Obasanjo, Obadide and Obajoko: A Tale of Tradition, Attrition and Perdition, By Toyin Falola

[Olusegun Olopade]

Obasanjo, Obadide and Obajoko: A Tale of Tradition, Attrition and Perdition, By Toyin Falola
https://heartofarts.org/obasanjo-obadide-and-obajoko-a-tale-of-tradition-attrition-and-perdition/ 

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Olusegun Olopade (BSc. Computer Science)
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[cornelius...@gmail.com]

Without a doubt, this is the most stellar essay that has yet been published on this site, in celebration of beauty - including “age before beauty”,  a marvellously frank, heart-warming celebration of our traditional values, ethics, high culture, dignity.

 It’s an apt apologia now in place to meet the miscreants who want to get away with disrespect and neo-colonialism in the name of some purported “ clash of civilisations” 

It’s surprising that up to now, the essay seems to have elicited no response/s here.

It was with great joy (special pleasure) that I read Ojogbon taking the ever evanescent, often deluded and delusional Brer Obasanjo off his high horse, and it was about time that somebody did so. 

In the all too rapid modernisation process still sweeping across the nation like a tsunami or a burst dam, uprooting and swapping away everything in its way, in my view there's too much of  “the old order changeth yielding place to new” - often , in the name of a ”democracy” or a something else, too gladly embraced. 

What's this, for example?

To this day I lament / grieve / mourn the dethronement of the Emir of Kano

I have discussed some of the contents of the essay at length, with Baba Kadiri, and some of what he had to say, alternately incensed me, the rest almost brought me to tears. Once more, I got an education. It would be unfair to try to reproduce all that Baba Kadiri said, because apart from his encyclopaedic reach into the depths of Yoruba culture, language, political and military history ( some of which you cannot find in the Encyclopaedia Britannica) as you all know, no one can say it as it is, and say it like him,  or as he says it, in his own inimitable way

[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Falola truly knows how to write.

Thanks for highlighting this piece, Cornelius.

Thanks

Toyin

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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

It would be great, Cornelius, if Kadiri were to share that wisdom on this subject that you refer to

Could you encourage him?

Thanks

Toyin

On Thu, Sep 21, 2023, 9:34 PM cornelius...@gmail.com <cornelius...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[cornelius...@gmail.com]

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju,

I’m a monarchist at heart and more of a traditionalist, would concede to being slightly reformist but less of a so-called modernist.

As things are today, Nigeria is a Republic with all that implies about the status of chiefs, Kings, etc state governors and state treasuries that pay  their “salaries” “ allowances” “expenses”  -and in that example that Ojogbon gives about King Charles ( “I cannot imagine Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, expecting King Charles III to stand in recognition of him at any public event.”) Baba Kadiri says that Great Britain only has one king….

After my last chat with Baba Kadiri I spent some time checking out Bode Thomas who came to his untimely end 24 hours after a terrible flogging ,for not prostrating to you know who was peremptorily removed and banished to Lagos. ( I think that in the Judaic religion this Yom Kippur there will be two prostrations, and prostrations are only to 

 Melech Malchei HaMelachim // The King of Kings of Kings

I had a 45 mins chat with Baba Kadiri this afternoon , I pressed him on all points and he was  awesome and he progressed,  I gradually became more incensed than ever. However , unless he is prepared to state his case meticulously - it would run to several pages - circa a fifteen  minute read  - unless he's prepared to do that I'm not so enthusiastic about prodding him to take the bull/ bullshit by the horns because I fear that he would be on a collisions course with Ojogbon, he could take a lot of flak from unexpected quarters,  and as the African proverb goes, when elephants fight it is the grass that suffers. 

 Of course, you could appeal to him directly: Baba Kadir’s input is necessary and  would take the discussion to another level…

[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Thanks Cornelius

Are you not closer to Kadiri?

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[Michael Afolayan]

Wow, this is an essay for the Pulitzer Prize! For a man even Obasanjo himself often references as a friend (we've been to his penthouse together twice in Abeokuta), this is courageous. For a historian - not a literary critic, this is sensationally beautiful.  I applaud the depth of criticism, the truthfulness of the contents, and the style of crafting the essay. When humor and truth converge at a literary junction, readers have to enjoy a delta of language art, a good essayist's lucidity, and, in this case, a dagger of words that prick collective conscience (and consciousness) of the people.  I hope (and pray) that the man Obasanjo himself avails himself to read this serious treatise from a fearless friend. Ojogbon Agba TF, you did well on this. Seriously, you did!

MOA

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[Cornelius Hamelberg]

Yes indeed , I'm closer to Baba Kadiri, brotherhood, love and friendship,  but if you or Ojogbon appealed to him, so much respect for Ojogbon, just short of belly on the ground, full length prostration, I don't think the Baba could possibly refuse.

Anyway, I intend to beg him on Monday

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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Great, Cornelius 

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[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Magnificent analysis from Michael Afolayan 

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