Of Oke-Ona Egba Chapter 2 the King and the Royal Oloris
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1 10Years ON TEN YEARS ON A DECADE OF ROYAL SELFLESS SERVICE www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________2 KABIYESIALAIYELUWA OBA DR ADEDAPO ADEWALE TEJUOSO (1989-1999) A DECADE OF ROYAL SELFLESS SERVICE 3 10Years ON KABIYESIALAIYELUWA 0BA DR. ADEDAPO ADEWALE TEJUOSO M.A.; M.B; CH.B; DPH: D.I.H.; FMCGP; F.W.A.C.P. (Oranmiyan) Karunwi III Osile Oke-Ona Egba By Hon. Justice Udemola Kuti Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital, Abuja, Nigeria www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________4 © Oba Dr. Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso (JP) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publishers, Kabiyesi Oba Dr. Tejuoso and the author. First Published April, 1999 ISBN: 978-34838-3-8 Printed by Intec Printers Limited, Ibadan 5 10Years ON table of contents Dedication .................................................. Author's Letter ............................................. Kabiyesi's Profile ......................................... Acknowledgement ...................................... Chapter 1 10 Years of Selfless Service on the throne (1989-1999) of Oke-Ona Egba Chapter 2 The King and the Royal Oloris ... Chapter 3 A Case for Unity in Diversity Chapter 4 Egba Confederation Chapter 5 Egba in the Hands of Destiny Chapter 6 A Touch of Strong Pedigrees Chapter 7 One Bone Two dogs Chapter 8 The Hunter and Hunted Chapter 9 The Strength of the Egbas Chapter 10 A Progressive Ethnic Group Chapter 11 Many Deities of the Egbas Chapter 12 Age of Cavalry Chapter 13 Oba Karunwi III, Evangelical Movement Chapter 14 Dialogues and Compromise Chapter 15 So far so Memorable Revisited Chapter 16 In Reflective Mood Chapter 17 Oba Dr. Adedapo Tejuoso on Economic Issues Chapter 18 The Thoughts of Oba et al www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________6 Chapter 19 Quo Vadis Nigeria? Chapter 20 Proferred Solutions Chapter 21 Epitaph for a Noble Mother Chapter 22 In Retrospect Chapter 23 The Epilogue Chapter 24 About the Author 7 10Years ON DEDICATION Even though this book has been written about me and of the service to my community, I feel honour bound to dedicate same I i rst and foremost to GOD and then to a Mother who gave all to enable me serve the people she loved so much. My father of Messed memory who taught me family values and civic responsibilities - the man who dreamt my royal ascendancy and has kept faith since - Chief Oluyombo Akoni, Oluwo Oke-Ona Egba. My late Uncle Chief Akitoye Tejuoso, the former Oluwo Oke-Ona Egba. Also to Papa Chief Oliyide, Balogun Oke-Ona Egba, the entire Chiefs of Oke-Ona Egba and people, the entire Oke-Ona Egba Royal Families and Circle for their support, prayers and devotion to duty. Finally to ALL EGBA sons and daughters at home, abroad and in diaspora for a continued well being and prosperity of our fatherland. And for the Truth we all seek, for the love we share and the Justice and peace we crave for, and need as a whiff of fresh air; we should open our hearts and allow that Justice and Peace to reign in our homes, in our lives and in our land. Just for a split second, imagine a world at peace - Oh what a wonderful world. Thanks you and God bless. KABIYESI ALAIYELUWA OBA DR. ADEDAPO TEJUOSO www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________8 9 10Years ON www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________10 11 10Years ON www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________12 13 10Years ON PROFILE - OF HIS MAJESTY OBA DR AOEOAPO ADEWALE TEJUOSO, KARUNWI III, OSILE OKE ONA, EGBA, NOVEMBER, 1997 Kabiyesi Alaiyeluwa Oba Dr. Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso, the eighth Osile Oke-Ona Egba in Abeokuta was born in Lagos on I ebruary 19,1938 to Mr. Joseph Somoye Tejuoso and Chief (Mrs.) Esther Bisoye Tejuoso (Both of blessed memory). His maternal great grandfather was Oba Karunwi I, the First Osile Oke-Ona, Egba in Abeokuta (1897 to 1899). Oba David Sokunbi Karunwi 11, (1904 to 1918) his maternal grand uncle was the first educated and Christian traditional ruler in Egbaland. He laid the foundation stone of St. James African Church, Idi-Ape, Abeokuta. He was crowned on a very unique day of Easter Monday 04/04/04 by the Late Bishop Oluwole. Young Adedapo attended St. George's School, Zaria from 1941 to 1946. At an impressionable age of eight, his parents - providentially sent him to Abeokuta (Abeokuta Girls' School 1946-1948) to have a feel of his roots and preparing him as it were for the great responsibility nature has in stock for him. His primary school years ended at Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome- Kuti's class in Kemta Abeokuta 1949 to 1950. In 1951, the young Tejuoso was admitted to Abeokuta grammar school easily one of the best schools of that period. He was lucky to have the respected Rev. Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, a disciplinarian as the principal of the school. www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________14 Adedapo distinguished himself as a brilliant student and passed the West African School Certificate Examination in division one in 1956, the same year he was appointed the Senior Prefect of the school. As a young lad, Dapo Tejuoso had his own dreams; his ambition was to become a Medical Doctor because the profession was (is) highly respected in those days. As a major prerequisite for his medical training, he did his Advanced Level Studies at the Westham College of Technology, London between 1957 and 1958. Before completing his 'A' Level, he gained admission into the renowned University, Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) in the Republic of Ireland in October 1958 for his Medical Education. Given the strigent requirements of the first big three Universities in Great Britain and Ireland - Oxford, Cambridge and Trinity College - Dapo, as an undergraduate, had to study arts subjects along with the medical courses. So in June 1962, after four years, he bagged the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. In June 1964, he further bagged the degree of Bachelor of Medicine (M.B), Bachelor of Surgery (CH.B) and Bachelor of Arts in Obstetrics (BAO). In 1967 he was automatically awarded the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree of Trinity College, Dublin (T.C.D.). Dapo qualified as a Medical Doctor at the young age of 26 and returned to Nigeria bubbling with enthusiasm and high hopes to begin a medical career. For his housemanship he was at the 15 10Years ON Lagos University Teaching Hospital (Luth) under the watchful eyes of Professors Ade Elebute, Akin Adesola and Monnekoso, who combined to grill him in turns, in the practice of surgery and medicine. Not satisfied with his professional attainments and driven by the quest for professional excellence. In September 1966 Dr. Dapo Tejuoso went back to Britain and within a period of three and half years, he attended a number of Universities for his post-graduate programmes in Medicine - Universities of Liverpool for his Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (D.T.M. & H.), Bristol University for Diploma in Public Health (D.P.H.) and the University of London for his diploma in Industrial Health (D.I.H.). He has since become a fellow of the Medical Council of General Medical Practitioners (F.M.C.G.M.P.) and also a fellow of the West African College of Physicians (F.W.A.C.P). Dr. Tejuoso finally retuned to Nigeria in February 1970 to set up his highly successful Medical practice, the nucleus of which was, and still is the Teju Industrial Clinic Limited which has now metamorphosed into the Iyalode Bisoye Tejuoso I lospital (I.B.T.H). Following the death of his father in December 1968, Dr. Tejuoso had to combine with his industrialist mother to establish and tend the fledging Teju Foam Industry which was incorporated in 1970. It was his experience in Foam which helped to develop his business ethics that a businessman needs not be dubious or ruthless to be successful. What is required, www.obatejuosobooks.com________________________________________16 according to him, is the necessary foresight, honesty, perseverance, the fear of God and the blessing of God more importantly. In the immensely successful life of Dr. Dapo Tejuoso, his mother Chief (Mrs.) Bisoye Tejuoso (O.O.N.) until her death on September 19,1996, remained a veritable source of inspiration. In his autobiography "The Ultimate Honour" (1989), Dr. Tejuoso admitted that he got his business inspiration from the diligence and business acumen of his mothef. It was these qualities and much more which earned her the prestigious title of the third Iyalode Egba, a Chieftaincy title bestowed on the leading industrialist on the 24th of January 1982 by the Alake, Kabiyesi Oba Oyebade Lipede. It is possible that Dr. Dapo Tejuoso's wide ranging business endeavours may have made the idea of being a Rotarian attractive to him, given the high visibility of members of this International Elite Club. But more importantly, what inspired him into Rotary was that it is a selfless service-oriented organisation, as exemplified in its aim "Service Above Self". Dr. Tejuoso joined the Rotary Club of Ikeja on the 19th of February 1973. For the First five years he was not a very active member until July 1978 when he was made a director of community service, a feat he achieved without an election. He later rose (this time by election) to become the Vice-President of the Club, an elevation which also earned him the post of the president for 1980/81 Rotary year. His achievements were significant and it included the 17 10Years ON establishment of the Rotary Clubs in Isolo and Ilupeju. In 1980/81 under his presidency, his Club won the only meritorious award available in Rotary in Nigeria then, that is the significant achievement award.