Major-General (Dr.) Henry Edmund Olufemi Adefope – A legacy of honour (1)

It is very tempting to fall prey to the prejudicial evidence/verdict of an eminent professor of literature who declared that any book written by two authors creates the equivalent of two ladies who have fallen in love with the same man.

Hence, Professor Jide Osuntokun & Professor David Aworawo set themselves a monumental task in embarking on a joint enterprise – to capture the essence of Major-General (Dr.) Henry Edmund Olufemi Adefope whose sojourn on planet earth was circumscribed by a recurring decimal: “He was an officer (of the Nigerian Army) and a gentleman to the core.”

For the purpose of our review, we must confine ourselves to the style, content and quality of the book and impose self-discipline which prohibits giving way to the temptation to recall the strident damnation of the late Chief of Army Staff (1990 to 1993) my good friend General Salihu Ibrahim who in exasperation declared that the Nigerian Army had become an “Army Of Anything Goes.”

He failed to acknowledge the sterling and enduring qualities of the likes of Major-General (Dr.) Adefope and those who have contributed their heartfelt tributes which are included in the book, namely General Yakubu Gowon; General Olusegun Obasanjo; General T.Y. Danjuma; late Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo; Major-General Ike O. Sanda Nwachukwu; late Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson, etc.

For the purpose of our review, we must confine ourselves to the style, content and quality of the book and impose self-discipline which prohibits giving way to the temptation to recall the strident damnation of the late Chief of Army Staff (1990 to 1993) my good friend General Salihu Ibrahim…

To further compound matters, the subject of the book was a man of many parts. Perhaps the authors should have taken heed of the alarm raised by Major-General Ike Nwachukwu (Rtd): “Major-General Henry Adefope’s active role in Nigerian Sports history is so impressive, such that a detailed writing of it can even cover a voluminous book.”

Clearly, the authors were confronted with a “Hobbesian” choice – to write a book on Adefope the family man and father of seven children; Dr. Henry Adefope, the caring doctor who served in Burutu, Sapele, Abeokuta, Lagos etc.; Major-General Adefope, the military man (when the army were in power); Olufemi Adefope, a man of muscular Christianity and unwavering faith; His Excellency Major-General (Dr.) H.E.O. Adefope, Minister of Foreign Affairs and finally the unacknowledged leader, (after retirement) of the “Green Party” of horticulturists.

Not to be marginalised are Olufemi the doting husband of his devoted and ever-loving wife Oladotun (nee Adefarasin); and two decades of being a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at a time when it was riddled with conflicts of interest, bribery and corruption.

The authors chose to cramp everything into one book, at the risk of tempting us to demand which vital parts have they left out? This is a nation where organs disappear and cobras feed on currency notes !!

As a Chartered Accountant with 53 years of professional practice, I am on familiar territory in auditing books (of accounts) but when it comes to book review I must admit my inadequacies and my weakness for elegant prose and spell-binding narrative.

Even though Major-General Adefope did not belong to the “mainstream army” (to quote General T.Y. Danjuma) and in spite of his gentle disposition as well as calm mien, he was a combatant.

The attestation is provided by:

(i) Ven. L. L. Eso

Director, Elderly Ministry, Diocese of Lagos West, Anglican Communion.

“Daddy Henry Adefope lived a fruitful and spirit filled life. He laboured steadfastly and endlessly to give the Christian life, service and worship a meaning, transparent and impressive enough, to bring the troubled hearts to know the Lord.”

(ii) “Yes, H.E.O. Adefope was a jack of many trades but he was a master of each such trade.”

Clearly, he was no push over. That has brought us full circle, leaving us no option but to address the trenchant lamentation from scholars from various universities (both local and international). Harvard University; Yale; Princeton; Stanford; Cambridge; Oxford; etc have leapt into the fray.

The issue revolves around: “How could General Adefope thrive in the same army that its own Chief of Staff late General Salihu Ibrahim slagged off as an “Army of Anything Goes”?

Beyond that, General T.Y. Danjuma, former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Minister of Defence publicly indicted the same army over a very grave security matter in his home state (Taraba) and beyond. He did not pull any punches. The powerful message was to the effect that the Nigerian Army was complicit in heinous crimes and atrocities.

Read also: Nigeria records worst ranking in World Happiness index

To further literally detonate a bombshell, General Olusegun Obasanjo, former President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria declared that the current presidential aspirants are not only “NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE”, most of them should be in jail.” He has not retracted.

This has prompted those scholars (e.g. Professor Lewis Rothberg of Harvard University) who have been tracking our nation’s trajectory to conclude that we have unwittingly created a matrix that embraces:

“An Army of Anything Goes to a Nation of Anything Goes!

I am sure that both Professor Osuntokun and Professor Aworawo who are eminent scholars in their own right will respond to the challenge posed by their cerebral colleagues (or comrades in arm). Laymen like us have no role to play in that toxic arena. Let the gladiators venture into the ring.

Regardless, here is a note of caution. I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the video of Nigerians who had been trapped in Ukraine while the war was raging but refused to board the plane sent by the Nigerian government to evacuate them.

They would rather go to another country in Europe or die in Ukraine. They did not want anything to do with a country of Anything Goes.

Authors: Jide Osuntokun & David Aworawo