The
death of General Robert Adeyinka Adebayo father of Richard Adeniyi
Adebayo came as rude shock. Why? This baba was a reference point and
always
ready
to lend his voice and render useful and meaningful advice to issues
that concern Yoruba in particular and Nigeria in general.
I
had my first personal encounter with this sage and military colossus
in 1993 when I was the manager in charge of promotions of KSA
Holdings. King Sunny Ade was organizing his foundation (KSA
foundation) and I was at the same time gathering materials for a book
I was writing on him.
General
Adebayo was a member of this foundation. I had an interview with him
which I copied verbatim below:-
“Sunny
is a nice man who respects his elders. He is humble and generous.
Though I met him by accident, I have not regretted my association
with him.
Ideally,
I am not supposed to be a member of his foundation being his elder,
because a foundation is supposed to outlive its founder, but as his
ardent fan and one of the people that propped up his musical career,
I don’t have other choice than to make him realize his dream.
I
met him through a friend, Late Chief Adeleke Osijinrin in 1967, few
days before the Nigerian civil war. I had just lost my Dad and we
were looking for a juju artiste to play at the funeral ceremony after
Tunde Nightingale told us of his in ability to play for us, because
of his earlier commitments.
This
friend of mine enthusiastically told me about this new juju sensation
in Lagos called Sunny Ade, we contacted him and he played for us at
Iyin – Ekiti and we all enjoyed his music.
Sunny
did one thing after the show that I had never experienced before. He
came to me with some of his band boys in the morning and offered me
all the money they made. He said the money was their own contribution
to my father’s funeral!
I
was surprised by this generosity, I noticed that he came to this
party in a chartered bus, so I called one of my friends who was an
accountant with SCOA motors and handed the money over to him. I
instructed him to give Sunny a bus when they got back to Lagos. That
was how he got his first bus.”
Why
did they tag him Owanbe
Governor? As could be deducted in this interview, General Adebayo was
a socialite and one can hardly blame him on this. The Western Region
in which he took over as the second military governor in 1966 had
just gone through a political turmoil.
This
was the “WETIE”
era; the period of bonfire when properties of political rivals were
been burnt, when human lives were not worth a dime
Chief
Obafemi Awolowo, who was the political leader of the region, had been
sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on charges of treasonable felony
by Alhaji Tafawa Balewa led Federal government. This did not go down
well with his followers.
The
premier of the Region, Sir Ladoke Akintola had been swept off by the
first military coup of January 15, 1966. Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi,
who came after Akintola was later assassinated along with the
military head of state, General Aguiyi Ironsi in a counter coup of
July 1966 in Ibadan the capital of Western Region! Tension was high.
Some of those who survived the imbroglio were thrown into jail. This
was the period of Jackals.
General
Adeyinka Adebayo brought hope. He brought joy. He brought peace. He
needed to reach out to all the warring parties. This he did
successfully in a place hitherto referred to as “Wild – Wild –
West”. This made him a regular patron at social ceremonies. The tag
“Owanbe”
could be translated as “Was he present at the party? And the
answer: “Owanbe”
he was present!
General
Adeyinka Adebayo had played his own role and he is probably giving
accounts of his stewardship now. Adieu the ever present Governor;
peace maker Baba Niyi, Baba Yoruba, our veteran war hero!
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