With the benefit of hindsight, I should have smelled a rat. Ahead of Lady Maiden Ibru’s 70th birthday on 20th November 2019, a powerful delegation (names withheld) of old boys (and girls) of St. Gregory’s College, Lagos turned up in my office to inform me that regardless of my being a “KCOB” (King’s College Old Boy), they had finally succumbed to popular demand by old boys of their school, especially those in the diaspora, that my election as the President of the Old Boys Association of St. Gregory’s College would be announced on the front page of “The Guardian” newspaper of which Lady Maiden is the publisher on her birthday.
In addition, I had been nominated to inform the birthday girl that the old boys (and girls) of St. Gregory’s College had unanimously selected her as the “Guardian Angel”/ “Angel from The Guardian”. No problem, I assured them. My special role at the birthday party would be to decorate her with the insignia of “Guardian Angel”. No problem, I again assured them.
As confirmation that they were on a mission of peace and reconciliation, the delegation (names still withheld) presented me with two plaques. The first one read: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.” and the second one read as follows: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Sir Winston Churchill.
In exchange, I gave them a plaque which contained the following quotation from Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, Emir of Kano (and an old boy of King’s College). “They hail you ‘Rankadede’ now. In a couple of years, they will throw stones at you.” However, matters started getting interesting just before the birthday party with anonymous telephone callers (names withheld) demanding my assurance that I would attend the birthday party on Saturday 23rd November 2019 and abide strictly with the dress code: “Black Tie”. The invitation card duly arrived. The party would be preceded by a thanksgiving service at St. Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos. It used to be known as the Colonial Church (exclusively for Europeans and old boys of King’s College, Lagos!!). That is where successive governors and governor-generals of Nigeria worshipped and it was right bang in the middle of the route equidistant between the governor-general’s residence and King’s College.
For several decades, the vicar was a Briton. It was during the tenure of The Revd. Canon J. J. Payne who was installed as Chaplin of the Church in 1962 by the Bishop of Lagos, Rt. Revd. Adelakun Howells that a significant rise in the attendance of indigenous Nigerians was observed. He led the church for 24 years before his departure in 1986. The church service was indeed a spiritual feast and a genuine demonstration of humility by the congregation (including Muslims and atheists) who had assembled to supplicate for the divine mercies, favour and protection of the Almighty for Maiden and her entire family.
In exchange, I gave them a plaque which contained the following quotation from Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, Emir of Kano (and an old boy of King’s College), “They hail you ‘Rankadede’ now. In a couple of years, they will throw stones at you.”
It did not go unnoticed that her late husband Alex died on 20 November 2011. He was a victim of General Sani Abacha’s dreaded murder squad led by Sergeant Barnabas Jabila Mshiela aka “Sergeant Rogers” who waylaid him on Falomo Bridge, Ikoyi. They left him for dead. “Sergeant Rogers” later confessed to the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission of Nigeria (Oputa Panel) that he was acting on the orders of Major Hamza Al Mustapha. Alex was rushed to St. Nicholas Hospital, which is almost on the same street as King’s College. Miraculously, he survived. He was never the same again. The physical, emotional and psychological damage was colossal – even after extensive medical care in Britain for three years and subsequently in the United States of America. May his soul rest in peace. Maiden became the champion of the legacy and vision which together they had crafted. The flagship of the vast business empire which encompassed property, hotels, printing/publishing etc. was (and remains) “The Guardian” newspaper and its cryptic motto: “Conscience nurtured by truth.”
For almost two and a half hours, the church which was packed full provided an oasis of shared bliss and sublime purposefulness from the wreckage of a nation at war with itself – rage versus vengeance in a vicious cycle of impunity, injustice and oppression in competition with kidnapping, drug trafficking, embezzlement and banditry.
The Bishop (name withheld for legal reasons) who conducted the service with superlative dexterity and divine inspiration left no room for those who have ever doubted the supreme majesty of the Almighty. The sermon which he delivered is a collector’s item – vintage stuff. It was a brilliant exhortation for reflection and introspection – why are we here and are we prepared for heaven?
He challenged the congregation to unite in demanding that the government should address the real problems facing the country – security, education, health facilities, power supply, poverty, ethnic/religious rivalry etc. facing the country.
(To be continued)
BASHORUN J.K. RANDLE
