Regardless, we shall not present before the court damning evidence – when the freak accident occurred, the nearest doctor was an old boy of St. Gregory’s College. Good grief!! I am not at liberty to disclose his name. It is up to him to volunteer the information.
It was inevitable that the freak accident would engage the attention of social media. Perhaps, that was what prompted a Professor of Law at Stanford University to interject that if the accident had occurred in California, the police would have invaded the scene and cordoned it off with yellow tape in addition to seizing both the phone and the chair for forensic investigation. Thereafter, the legal process (criminal or civil) would commence – starting with the chair being subjected to laboratory tests by experts in ergonomics. Having regard to the fact that Chief Akinrele was a Trustee and former Commodore while Ademola, the Gregorian is a former Commodore of the Lagos Motor Boat Club, there is no chance that matters would proceed beyond accepting the will of the Almighty.
At Chelsea Football Club, those players who are relegated to the bench are those who cannot make the first eleven. In the case of Uncle Frank, he was in a class of his own. All the more reason why “The Gregorian” should have employed his abundant persuasive skills to steering his superstar father towards the bench – either local or international.
While we mourn the loss of a rare gem, the bench is still being kept warm for either Ademola and/or Adedolapo as well as Adebayo.
Truly, Chief Akinrele is fully entitled to the swan song:
“I Did It My Way” except that he never got round to writing his autobiography for which he had ample time following his retirement from the practice of law in 1986.
As for politics, he had a pretty dim view of Nigeria’s brand of politics and even dimmer view of our avaricious politicians whose incompetence and unscrupulousness he found most nauseating and baffling. He had come to the conclusion that the damage done to our national character has become irreversible.
What is beyond dispute is that he was an encyclopaedia endowed with vast knowledge and wisdom nurtured and nourished by his insatiable intellectual curiosity. He was always abreast of international affairs.
Not only was he a quintessential gentleman, his sense of humour was legendary. He was a raconteur extraordinaire.
It was consistent with his large heartedness that he readily supported my campaign as the next president of St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association. The case is now in court!!
When I presented him with the video tape of my posters being pulled down within the college premises and beyond; manipulation of the primaries; stuffed ballot boxes; compromised electoral officers; doctored list of eligible voters; announcement of wrong results; election being conducted after midnight and intimidation/harassment of my teeming supporters – all in an effort to rig me out, the great Chief was in top form:
“Election in Nigeria is not cricket!!”
Now that our nation is in disarray with insurgency, kidnapping, ritual murder and treasury looting as the order of the day is precisely when we desperately need a much longer life for the great Ondo Chief.
The national newspapers have today 3rd January 2019 provided us with proof of evidence on their front page:
- ) “ThisDay”
“We Are Under Armed Bandits’ Siege, Governor Of Katsina State, Alhaji Aminu Masari Cries Out.”
“Our state is currently under serious siege by armed robbers, kidnappers and armed bandits, who arrest rural people at the grassroots at will and demand ransom, which if not paid, they kill their victims”
- ) “Nigerian Tribune”
“Katsina Under Siege, Governor Cries Out”
- “Vanguard”
“Nobody’s safe in Katsina now, Gov Masari cries out”
- Says state under siege by bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers
- Discloses electricity poles stolen in front of Government House
- Visitors to Governor trailed, robbed after visit
It was his call but he chose to draw the curtain with the blessing of the Almighty at the ripe old age of 88. When Chief Akinrele was rushed to the hospital following his accident, the admission nurse enquired: “How old are you sir?” In spite of his considerable pain, in the tradition of King’s College he replied: “Two fat ladies” (in Bingo lingo it translates as 88!!).
If only the Gregorian had lodged his objection, the great chief would have felt compelled to tarry a while longer – to dust of his abandoned wig and gown and show up in court to defend himself no matter for how long the case would drag on.
Even in his old age he could sing the King’s College song: “Floreat Collegium” flawlessly. He had taken to heart the command: “When the call is sounded, we must all answer HERE!!”.
From all accounts, Chief Frank Akinrele was a very patient man. It was to no avail he awaited a counter motion or summons of the court.
In the end, he delivered his final goodbye to his family and friends with the cryptic message:
“I rest my case. The storm is over.”
The burial of Chief Akinrele is scheduled for next week. In the meantime, it seems inconceivable to venture into the ambience of the Lagos Motor Boat Club in the evening without immediately sighting the late Chief at his usual table reading the latest edition of the French newspaper “Le Monde”. One salutary lesson has emerged from the demise of the much adored Chief Akinrele, at the Lagos Motor Boat Club, old boys of King’s College now sit only on benches (not chairs!!) and they check that no old boy of St. Gregory’s College is lurking in the vicinity. They also leave their phones at home or in the car.
On a final note, a few months ago Chief Olufemi Majekodunmi (ex- St. Gregory’s College) and I were in the midst of a heated argument over his handling of the Chief J.K. Randle Memorial Hall when Mrs. Ibidun Akinrele walked in. Without prior consultation, we simultaneously declared that if there was a competition for the family with the most courteous and respectful children, the first prize would go to the Akinrele family. Rather than start an even more heated argument, I refrained from telling Olufemi that the prize already belonged to J.K. Randle.
May the soul of Chief Frank Akinrele rest in perfect peace.
Bashorun J.K. Randle
