Two “Area Boys” – Continuation of Part II

Just a five-minute walk from Ricca Street, Adekunle Lawal, who was a contemporary of Kafaru Tinubu at Methodist Boy’s High School, lived on Tokunbo Street, Lagos. Adekunle Lawal joined the Nigerian Navy and rose to the rank of Commodore. He was the military governor of Lagos State from July 1975 to 1977.

After MKO Abiola, being the winner of the June 12, 1993 election, declared himself the president of Nigeria in 1994 at Epetedo in Lagos, the military launched a massive hunt for all his apostles, the king of whom was Bola Tinubu. After the arrest of MKO Abiola, Tinubu and others were declared wanted by the federal government, and a ransom was placed on their heads. The military wanted to charge them with treason!

Tinubu went underground. His uncle, a senior police officer, Alhaji Kafaru Tino, worried. Nobody knew where Tinubu hid. However, Tinubu suspected that his family members would be in agony and fearful for his life. He decided to show his face to his family members to keep their hearts in peace and then return underground. He went to Alhaji Kafaru, who was extremely happy to see him. It was a sigh of relief for Tinubu’s family. Kafaru, being a senior policeman, advised Tinubu not to go underground again. He said, “Ahmed, you can’t hide forever from the federal government. ” They’ll get you, but they may kill you and lie that you were trying to escape or using force against security agents. Therefore, report yourself at a police station; even if they kill you at the police station, we will all know that it is the federal government that killed you. Please do as I say.”

Tinubu walked into a police station in Lagos, introduced himself and said he had come to surrender himself, being a wanted man by the military junta. Immediately, the policemen on duty started charging their guns and shouting “move, move” as if he was caught. A man who reported himself.

Tinubu was locked up in a small cell meant for 4 people but which was now occupied, with the inclusion of Tinubu, by over 30! Tinubu saw some of his colleagues whom he didn’t know had earlier been arrested: the beginning of hell for a mobile executive who had chosen a different path for himself!!!!

After several months in prison, a judge approved the bail of some pro-democracy activists. Bola Tinubu was one of them. The judge is now today’s emir of Ilorin. The military junta was mad at the judge, especially for releasing Tinubu. They plotted a final blow for him.

Tinubu had information not to go to his house immediately after he was released. You know the judge’s family in Lagos is one of the best families on earth. They never removed their eyes from their son. So Tinubu didn’t go to his house to sleep the night he was released. He went elsewhere. That same night, his house was bombed! Alas!!! Following a tip-off, Tinubu took the NADECO route and escaped to the Benin Republic.

Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu was the man who took Tinubu to all progressive leaders in Lagos in 1989 when Tinubu first told him about his mission to join politics. Kafaru handed Tinubu over to people like Tajudeen Olusi and others to guide and support “Bi oju ba ye oju ki ohun ma ye o, Bola d’owo yin o”. And even after Kafaru’s death, Progressives in Lagos never betrayed the Tinubu family.

Alhaji Kafaru Tinubu, the seed you planted in 1989 into politics, has grown beyond the Senate or governorship which you witnessed; he has now become the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Certainly, you will be happy in paradise as you’re reading this.

Twenty years ago, family. ke yesterday. Rest in peace, Baba Kafaru Tinubu.

He died in October 2003.

Alhaji Karim Ayinla Babalola Olowu:

Another “Olori Ebi” of the Tinubu family was Alhaji K.A.B. Olowu, who was from the Isale-Eko area. He attended C.M.S. Grammar School, Lagos, followed by Loughborough University, England, where he trained in sports. He was an outstanding sportsman and later became the sports master at King’s College, Lagos. As fate would have it, he was the captain of the Nigerian team to the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, while my father, Chief J.K. Randle, was the chef de mission. After leaving King’s College, Alhaji K.A.B. Olowu joined the Nigerian Prison Service and rose to the rank of Superintendent. He was in charge of Agodi Prisons in Ibadan, Western Region. One of the inmates was Lt-Colonel Juventus C. Ojukwu, who was my father, at King’Randle, Ege. He was the chef de mission. over allegations that he participated in the 15 January 1966 coup d’etat. Alhaji K.A.B. took great care of him.

Perhaps, I should add that the Tinubu family house at Kakawa Street, Lagos, was only a stone’s throw from Campos Square.