DR. OTOLORIN ADENIJI-BELLO (PhD, NMD, MS, MB) is an encyclopedia of contemporary Nigerian history.
He is one of the few men that fills the path of development in a country that needs to be conversant with her own political history as such a nation must equally do much to protect and peruse his intellect from time to time. Meeting him is a blessing in disguise.
Hearing from him is a miracle in style and listening to his story is a fulfilment of the sublime belief that time indeed heals every pain of history.
Born some eighty years back in Central Island Lagos now known as Lagos Island, Dr. Otolorin Adeniji-Bello is a bundle of history. In fact, he is almost the history itself.
The Author is equally a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine by training hates to be described as an Academic Historian in the Western Educational sense but he is indeed one of the first eye witnesses to the formation of modern Nigeria.
His own grandfather, Mustafa Abdullahi Raji (His father is Momolosho Abdullahi Raji) who was a dominant figure in the history of the Islamic Faith proliferation in Southern and Northern Nigeria is a direct brother to Utman Dan Fodio, Abdullahi Gogobir and Muhammadu Limroid (Lamurudu) the four pre-history migrant brothers who migrated to West Africa from Southern Egypt-Nubian (Sudan) root and route.
Saturday August 26th, year 2023 the Asiwaju Tayese of Egba Land turned 80 and it was celebrated with pomp and cheers courtesy Baba’s beautiful wife and close knighted friends including members of the celebrant’s Eko Boys High School.
The following Tuesday August 29th, Asabe Afrika TV crew met the elder statesman inside his three star rated apartment suite inside a Government Residential Area (GRA) in Ikeja as he was planning to jet out of the country to the United States of America.
We spoke to him about life at 80, his new book “Lessons of History for the Nigerian Republic and other world essays” (Volume II) and why the book is regaled with the many hidden sides of history. Dr. Otolorin opened up on the politics of the first Republic in old Lagos and early days Nigeria.
The ills and the beauties. How Chief Obafemi Awolowo being the most influential Yoruba political figure of the time wielded his influence on both the traditional society and politics. His influence allegedly caused bad blood between two royal brothers Prince Adeniji Adele and Prince Adeyinka Oyekan as Awolowo was said to have usurp the power of newly installed Oba Adeyinka Oyekan and gave the royal throne to Prince Adeniji Adele.
It was Dr. Otolorin’s grandfather that brought normalcy to the Lagos Royal House and finally chased Awolowo out of Lagos. The role of Chief Bode Thomas a dandy socialite and how he incurred the wrath of a former Alaafin of Oyo who laid a curse on him that made him bark like a dog till he died.
Bode Thomas was AWO’s ally and he died because of Awo. At 80, the Octogenarian Dr. Otolorin is loaded with the gift of clarity of mind and a profound sense of history that warranted him to tell us sacred activities of the past.
In this PART 2 of the Exclusive Encounter, he spoke on Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s political war with his protégé the erudite Chief S.L.A (SL Akintola) over his friendship with Northern Nigeria via Premier Ahmadu Bello.
You will find his interview and his Surprise 80th Birthday celebration interesting.
Enjoy
WATCH PART ONE ……here https://youtu.be/bjLHKhWkbxE
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Good research will enlightening our deeper knowledge of understanding who we are?. Most of the historians are pipe players and dictators of tthe tunes!.Eyi ti won ba fe ni fe ki a gbo …….
Instead of this old man to say that ‘Alafia’ was originally a Yoruba n that it was now found in the Hausa language due to the migrations of our fore father like the Ogbomosho and the Ijesha people trading in Fabrics otherwise call the Oshomalo’s . Amongst this factors enables language migrations to other parts of the society.
