Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Silver Linings of a

Native Legacy

The Story of How an African Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa th Raised his Family in Late 20 Century Nigeria

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Introduction

Memory of the lifetime of the late Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa (JTO) is immortalized this publication by his wife, Dr. Margaret Ebuntolu (MEO) and his children. The character and footprints of our parents in history have been a huge inspiration to us, their children. Indeed, we take pride in their life-time achievement. Within ten years of his death in 2003 we have become dispersed families that have settled in Africa, Europe and North America. It is conceivable that the combination of education and opportunity will only increase this trend. We recognize that history is best and most accurately written in the words of those who lived it. It is to this extent that we offer the content of this literature. Exodus 34:7 reminds us that “I keep my promise for thousands of generations and forgive evil and sin; but I will not fail to punish children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their parents”

Psalm 128 of the Christian Bible states: “Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the LORD”.

Deuteronomy 4 verse 9 of the Bible states: “Keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons”.

Joel 1 verse 3 of the Bible states: ”Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation”.

“We grew up with this idea that success is the more distance you can create between yourself and the pack. But it’s really about how much of the pack you can bring along”, said Ms. Yoon, a Korean immigrant to the USA in the New York Times of January 9, 2013. The Scripture in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 state that: “None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others (v.24); not thinking of your own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved (v. 33)” To this end, character development in the JTO family has focused on (i) public service; (ii) personal and community charity; (iii) Christian faith; and (iv) republicanism. Republicanism stresses liberty and unalienable rights as central values; avoids aristocracy and inherited political power; expects every individual to be independent in their performance of civic duties, , and vilifies corruption. JTO particularly excelled in all, kept together his monogamous marriage, and maintained the discipline of his children. The reader will note these qualities in our recollections of him, in this book. He had some other admirable qualities. We, his descendants, have elected to be guided by this character endowment in our legacy. We expect that God will lead us into the future, growing in wisdom and statue. We have determined to continually remember his work produced by faith, his labor prompted by love, and his endurance inspired by hope.

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

The Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation (JTOF)

Since his burial in the front of his own house in Okoro-Gbede on May 10, 2003, his wife and children have continued to be guided by JTO ideals. We registered the Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation (JTOF) with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria in 2006 as vehicle for promoting programs within JTO ideals in our community and country. We have established a framework for raising an endowment to fund the activities of the JTOF in the near future. The JTOF has maintained and updated the JTO grave site, his records, as well as his Estates at Okoro-Gbede, Ilorin, and elsewhere. In 2007, we commissioned an hour-long video documentary of the story and testimonials of JTO by his contemporaries and family members, to commemorate the 5th JTO memorial. JTO-MEO legacy is being published on the tenth memorial anniversary in 2013.

Their GRA home was MEO’s primary residence since JTO death in 2003. The successful wedding program of our daughter/sister, Ms. Tinuke, at the G.R.A. home in 2008 was honored by attendance of our extended relations. During the first decade since JTO death MEO frequently traveled around the world to welcome the birth of each of their grandchildren. Their children and grandchildren have found God’s grace at our jobs and occupation; peace at our residences; and promotion in our careers. It is arguable that these blessings are providential results of JTOs labor in his lifetime.

Guide to the Future

While with us, JTO led us through singing a few notable hymns at every New Year cross- over services at home, including “Rock of Ages”; ‘’Oh God Our Help in Ages Past”; and “Abide with me”. We pray to God to be safely guided through the years ahead as we seek to develop the JTOF to keep alive the character endowment of our Legacy.

Rock of Ages Oh God Our Help in Ages Past Augustus M. Toplady, 1775 Isaac Watts, 1674-1748 See Psalms 18:2 paraphrasing Psalm 90; See John 14:18

O God, our help in ages past, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, our hope for years to come, let me hide myself in thee; our shelter from the stormy blast, let the water and the blood, and our eternal home. from thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure; Under the shadow of thy throne, save from wrath and make me pure. still may we dwell secure; sufficient is thine arm alone, Not the labors of my hands and our defense is sure. can fulfill thy law's commands; could my zeal no respite know, Before the hills in order stood, could my tears forever flow, or earth received her frame, all for sin could not atone; from everlasting, thou art God, thou must save, and thou alone. to endless years the same.

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Nothing in my hand I bring, A thousand ages, in thy sight, simply to the cross I cling; are like an evening gone; naked, come to thee for dress; short as the watch that ends the night, helpless, look to thee for grace; before the rising sun. foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die. Time, like an ever rolling stream, bears all who breathe away; While I draw this fleeting breath, they fly forgotten, as a dream when mine eyes shall close in death, dies at the opening day. when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne, O God, our help in ages past, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, our hope for years to come; let me hide myself in thee. be thou our guide while life shall last, and our eternal home.

Abide with me Henry F. Lyte, 1847, inspired by Luke 24:29

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide; When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see— O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour; What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness; Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies; Heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Apologies for Omissions

There are people who would rightly have a significant place in the story of the late Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa (JTO), and were unfortunately left out of this documentary. We apologize for any such character omission. We have written stories that our memories recall clearly over a sixty years period, and have accurately reflected the life and time of the main character.

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Origins

JTO (b. 23 July, 1935; d. 29 April, 2003), the patriarch of the JTO-MEO family, was the second child of late Chief Samuel Omotowa (Alaremu Okoro-Gbede; d. 88 yrs, 31 December, 1988) and late Mrs Naomi Omonare Omotowa (d. 90 yrs, February 1998). JTO’s parents were members of the Okafu clan of Okoro-Gbede, in Kogi State of Nigeria. Okoro-Gbede has a native population of about 8,000 people; with about 40 percent living elsewhere in Nigeria and abroad. Chief Samuel had four wives, namely in order of marriage, (i) Ms. Naomi Omonare; (ii) Ms. Ruth Omoboja (d. 1971); (iii) Ms. Adenfe; and (iv) Ms. Ebun. Chief Samuel Omotowa’s children numbered 25 at his death in 1988. JTO had five siblings from the same mother, namely, Mrs. Comfort Omosola Obagbemi; Mrs. Titi Ruth Jegede-Ojo; Mr. Peter Dare Omotowa; Mr. Paul Ajibola Omotowa; and Mr. Reuben Gilbert Omotowa.

Chief Samuel Omotowa (JTO father), 1979 Late Mrs Naomi Omotowa (JTO mother), 1981

Chief Benjamin Owonibi (MEO father), 1966 Late Mrs Leah Owonibi (MEO mother), 1980 5 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Dr. Margaret Ebuntolu Omotowa (MEO, b. 3 May, 1944) is the first child of the late Chief Benjamin Owonibi (d. January 1968) and Mrs. Leah Owonibi (d. November, 1997) of the Oda quarters of Aiyetoro-Gbede, in Kogi State, Nigeria. Her two siblings from the same mother are Mrs. Grace Ologe (sister), and Mr. Ademola Benjamin (brother). MEO was born into a polygamous family; has a step mother, Mama Rebecca Owonibi, and many step brothers and sisters, including Mrs. Taiye Ebiekuraju, Mr. Kehinde Owonibi, Mr. Idowu Owonibi, Mr. Alaba Owonibi, and Ms. Dupe Owonibi. Her hometown is the largest of the seven “Gbede” family towns that consists of Aiyegunle, Aiyetoro, Araromi, Ayeh, Iyah, Odokoro, and Okoro. Aiyetoro- Gbede has a population of about 40,000 residents, is located 13 miles west of Okoro-Gbede.

Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa (JTO) Dr. Margaret E. Omotowa (MEO)

JTO and MEO at College Baptist Church, Iwo, in August 1991 6 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

JTO Family Tree

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

JTO and Siblings at the burial of their mother Mama Naomi Omonare Omotowa

L-R (in white): JTO; Mr. Peter Dare; Mr. Reuben Gilbert; Ms. Ruth Titi; Ms. Comfort Omosola, 1988

L-R (in white): Mr. Paul Ajibola (rear row, bespectacled); Chief Raphael A. Ibitomi (Mama Omonare’s brother); JTO; Mr. Reuben Gilbert; Ms. Ruth Titi; and Ms. Comfort Omosola, 1988 8 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

JTO Family Portrait in 1975

L-R Front: MEO; Bola; Seyi; Babs; and JTO L-R Back: Uncle Reuben; Dele

JTO Family Portrait in 1977

L-R: Dele; JTO; Babs; Seyi; MEO; and Bola 9 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Partial JTO Family Portrait in 1986

L-R: Bola; Babs; Seyi Balogun; MEO; Seyi; Tinuke; Dele

JTO Family Portrait in 1987

L-R: Dele; Seyi, JTO; Tinuke; MEO; Babs; Bola

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Eulogy at JTO funeral in 2003

Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa, a.k.a “J.T.”, was born on 23rd July 1935 at Okoro-Gbede to Late Pa Samuel Omotowa (Alaremu of Okoro-Gbede) and Late Madam Naomi Omonare Omotowa. His parents, as Founder of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and Iya Ijo (“Mother”) of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Okoro-Gbede raised him in a Christian family. His more immediate paternal ancestry derived through migration from Oyin, near Owo (almost 70 miles south west of Okoro-Gbede), for his grandparents; to Iddo (now Iluhagba in Ijumu Local Government Authority, about 7 miles west of Okoro-Gbede), for his father. His maternal is derived from his mother as a native of Oke-Ofin in Bunu district of Bunu/Kabba L.G.A.

He was educated at CAC Okoro-Gbede (pre-school); United Central School, Kabba (primary school), Sapele Commercial College and Igbaja Teachers College (Secondary school); Fourabay College, Freetown, Sierra-Leone; and the University of Durham, U.K. (Postgraduate – PGCE, 1967). His career included teaching at the Government Secondary School (GSS) Kano (1964- 1966); Keffi College (1966-1968); G.S.S. Okene (1968-1973 | 1974-1975). He rose to become the Principal of schools between 1974 and 1976. He served Kwara State as Chief Education Officer (CEO); Chief Inspector of Education (CIE); and Director of Education (DE) between 1977 and 1986, when he retired from the civil service of Kwara State. He was appointed by the Military Government of Kwara State as Chairman, Kwara State Education Management Board between 1986 and 1990. At the creation of Kogi State in 1991, he was named to the same position in the new state, to begin the formation of Kogi State Teaching Service Board. After serving for a year, he retired to his private and community interests.

His outstanding community recognition was for the coordination of the Okoro-Gbede Community and other resources for the establishment of Okoro-Gbede High School in 1985. He was named the Akewela of Okoro-Gbede in 1985, an honorary chieftaincy title, by the late Olukoyi of Okoro-Gbede, Oba Abadunmi. This was a result of numerous community development services, such as the citing and maintenance of the Okoro-Gbede High School, the water project, youth and Church developments. He grew up and worked closely with many colleagues in Okoro-Gbede, particularly Chief Raphael A. Ibitomi, his maternal Uncle.

He married Dr (Mrs) Margaret E. Omotowa (nee Owonibi) of Aiyetoro-Gbede in September 1963; and they remained married together to his death. The marriage was blessed with five children. He was ill over an extended period, and was called home to glory with the Lord God on 29 April, 2003. He is survived by his wife and children, as well as his brothers and sisters. He is being mourned by his wife and children, who love and will continue to miss him dearly. We thank God for the good life that he lived.

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

JTO burial place in front of his house in Okoro-Gbede, 2008

JTO tomb in front of his house in Okoro-Gbede, 2012 12 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

JTO Family at his Funeral in 2003

L-R: Tayo; MEO; Seyi; Babs At Christ Apostolic Church in Okoro-Gbede, 2003

L-R: Dele and Bola At Christ Apostolic Church in Okoro-Gbede, 2003 13 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Mrs. Philo Omotowa and Mrs. Bolaji Omotowa at JTO funeral, 2003

L-R: Tayo; MEO; Seyi; Babs; Dele and Bola At Christ Apostolic Church in Okoro-Gbede, 2003 14 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

JTO FAMILY 2003 -2013

MEO in the USA, 2009 MEO at a family wedding in Lagos, 2010

MEO at Tinuke’s wedding in Ilorin, 2008 MEO in Jerusalem on pilgrimage, 2009

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Mr. Seun and Tinuke Fasina, 2008

Bola and Mrs. Bolaji Omotowa, 2007 Seyi and Mrs. Philomena Omotowa, 2007

Babs and Mrs. Tosin Omotowa, 2009 Dele and Mrs. Tayo Omotowa, 2013 16 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Partial family portrait, 2007 Partial family portrait, 2009

Partial family portrait, 2007 Partial family portrait, 2007

L-R: Seyi; Philo; Dele; Seun; Tinuke; MEO; Tayo; Bolaji; L-R: Tosin; Seun; Tinuke, at Seun &Tinuke’s Bola, at Seun & Tinuke’s wedding, 2008 wedding, 2008 17 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Partial family portrait, 2012

MEO holidaying with grandchildren, 2009

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

CHAPTER 1

Family Patriarch Reuben Gilbert Omotowa

The Genealogy

Born on April 8, 1953, I am the sixth and the last born of my mother, Ms. Naomi Omonare Omotowa and Pa Samuel Alaremu Omotowa. In the order of birth, my mother’s other children are Ms. Comfort Omosola Obagbemi; late Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa; Ms. Ruth Titi Omotowa; Mr. Peter Dare Omotowa; and Mr. Albert Ajibola Omotowa. Our late mother was the first of the five wives of our father.

Our father’s four other wives were Ms. Ruth Omoboja Omotowa; Ms. Adefe Omotowa; Ms. Ajinatu Omotowa (later divorced); and Ms. Ebun Omotowa (“Momo job”).

The children of Ms. Ruth Omoboja Omotowa are Mr. Amos William Omotowa; Mr. David Folorunso Omotowa; Mr. Moses Jeje Omotowa; Ms. Ayoka Omotowa; Mrs. Bosede Adelaye (nee Omotowa); Mr. Taiwo Omotowa; Mr. Kehinde Omotowa; and two dead children.

The children of Ms. Adefe Omotowa (“Momo Ajiboye”) are Mr. John Ajiboye Omotowa; Mr. David Femi Omotowa; Ms. Rebecca Omoye Omotowa; Ms. Bose (lives in Suleja, Nigeria); and Mr. Joshua Alake Omotowa

The child of Mrs. Ajinatu is Ms. Florence Toyin (nee Omotowa)

The children of Ms. Ebun Omotowa are Ms. Beatrice Omotowa; Mr. Job Omotowa; Mr. Jacob Omotowa; Mr. Gboye Omotowa.

Mother to Margret Dora Omotowa

Dreaming for the Stars

Chief J. T. Omotowa (JTO), my brother, got his primary education at Aiyetoro–Gbede and at Kabba. One of his classmates at Kabba was Sheidu (Suruku), a native of Iyamoye. In his lifetime, Alhaji Ahmadu Sheidu became a commissioner of police in Lagos state, and eventually retired as a police assistant inspector general (AIG). He died in an Indian hospital on May 12, 2009 after a protracted illness at the age of 73.

