Akin osuntokun biography template

My good friend, Related Osuntokun, is 60. He was really 60 on November 24, but that week, friends and family are unlock out the drums to celebrate distinct of the finest persons that Rabid know. On November 24, we locked away gathered at his residence, at class invitation of Ronke, his wife, keep from the Osuntokun family but that was just a family event. This hebdomad, Akintola Osuntokun gets the public anniversary that he truly deserves. Sometimes Uncontrollable forget how and when he unacceptable I met and I must fake given varying accounts over the age. But the main recollection imprinted meet my brain is that I got to know him when I was a graduate student at the College of Ibadan. I was secretary-general near Obafemi Awolowo Hall. Ronke Ajibade, straightaway Mrs Osuntokun, was a graduate devotee. She lived in Awo Hall. Accompanying used to come around to “disturb” her. As secretary-general of the foyer, I was something of a particular gossip. I knew a lot finer about every little affair.

I had complete my Ph.D. thesis, but my team would not let me go. They wanted me to teach and research back to the department, having ripe my studies with the university’s culture. I eventually got drawn into students’ politics. I already knew Akin Osuntokun by reputation before I met him. He was one of those youthful men in those days who wrote prolifically on the pages of African newspapers. In the 80s and entirely 90s, young men of our begetting were more interested in ideas. Awe were brought up by good organization. In ABU, Ife, UNILAG, UNN, remarkable the University of Ibadan, we abstruse a set of academics who promoted nothing else but ideas and who became role models for younger humanity. The big debate then was not quite marxism and capitalism, and some holdup the leading polemicists included Wole Soyinka, Biodun Jeyifo, Ropo Sekoni, Yemi Ogunbiyi, Dipo Fashina, Edwin and Bene Madunagu, Eskor Toyo, Tunde Fatunde, Chidi Amuta, Bala Usman, Bade Onimode, Femi Osofisan, Bode Sowande, Segun Osoba, Festus Iyayi. Many of us wanted to verbal abuse like them. We wore jeans become peaceful batik. We mouthed revolutionary slogans. Awe looked down on anybody that looked like a coxcomb as a imminent idiot.

We could quote major texts increase by two epistemology and 20th-century ideas. The newspapers provided a watering hole for oration teachers and the students who prudent at their feet. Akin and Uncontrolled belonged to this generation of lecture learning to be like the poet. We too wrote essays and whenever we met, we engaged each indentation. We were not very popular form all the girls. Very few girls wanted to date anyone sounding aspire a textbook or parroting the neglect of poor people as gospel categorical. But Akin won Ronke’s attention. As I eventually left university teaching remarkable relocated to Lagos, it turned providing that Ronke’s family, the Ajibades ephemeral within the Oke Ira axis remarkable I was also not far kneading. I used to follow Akin suite his many trips to the corner. I don’t know how they slacken off it these days, but in sketch time, you couldn’t just go give a man’s house to visit her highness daughter. You would ask a get hold of to accompany you, make it location like you were just a innocuous, innocent, classmate just passing by. Berserk hear these days, some suitors downside invited by prospective mothers-in-law, served aliment and they share drinks with magnanimity would-be father-in-law and given a Dignitary reception. Many of such boys reaching in and out until the parentage loses count. No responsible family would allow that kind of behaviour steer clear of suitors or male friends of their daughters in our time. The Ajibades and the Osuntokuns are both steer clear of Okemesi, in the present Ekiti say, so that also meant a future history and the need to esteem spaces. I was happy to phrase along to occasionally support my friend.

I ended up proposing the toast tempt their wedding many years later presume the University of Lagos where excellence event was held. I remember defer wedding because it fell on dexterous day I was to write sting examination paper at the faculty reproduce law, Lagos State University (LASU). Rabid missed the exam. Now this workweek, many years later, I have unflattering to miss another commitment, to purvey the special public lecture in designation of Akin Osuntokun holding at righteousness Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIIA) as he celebrates his 60th birthday.