One of the tragedies of any intellectual is to assume that his/her narratives is the truth of the account. This is not true. What Dr Otolorin said was a narrative, and such narratives are just one side of the accounts. There are many narratives about what transpired in the Yorubaland in the first republic. From the narratives of my late father, the acrimony between Awolowo and Akintola is the same acrimony that Awolowo had with Balewa/Ahmadu-Bello. The fallout between Awolowo and Akintola, Zik, Tafawa/Ahmadu-Bello is the fallout between progressives and conservatives in the Yorubaland. Akintola, Zik, Ahmad-Bello, Akinloye, Penkelemesi, Akinjide, Olunloyo are conservative politicians, who did not believe in progressive policies like free education, free health, Industrialisation etc. The Conservatives were entrenched and controlled the Western region politics, but the progressive wing led by Awolowo, engaged in tribal politics to dislodge the Conservatives from the Yoruba Politics, in order to elevate the status of Yorubas within the Nigeria. Awolowo understood the politics more than the Conservatives and further understood how the British wanted Yorubas to be relegated in the scheme of politics and economy. Akintola and other conservatives opposed free education and they told Awolowo that if ''the children of the poor acquired free education, who will serve their own children''. Awolowo left Western house as Premier in 1960 and became an opposition leader at the federal level, but the Conservatives that British imperialism handed over Nigeria to, cannot transform Nigeria, and in fact, cannot replicate what Awolowo and AG did in 6 years at Western region. Dr Otolorin and his fore-father and father belong to the Conservative wing, and thank God, they did not prevail in Western region. Otherwise, the Western region would have been worst off after the end of the Civil war.
Also, the argument of Dr Otolorin that Awolowo wanted yes men around him was not true. The account of Professor Sam Aluko can lend credence to this assertion. Aluko criticised Western region budget, and Awolowo terminated his Master's degree scholarship at London School of Economics. But when Aluko finished his Masters, he worked with Awolowo, and he said Awolowo is best politicians he has ever worked with. In fact, Aluko said Awolowo would have done his personal research on any policy and once he is convinced about it, none of his ministers can change his mind except you have the superior ideas. Aluko said he was the only one who used to change Awolowo's mind with superior logic, facts and analysis. Therefore, the analysis of Aluko refuted what Dr tolorin said that Awolowo wanted Yes men. Awolowo wanted people who can challenge him intellectually and it was Professor Sam Aluko and Aboyade that were able to do that.
Dr otolorin is to Awolowo what chief George…..is to Tinubu. In fact he only gave a very myopic narrative of pa Awo from an opposition point of view. I don't think I can waste my time reading this hatred filled book..
Great presentation from Dr Otolonrin’s. This is a great presentation from someone who witnessed some of the events. However, from his choice of words we can sense his disdain for Obafemi Awolowo. Dr Otolonrin's presentation is too subjective.
His book can not change anything, old age is worrying the man, though he was an Akintola's boy, no doubt about it.
Awo, as good, intelligent, as he was,was never an angel!
I am an Author and Historian.
I will not recommend this distorted book on YorubaNation history to a child.
He is probably an indotrinated muslim intelletual and Conservative moroon.
One Dr. Haruna of Unilag once linked Yorubas with Hausas and this Dr in his attempt placade his sponsors link Yorubas heritage with his Fulanis.
He forgot the Fulanis came from Mali/Songhai empire. They traded with Yorubas consantly, hence they corrupted Yoruba words during their buying and selling interractions. He is muddling up cultural finese.
He is just echoing what had been written about Awo no new impetus.
As for you Asabe, STOP interrupting and putting words in the mouth of Your Guests.
Of course, he wasn't BUT what this man is saying is sooooo one sided and near slanderous. I almost ordered the book. Awo was jealous of SLA? what the heck is he talking about. Akintola welcome Sardauna to build a mosque in Ibadan, would Sardauna have welcomed a southerner to open a church in Sokoto. The man has dementia and Asabe did not cover himself in glory with this shambolic interview. Terrible
Asabe is a total disgrace in this interview
This Baba is a comedian, u can not untied Pa Awolowo's shoe, dead r alive, God will surely judge you for writing this your little book.
Asabe both of u r mad….. And this dude expect us to believe him😢😅😅😅😅 clowns
Fulani sociopath masquerading as a scholar