When I was a toddler in the early 1950s, my late brother traveled far away to Sapele in “south south” of Nigeria in search of early western education. He attended various modern schools in the current Edo and Delta States. His efforts and success at those schools in south- south made it possible for him to pass the entrance exam to the ECWA Teachers Training 19 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

College (ETTC), Igbaja in Kwara State of Nigeria. The ETTC Igbaja was a missionary–focused education institute. He completed his teacher training program in the college at Igbaja in 1957. Chief Sunday Akande (of Mopa, a former Deputy Governor of Kogi State) town and Pastor J. J. Ikusika of Okoro–Gbede; both of whom are now in their 70’s were some of his junior colleagues in Igbaja. Due to his industry and self–discipline, JTO was appointed as the labor prefect in his last year at the college.

Bonding to a Tower and a Farm Hand

From very early in life, all of us the children of Chief Samuel Alaremu Omotowa regarded JTO as the patriarch of the Omotowa family. He was a tower for all of us; one that we ran to in time of our needs, and mostly received financial and/or counseling support that we required.

Whenever he came home on holiday, from college, in Igbaja, I would immediately shift my place of abode from my mum’s living room to my brother’s own room. Our father had a large compound, with a room each for his wives who were living with him. Some of our dad’s wives lived outside his house elsewhere that he arranged for them. My brother lived in one of the boy’s quarters annexed by our daddy to his main building of about five rooms. I would stay with him throughout the holiday; and he never complained that I disturbed him or that I was a nuisance to him. Solicited or not, he accommodated my presence with brotherly love.

While he was home on holiday from college our father found him to be a great farm hand. He helped our daddy in his farming endeavors. He was greatly supportive of our daddy in his cocoa, coffee, and yam farms. He worked his hands to the marrow while helping our daddy on his farm.

Dividends of Education

Upon graduation in 1957, he attained some independence from the very hard duties of our daddy. This independence was both financial and physical, because, he now moved to two new places of abode in quick succession: to “Baba Tailor”’s house (where my sister Ruth currently stays, along Kabba road), and also to “Baba Malachi”’s house. I also moved with him where ever he went.

I witnessed one incident between my brother and our daddy in 1957. Having accompanied our daddy to his farm earlier in the day, precisely between 9.00 A.M and 2.00 P.M., he had returned home from the farm before our daddy. My brother picked to the key to our daddy’s newly purchased mobylette motorcycle and rode it towards Kabba. I followed him in the direction of Kabba on my foot; knowingly fully well I won’t catch up with him anyway. I did follow him anyway, just to admire that he could ride a motorcycle. About 30 minutes later our daddy rode past me on his bicycle as I trekked to follow my brother to Kabba, or wherever he was going.

Indeed, my brother had reached Kabba and was on his way back to Okoro–Gbede when our daddy met him at our current secondary site of the Okoro–Gbede High School (OGHS). Our 20 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy daddy quietly collected his key to his motorcycle and gave my brother the bicycle to ride back to the village. But my bother would have none of that. He passed the bicycle to me to bring home. At that time, was bigger than me and I could not ride it. I had to wait on that spot until I got somebody to help me wheel the bicycle home.

Our daddy was able to buy the motorcycle at that time because he was a very successful merchant of cocoa and coffee. Later on in life, my brother would buy Cortina (1965), Peugeot (1972), and Volvo (1977) cars. By then, our daddy would send for my brother at his post, whether it was in Ilorin, Okene or Keffi, to come and give him a ride as well as accompany him to many ceremonies. My brother always obeyed our daddy, without reservation.

Becoming a Community Man

While teaching at Okoro-Gbede in the mid-to-late 1950s, JTO identified with the youths. He bought them footballs, and practiced playing football with them. In those days, he would ride a bicycle for the thirteen miles stretch of dirt road from Okoro-Gbede to Aiyetoro-Gbede, during the period that he was still courting “Momo Dele” (that is, Dele’s mother). Immediately he returned from Aiyetoro–Gbede, he would put on his short knickers, and off he went to our primary school to coach the town’s players. He also followed us, either on bicycles or in our chattered buses, to advice players in our football matches with Aiyetoro–Gbede, Ayeh–Gbede, and Aiyegunle–Gbede community football teams. He was a very passionate and dynamic man in matters of community activities.

Birth Pains to Reach for the Stars

My brother was a teacher at home in Okoro–Gbede. Some of the teacher colleagues of my brother at Okoro–Gbede in the late 1950s include: Mr. Raphael O. Aiyenibe; Mr. Ayo Seniyi; Mr. Okanlawon; Mr. Ajiboye; Mr. P. A. Abadunmi; Pastor J. J. Ikusika; late Deacon Felix A. Fagbemi; and Mr. Paul B. KanJumi. He wrote his GCE London exams, passed it, and went on to attend the Fourah Bay College in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 1962 to 1965.

Before that time, between 1957 and 1962, I was at home with our mum struggling to enroll into primary school while my brother was the headmaster. However, acting on the instruction of our daddy, who apparently preferred us as solely farm hands, my brother didn’t enroll me. I tried without success for four years but was always told that I was not yet of school age. Each time, my brother sent me home from school unenroled. Meanwhile, after explaining the background to it to my mum, he would call me in the evenings and encourage me to wait till the following year. This denial of school enrolment also applied to my half- brother, Moses Omotowa. Apparently, our father’s policy was to train/educate one person from each of his wife, and keep the others for farm work. The good news was that my late brother also devised a solution to the embargo placed on our education by our daddy. He advised my mum to send me to one of our relations in Kano, Chief Jacob Bello. Chief Bello would be my foster father, and that will pave a way for me to attend school; or at least be away from home when my brother was in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The magic worked out very well! 21 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

The Tide Turned

I spent about seven years with the family of Chief Bello in Kano. I sold bean cake (or “akara”) and did little farm work during the first three years with them. However, through my creativity I got them to send me to school during the fourth year. Otherwise, I would have wished to be returned to Okoro–Gbede.

My brother got married to Momo Dele while I was in Kano, and they both returned from Sierra Leone to meet me in Kano. By then, He was a graduate teacher at the Government Secondary School (G.S.S.), Kano. I wanted to move back to him, as soon as he arrived in Kano, but he advised against it. It could have a wider implication to the Bello family if I did just that. It was from the G.S.S Kano that he proceeded to the United Kingdom (U. K.) for his postgraduate studies in Education. I recalled that before he left for the U. K., I accompanied him to Kano Township from our address at No. 2, Sokoto Road, G.R.A., to buy a bicycle for Dele, their first child, who was probably three years at that time.

Career and Development of Okoro-Gbede Community

He was a graduate teacher in many locations in Nigeria; including at the Government Secondary School, Kano; Government Secondary School, Keffi; Government Secondary School, Okene.

Some of his memorable close friends and colleagues through this period of his life include: Mr. Michael A. Ajibodun (of Ife–Ijumu); Mr. Z. O. Oloruntoyin (of Ikoyi–Ijumu); Chief Raphael A. Ibitomi (his uncle, of Okoro–Gbede); Chief Sam O. Ologe (of Aiyetoro–Gbede); Ologe (of Iyah– Gbede); Late Dr. Omole (of Iyah–Gbede); Alhaji S. I. Bello (Sardauna Ebira, from Okene); Mr. Musa Etudaiye (former deputy Governor of Kogi state, from Okene); Late Alhaji S. Dolapo (Kwara State Education Management Board, of Offa); and Late Chief Mrs. M. O. Audu (of Kabba).

Some of the people that grew up under his tutelage by living with him include late Mr. T. Otitoju Balogun; Mr. Ekundayo Bello (retired Commissioner of Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC in Abuja, of Aiyetoro–Gbede); and Mr. Benjamin (retired permanent secretary of Kogi State Government, of Olle Bunu).

He got transferred from G.S.S. Okene to the headquarters of the Kwara State Ministry of Education at Ilorin in 1975. It was at Ilorin that he served his hometown the most. JTO visited Okoro–Gbede very frequently from his career posts, to formulate and execute several community projects. One of such projects was the approval he got for the community from the Kwara State Ministry of Education to establish a high school for Okoro–Gbede in 1985. This feat was achieved at a high cost to his health and finances. I remember that in the teething years of the school, I had become a graduate civil servant with the Kwara State Government in Ilorin. I was entitled to, and was awarded a N3,600 car loan from the Kwara State Government. My brother proposed to borrow my car loan fund from to pay the arrears of salary for teachers at the newly established Okoro–Gbede High School (OGHS). On account of his integrity as an 22 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy individual, I obliged; and the school repaid me when their cash flow improved. That was an indication of the depth of his love for Okoro–Gbede. Single handedly, he brought a school to us about 35 years ago.

He was also instrumental to the construction of our existing Town Hall in Okoro–Gbede. In spite of his age, and status in the society, he carried stones on his head to the construction site in the mid 1970s.

He was vigorously involved in the search for a permanent source of water for Okoro–Gbede community. The search took him to Obalemo, Ipe, and Omibo many times for determination of the best major source of water supply to Okoro–Gbede town. The Okoro–Gbede town Health Scheme was established with a huge contribution from him.

Like our father, Pa Samuel Alaremu Omotowa before us, my brother never got himself involved in the chieftaincy issues of the Okoro–Gbede town. He distanced himself from politics as much as possible for him. In his days, he would remain indoors during elections so that he would not be linked with any political parties. Thus, he eliminated the possibility of being reported to his Ministry of Education at Ilorin.

Goodwill in the Family

He was the major source of financial supply to all the Omotowa family members. Irrespective of whom the mother was he paid their school fees, and helped most to secure admission to various schools. He helped to pay the school fees of many indigent students from the community and beyond, both at primary and secondary school levels. He didn’t withhold discipline from us. He punished us as appropriate, but we also didn’t to die.

When he was at the headquarters of the Kwara Sate Ministry of Education at Ilorin; or at the Kogi State Schools Board in Lokoja, JTO secured career Bursar appointments for many Okoro- Gbede natives in government controlled schools. Some of those he assisted include: Mr. Jallo Alabi (now in Warri, Delta State); Mr. Junior Kelly (now at the Pension office, Lokoja); and Mr. Ajileye.

Inspiration in the Community

He was a source of inspiration to all in the Okoro–Gbede community. Many parents referenced him as hallmark for their children. He never compromised with anybody on morality, responsibilities, industrious and on etiquette. If you want to be loved by him you better be industrious, honest and have integrity. He was never indicted for embezzlement, either at work, or at the community level. Indeed he used his resources to supplement whatever the community was able to contribute financially for their projects.

The community missed him greatly after he died in 2003. Since his death, the Okoro–Gbede community was not been able to embark on any big visionary project like the Okoro–Gbede High School or the Town Hall, which he spearheaded. The exception being the result of 23 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy efforts of the late Chief Osaseyi, a native of Okoro–Gbede who lived had in Kano earlier in his life. Chief Osaseyi, another inspirational and patriot leader in the town in the mould of JTO, was contributed the sole effort that brought electricity to Okoro–Gbede. Since their passing, the Okoro–Gbede community has missed exemplary leadership that they typify. The Okoro– Gbede community is currently merely maintaining those projects executed through the leadership of my brother, Chief J. T. Omotowa; and Chief Osaseyi.

Community Participation and Recognition

The reigning monarch in 1985, HRH Oba Abadunmi, the Olukoyi of Okoro-Gbede awarded my brother a recognition chieftaincy title of Akeweje, that is, leader or father of the town’s youth. He was a disciplinarian of the first order. Being much older, he had the discipline right over us and he used it. All the spankings his siblings got from him turned out to be for our future good. He would beat us with the right hand and the next moment drew us to him with both hands. He was a gem of a mentor. Even the Oba’s (traditional monarchs) of our town adored him, and they’d sought for his counsel. The leaders of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Okoro–Gbede also sought his counsel very frequently. He was a community man per excellence.

His Driving Core

JTO was a peaceful man. I did not ever witness his involvement in strife with anybody in and outside Okoro–Gbede in his entire life. This must be attributed to his obedience to the Scriptural injunctions like “it is to man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel” in Proverbs 20 verse 3; and “The righteous lead blameless life; blessed are their children after them” in Proverbs 20 verse 7.

My brother believed in the biblical stand that a good name is more desirable than great riches. Throughout his life time, he made sure to raise his children by a standard of strictest discipline and control. He and his wife were always good parents, and they collectively raised good children. He applied scriptural standards to the upbringing of all his children; and, by the way, I qualify to be one. Proverbs 22 verse 6 states that, “train a child the way he should go and when he is old he would not turn from it”.

I accompanied my brother on many of his travels, particularly those to West African Examination Council (WAEC) marking centers at Ilorin, Ile-Ife, Lagos, etc. As he drove during each trip, he would take time and every teachable moment to advise me to always choose to be diligent and committed to my studies; be successful academically, rather being “guy guy” (a.k.a. flamboyant) and fail. I heeded his advice, and I am eternally grateful to him.

The kind of life that he led is typified in Proverbs 22 verse 29: “Do you see a man skilled in his works, he will serve before Kings, and he will not serve before obscure men”.

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CHAPTER 2

My Devotion, My Life, and My Love MEO

Falling in Love

The relationship between my husband, JTO, and I started rather very early in my life. We met when I was at the last lap of my primary school education; and he expressed an interest to explore the development of a relationship with me. Early in my life, I lived with my newly married aunt away from my hometown, Aiyetoro-Gbede; and ended-up starting my primary school in 1953 at the age of nine. However, I worked very hard and achieved excellent performance in class examinations. This earned me unusual series of promotions so that I completed my primary school education in flying colors by December 1958. Primary school education was normally a 7 year program in British colonial Nigeria of the 1950s.

In primary school At WTC Kabba The primary school teacher

Portraits of young MEO

My achievement in the primary school spurred me to plan for my future; and to eventually earning a University degree. By January 1959, I was working very hard towards the March 1959 College [secondary school] examination; praying and studying day and night.

At some point I reviewed the sequence of events ahead towards achieving my end goals; the uniqueness of each stage I had to go through in my life and my education; who would be responsible for the financing, and wondered to myself, “why?, and what is the worth of

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy starting a relationship with any man at this point in my life?” My mind was not settled on the prospects. Although, I turned down the idea, my decision did not change his mind and did not relent. He persisted to purse my attention despite the negative attitude that I put up. He was focused on making me understand that the span of our individual lives was going to be shaped by the potential strength of a love relationship between us.

Meanwhile, I succeeded in the examination and finally received the letter of admission to the college of my choice in October 1959. I was happy and welcomed JTO’s advances for a relationship. In January 1960, our six years courtship commenced. I resumed at Kabba Women Teachers Training College on January 27th, 1960. By August the same year, JTO got admission into the Fourah Bay College (a University) in Freetown, Sierra Leone. He left for Freetown in October 1960. We maintained a long distance relationship by communicating regularly. The distance did not destroy our relationship because we had established a godly relationship.

My 3-year Teacher Training Course spanned January 1960 to December 1962 and I performed brilliantly in the final results. Successful completion of my training triggered an automatic job placement as primary school teacher with the, then, Kabba Division Joint Education Board (KDJEB). In January 1963, I was posted to be in-charge of Class five at the Aiyetoro-Gbede Primary School. I taught in the school for 9 months.

Marriage and Honeymoon

I got married to JTO on September 16th, 1963. The District Officer, Mr. Gordon Rogers administered the Court Registration of the marriage license on September 16th at Lokoja, the capital city of Kabba Province. The church wedding on September 20th held at the Christ Apostolic Church in Okoro-Gbede, and was performed by Pastor J. D. Bejide, Pastor-in-charge of CAC Kabba District.