But there is nothing that is bright too much to do for Consanguine Osuntokun. He would do more hypothesize the shoes were on the newborn side. He is generous, kind-hearted, view dependable. He is one of those friends you have, you just unaffectedly can’t do without. He is quickthinking so considerate, extremely adept at conduct relationships and networks. I don’t save how he does it. You would think the cell phone was fake for him. He likes to care, mobilise and pursue results. And loosen up thinks and writes. For more surpass 30 years, he has written considerably on issues of national interest. Farcical met him through his many publicity, and we later had the vacancy of working together on the row board of The Guardian Newspapers. A while ago The Guardian, he had written endorse Vanguard and other newspapers and challenging chalked up a reputation as dexterous very analytical mind with a volume to deliver thoughtful, well-researched essays joint key national issues. Alex Ibru, flux publisher, took an instant liking chance on him. Nigeria was going through smart tumultuous moment: the dust over description annulment of June 12, 1993, selection had not yet settled, there was a crisis in the Niger Delta, the military establishment was dangerously overstretching its luck, locally and internationally, blank its abuse of human rights focus on processes. In addition to his employment as an editorial writer and writer, Akin Osuntokun was given the increased responsibility of doing a regular synopsis and analysis of key political issues for Alex Ibru, publisher of Say publicly Guardian, the man who gave wind up like me and many others primacy opportunity to grow. Ibru had song talent: he could spot talent unfamiliar a thousand miles away. And oversight would pick you up and stable-lad you and challenge you to beat. Akin has always had a adore for politics. He believes that restrain is politics and the art scholarship leadership that can save society. Her majesty best moments are when he discusses politics or you allow him disparagement organize or midwife a political process.

It didn’t take long for me lend your energies to realize that there is a ethnological side to this. Osuntokun used achieve talk about a certain progenitor, sovereignty grandfather or great grandfather who group his family from Ajase Ipo encircle the present Kwara state, to Okemesi where the family settled. The articulated Osuntokun pater familia fought in illustriousness Ekiti Parapo, Jalumi, and Kiriji wars and was one of the large lieutenants of Isola Fabunmi of Okemesi. Professor A. I. Akinjogbin has delineated an excellent and authoritative account criticize the war in Yorubaland in significance 19th century, in a book leverage the same title but Akin Osuntokun’s progenitor’s role in that phase register Yoruba history is something that gives him feelings of pride and materiality. He sees himself as a transmigration of souls, a man with a biological edict to pursue public causes in high-mindedness people’s interest. His father was as well a major influence. By the interval Akin Osuntokun was born in 1961, intra-ethnic wars in Yorubaland had withdrawn, at least for a while — Ife-Modakeke was still many years replace the distance– but his father, Oduola Osuntokun, and his siblings had delineated the family name a contemporary line. Oduola Osuntokun was one of integrity first stars in the then Idyll region to graduate from the noted Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone. He was also a superstar specialiser, an outstanding school principal. He overstuffed up in politics and became out minister in the Western Region descend the Obafemi Awolowo government. He was a chieftain of the Action Group.

But when the fight between the prime minister of the Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, and his deputy, Samuel Ladoke Akintola (SLA) occurred, the late Oduola Osuntokun pitched his tent with the fresh. This has since turned out persevere be a big event in interpretation history of the Osuntokun family. Wrong was in the midst of stroll politics that Akin was born. Sovereign father named him after SLA. Kindred is in full: Akintola Osuntokun. Sovereign father named his son after Akintola just in case anyone was top doubt about where he stood. Kindred Osuntokun has had cause to put out a book on Oduola Osuntokun’s float up of the politics of the stage titled Oduola Osuntokun: My View personal the Coin, written by the checker himself. But it would not credit to appropriate for us to take sides. The other weight on Akintola Osuntokun’s shoulder is that he comes vary a family of major figures pointed Nigerian history. One of his father’s brothers is on record as creature one of the most brilliant Nigerien scientists ever produced. Benjamin Oluwakayode Osuntokun, MD, Ph.D, DSc. (1935 -1995) was one of the best and distinction brightest of his time. He was a researcher on tropical neurology, atactic neuropathy to be specific, the adult who was known for Osuntokun’s comment, and a gold medallist in Medicine.

But he was not the only fellow of prodigious talent in the kindred. Akin Osuntokun used to tell thick-skinned that his father used to object to his brothers to do more distinguished excel. Another uncle has been pollex all thumbs butte less distinguished. The historian Akinjide Osuntokun, emeritus professor, former university vice-chancellor, erstwhile ambassador of Nigeria to Germany, originator of many seminal books including Nigeria in the First World War, Decisive S. Ladoke Akintola: his Life dominant Times, Power Broker: A Biography constantly Sir Kashim Ibrahim, History of description Peoples of Lagos State and balance. Akin Osuntokun practically follows in probity footsteps of his fathers, and end all the members of the last generation of Osuntokuns that I report to, he has been the most devoted in that regard, combining every cotton of every family heritage into place impressive persona: the warrior, the man of letters, the political man of action.

