinguished author who thrives on venturing where others fear to thread.   The titles of two of his most well known books provide confirmation that he is not one to dodge controversy. I refer to:

(i) “The Futility Of The Land Use Decree 1978” and

(ii) NIGERIA : THE CASE FOR PEACEFUL AND FRIENDLY DISSOLUTION.

Any wonder that he is not one of the delegates to the CONFAB which President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated last week to deliberate on a new Constitution for our beloved nation.

The celebrant reached his own conclusion ages ago when he solemnly declared and swore on oath:

“It is more than about time that the people of this country go deeply and objectively and indeed intelligently into the history of Nigeria and its politics and decide for themselves on a rational basis what sort or form of future they want for themselves.”

We cannot overlook the contradiction of a Royal prince forgoing the opulence and majesty of the palace for a modest abode right in the midst of the hully-bully of Bamgbose Street rather than the more salubrious ambience of Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Banana Island or Victoria Garden City.  He chose wisely.   Indeed, the choice was deliberate as it has given him a vantage point from which he would command an unimpaired ringside seat of all the goings on in the soft underbelly of real Lagos life – the hustle and bustle, the ripping apart of the social tapestry and the collapse of the hitherto sacrosanct values of society in addition to the festivals and masquerades that are unique  to Lagos – from “Fanti” to “Gelede”; “Igunnu” and of course “Eyo”.

Besides, the celebrant is a custodian of the history of Lagos and Nigeria as well as a repository of knowledge about the defining moments and the catalytic events which shaped our nation – from the Bristol Hotel incident when a black man was denied accommodation; to the rebellion by King’s College students in 1944; Aba Women Riots; Enugu Coal Mine strike; the Apalara murder case in 1953 which was quickly followed by the Njemanze murder case and Abakaliki murders/cannibalism etc.  Eventually, on 1st October 1960 at the Race Course which is within hailing distance of the celebrant’s residence, the Nigerian flag was hoisted to supplant the “Union Jack” of the British Government. Prince Adeniran remains an impeccable source of information and mine of knowledge on virtually all the major political events which defined the contours of Nigeria’s progress as a country or retardation as a nation.   Perhaps I should add that the first President of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe for many years lived on the same Bamgbose Street – first as a student and thereafter as a fiery journalist as well as feisty politician almost directly across the road from the celebrant.

J.K Randle