After the marriage ceremonies, JTO and I immediately left for Lagos to process the necessary documents for traveling to Sierra Leone, where JTO was currently undergoing his education at the Fourah Bay University in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Processing of the valid travel documents was completed within ten days. From Lagos, we both set out to Sierra Leone by an Elder Dempster ocean liner on October 10th, 1963. See http://cruiselinehistory.com/elder- dempster-line-one-of-the-uks-largest-shipping-companies/. The government of Sierra Leone recognized us as ‘free’ laborers traveling on our own individual initiative, and we embraced it.

When we arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone JTO had to board on the University campus, while I stayed in the town at the home that we rented, causing weekly temporary separation between us because I saw him only on weekends. There was no facility for family housing on the University campus. Although, this arrangement was uncomfortable for newly married couple, and brought a lot of stress with it, we agreed that his studies took precedence over all other needs. This did put the survival of the new marriage in God’s mercy. In retrospect, I thank God for His sustenance, presence, and preservation of our marriage through that 26 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy period. The government of Sierra Leone recognized my Nigerian teacher’s certification and, eventually, I secured a teaching job at a primary school of the Freetown city’s Christian Mission. By God’s grace, that reduced boredom in my life.

JTO at Fourabay College in Freetown, 1964

Starting a family

The birth of our first son, Dele, really made a great difference in our lives. Our relational inadequacies were quickly minimized by the presence of the baby. God’s intervention revealed His love and understanding to overcome persistent complaints and obfuscation that usually produced a charged atmosphere. We became very accommodating, peaceful and raised a loving family.

Family fate in 1960s Northern Nigeria

My husband completed his studies successfully in record time, and we returned to Nigeria in July 1965. On our arrival to our country, the Northern Nigerian government posted JTO to Government Secondary School, Kano to teach English and History. MEO was posted to teach at the Baptist Primary School in Sabongari, Kano. The relationship with my husband improved significantly after the birth of our second son, Bola. However, we could not stay long in Kano, because of the frequent rioting. The situation in Kano got out-of-hand as we were still rejoicing his birth. 1n 1966, every non-native of Kano ran helter skelter for our dear lives.

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Dele; JTO; MEO, 1964

Kano

The mid-1960s riots in Kano demoralized us a lot. In the middle of all the pandemonium my husband traveled to the United Kingdom for a 9-months graduate study at the University of Durham. I had to travel home to live in Okoro-Gbede with the little kids. The terrorism in Kano gave us a great concern, and we decided to not return to Kano. I preferred to remain with my husband relation until my husband returned from England. I had no job there in Okoro-Gbede. That exposed our young family to significant financial hardship and fatigue, but the Lord saw us through all the rather bitter experience.

Keffi

Fortunately, on his return at the end of his course in the U. K., JTO was immediately posted to Government Secondary School, Keffi while I was transferred to Baptist Primary School, Keffi (currently in Nasarawa State). Keffi was peaceful, and the people were friendly, and we had a nice time living in Keffi.

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Boundaries of the four administrative regions of Nigeria between 1963 and 1967

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The First State Creation

The era of States creation in the history of Nigeria began in 1967. The military administration created twelve States out of the 1963 demarcations of four (Northern, Western, Eastern and Midwestern) administrative Regions. According to the indigenization decrees of the Federal Government of Nigeria, by the end of the 1967 civil servants had to move to their native states. The time saw mass migration from one city to another, some traveling by road for as long as two thousand miles to in the native state of ancestral origin. The Kwara State Ministry of Education at Ilorin posted JTO from GSS Keffi to GSS Okene to teach History and English. My transfer from Baptist Primary, Keffi, to Okene Local Government was not automatic because I was not a civil servant by then. Therefore, on our arrival in January 1968, I started seeking for Teaching appointment under the then Okene Local Government Authority (LGA).

Eventually, after staying at home without a job for eight months I finally got a job in September 1968. This bitter experience was not peculiar to me alone. It affected all the spouses in the same category with me. Some spouses stayed home for one year before they were employed. According to the officer in charge of Employment getting a job depends on the needs.

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

First Sojourn in Okene

We lived in Okene for five year until 1973, when my husband was transferred to Government Secondary School (GSS), Dekina, and promoted to be the Principal. Although, JTO arrived at the GSS Okene as an Education Officer I (starting point for graduate teachers) in 1968, he received many promotions and had risen to the status of Principal Education Officer, and Vice-Principal of GSS Okene by 1973. By this time, our family size had increased to include our four boys, Dele, Bola, Jolayemi Babs, and Seyi.

At the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria

In 1972, I gained admission in to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria to pursue a diploma in Fine Arts between 1972 and 1975. JTO’s transfer from Okene to Dekina took place after I had left for ABU, Zaria. I went to Dekina during University holidays and vacations. Luckily for me, during my June – August 1974 long vacation time with the family we received news of his transfer back to GSS Okene as Principal.

MEO graduation from ABU After MEO graduation from ABU MEO graduation from ABU Zaria, 1975 Zaria, 1976 Zaria, 1975

By June 1975, I completed my course at ABU, Zaria. On my return, I automatically became an Assistant Education Officer (AEO) and was posted to Okene Teacher’s College, Okene. By then, the Kwara State Ministry of Education maintained a policy that a Principal and his teacher-spouse may not be posted to the same school.

Promotion and Transfer to Ilorin

So, I reported for duty in a new school to teach Fine Arts. The principal of Okene Teacher’s College in June 1975 was Mr. D. O. Ogundele. I taught in the school for six month between June to 31 | P a g e

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December 1975. Then, again, JTO got transferred from Okene to Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State. JTO was posted to the Ministry of Education as Principal Education Officer in charge of Secondary Schools. I was posted to Government Secondary School, Ilorin to teach Fine Arts.

JTO and MEO in the Community, 1975

At the time we were leaving Okene for Ilorin, our eldest son, Dele, had already started his secondary education at the Government Secondary School Okene, now renamed as Abdul Aziz Atta Memorial College (AAAMC), Okene, where his father was the principal. By 1975, Dele was eleven years old and was already in the second year in the school. I persuaded my husband, his father, to transfer the boy to a school in Ilorin, so that we could go to Ilorin together. But his father overruled my suggestion, basing his judgment on the knowledge of the set standard while he was Principal at AAAMC. He actually believed that the educational standard in the school was comparable to that at the Federal Government College, Ilorin. And for the first time in his life the boy was left in Okene, to struggle alone with life without the parents around him.

JTO in the Community, 1975 JTO and MEO in the Community, 1975 32 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Family Gets To Ilorin

My husband assumed his duty at the Kwara State Ministry of Education in Ilorin precisely on the first day of work in January 1976. But because the schools in the State had not re-opened after the Christmas and New Year holidays, I had to wait until January 11th, 1976 to assume my own teaching duty position at the Government Secondary School, Ilorin. I worked in the school just for one month, and was transferred to Queen Elizabeth School (Queen School), Ilorin. The reposting was necessary adjustment to take care of the rather long distance I had to drive daily through Ilorin town between Government-allocated quarters and GSS Ilorin.

JTO in the Community, 1976 JTO and MEO in the Community, 1977

Boundaries of the nineteen states of Nigeria between 1976 and 1991

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Going to New York

While teaching at Queen School Ilorin in 1978, I gained admission to New York University (NYU) in the USA to study for a Masters degree in Art Education. I left Nigeria for New York on September 16, 1978 and left our four boys with their father in Ilorin. Initially, when the admission came through my spirit weakened within me at the thought of the reality that I will be separated from my family for a long time. Although, my husband gave me strong encouragement and promised to ensure the safety and well being of everyone that I was going to leave behind, particularly the boys; it was the spirit of God that comforted me, saying “Go, I am with you and the family”. Then I made up my mind to go through with it. I left everything in the hand of God and my husband.

Bola & Babs, returning from JTO farm at Adewole Estate, 1979

Cousin Emmanuel Oyeunmi and Babs, returning from JTO farm at Adewole Estate, 1979 34 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Bola; Seyi; Juwon Balogun; Dele, at JTO’s Agbo Oba home, 1979

The last day before my flight, we all went to Lagos; I could not believe that I would be leaving the children behind. The time came that I was heartbroken I could not look at the children. Babs and Seyi accompanied us to the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA). At the MMA; when my name was called to board, I couldn’t answer. I walked like a dumb person and stood in line. I did not notice that my co-travelers to New York boarded the plane until someone actually tapped me and said “woman, move forward!”

During the flight, I became very sad. Overwhelmed by my predicament, and in anticipation of the experience ahead of me, I could not speak with anyone when the plane landed at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport, in New York. I was able to gather myself properly only after seeing my name on a tag pinned in the front of a young man, who moved forward to where I was standing. He asked if the name on the tag he was carrying was mine. After I answered in the affirmative, he searched for my luggage, cleared them, and drove me to New York University NYU’s Foreign Students Affairs Office. It was then, at the office that it dawned on me that I had arrived at an entirely different environment; unfamiliar to my recent contemporary convenience.

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MEO in Manhattan, New York, 1978 MEO at NYU, New York, 1979

During what I termed”the welcoming interview”, I was asked several questions, in quick succession by the staff of the NYU Foreign Students Affairs Office. I was later taken to my hostel. The first thing I did was sit to down in the room, prayed, and thereafter, started writing a letter to my husband, asking about each child. What happened when they had arrived back in Ilorin after seeing me take off from Lagos? I asked about the food they ate, and how they felt, etc. This was the period of history when telephone communication between the individuals in the United States and in Nigeria was very limited, and could be very expensive for an average student.

MEO at NYU, New York, 1979 MEO at NYU, New York, 1980

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

My first two weeks in the school was a traumatic period. I had headaches everyday and could not concentrate. I was referred to the University’s clinic, where a thorough medical examination was performed on me and I underwent extensively series of tests. A medical review of the results got the doctor to congratulate me. He told me that there was nothing wrong with me. He suggested that I was probably thinking too much about my family back in Nigeria. I was advised to drink a lot of juice, for my persistent headache to subside. This woke me up from my slumber, and I took heed to the advice of the doctor and I started to work very hard, so that I could return back to Nigeria as early as possible.

MEO graduates from NYU, New York, 1980 MEO obtains an M.A. from NYU, 1980

Paying for my education in New York University was a great thorn in my flesh. Before I left Nigeria, I had attended an interview for scholarship with the Kwara State Government. I expected a positive outcome, and that the result would be out in good time, so that I will be able to pay my school fees without any strain. But the results were not released on my expected schedule. It was eventually released when I was writing my last examination in Fall semester of 1979. Thanks to God, I had remitted one-year fees for Fall 1978 and Spring 1979 semesters to the school before I left Nigeria. When there was no sign that I would have scholarship from Nigeria to pay my fees for the approaching second year I quickly wrote to my husband to sell my car, that I had parked away before I traveled, and send the proceed to me. Upon receipt of my letter, he did just that, and pretty quickly too. I was then able to pay for my studies, and completed my studies on schedule in mid-February 1980. I returned back to Nigeria on February 20, 1980, the day after I wrote my last examination paper for the M. A. degree in Arts Education. 37 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Photos from the inauguration of Okoro-Gbede High School in 1985:

L-R: Late Chief Sunday Awoniyi (Aro Mopa); Late Chief (Mrs) M. O. Audu (Kabba), & JTO, 1985

Late Chief (Mrs) M. O. Audu and JTO, 1985 38 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Late Alhaji S. O. Dolapo (MOE Chief, from Offa), and JTO, 1985

Returning from New York

It was a glorious re-union! Glory is to God. The new degree triggered my promotion from an Assistant Education Officer II position to Assistant Education Officer I with the Kwara State Ministry of Education. On my arrival, I was posted to Ilorin Teachers College, Ilorin, for my National Youth Service Corp (NYSC). The NYSC program is a re-integration initiative of the Federal Government since the end of the Nigerian civil war. The program mandates yearlong post-degree non-military national service in Nigeria. Immediately after the NYSC service year, I was posted back to my former station, at the Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin.

MEO in NYSC, 1980 Happy JTO, 1980 39 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

MEO in the Community, 1980

MEO with her sisters from Aiyetoro-Gbede, 1980

A Girl in the Family

God works in a way no-man can understand. It was during my NYSC that I got pregnant. Then we had our fifth child, a baby girl, Tinuke, in 1981. I give the glory to the Lord. Although, this was a long expected development, it was pleasant to discover that the baby was a girl when she arrived. Nevertheless, the gap between her arrival and the birth of her immediate senior brother was caused by my devotion to better my educational career.

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L-R: JTO; MEO; Mrs Ipinyomi carrying Tinuke; Mr. Ipinyomi at the Agbo Oba home, 1981

MEO; Mrs Janet Ibitomi; Chief (Mrs) Victoria Ibitomi holding Tinuke; Jide Ibitomi & MEO relations, 1981

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Tinuke’s first birthday, 1982 Tinuke’s sixth birthday, 1987

Tinuke, at the GRA home with Babs looking from the right, during a monthly Saturday Environmental sanitation exercise, 1985 42 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

L-R (standing): Mrs. Bosede Omotowa; JTO. L-R (sitting): MEO holding Bunmi Ibitomi; Ife Ibitomi; Tinuke; Bunmi Ata; Bunmi Onare; Shade; Mrs Lati Ibitomi. L-R (floor): Bukky Johnson; Muyiwa.

JTO and Tinuke, 1988 Babs & Tinuke, 1991 43 | P a g e

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Tinuke Segun Ibitayo; and Tayo (from Afon), 1989

Tinuke and Tayo, 1985 Tinuke and Tayo, at graduation, 1990 44 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

L-R: Bola; Segun Ibitayo; Bukky Johnson; Bunmi Onare; Tinuke; Mrs. Tayo; Bunmi Ata; Muyiwa; Opeyemi, 1990

Tinuke’s primary education was at St. Joseph Primary School, Ilorin while her secondary school was at Federal Government College, Ilorin. Afterwards, in 2002, she gained admission to the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, U. K., where she earned her Bachelors degree in Nursing, in 2007. She took up employment in one of the hospitals in Aberdeen. She married Mr. Oluwaseun Fasina in 2008, and their marriage is blessed with a baby boy.

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Dele leading Tinuke into the church on her wedding day, 2008

A JTO grandchild; Tinuke; Tayo Omotowa, 2012 46 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Uncomfortable set of events

Deservedly, my husband received many steady promotions from the Kwara State Ministry of Education. When I returned from New York, he had become a Director of Education in the ministry. He was working hard at his job; and soon enough he became the subject of workplace bitterness, peer envy, and even hatred. There were traumatic events in 1980 to 1982 that were believed to be the results from the negative attacks that he received at work. He was diagnosed of exhaustion, and had a left-eye-gorging accident that was caused by flying metal water pipe that disengaged from a truck ahead of him. But for God’s mercies and kindness, this accident could have rendered him blind. Yet, he had to continue his work at the Ministry until 1983, when many of his co-workers were compulsorily retired. He became very unhappy and was psychologically very disturbed in the job. At that point, at 50, he began to put together his papers for retirement.

Face-plastered JTO (right) in a prayer session with visiting ministers after “an eye-gorging accident from flying metal water pipe that disengaged from a truck ahead of him”, 1981

JTO Early Retirement

He was able to collate his papers by early 1985, and he tendered them for his voluntary retirement. His voluntarily retirement from the service of the Kwara State Government was accepted in early 1986.