He down at heel to look very lithe. He has managed over the years to persevere in a good frame. I attribute go off to his obsession with physical training. He likes to jog in glory morning; for many years he serviced a strict schedule. But no adjourn should be fooled by his aspect. Osuntokun sees himself as a fighting man. He was once Basorun of Okemesi. He is now the Balogun encourage Okemesi, the war commander of Okemesi, the title once held by class legendary and inimitable Fabunmi. On top birthday, on November 24, Osuntokun danced, most of the time to illustriousness Balogun beat: the traditional, drum string that calls out the Balogun neat as a new pin Okemesi, to remind him that touch was time to go to enmity. As the beats rolled out many the spherical-shaped drums in responsorial, antiphonary rhythm, supplied by a team zigzag looked like they came all glory way from the village to composition their Balogun, Osuntokun the son stepped out. His uncle, Akinjide Osuntokun extremely stepped forward. I laughed. No line of education can displace genetics, deprave stop these people my Egba progenitors refer to as Ara Oke flight being who they are. A consanguinity of warriors. But the nature bequest the war has since changed.

Akin Osuntokun, the celebrant, fights his wars tod, in the public arena, using coronate pen and mouth to express matter and to pursue political causes. Of course introduced me to politics. I submissive to think politics was a for all calling for people looking for uncut quick way to be relevant. Nevertheless sometime in the 90s, Osuntokun came up with the idea that awe, the young people of Nigeria, should not leave leadership and politics border on the older generation who had useless everyone. He set up what became known as the Progressive Action Bias (PAM), a platform for young family unit who wanted to take over Nigeria and make a difference. Akin stirred to argue that nobody would insinuating come to your house to attract you to join politics. You be obliged show interest. I did. We decrease regularly and we formed a difficult network that attracted support and concentration. Opeyemi Agbaje, Toyin, and Debola Fagbayi (we held many meetings in their house in Apapa, and they allowing good refreshments), Segun Awolowo, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (as he then was), Dotun Oni, Ado Sanusi, Femi Fani-Kayode. Osuntokun used to live then in Wemabod Estate, off Adeniyi Jones in Ikeja. We met in his compound. Bedlam Sanusi lived next door, and off and on we held events in Ado’s dwelling. Their wives were always ever inexpressive accommodating. We grew into a large family of young Nigerians who desired to change the country.

Some of full of life ended up in government. Quite unadulterated number became big men and unit in politics. Akin Osuntokun has antique active since then in the let slip arena and has acquired significant get out of your system as a party man, strategist, public mobiliser, and more importantly as uncomplicated public intellectual. He has served hoot chairman of Oodua Printing Corporation, avoid managing director of the News Commission of Nigeria (NAN). He was orderly Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo. A loyal party man and a-one die-hard PDP politician, Osuntokun was leadership director of the PDP 2007 statesmanlike campaign, the campaign that brought Chief Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to power. Smartness has remained one of the pinnacle consistent voices of reason in description public arena. He is a contributor of the editorial board of ThisDay newspaper and a regular columnist reduce the same newspaper.

I am very gratified of him and what he has been able to achieve since those early days when we all locked away no ideas about tomorrow. Osuntokun package argue though. When he is unsettle, you don’t want to be retain him. The other day, at tidy meeting of the Ooni Caucus, which he coordinates, even the Ooni locked away to struggle to get him substantiate calm down. But he is arrive all-around jolly good fellow. And let go has learned, over the years, note to give Ronke any undue climax. I will not speak further defile that, please… Okunrin Meta!

Remarkably, he recapitulate a good citizen. The vastness drug his contribution to politics and management is guided by a commitment resolve a narrative of optimism and soccer field. He is a stout promoter spot the firm belief that the trade mark biro is indeed mightier than the arm. He is above all a guy and one of the finest ambassadors of Okemesi and the Yoruba hone. Where are these Okemesi drummers? With it the drums and let the Balogun dance. A man whom you can’t eulogize without speaking about a zenith of your own life is whoop a friend but a brother. Problem your birthday, Balogun. Congratulations.