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JTO in his Volvo Model 244DL, 1981

JTO and MEO at a Church service, 1985

JTO Post-Retirement Service at the Kwara State Education Management Board

Shortly after he went into retirement, in 1986, he was appointed by the Military Administrator of Kwara State to serve as Chairman of the Education Management Board for

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy the State. The day-to-day running of the non-government schools (primary and secondary education) that were privately owned were under the management of the Board that he now chaired, in an executive capacity. The Government owned secondary schools were still administered by the State Ministry of Education.

JTO and MEO, 1987 JTO, 1988

He served on the Board for two 4-year terms. However, during his second term, in 1991, another set of State creation exercise was promulgated in Nigeria, by the federal military authorities. Using the registered place of birth as basis, we had to belong to the newly created Kogi State of Nigeria. This would ordinarily require him to terminate his appointment with the Kwara State Government. However, the new military administration in Kogi State requested him to transfer the tenure of his second term from Kwara to Kogi State by the end of 1991. Thus he was the inception Chairman, and began the building of the Kogi State Teaching Service Board from 1991.

The Study In-Service Program

In February 1988, the Kwara State Ministry of Education promoted me to the status of a Principal Education Officer, and immediately I was posted from Queens School Ilorin to Government Day Secondary School Tanke, Ilorin as the Vice Principal. By then, Mrs. S. Dolapo 49 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy was the school Principal. As Vice Principal, I applied to University of Ilorin to undertake study and research towards my doctorate degree. I got an admission in December 1988 to study Educational Technology. By January 1989 I started the course-work. I was on this program when, in May 1991, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced another state creation in Nigeria. Kogi State was carved out of Kwara State.

The associated mass migration and relocation was stressful for us at this stage of our lives. The economy in Nigerian economy had suffered significant setback and moving can have many undetermined risks. Therefore, personally, I was very fortunate to have started my course two-years earlier. I was on a Study In-Service program of the Kwara State Government and needed to complete my course in Ilorin before going to Kogi State to work. This created the situation that I remained in Ilorin with our children while my husband worked in Lokoja, Kogi State capital. Between 1991 and December 1992, JTO traveled the Ilorin-Lokoja-Ilorin circular route as frequently as he could to re-unite with his family.

MEO Earns a Doctorate Degree

I continued as Vice Principal of Tanke GDSS and as student of the University of Ilorin until I successfully completed and defended my doctoral dissertation in the Department of Educational Technology in January 1993. Subsequently, I travelled to Kogi to assume duty at the Government Day Science School Kabba as Vice Principal in 1993. By this time my husband had retired from Kogi Teaching Service Board and was staying at Okoro-Gbede, his hometown. Kabba was some 8 miles away from Okoro-Gbede, and I moved in with my husband at our home, and traveled daily to and from work at Kabba.

L-R: Babs; Tosin; MEO; Olaolu; Tinuke; Mrs. Grace Ologe; Mr. Sunday Iwalaiye; Bola, 1993

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MEO, 1993 MEO & Olaolu, 1993

Our Children Leave to Start Their Own Homes

In the 1990s, our children continued their education in Ilorin; with Tinuke at the Federal Government College, Ilorin; Dele and Seyi at the University of Ilorin, Ilorin. Much later, after the studies in various institutions, God provided the boys with jobs in Ilorin after their University education. After settling down at their jobs, each of the four boys got married at various stages of their lives between 1991 and 1999.

JTO Illness Starts

By October 1994 my husband became sick and was hospitalized at the Kabba Specialist Hospital. His ailment was not diagnosed, and his health condition did not improve during the first two weeks. I requested for his transfer to a better equipped medical facility at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH). We arrived at this facility in December 1994, initially as an alternate-days out-patient for medical attention until his health improved. Although he did improve there was enough concern for him to require continuous monitoring of his health. We had to continue to visit the teaching hospital on regular schedules.

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MEO Early Retirement

At this point, I had to be shuttling between Ilorin and Kabba, working two weeks at Kabba, and spending the other two weeks attending to the needs of my sick husband. After shuttling for some ten months, it appeared that my own health was also at stake. The situation was very awkward and disheartening. I decided to disengage my service with the Government of Kogi State, to take care of my sick husband on a full time basis. Ordinarily, since I only returned from some years of study leave it would be difficult for the Kogi State Government to approve my disengagement. However, after several efforts to persuade the state government of our peculiar predicament, my retirement papers and letter of disengagement was accepted in 1995. This allowed me become a full time care giver; spending my time with him in our G.R.A. Ilorin home; help him to his hospital appointments; and to administer the necessary home care.

MEO on the Schools Primary Education Board

By February 1996, the Kogi State Government offered a term appointed MEO as a Permanent Member of the Schools Primary Education Board (SPEB) in Lokoja. With this appointment, my husband encouraged me to leave for Lokoja, the state capital, some one hundred miles away. By some providence, his health had improved to the point that I could risk going to work in Lokoja with monthly return trips back to Ilorin to see, and attend to him for a few days. I thank God that there was no downturn in his health while I was at this job to the end of my term on the Board. The Board worked hard and forged am excellent team that improved the curriculum, educational standard and physical infrastructure of the state primary schools. The Members interacted with parallel administrative Boards from other states during meetings at the national headquarters of the National Primary Education Commission (NPEC) in Kaduna, Nigeria. I left the Board in September 2008, and returned to Ilorin.

MEO Returns Abroad

By 1998 my son, Dele, was a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Idaho in the USA. His wife was expecting the birth of their daughter in late 1999; and they invited for me to spend some time with them Moscow, Idaho. Thus, I left my husband in Ilorin, Nigeria to travel to Dele’s family in the USA in October 1999. I visited for six months, and welcomed the arrival of our granddaughter. I returned to Ilorin on April 1, 2000.

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MEO and grandchildren in Church, USA, 2000 MEO and children in Church, USA, 1999

JTO Illness became a Serious Concern

Upon my return in 2000, I was happy to observe that my husband showed signs that he may eventually get over his sickness. However, by early 2001, he began to get very sick again. By now, the entire family struggled persistently to ensure that he regained the needed improvement in his health, but our efforts were defeated.

JTO Flown to the United Kingdom for Treatment

By 2000, our son (Babs) was working for Royal Dutch Shell office in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was well position for facilitating a foreign treatment for JTO in the United Kingdom. At that point, the children financed efforts to fly him overseas for better medical attention and treatment. My husband and I traveled out of Nigeria on February 2, 2002 to Aberdeen in the company of two of our children, Babs and Tinuke. Babs and his wife will be our hosts in Aberdeen, while Tinuke had traveled to start education for a degree in the U. K. Armed with relevant referrals from Nigerian Doctors at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) in Ilorin, JTO was immediately admitted for medical evaluation at the Royal Albert Infirmary in Aberdeen, Scotland.

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MEO at the Royal Albert Infirmary, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom, July 2002

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Sour Diagnosis

The results of the comprehensive tests revealed that both of my husband’s two kidneys were at zero percent function. ALARM!!! Treatment commenced at once, and we immediately began to get acquainted with new medical terminologies and a new realization to what could have been happening to him back in Nigeria. There was anger, willingness to donate potentially matching kidneys by his children, and grim shock of the possibility of losing him after all the efforts. The silver lining was that his ailment now had a name, and there was an immediate poor opinion of the standard of medical diagnosis and treatment in Nigeria. He’d been evaluated continuously between 1994 and 2000.

Although, he had untreated high blood pressure, kidney failure is a result of gradual degeneration. It appeared that we’d lost a window of opportunity for him to live a normal life outside of the hospital walls. The doctors concluded that he’s too frail to survive a kidney transplant surgery. They would monitor his progress to determine if he would make enough progress to warrant this normally risky procedure. Meanwhile, the hospital commenced dialysis treatment every other day. The Royal Albert Infirmary in Aberdeen administered dialysis three-times-a-week on my out-patient until a scheduled revaluation in May, 2002. Dialysis is exhaustive on the patient, and by this time my husband become very frail; his blood pressure was very erratic; and his medical team determined that they could not initiate process for kidney transplant surgery, even if a kidney match was identified. This frustrated our efforts to achieve recovery for him.

JTO receiving medication at the Royal Albert Infirmary in Aberdeen, Scotland, U. K., July 2002 55 | P a g e

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Dele and MEO attnding to JTO (on dialysis) in the U. K., July 2002

Return to Nigeria as a Dialysis Patient

I returned to Nigeria with my sick husband on August 3, 2002, to continue with the dialysis treatment at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH). He became gravely ill sometimes, and was hospitalized on many occasions. While in Ilorin, our family could afford the cost of three-times-a- week dialysis at the cost of about N16,000 (about US$100) per treatment, and for several months. Later, when our finances were stretched to treatment of accompanying illness, the frequency of dialysis reduced to almost twice-a week. He was on dialysis in Nigeria for nine months. Weak and vulnerable, his finally co-ailment was persistent pneumonia, which kept him on admission for a few days at the UITH. He was eventually discharged from the hospital in the last few days of his life. He died at home on his bed on April 29, 2003, three month shy of his 68th birthday. We loved him, but God loves him better. I miss him. May his gentle soul continue to rest-in-peace.

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Emaciated JTO at the home of Babs and Mrs. Tosin Omotowa in Aberdeen, Scotland, U. K., June 2002

JTO Death and Burial

JTO lived a commoner, but was honored by his own town folks in death as a though he was a King. He was interred on May 10, 2003 at his hometown, Okoro-Gbede, Ijumu LGA in Kogi State. Despite being buried within eleven days of his death, all the residents of Okoro-Gbede and many notable dignitaries that including kings (HRH Olukoyi of Okoro-Gbede; HRH Olu Gbede of Gbedeland; and HRH Olu Araromi of Araromi) attended his burial service at Okoro- Gbede. Representatives of the Kogi State Schools Management Board and the Kogi State Ministry of Education; a large entourage of distant relatives of the Omotowas’ from Oyin in Ondo State; Omotowa-in-laws from Kabba; Aiyetoro-Gbede; Oke-Ofin; Ekinrin-Adde, Warri, Iwo, Edunabon etc; and representatives of Ilorin and Warri chapters of the Okoro-Gbede Development Association attended JTO’s burial.

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L-R: MEO, Babs; Seyi; Bola; Dele, praying over JTO casket ahead of Graveside burial service on the grounds of our home in Okoro-Gbede, Nigeria

L-R: MEO; Bola: Dele Seyi, at JTO funeral in Okoro-Gbede, 2003 58 | P a g e

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L-R: HRH Olu Araromi of Araromi; HRH Olu Gbede of Gbedeland; and HRH Olukoyi of Okoro-Gbede Royal honor for JTO outing service at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Okoro-Gbede

L-R: Mrs. Tayo Omotowa; Mrs. Bosede Omotowa; MEO; Babs; Seyi; Bola. MEO sorrow as JTO casket is lowered into the grave, 2003 59 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Lowering JTO casket into the grave, 2003

I mourned him at our GRA home in Ilorin for a year. At the end of the period, our children organized a memorial service at his graveside on April 29, 2004; and Outing/Thanksgiving service at the United Missionary Church of Africa (UMCA) Chapel, in Tanke, Ilorin.

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CHAPTER 3

At Samaru-Zaria Dele

Humble Beginnings and Goals

The year was 1972, I was in primary four (also fourth grade) at the Demonstration Primary School, Okene in Kogi State, Nigeria. The school calendar year was a January-December, unlike the September to August program in Nigerian school system since 1976. Mum had left us in January by road travel to commence her degree study at the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria. Mum surely had dad’s full support on this self development journey. Her youngest son, Seyi, was about two years old when she had to go to ABU. MEO’s half-sister, our aunt Taiye Owonibi (now Mrs. Taiye Ebiekuraju of Igbotu, Ondo State since 1989) who had lived with us since 1969, oversaw our domestic care. Occasionally, maternal grandma Leah Owonibi would visit from Aiyetoro-Gbede (about 50 miles away) to support aunt Taiye’s care over us, the JTO children. Aunt Taiye started primary one in the JTO house, and walked with us to school whenever, Dele, Bola, and Babs started schooling in Okene between 1969 and 1971. Okene is quite rocky, and our path to school wound through rocks, and crossing a stream that had cut a valley though through a range of rocks. We had fun jumping and hopping over the water flow. However, the raining season generates so much flooding and fast moving stream. On occasions, one or two of the boys were washed off by the flow while trying to cross to go to school by 7.30 A.M. Aunt Taiye and her friends, [a notable one was Ms. Funke Afolayan, daughter of the late Chief I. A. O. Afolayan, now married to Dr. Okuyemi in the USA], walking some distance behind us, would rush to rescue.

Mrs. Roseline Taiye Ebiekuraju (MEO sister), 2011 Mr. & Mrs. Ebiekuraju at Igbotu, 2011 61 | P a g e

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Mrs Tayo Omotowa & Mrs. Taiye Ebiekuraju at Igbotu, 2011

Dad was Vice-Principal (VP) at Government Secondary School (GSS) Okene – later re-named Abdul Aziz Atta Memorial College, Okene (AAAMCO) in 1975. The school was named after the former Alhaji Abdul Aziz Atta, a prominent prince of Ebiraland, and a former Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria who had died from illness while in office. The VP quarters had a colonial fashioned “Boys’ quarters” for assistants who needed to live close to the master, but were not family members. Of course, this three-room quarter was used to host many students with difficulty in paying about thirty pounds school fees due for boarding at AAAMCO in 1972.

Our cousin, Emmanuel Oyeunmi, currently a pastor with the Redeemed Church in Gombe was a form four student in the Ohimege house of GSS Okene during this period. Cousin Emmanuel had lived there whenever he spent some time out of school to be with his uncle, JTO. There was a Mr. Johnson from Aiyegunle Gbede who worked for JTO and lived in the “boys’ quarters” in 1972. This man became ill, and eventually died from a prostate disease on July 25, 1972. There was also late Elizabeth Mesele, JTO’s cousin from Aiyetoro. “Eli” lived in the main house with us JTO children. Our paternal uncle Reuben Omotowa, was the “head- boy” (colonial term used for the most senior school prefect) at the Okene Teacher’s College (O.T.C., later re-named Okene Secondary School). Uncle Reuben was a scholastic genius in the

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy literary Arts, and he won many literary essay writing competitions in Okene administrative district between 1971 and 1972. I was so proud when he was carried shoulder high round the Athletics track field by his students when the announcement was made at the Children’s Day celebration. He was awarded One guinea, meaning One British pound and one Shilling. This was huge incentive in those days. Uncle Reuben would visit occasionally, and he protected us from abuse by anyone in Okene. Infact he has been a close family member from very early on.

Parochial Past

Dad sacrificed so much to take care of us, their children while MEO was in Zaria. This can be illustrated by two events. By 1972, we had a grading performance system, and I was always in the second position in my first to third grade. However, in my first term report card, I was displaced to the third position by a girl! I was a regular at the local youth football games, where we taunt how tough a boy was in everything, including at high jump, long-jump, racing, and other physical activities. Therefore, I was shell shocked that Jemilat had beaten me to the second place after Abiodun Idakochu, a Christian Ebira colleague, who went on to become a medical doctor from the University of Ilorin in the mid 1980s. In disbelieve, on our way home after receiving the report cards, I had my school box and sandals on my head while I argued about the reasons that Jemilat had beaten me with friends who were the children of teachers at the GSS Okene. Unknown to me, I was standing on the neck region of a black poisonous snake all the while, perhaps I had stood on one spot for some five minutes. By some good providence the snake could not bite at me. One of us saw the snake and motioned. I jumped and ran away, to look back. I was saved! The thoughts of Jemilat’s success left me. I ran home in the company of my aunt Taiye, who was in the fifth grade by now and my brother Bola in the second grade. Words quickly spread rapidly to the GSS Okene’s administration building where dad (JTO) was VP. He immediately left a staff meeting to drive two-and-half miles back home to see my condition. I saw his eyes full with tears as he drove to meet with me in the front of the house, where I was already playing after school. He discussed with me, and once he certified that I was not in any danger he drove back to his meeting. The tears in his eyes, the speed of his response, and the calmness of his interaction did leave deep memories in my mind. I felt my father loved me dearly, and he did.

Devotion of a Father

On another occasion in 1972 late Dr. Omole of Iyah-Gbede; who had a private medical clinic in Okene for a long time, came visiting in the evening from about 8:30 P. M. Usually, whenever he had no visitor dad dozed off to light sleep on his “camp-bed” and gazed at the stars, as though he was counting them, appreciating God’s creation, or meditating deeply on what he saw and thought. Even though he had studied history at the Fourabay University, he was not a philosopher, but JTO was a realist.

Dr. Omole evaluated Seyi, JTO’s littlest son who had symptoms of severe fever. He was sure that the boy was alright when he left for home at about 10.30 P.M. Soon after he left, aunt Taiye came to call JTO’s attention to the downward trend of the boy’s health. He appeared to 63 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy have stopped breathing! Wow! There was no cell phone in those days. Therefore, JTO quickly jumped into his 1972 model Peugeot 404 car with plate number KW 6272; raced after the doctor, and caught up with him within two miles of the VP’s quarters. Our faces were long when they returned together within ten minutes. The doctor gave Seyi an injection, and performed mild cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to revive him. His regular breath was restored. JTO kept my brother close to him all through the night, and probably did not sleep at all. This was the days of Electric Corporation of Nigeria (ECN), prior to the National Electricity Company Authority (NEPA). The ECN provided power only between 6.00 P. M. and 10.00 P.M. We used the kerosene-lit lantern for light through the night. JTO showed remarkable love for his children, and members of his household.

Deep Ties that Bind

About two weeks before the end of second term, JTO informed me that the four boys and Uncle Reuben will be traveling to see mum in Samaru-Zaria, if I performed brilliantly in my forth coming examination. Despite all the energetic activities of a boy my age, and dad’s love, I did miss mum very much. To think that I will be traveling in the company of Uncle Reuben again was a bonus. I could sharpen my literary skills, and observe someone that I respect so closely for the duration of the journey. Following dad’s request my fourth grade teacher gave our examination one week early, and I received my report card ahead of the holiday date. Dad was pleased, and we left Okene to visit mum in Samaru-Zaria. The only travels that I had ever gone with dad were either to visit maternal grandma at Aiyetoro-Gbede about 50 miles away; and to pick mum up in the old Cortina car after writing her Teachers Grade III examination in Lokoja in 1969; and to Ilorin during the 1972 Nigeria census. Going by the old road networks in Nigeria in 1972, Zaria was easily about 800 miles away! We would eat, could sleep and sight see on our way. Then we would see mum. Will she have changed? What is a University? Surely, we were proud that mum went somewhere exotic, but we would pay almost anything to be with her. She was paying a sacrifice to be gone, and to be able to stay focused. We knew that much by then.

An Optimistic Post-War Country

Nigerians were very optimistic about the future in 1972. The country changed from right- hand steering wheel and left-of-the-road driving to the opposites in April 1972. Nigeria also changed its currency from the British pounds and shillings to the Nigerian Naira in 1972. While it was safe to travel in northern Nigeria, the newspapers reported the early armed robbery by Ishola Oyenusi in Shagamu and Lagos areas of Nigeria. This region was about 500 miles south west of our location in Okene. Our route plan took us from Okene to Kabba to Ilorin to Jebba to Mokwa to Kaduna, and on to Zaria. We would find out that Samaru was a suburban town of the ancient city of Zaria.

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Uncle Reuben on the Trip

Dad, and our aunt woke us up to take a shower at about 4.00 A.M., and we set out at about 5.30 A.M. on our trip. My sleepy brothers were well arranged in the car by dad. Travelling company included Bola, Babs, Seyi, I, Uncle Reuben, and dad (JTO). Sleeping through the early hours, we began to wake up from about 7.30 A.M. which was when we would get ready for school. Two hours into the trip, we were past Kabba (35 mile from Okene), and was somewhere around Omuo, which is about 10 miles north of Oyin–Akoko in Ondo State, where JTO’s grandparents reportedly lived; and from where his father, Chief Samuel Omotowa, had migrated to Okoro- Gbede, some sixty miles apart. The early morning was synonymous to the time of the day when fresh bread came from the bakery to the market. JTO and Uncle Reuben had got us some bread, and wake up we did to the smell of it. We had pre-made tea from the flasks, and took breakfast as we traveled through the “West” to reach Ilorin. We fueled up, and headed for Jebba where we were going to cross the famous River Niger. The Niger River crossing was via a very rough old road. Dad wanted to make past Jebba before night fall. At Jebba, JTO and Uncle got us more bread, tea, and smoked fish. The smoked fished tasted than we were used to, and we loved it so much. My Uncle got to tell me about Mungo Park, a British explorer that navigated the River Niger. He died and was buried in Jebba.

Meeting Mr. Mesele

Despite crossing Jebba at about 1.30 P.M., we arrived at Zaria at about 6.30 P.M. Dad drove to the University to meet up with JTO cousin, Mr. John Mesele, a Deputy Registrar at ABU by 1972; who was host-guardian of mum (MEO) in Zaria. Mr. Mesele eventually became a Chief of Aiyetoro-Gbede; was a Federal Permanent Secretary in the Federal Government in the 1980s and 1990s, and; is currently Director General of the prestigious National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at Jos, Nigeria. Finally, we got to see mum at about 7.00 P.M. The journey was like an eternity, but we got the price, we met with mum! She was subdued, tearful, and deeply grateful to God. She was surely most ecstatic to see Seyi, the littlest one of us. We were taken to where we would stay for about five days. MEO and JTO spent a lot of their time together with Seyi. Uncle Reuben lived up to my expectation. He kept me mentally engaged, tested me, and taught me writing skill throughout the entire trip. He was very fond of Babs, who was a very engaging young boy. Bola was characteristically gentle and quiet.

The Return Trip

Well, the return trip followed the same route in reverse order. The difference was that the old road was closed for about seven hours to provide room for rescuers for a two-trailer head on crash killed all occupants of both trucks. One of the trailer tucks had edged off the bridge and risked dropping into the Niger River. We reached Jebba at about 1.00 P.M., and were only able to cross the bridge at about 8.30 P.M. We were very happy to make it after the enduring frustration! At past midnight we arrived at the Ilorin Teachers College (ITC) home of JTO’s Uncle, Chief Raphael A. Ibitomi in Ilorin. Although, they were expecting us, they’d gone to bed when we didn’t arrive by midnight, and there were no telephones to call in the trip in those days. We woke them up, and we were welcome to sleep the night. We spent two days with the 65 | P a g e

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Ibitomi family in Ilorin. We met with his wives; Chief (Mrs) Victoria Ibitomi (“Mummy”) and Chief (Mrs) Lati Lara Ibitomi (“Auntie Lati”), as well as their children including living at home, including late Brother Sola, Sunday “agba”, Dupe, Sesan, and Diran. The older Ibitomi children, including Brother Segun, Brother Adey, and Sister Funmi were not living at home at that time. These our older cousins had spent their long vacation with us in Okene in late 1969, and I looked forward to seeing them. Mildly put, I was disappointed. The late Brother Sola more than made up for me. He was a very gentle soul.

However, we also met with the family of the late Chief T. Otito Balogun, his wife, Mrs. Rhoda Balogun, their son Seyi, and son Juwon. They lived at the “boy’s quarters” of Chief Ibitomi’s ITC quarters. Chief Balogun had been my care giver when we live in Keffi. I remembered him teaching me horse riding, and also being in the car with JTO, MEO, my maternal aunt, Mrs Grace Ologe, when we saw a sitting elephant on the highway as our family was going out from Keffi to get food supply from Nasarawa on a Saturday morning . That was my first fearful, vivid and lasting memory. It was surely a pleasant time for me to meet these kin’s.

Although Chief Balogun was originally from Okebukun in Kabba-Bunu L.G.A. (about thirty five miles north east of Okoro-Gbede), he settled his family into Okoro-Gbede all of his life, and his family is closely knit with the JTO family, even after his death in 2010.

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CHAPTER 4

Igala Country Dele

Promotion and Transfer

On a certain Friday date in November 1972, Chief Raphael A. Ibitomi, who lived in Ilorin, visited JTO and his family in Okene for about five hours before returning to Okoro-Gbede for the weekend. Among other pleasant reasons for the trip, he brought good news from Ilorin. The headquarters of the Kwara State Ministry of Education had released the announcement of annual promotions of some of its civil servants. Normally, it could take a week or more for the news to reach this Okene outpost, some 250 miles away. Those days preceded the advent of the colored television, NEPA, or effective telephoning. Although, there was telegraph service at the post office, it was not the standard mode for transmitting regular communication in the civil service.

L-R: Chief P. B. Kanjuni (JTO cousin); Pastor J. J. Ikusika (JTO friend); JTO; Mr. Laja Olugbami (JTO friend); Chief Raphael Ibitomi (JTO uncle)at the traditional marriage ceremony of JTO’s son in Iwo, 1991 67 | P a g e

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Chief Ibitomi had actually brought the official letter of promotion of JTO from Vice-Principal GSS Okene to Principal GSS Dekina, effective January 1, 1973. MEO was at home on holiday from ABU, Zaria, when JTO received this letter of his promotion. There was a spontaneous development of an atmosphere of joy in the family from this point on. Then, we started packing; learning of the promotion and transfer of several other staff colleagues of JTO at GSS Okene; learning of other civil servants, some new and others who are previous acquaintances, with whom we would be sharing the new immediate future in Dekina.

The 1967 Kwara State

By 1972, there were only twelve “1967 states” in Nigeria. The 1967-1976 boundaries of Kwara State spanned from Kainji (currently in Niger State) to Idah (currently in Benue State); consisting of Ilorin and Kabba Divisions of the old Northern Nigeria administration. Ilorin Division, included Ilorin, Jebba, Omu-Aran, Offa, Esie, Igbaja, Sha’are, Kainji, etc. Kabba Division (geographically west of the Niger River), included Kabba, Okene, Ajaokuta, Ogori, Magongo, Obehira, Ihima, Adavi, Ogaminana, Kuroko, Isanlu, Egbe, Efo-Amuro, Mopa, Iyamoye, Aiyegunle, Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ejiba, Ekinrin-Adde, Iyara, Oke-Ibukun, Ife-Olukotun, Osara, Ogidi, Aduge, Ogale, Lokoja (confluence town), and Koton-Karfi, etc. Kabba Division (geographically east of the Niger River) included the prominent towns of Idah, Ankpa, Ogugu, Ayangba, Dekina, Oguma, Abejukolo, Basange, Abejukolo, Basakuomu, Shintaku, etc, constituting Igala country of Kabba Division were east of the Niger River. These are shown in the following map.

Geography of the Old Kabba Division of Nigeria 68 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy

Historic Lokoja in the global context

Historically, the Ata of Idah (currently designated the Atah of Igala), 50 miles south ceded the Benue-Niger confluence land, later named Lokoja, to British merchants in 1841 where they established a trading post at the site in the late 1850s. Lokoja was selected for the location of the first British consulate in the interior between 1860 and 1869; and was the military headquarters for the Royal Niger Company between 1886 and 1900. Lokoja was the capital of British Northern Nigeria Protectorate and remained a convenient administrative town for the British colonial government after the 1914 amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria Protectorate to form Nigeria. The first Governor General Lord Frederick Lugard ruled the new nation of Nigeria from Lokoja. Of course Sir James Wilson Robertson, 1899–1983, was the last Governor General of Nigeria at independence in 1960. An account of West Africa and the British between 1700 and 1950 was written by Sanderson Beck, reproduced at the end of this personal; story, is at http://www.san.beck.org/16-10-WestAfricaBritish.html.

Elsewhere around the world in the nineteenth century British empire, William Wilberforce (1759 –1833), an Independent English politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade, became an evangelical Christian in 1785, resigned from Parliament because of his failing health in 1826; That campaign led to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, which abolished slavery in most of the British Empire; Wilberforce died just three days after hearing that the passage of the Act through Parliament was assured. America self declared independence from Britain in 1776; and fought a Civil War of the ‘North (Union)’ versus the Southern ‘Confederate’ slave states between 1861 and 1865. The American President, Abraham Lincoln, used the war powers of the presidency to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, which declared "all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free", thus applying to 3.1 million of the 4 million slaves in the United States. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865 by a Confederate sympathizer six days after the surrender of Confederate commanding general. The Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to the five slave states (or southern, border states) that were not in rebellion, i.e. Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and West Virgina; the Thirteenth Amendment in December 1865 made slavery illegal everywhere in the United States, but did not make the ex-slaves (called freedmen) citizens. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 had granted citizenship to all persons born in the United States if they were not subject to a foreign power. The framers of the Fourteenth Amendment ensured that this principle was enshrined into the Constitution to protect the new Civil Rights Act from being declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court and to prevent a future Congress from altering it by a mere majority vote.

Inland Port and Waterways

From the days of Lord Lugard in Lokoja during the pre-colonial administration of Nigeria, the ferry crossing from Lokoja (the confluence city with an inland port facility) to Shintaku (a less developed shore) has been the most reliable means of travel between the two sides of the Niger River. It is common for the rudders to entangle in fine sand along this route during the dry season months when the water table is relatively lower than levels during the raining season. 69 | P a g e

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Dredging of the river bed is regularly undertaken to ease the challenges of this high-traffic waterway travel.

The JTO family will have to travel this route to get to Dekina by January 1973. JTO had made the necessary reservations for the planned travel date. MEO had traveled back to school in Zaria a few days ahead of the family’s 45 miles trip from Okene to Dekina, including the 30 minute ferry crossing between Lokoja and Shintaku. The travel party included the family’s 1972 model Peugeot 404 saloon car and the fully-loaded Bedford truck belonging to GSS Okene. The ‘carrier’ on the top of the car was used to contain large volume of personal belongings that was tied down by using strong twain rope. The travel party in the family car included JTO, Bola, Babs, Seyi, Auntie Taiye (now Mrs. Ebiekuraju), late Elizabeth Mesele, and Dele (myself). Auntie Taiye was already admitted to the St. Monica College, Kabba, to resume in January 1973. She would be traveling back the same route to Kabba within two weeks of arriving in Dekina.

The traveling party and the journey

There was a little glitch. I had never been on a ferry before, and could not understand how a solid boat will not sink in the massive river. I wasn’t stupid if everyone else was. We got to the ferry port by 6.00 A. M. for the scheduled 7.00 A.M. departure time from Lokoja. I waited until Station Master had commenced boarding by 6.30 A.M., and then asked for JTO’s permission to the toilet. Normally, he would accompany me or he would get Auntie Taiye to accompany me. Auntie Taiye is six years older than I am, and was very reliable. Surprisingly, on this occasion, JTO entrusted me into the hand of one of the Lokoja Ferry Port staffers, and that worked right into my plans. On seeing the massive Niger River in Lokoja, fear came over me, at the thought that objects as heavy as a car, a truck, or the ferry, could actually float across the river. I did not swim, and my imagination was little. I thought everyone attempting to go on the ferry wasn’t thoughtful, and would get drowned. I pretended to be so disturbed by my bowel movement, and remained in the toilet, hopefully long enough to see what will happen. I watched the ferry from the toilet window. I remained there for 20 minutes, and several calls came over to me during this period. The Station Master wanted the ferry to go. This was a revenue generation service for Kwara State, and there was going to be between three and five return trips before the end of the day. Apparently, the ferry was stable and did not sink. Out of fear of being left behind I came out, and was led to the ferry, where I received a gentle reprimand from the Station Manager. For me, that was worth it.

Arriving Igala Country

After the memorable hour-long crossing of the Niger River, JTO’s entourage disembarked at the modest port village of Shintaku, a port and fishing village with less 3,000 inhabitants, and then continued to travel for about forty-five minutes by road to Dekina. Shortly, after leaving Shintaku, JTO asked me if I was OK by now. To which I answered in the affirmative. It was apparent to me that he’d known all along that I was just afraid back at the ferry port in Lokoja, but didn’t discuss it. That was the quality of the relationship JTO built with us his children. He knew that I had become wiser now, through my experience. Vintage JTO, he was a steady guide for us.

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Dekina

JTO and his family arrived at Dekina before noon on this January morning in 1973. By 1973, Dekina (2006 census: 260,312) was a town of about 50,000 people in the early 1970s; Idah (2006 census: 1.4 million people); Ankpa (2006 census: 267,353); and Okene (2006 census: 320,260 people) was easily a city of more than 100,000 people in 1973. When JTO family arrived at Dekina in 1973, there was the thirty-seven year old Government Secondary School (GSS), Dekina, a few primary schools, including the St. John Primary school in the heart of the city, and a number of Anglican and Catholic Churches. GSS Dekina is one of the oldest post- primary institutions in Igala land, celebrating its 77th anniversary in 2012. Indeed, after having graduated more than 50,000 students over the seventy-seven years of existence, this institution has made tremendous contributions to the educational development of the area and the entire former Northern Nigeria.

Some of the other civil servant families in Dekina in 1973 from the west of the Niger include those of Mr. E. Etudaiye (Vice Principal, from Okene), Mr. Aimila (from Ogori), Mr. Olaniyan (from Offa), Mr. Abogunrin (from Offa), Mr. S. Obada (from Kabba), Alhaji A. A. Olanrewaju (from Ilorin), etc. JTO settled into his position as Principal of GSS Dekina, and received excellent cooperation from the entire staff of the school, and the civil administrative personnel of the Kwara Civil Service. Nigeria had ended its civil war of 1967–1970 only three years earlier, and there was a strong sense of nation building and patriotism. Ethnic segregation was not prevalent as it is today in 2012. Perhaps, there was opportunity in the air, and safe mobility was guaranteed. There was a strong energy towards educating the Nigerian children. Going by the quality of knowledge that Nigeria exported out of her shores in the years 1985–2000 to advanced western economies with apparently much more sophisticated developed technology industry and enterprise, it is safe to conclude that this effort succeeded to a large extent. GSS Dekina had about 500 students in the boarding system, and very few ‘day students’. The prominent people groups in Dekina in 1973 included the Igala (the prominent group; speaking Igala, a Kwa language that is related to both Yoruba and Idoma); the Basa (headquarters at Oguma, 2006 census – 139,993, northern border the Benue River and its western border the Niger River); and minor population of Ebira, Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba.

Bassa woman Bassa man 71 | P a g e

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This pristine, rural, largely Christian community could easily be organized to produce the quality of life of agrarian or wine farming countries of Northern California, Southern Spain, or Italy. The Igala and Bassa people were excellent subsistence (non-commercial) farmers, cultivating yam and cassava tubers; palm oil, palm kernel, maize, and a variety of vegetables and tomatoes. They exported thousands of tons of these products annually to other parts of Nigeria, and West Africa. The Bassa people had devised the unique mode of carrying huge volume of produce on their back as the Gwari people of Abuja, Nigeria.

At Home

Domestically, JTO’s family was highly dispersed by 1973, with MEO in her second year at the ABU, Zaria; and aunt Taiye at St. Monica’s College, Kabba. JTO had all four boys to care for in Dekina. MEO and Auntie Taiye did come home during the holidays. The late Ms. Elizabeth Mesele and a certain ‘auntie Dupe’ were our minders during the school year. We understood that auntie Dupe was a maternal relation of JTO from Oke-Ofin in Bunu land. She did not have the devotion of other minders that the JTO children have had up till 1973. She was mature, much older than late Ms. Elizabeth Mesele, and spent time searching for potential male suitors for her, especially foremen at a local saw-mill. Auntie Dupe was especially tough on Babs than on the other JTO children. Auntie Dupe frequently denied food to Babs. Sometimes, I would share my food ration with Babs. This situation introduced a new confusion to us the JTO children. The late Elizabeth Mesele encouraged me, as the eldest JTO child, to risk telling this to our parents, in order to free us from this strange yoke. Hard as I tried, neither JTO, nor MEO believed this could happen and did little to stop it. However, when aunt Taiye came home for holidays, she witnessed the maltreatment because she spent her time with us most of the day. She stepped in appropriately to ensure that food wasn’t denied to any of us. Eventually, auntie Dupe was sent packing to return to her natural hometown. We have never heard from her again. We had very few visitors from the west of the Niger during the yearlong sojourn in Dekina.

Water-borne diseases

Although, Dekina had a water treatment facility in1973, the JTO children suffered higher frequency of malaria incidences, and Guinea-worm and tape-worm infection. Guinea worm disease otherwise known as Dracunculiasis is a water-borne disease that affects human beings; with an incubation period of about 12 months; and manifesting through the formation of blisters on any part of the body; inflicting pain on its victims who is often immobilized during the peak period of attack. Infection occurs when a person drinks water contaminated with water flea or Cyclops which contains the worm larvae. The water flea is digested while the Guinea Worm larvae is set free; it penetrates the digestive tract and moves through the body during nine to twelve months until it emerges from any part of the body. All age groups are susceptible to Guinea Worm infection. There is no treatment for Guinea worm disease the only prevention is to avoid contaminated water. It is often referred to as 'masiyaci' in Hausa, meaning 'the troublesome one' and 'sobia' in Yoruba meaning 'poverty'. As most Guinea Worm endemic communities lack health clinics, infected school children cannot attend classes, either temporarily or sometimes permanently.

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Native Bassa Acquaintance

JTO frequently bought yam from a certain Bassa family, who would bring the purchase to our house at the principal’s official quarters. With time, the courier switched from the mother to the daughter. Auntie Taiye quickly made friends of this particular Bassa girl. Then, one Saturday, Auntie Taiye and some JTO children were visiting the produce market the, we met with this girl, and her mother. Within twenty minutes of sighting them, we noticed that the mother had concluded private discussion with two men painted in white chalk all over them in another part of the market attended by over three thousand people. Soon after, these two men stepped forward and grabbed this girl to conclude a pre-arranged marriage to a member of those two men’s clan in a Bassa village. They grabbed her, and carried her tight, shoulder high as she shouted, protested, and cried, as her mum looked on not protesting as she disappeared. After the commotion, Auntie Taiye approached the mother to verify the incidence, and was informed that the young girl had been taken to fulfill her pre-arranged marriage. The arrangement was done without need for her consent!

The Bassa people were normally very harmless people. However, once in 1973, a careless driver hit and killed a Bassa person in Dekina, he had to flee the accident scene and run for his dear life. The Bassa people sent as many as fifteen archers to search out and shoot this guy if found. The search party was out for three days, and no one in the town went out, in the fear of getting in the crossfire. The man was Igala and would have been killed on sight, but he lay low, and lived. The Bassa returned to bury their dead man, and moved on.

Passing the time

JTO’s yearlong sojourn at Dekina was eventful, and he traveled to Okoro-Gbede fairly regularly during that time. He drove Dele to write the National Common Entrance examination in Okene in mid-1973. On a few occasions, he drove to Ankpa to welcome MEO who had traveled rail from Kaduna to Oturpo, and bused to Ankpa. Our family went on a few social get-togethers with the families of some of the teachers at the GSS Dekina, including going fishing on the Benue River at Basange, a smaller serene Bassa settlement. While there was strong erosion and turbulence from the strong current of the Niger River, the Benue River was calm, had low current, and has very clear visibility to the river bed of the 15 feet (dry season) to 40 feet (rainy season) depths. JTO loved his family and demonstrated extensive discipline in managing the development of his children while MEO was in school. He frequently took his family to buy oranges in Ayangba, and on one occasion JTO took everyone to Idah. Many times JTO visited Mr. S. S. Ocheja, an Igala senior civil servant colleague of JTO, from Ankpa.

Historic Idah

At Idah, JTO took the family to major historical points, including the Niger River beach front. I particularly remember the monument to Inikpi, and the sad story of deep loyalty behind this outstanding heroine. I learned of Idah’s Inikpi ahead of other strong Yoruba heroines like Moremi of Ile-Ife/Offa, Efunsetan Aniwura of Ibadan, and Amuata of Benin. Inikpi, with the 73 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy associated shrine, is a commemoration of the act of the heroine, Inikpi, who offered herself for sacrifice to save Igala Kingdom during the pre-colonial slave trade, induced interethnic wars.

Inikpi was the beloved daughter of Ayegba Oma Idoko. She was sacrificed to appease the gods and give the Igalas victory in their war with the Benin Kingdom. In her days there was a war with the Benin army that made everyone and everywhere unsafe. The Benin army was on its way to destroy Idah, the seat of the King, Ata Ayegba Oma Idoko. The King consulted the Ifa oracle and the oracle declared that the only way to avert the defeat of the Igala people and the destruction of Idah was to sacrifice Inikpi, the daughter the King loved most. The King was sad and unwillingly to do this. The father's depressed outlook led Inikpi to ask, the King finally told her the reason for his sadness. She then volunteered to be sacrificed so that her father's kingdom and his people will be preserved from destruction. She and nine slaves were buried alive by the banks of the River Niger. When the Benin army approached the city from afar the saw the city on fire, they decided to return to Benin since there was no need to take war to a city that had already been destroyed. Unknown to them the blood of Inikpi had camouflaged the city in fire to turn away any potential attack. The Igala tribe made her a goddess after her death and she has a cult that worships her to this day.

Moving on

By September 1973, JTO had received the results of my National Common Entrance examination and I passed. I was overjoyed when JTO transmitted the news to me. This was a starter vindication of the gamble my parents (JTO & MEO) had taken by sending me to start primary school at four years of age. There was the assumption that I will cope with the pressures of schooling. There was surely more tests to come in this regards. However, we basked in this moment. The gamble was worth the price! This was the days when no one rigged results in Nigeria. Mmh! My Common Entrance score was 178 out of the maximum 200 scores possible. Mr. S. Amedari, an outstanding Ebira Christian, and a Mathematics teacher at GSS Dekina helped tutor me a great deal; as did Mr. Jerome Jeminiwa, who was a very brilliant student at GSS Dekina in 1973. I was very playful, and they had to work very hard on me to arrest my intellect. I owe my success to them and to the foresight with persistence of the JTO-MEO team.

Excellent, but not outstanding: because the newly established Federal Government Colleges (FGCs) around the country would require a score of 180 of 200 for an admission. Apparently, I wasn’t that good. However, I was very pleased, and felt proud to gain admission into GSS Okene, a prestigious first-class public school in 1974, then known as The Lion of the North, as in “Northern Nigeria”. JTO was glad again at this news; and MEO returned as soon as she’s completed her term work at ABU Zaria, to help get me ready for school. I was be about ten years old when I started secondary school in Okene in 1974. I may be academically suitable, but I would need a lot of social development to be in class with many colleagues who would be over twelve years!

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Promotion and Transfer to Okene

A new promotion and transfer exercise by the Kwara State Ministry of Education in November 1973 announced JTO’s elevation to the Principal of GSS Okene. Things were beginning to work together for JTO-MEO family. The family moved back to Okene by December 1973, and JTO-MEO took me out to shop for the “school list” at Okene, Kabba, and Ikare (in Ondo State). JTO and his family were returning to a different experience in Okene.

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CHAPTER 5

Okene Footprints Dele

Lion of the North

Abdul Aziz Atta Memorial College was established as Provincial School in 1933 by the British colonial administration of Sir Donald Charles Cameron, Governor of Nigeria. Among other objectives, it was established with a view to training young Nigerians who will eventually take over the run of the day to day activities of the young nation. The Provincial School had only forms one to three and admitted students from across the entire Northern Region. Most of the alumni had distinguished themselves as brilliant and intelligent graduates, who passed Cambridge Middle level examination and equivalent of General Certificate of Education Ordinary level examination with distinction. The school was upgraded to a fully fledged Government Secondary School by 1956.

Governors and Governor–Generals of British Colonial Nigeria

Name Took office Left office Sir Frederick Lugard 1 January 1914 8 August 1919 Sir Hugh Clifford 8 August 1919 13 November 1925 Sir Graeme Thomson 13 November 1925 17 June 1931 Sir Donald Charles Cameron 17 June 1931 1 November 1935 Sir Bernard Henry Bourdillon 1 November 1935 1943 Sir Arthur Richards 1943 5 February 1948 Sir John Stuart Macpherson 5 February 1948 1 October 1954 Sir John Stuart Macpherson 1 October 1954 15 June 1955 Sir James Wilson Robertson 15 June 1955 16 November 1960

Nnamdi Azikiwe 16 November 1960 1 October 1963

The academic performance of the school was second to none in Northern Nigeria. The likes of Barewa College, Government College, Katsina and Government College, Bida were virtually trailing behind GSS Okene, in academics and in sporting events. The excellent performance at the Government Secondary School Okene is owed to the caliber and talent of the teaching staff. The teachers were mostly British, with a few Nigerians teachers at the junior levels. Parents did not have easy access to their children. All students, once inside the compound at the beginning of each term, could not come out again, except on Fridays or Sundays when they were allowed three hour permission to go for religious worship in town. The moral standard then was second to none, particularly in the early 1960s under Principal Farah J.K. Milton who spent a better part of his life educating many of the Nigerian leaders and policy

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Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy administrators who are currently shaping Nigeria today. Education was recognized as a significant to overcoming the perils of ignorance and underdevelopment. Admission into this prestigious school, was considered as a significant achievement, and was a valuable asset for a potential future leader of Nigeria.

The school established an outstanding yearlong competition for cleanliness plus sportsmanship among the school boarding halls. At the end of each school year a particular hall with the most aggregate competitive points on campus was awarded as the best. Boarding students of the top hall moved physically to occupy the well maintained prestige building for a year. Very important school assemblies were held at the immaculate wood floored Rimmer Hall. The students of GSS Okene were encouraged to see themselves as one brotherhood, not different on the basis of religion or ethnicity. There were students from Kano, Katsina Sokoto, Bida, Minna, Maiduguri, Yola, Makurdi and other parts of the Northern Nigeria.

GSS Okene trained students over five years for secondary school certificate examination, and a senior path to high school certificate (HSC) qualification over two years. Historically, the school dominated in sporting activities, frequently coming first in the Northern Region competitions. The school was prominent in interschool debates, and excelled at the J.F. Kennedy Essay contest.

The staff quarters were the envy of other northern schools. The British government posted most of the staff, and members of the U. S. Peace Corps taught at the school. The British government established the students exchange program with high standard schools in the southern regions, allowing students from participant schools to go for year-long exchange programs. That was the type of standard obtained at AAAMC until up till the mid 1970s.

The first native Nigerian teachers were appointed in 1965 to teach in junior classes. The first principal came in 1968 and his name was Mr. S. Oyeyemi and an indigene of Kwara State. The second was Mr. I. A. O. Afolayan, and the third was the late Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa (JTO).

Colleague families

It was an exciting atmosphere around the house as the JTO family returned and settled back in Okene after a year away in Igala country. During the first sojourn between 1968 and 1972, we had been acquainted with the families of Mr. I.A.O. Afolayan, Mr. O. O. Abegunde (of Esie), Mr. S. O. Dare (of Kabba), Mr. S. O. Iwalaiye (of Effo Amuro), Deacon S. S. Ayanda (of Igbaja, then at Okene Secondary School), Mr. S. I. Bello (of Okene), Alhaji A. O. Kamal (of Ilorin), late Mr. S. Toke (of Aiyegunle-Gbede), and Mallam Haroon (of Ilorin), etc. During the second sojourn in Okene, the vice principal was late Prince Ojo Fadunmila (of Omu-Aran, later elected as deputy Governor of Kwara State 1999-2003). The other teachers families that we became familiar with included those of late Mr. S. O. Dolapo (of Offa), Mr. R. Raiyetunmbi (of Isanlu-Yagba), Mr. J. K. Otitoju (of Ekinrin-Adde), late Mr. S. O. Olanrewaju (of Isanlu, died in Ilorin in 1979), Mr. J. K. Kekere , Mr. O. Aken’ova (of of the Midwest, retired in 1975), Mr. Obielodan (of Effo-Amuro), Mr. J. Olumobi (of 77 | P a g e

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Aiyetoro-Gbede), Mrs Blakney (of the U.S.A) Mr. P. D. Kanjuni (of Okoro-Gbede, then at Ogori Secondary School), Mr. Olonilebi, Mr. Amehere, Mr. Awolesi (of Esie), and Mr. G. Owolabi (of Isanlu-Isin), etc. JTO family journey interacted with two people who became principal after he eventually left Okene, including late Chief. R. B. Balogun (of Effo-Amuro), and Mr. N. A. Onadepo (of Esie). A few notable 1973 HSC Upper six graduates of GSS Okene included Mr. Efurosibina Adegbija (of Ogori, later Professor of English at Unilorin, died in 1999 as a Pastor of the UMTC chapel in Ilorin), and Mr. K. Akoshile (of Isanlu-Isin, became a professor of Physics at Unilorin). JTO made many friends in Okene, and was a regular guest in the court of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

Boundaries

There was certainly going to be boundaries between dad in his role as Principal GSS Okene where I was a form one student, and as the caring dad of this vulnerable child. JTO was firm and strictly upheld discipline as principal. GSS Okene had admitted four streams of the Form one (same as seventh grade in the USA system) for the first time in 1974. Therefore, new desks were purchased to take care of the expansion from two streams in the immediately previous set. I remember going along with JTO to the school about ten days ahead of formally becoming a student in September 1974. JTO was very proud of this school, and had warned me to not get mixed up with the potential rascals in my set when we start. GSS Okene was a mostly-boarding school, with over ninety five percent attending as boarding students, paying about thirty Naira per-term for tuition and board. The Day students paid about Five Naira as fees, but lived at their family home in Okene or by private arrangement with a local family. There was the daily class registration at 8.00 A.M., an A.M. class inspection before noon by the Duty Master, and another during the P.M. preparatory (“Prep”) hours of 7.45–9.30 P.M. Well, ten days after starting in Form one, an AM inspection had reported the defacing of the locker in Form 1C, my class! JTO came to check it out, and sure it was in the front of the desk that sat right behind me. However, JTO, knowing exactly where I sat in class emotionally concluded that it was I that was stretching my privilege as his son. He quietly instructed the Duty Master to punish me. Then he went back to his office. When the Duty Master came back to get me for punishment within an hour, I immediately knew that JTO had erroneously indicted me, and I protested the punishment, requiring a meeting with the principal. The teacher was in a dilemma at this stage. Although, I ran to disturb his meeting, JTO refused to meet with me, and insisted that the punishment be meted out. I eventually served out the punishment, and knew that I must categorize my status with JTO to school, and home environments. That discipline that started in 1974 has remained in my honor of this man, my father, to this day.

Breaking me in

Of course, JTO did not hang me out to dry. No, not at all! Recognizing my vulnerability as a tender child and as potential receiver of revenge from unhappy senior student, he arranged with Mr. Joseph Aiyenikanju (of Oke-Ofin, HSC Upper six), the student head boy in 1974 to have me as his “school boy”. That means that I will “serve” him, and be under his overarching protection. I also had Mr. Abel Mosugu (of Ogori, HSC Upper six), the student “deputy head-boy” as a protective personality in my tracts on the campus. With the head boy as my “college 78 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy brother” I did all the chores of a “serving” Form one student including fetching three buckets of water to his bathroom from the general well by 6.30 A.M., constantly replenish his drinking water reservoir in the room, sweeping the room and verandah by 7.00 A.M., iron his clothes by 7.15 A.M., and get his dirty laundry ready to wash after school in the 4.30–6.20 P.M. window, wash myself promptly, be neat and prompt at all school activities throughout the week, and run other miscellaneous errands like buying bread and small supplies by school approved vendors on campus. I couldn’t bring his name to disrepute. My unique privilege was that only students whose administrative status was higher than my college brother could punish me, and there was none! JTO did not appoint Mr. Aiyenikanju to this position, the previous principal did. I later learned that he is a relation of my paternal grandmother who was a native of Oke-Ofin in Bunu land. The best influence on me was Senior (Snr.) Aiyenikanju daily prayer life. He was a genuine Christian all over, and he introduced me to the Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS) from that early on.

In the Belly of the Beast

JTO was principal of GSS Okene during the first term of my Form two. The first year passed without any abuse by my senior students. The second year in 1975, I was house boy for the house captain of Omadibi house. Although, the captain status could protect me, he did not care much about the relationship, because he had more than one house boy. This opened me to many risks in my Form two. The most dangerous and a shock to me were the existence of many homosexual seniors who were seeking vulnerable junior students to exploit. I had successfully escaped the clutches of a few seniors on campus. Fearing potential endangerment on one occasion in late 1974, I went home to the principal quarters to meet with MEO, and to request that dad and she should convert me into a Day student, without mentioning the real reason. This was because getting a convincing proof will be hard.

MEO informed me that JTO was gone to Accra to mark the West African Examination Council (WAEC) papers, and that the vice principal, late Mr. Ojo Fadunmila, was in the position to make that call while the principal (JTO) was gone. Mr. Fadunmila skillfully avoided the problem by telling me that he would not override the principal. He advised me to adjust to living outside home, and that it might actually bring me many benefits. After talking to Mr. Fadunmila, I decided to device a way to survive. I did not consider moving the discussion up to JTO.

Friends You Need

I started to learn about who was a friendly classmate, and where they lived, because I would now need to their support more than ever before. I decided to play lots of lawn-tennis, and to learn the Gbede language of my parents. I had a lot more friends from that constituency on campus. The hostels at G.S.S. Okene were (i) Obaro (red color); Omadibi (green color); Oduduwa (blue color); Ayegba (purple color); Soton (black color); Ohimege (Yellow); Isa-Koto (orange color). The list of the classmate Christian friends that I developed include Folorunsho Obarombi (of Aiyetoro-Gbede) Olubunmi Irefin (of Odokoro), Kolawole Joloko (of Kabba), Ajisafe Ameobi (of Aiyetoro-Gbede), and Philip Omotosho (of Iffe-Olukotun). 79 | P a g e

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These friends discussed my problems, and provided Christian advice to me. I was beginning to grow up. However, during the vacation between the first and second term JTO had received news of his promotion and transfer to Ilorin. JTO and MEO had decided that I will remain behind alone to complete my education at GSS Okene. He informed me that they had considered my alternative transfer to GSS Omu-Aran, but preferred Okene. We agreed that I was now going to become the subject of significant and sustained abuse on campus, and that I will have to be very careful. JTO took me along with everyone to Ilorin, and we settled at an apartment in Queen Elizabeth School (QES, or “Queen School”), Ilorin. MEO was posted to teach at Queen School upon completion of her schooling at ABU Zaria in 1975.

Braving the odds

In January 1976 when I had to return to Okene, JTO and MEO were perhaps as perplexed as myself about the entire situation. Although, they had taken me to Mrs. Ayanda’s kindergarten Sunday school at the Baptist church in Okene in 1969, they prayed together with me from 5.00 A.M. like they never did before that time. My fears disappeared, but I cried from their loving me enough to have to do this for me before releasing me to my new reality. JTO and MEO showed me tough love all the way. If they hadn’t done it this way there was some chance that I would get soft, pulpy, and lacking firmness in my upbringing. JTO sent his official driver to drive me to Okene to resume second term. The night that I got to Okene, I went to the school field and spent time thinking deeply. From this point forward, other than when I came home on holidays, JTO and MEO were only going to be occasional visitors into my world. More importantly, from now I would see my siblings (Bola, Babs and Seyi) only during holidays in Ilorin. That would be three weeks, three weeks, and three months long vacation periods. I was twelve years and four months old! Eventually, this would create us into different experiences and I was afraid of the prospects. I counted the number of days until my graduation, and fell to the ground on the field. I had never lived one day away from the same town as at least one of my parents.

Navigating alone

JTO had secured the consent of the following guardians for me: Mr. Olaniyan, the District Administrative Office in Okene; Mr. Sani, his moslem Ebira tailor friend in Okene (very loyal to JTO well beyond my years in Okene – a very good man); and Mr. P. B. Kanjuni, JTO first cousin who lived 12 miles away at Ogori Secondary School. They were empowered check on me during AAAMCO’s monthly Visitors’ days, and to provide for my needs. I would visit them in turns during the three hours outing on Fridays. Essentially, these men would become my father and mother in Okene during the term. This was a huge transition from the life that I knew, but one that I had determined to survive. Somehow, JTO and MEO had huge dreams for the family that they had started, and recognized that there was a huge price to pay to claim the promise in the dream. My experience was not fun for them either, but they had both suffered much by leaving familiar homestead and family in their early years to be able to grow out of the village life. They were already thinking about how MEO will go for further schooling. Mine was a necessary test to see how the children will cope. I made the best of my time at Okene. About a 80 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy month into the second term of my Form two JTO came to attend his valedictory send-off ceremony, organized by Mr. N. A. Onadepo, the new principal at AAAMCO. JTO used this occasion to address the staff and students. He thanked them for their cooperation while he was in Okene, promising to not forget them while in Ilorin. JTO became very emotional when he told the entire school gathering that he was leaving his fragile son behind, and requested a kind treatment for me for the rest of my stay in Okene. Many were surprised that I returned to Okene, but I already knew the dangers, mentally gone through my prospects, and had made friends who would be strong for me through the next three years. As my consolation, I thought that I would eventually have “college students” serve me when I get to Form five. That could be the fun. Meanwhile, I have to do well academically in the years ahead, and survive the sharks in this water.

The Sheep Herd

I made more friends with new juniors in Form one, including Mr. John Aiyenikanju (Ayegba house, junior brother of Mr. Joseph Aiyenikanju, my college brother in my Form one); Mr. Sunday Aiyenibe (of Okoro-Gbede, Soton house); Mr. Ola Kanjuni (of Okoro-Gbede, Ohimege house); and Daniel Olaleye (of Ayetoro-Gbede, Obaro house), Folorunso Toke (of Aiyegunle-Gbede, Isa-Koto house) etc. I also made friend with about half-a-dozen very nice excellent Northern exchange students, including Abdulkarim Mohammed Datti (Obaro house) and Elimelech Maigari (Obaro house), both from Kaduna State. GSS Okene had more than sixty students from the northern states, in the model of the Nigerian National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), but was limited to northern states pupils. Mr. Abiodun Faleke (junior brother of Mr. J. K. Otitoju’s wife) joined my set at Form three. He was in Ohimege house, and a few years older than me. He became a very reliable friend that I also looked to during all my days at AAAMCO. The group of friends looked out for me all over campus. I remained a regular attendant to fellowship of Christian student (FCS) programs and learned to fear God, but I wasn’t born again throughout my days in Okene. I had many questions about the meaning and reality of life and religion; and I wanted to rest assured whenever later I would elect to become born again. I was eventually born again during a revival program of the Unilorin Christian Union (UCU) at the University of Ilorin in October 1982, and I will not turn away.

Molding Fate

The gamble on my progress met with serious challenges from this point forward until the end of my Form five. When we had to choose the career stream to pursue at the beginning of Form Three, JTO ‘helped’ me to ‘decide’ by offering to give me N25 if I were to choose to pursue science. I did, and I got the price, and then was terrified about what I’d done. I used my ‘spoil’ to buy the first leather suitcase for myself from the erstwhile Midland Stores in Ilorin. I was just an average student until I sat for the WAEC examinations in 1979. I learned to enjoy my time at Okene, watching the Ekuechi masquerade festivals, spoke Ebira language, and made friends. I traveled with school’s boy scouts to camps around Obehira, and went along when AAAMCO played soccer at Ogaminana. I traveled along with about a thousand AAAMCO students on foot to and from Ihima (30 miles), to Obehira (10 miles), to Ikuroko (20 miles), to Ogori/Magongo (35 miles), and to Ogaminana (45 miles). 81 | P a g e

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Notable Monuments as the Clock Dialed

JTO and MEO took the family on a vacation to Lagos in 1976, when my brother Bola went to start at FGC Ijanikin, in Lagos. The family stayed with my maternal auntie Mrs. Grace Ologe and her husband, Chief S. O. Ologe. During the visit, we visited the National Theater that was still under construction at that time. The news of the assassination of the late Nigerian head of State, General Murtala Mohammed in February 1976 met me on the school campus. Mrs. Iyabo Atta (wife of Alhaji Abdul Aziz Atta) donated an entire library to the school after the school’s name changed in 1976. The international Festival of Black Arts and Culture (FESTAC) held at the National Theater in Iganmu Orile, in Lagos, Nigeria in 1977. All these events occurred while I was going through Form three to Form four between 1976 and 1978; and I always longed to see my parents.

National Discipline Back in the Days

On one occasion in 1977, the principal, late Chief R. B. Balogun, announced that Federal Commissioner for Education, Colonel Ahmadu Ali, would be visiting in the company of staffers of the Kwara Ministry of Education. JTO was the Chief education Officer in-charge of secondary Schools, and he was going to be coming to Okene. I was low on cash and extra food supplies, and I was greatly looking forward to getting some money from him when he came. AAAMCO students’ assembly was seated at the school’s Rimmer Hall ahead of the arrival of Colonel Ali, who arrived promptly. In military fashion, they spent 30 minutes at AAAMCO, and moved briskly from the podium into the waiting cars, no receptions. As they filed out, I found my way to an aisle seat, and pulled JTO’s suit as he got to my side. He did not even looks towards me. As soon as they left, the assembly was dismissed, and I ran out to pursue the speeding cars, hoping t he JTO would throw an envelope out of the car. None came through! The students and staff pitied me as I cried profusely. Then came forward Mr. J. Olumobi (of Aiyetoro-Gbede), a teacher, who told me JTO had anticipated the drama, and had passed a message envelope to me through him while they sat on the stage in the assembly. JTO demonstrated good foresight, thoughtfulness, and soothing response that day.

The Exits

The Youth Sports Festival was held at AAAMCO in 1978. I received two letters from JTO and MEO that informed me on campus that MEO had traveled to the United States to study at the New York University. That was produced a mixture of joy for mum’s progress, and sadness about how poor things had become that I was not there to bid MEO bye. There was not time and place to sulk over my emotions. I overcame this emotion very quickly on campus. I sat for my WAEC examinations in May to June 1979, and JTO came to pick me up from AAAMCO. The day I left, I promised to not return to AAAMCO again for at least ten years. Well, I have not returned there for thirty four years! Sure so much has changed by now.

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CHAPTER 6

Roots in Ilorin Dele

Homes for Us

JTO began to establish his family in Ilorin once they arrived in town in December 1975. With God’s help he found the wisdom, and ways to keep them together and grow in quantum quality until the migration of JTO children into their own lives began sixteen years later, in 1991. Dele got married in August, and the creation of Kogi State in October 1991 triggered new type of insecurity. The 1991 state creation in Nigeria had zoned out JTO’s native Okoro- Gbede out of the old Kwara State, Everyone in the house that worked in the civil service was going to be forced to relocate, or forced out of the Kwara State Civil Service by 1992. While leaving Okene for Ilorin in 1975 was considered progress, returning to that area of the country in the 1990s was not considered progress in the family. Read Dele’s further discussion of the family’s fortunes going forward in the chapter on “New Beginnings and the Empty Nest”.

Meanwhile, in his lifetime, JTO had settled his family at four different locations in Ilorin. Firstly, in a house within Queen School staff quarters, December 1975 – June 1976; Secondly, in quarter No. 3 of the Ilorin Teachers College (ITC) staff housing extension, July 1976 – March 1977; thirdly, in JTO’s personal house at Agbo-Oba (located behind the official address of the Rector of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin), March 1977 – August 1985.; and fourthly, at Sayomi Road in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) in Ilorin, since 1985. Read further discussion of JTO family experience between 1975 and 1985 are described in the chapters on “Footprints in Okene”, “Daddy, Unforgettable”, and “A Lifetime with Daddy”.

Over this period, the JTO children became teenager’s, and made progress in their education pursuits. Bola started Form one at the Federal Government College (FGC). Ijanikin, Lagos, in 1976. He transferred to Titcomb College, Egbe in Form Two, and finally to the FGC Ilorin in Form three in 1978. He completed his secondary school education at the FGC Ilorin. Young Bola was gentle, reclusive, and very brilliant, but had to overcome a few childhood health challenges. In the other Chapters of this book, Babs, Seyi, and Atinuke provided detailed descriptions of their memory of growing up with JTO, and their periods as secondary school students of the FGC Ilorin. By some fate, it was Seyi that had to become most closely attached to JTO in his growing years in 1978 to 1980.

Child and Work

As a Chief Education Officer (1976–1977) under Governor Ibrahim Taiwo (July 1975 – February 1976, assassinated in the February 1976 coup in Nigeria) and Governor George Agbazika Innih (March 1976 – July 1977); as Chief Inspector of Education (1977 – 1979) and Director of Education (1979–1985) under Governor Sunday Orinya Ifere (July 1978 – October 1979), JTO had to undertake extensive travel with the sitting military Governors of Kwara State. 83 | P a g e

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Education policy was significant in rapidly changing Nigeria. The Governors traveled to Northern Governors meetings in Kaduna on a fairly regular basis; and they frequently took tours of educational establishments around the State. The military administrations of Kwara State started many secondary schools between 1976 and 1979 in recognition of the new local governments created by the Federal Military government; and the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Policy was enacted in Nigeria in 1976, and the implementation fell to the military administrations at the State levels. Under the 1976 UPE policy the federal government which had in 1972 assumed more responsibility for education took on the challenge of seeing all primary age students attending school. It also launched the UPE scheme to correct regional, rural-urban and sex imbalances in the educational system and invest in human capital. JTO took eight years old Seyi on his several trips to Kaduna, and within Kwara State during the tenure of Governor Sunday Ifere. It was reported that the Governor, having noticed the fatherly dedication of JTO, and with foreknowledge that MEO was far away in New York on study leave, stopped the convoy at some mid-way point on a ten-hour travel to Kaduna and he walked over to greet Seyi, the only child, and non-official traveler in his convoy. His children noticed JTO’s many sacrifices through those rough years; and they seem to have adopted this quality of palpable dedication.

Avoiding politics

On October 1, 1979, elected civilian Governor Adamu Atta of Kwara State was sworn into office in a nationwide transition of Federal administration from military government to civilian government. JTO had decided to not participate in the political organization of the State administration. He had risen to the point where he could influence his assignments in the Kwara State Ministry of Education. His traveling days with the Governor was over, and he avoided the politicians to the extent possible. However, his old colleagues took notice of his experience and contributions to the State since 1968! That recognition by the Head of the Kwara State Civil Service was a major asset when JTO was appointed to two four-year terms as Chairman of the Kwara State Education Management Board (KWSEMB) in 1986 and 1989. It was also useful when he was appointed as the very first Chairman of the Kogi State Schools Board (KSSB) in 1991.

Agbo Oba Home

After sitting for my WAEC in June 1979 I returned from AAAMCO to JTO’s Agbo Oba home to meet aunt Taiye, who had graduated from St. Monica College, Kabba in 1978. She was yet to get an admission into a higher institution. Only next to JTO and MEO, aunt Taiye had a significant influence on the lives of JTO-MEO children. We loved her so much, because she endured so much for our proper upbringing. She was highly self-disciplined; deeply thoughtful; very Christian; illustrious; dependable; sensibly ambitious; true to, loved and respected MEO very dearly. Her role was going be become very unique and important over the next decade, as the JTO sons were becoming teenagers, very active, with different experiences at school, but would need to forge into a family together. She was always working, pounding yam for JTO once to twice a day; hand washed all household clothes including JTO Agbada’s (dignitary native clothing in Nigeria); cooked all meals in the house; cleaned the floor every time we messed up; did the dishes, etc. After all that the JTO children took her through, I am truly humbled by aunt Taiye’s humility. She 84 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy never once cursed at anyone of us in all the years that I’d been close to her. Infact, despite being six-years older than me I called her “Taiye” until July 1979. I had assumed closeness since we had walked to school together from 1969. My siblings had followed my lead to call her “Taiye”. However, by 1979, other close relations in the JTO compound called me to order, and we began to calling her “auntie Taiye”, as she truly is to us, to this day.

Growing into Adulthood

One fateful Saturday morning after my birthday in August 1979, the results of my WAEC exams reached the Exams Division of the Kwara State Ministry of Education. In his capacity as Chief Inspector of Education in the Ministry JTO got an advanced knowledge of my results ahead of its release to the schools. I made only a few credits; some Pass grades, and one Fail grade in Chemistry. My average performance did not get me over the mark. At home with JTO, I had begun to whine about how bad WAEC had treated me, and that I liked to protest my results. Skillfully, JTO agreed with me on the protestation, but he informed me that by Monday he would register me Ilorin Grammar School (IGS), Ilorin, where I was going to re-sit the WAEC exams. By Monday, JTO had firmed up on me, and I knew that my salvation would be in passing the exams at credit level in the next sitting. He also registered me for the General Certificate in Education (GCE) that is usually taken by non-student candidates who needed a qualification for a University admission. By 1980, I passed both the WAEC and the GCE, with most subjects at A1-A3 grades. I sat for and passed the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams with a score of 188. These grades earned me an admission to study for B.Sc. Chemistry at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. JTO was very pleased, and he made a feast of a free range chicken in his household at Agbo-Oba, Ilorin. Cousin Emmanuel Oyeunmi was a guest of JTO and he witnessed this celebration along with aunt Taiye.

Trench Days

There were very many people, family friends, neighbors, and temporary residents in the JTO home that witnessed the events described in this literature, and have had lasting influence on the upbringing of the JTO children. Starting from 1969, the oldest three children of Chief Raphael A. Ibitomi spent their summer holidays with JTO and MEO young family in Okene. Brother Segun–, brother Ade–, and late sister Funmi Ibitomi, all much older than JTO’s first son Dele, arrived to JTO home at the northern end of the GSS Okene staff quarters while the Nigerian civil War was ongoing. While MEO organized her children and the visiting family, it was not uncommon to suddenly see a few Nigeria Army soldiers returning from the war front on foot. They would quickly grab any handy food, and moved on towards Lokoja through the bushes. They told gory tales of the war front, including that they’d not showered for weeks. Those soldiers were surprisingly courteous, despite their fearsome camouflage uniform, and gears.

Some other extended family lived with the JTO family while they were at different stages of their personal educational development. Discussions in the chapters on “Igala country” and “Okene Footprints” list some relations that lived extensively with the JTO family. The list would now be expanded to include Jide Otitoju (son of Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Otitoju, Ekinrin-Adde) lived at the Agbo Oba home 1979-82 while attending Government High School (GHS), Ilorin; 85 | P a g e

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Mr. Dapo Omotowa (JTO nephew, son of Mr. and Mrs William Omotowa, then working at the Bauchi Polytechnic) spent short holidays at the Agbo Oba home while he attended GHS, Ilorin as a boarding student in 1980-84; Mr. Sunday (“Agba”) Ibitomi (son of Chief Raphael and Chief (Mrs) Victoria Ibitomi) lived at the Agbo Oba home 1981-83 while studying civil engineering at the Kwara Polytechnic (Unilorin Old-Campus site).

The family of the late Mr. Otito and Mrs. Rhoda Balogun, along with their five children lived with the JTO family at the Agbo Oba home between 1977 and 1980, when they moved back to Okoro-Gbede for good. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Aiyenibe lived with the JTO family in the Agbo Oba Estate between 1981 and 1985, when they also moved back to Okoro-Gbede. Mr. Jacob Adewumi lived at the Agbo Oba Estate in 1978-1981, and he got married there. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Ipinyomi lived on the GRA Ilorin Estate for about three years ahead of JTO family construction of the main house in 1985. Mr. Ipinyomi (of Bunu) was a dear and beloved Higher School Certificate (HSC) Form Six student of JTO back from Okene.

Other family relations that lived with JTO family at the GRA Ilorin home include Dupe Owonibi (MEO half-sister, 1984-87); Segun Ibitayo (JTO nephew, 1985-1990); Emily Omotowa (JTO niece, 1981-88); Joshua Obagbemi (JTO nephew, 1996-2003); and Tosin Adewumi (JTO grand niece, 1995-2009). Tosin and Joshua valuable help for MEO when she cared for JTO in his last years. Unfortunately, after JTO’s in 2003, Tosin was the second death in the GRA Ilorin home in April 2009. MEO had a number of paid young house helps over the years. Tayo (from suburbs of Afon Ilorin, last name unknown) was outstanding in the GRA Ilorin home during 1985-1989.

JTO’s neutered male dog, named “Sparkle”, a hunter and a dependable friend in the family lived with the family for fifteen years of 1973-1988. This dog was witness to, and protected the JTO family from Okene, to Dekina, back to Okene, to the three residences of JTO in Ilorin before it killed by a hit-and-run vehicle. Many wept at the passing of “Sparkle” that had become member of the family. “Sparkle” witnessed the arrival of Tinuke into the family in 1981.

1985 photo of JTO’s dog, “Sparkle” (1973-1988) 86 | P a g e

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Farming Interest

Once, JTO began to avoid political operatives in 1979, he spent most of his private time in subsistence farming, and in organizing the Okoro-Gbede Development Association (OGDA) in Ilorin. His farmsteads on leased land units were at Agbo-Oba (6 acres, 1978-1980); Adewole Estate (10 acres, 1980-1985); and at Afon (Asa LGA, off Ilorin to Ajase-Ipo highway) that was about 50 acres (1985-1992) of combined total area. He planted yams, maize, cassava, and peanut. He hired local labor for clearing and making the ridges, and got the JTO boys along with his visiting relations to plant, weed, and harvest between 6.00 A.M. and 2.00 P.M. every Saturday. Every JTO boy undertook this experience for anything between four and eight years. We never liked it, but it forced us to bond in many ways. We were driven to the farm locations; we shared food and the pain of completing the assigned job; and spend few idle moments discussing personal woes. JTO will be happy if there was competition at work because that will mean more accomplishment. However, this is a job where there was hardly any competition. Indeed, this was a master craft of JTO to avoid idle socialization, and to minimize idle time for us the JTO boys. When we weren’t in the farm, such as weekdays during the holidays, we played soccer for several hours – as many as six hours combined! There was always a losing side, a winning side, and the ensuing fist fights when a soccer goal is contested.

JTO got physical exercise from farming; and was very tired afterwards so much to retire to his wooden hammock chair or a camp bed to rest and gaze at the stars or doze off between 7.30 and 10.30 P.M. Although, JTO had been member of Okene Club, and Ilorin Club at different times, he went to bed after checking the home security between 10.30 and 11.30 P.M. every night. This is the time JTO had to ruminate on current matters, makes plans, and perhaps, meditate or pray. In the years of 1969 to 1978 he would drink a bottle of beer most nights. However, after I approached him in 1978 to ask about why I couldn’t drink beer, he promptly stopped drinking from about 1979.

Enforcing Discipline

In 1979, Bola and I had the only fight between us, ever. We disagreed on whether as the oldest JTO child I had the authority to stop him from listening to music using an ear phone rather than study while dad was at work. I wasn’t studying myself, and Bola would not have any of my talk. I quickly went physical, and we held a fight all over the living room. As a result, we overturned the cabinet containing MEO earthenware collections worth about N4,000 (with exchange rate $1 = N1 in 1979), and she was away in New York. This was a major loss of family asset, and JTO came down hard on us.

The family of Mr. & Mrs. M. A. Ajibodun (of Iffe, Ijumu) would be our neighbors at Agbo-Oba between 1980 and 1985. However, they had only built the non-plastered two-room boys’ quarters by 1979. JTO was caretaker for the Ajiboduns’ home, and by next morning as he went to work at 7.30 A.M. he ordered Bola and I to the two different rooms that were forty feet apart. He ordered aunt Taiye to not feed us while he was gone. Time move slowly; the moments were quiet, hot, and humid. Mosquitoes were flying around in the non-windowed, burglar-proofed iron-rod barricaded roofed rooms. We had to fast until JTO returned at 5.00 87 | P a g e

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P.M. There was further disappointment as JTO did not order our release until at 8.30 P.M. Once released, we were ordered to bed. He repeated this the second day, and the third day. By the third day of the solitary confinement, became exhausting and unfortunately a self-inflicted frustration. I initiated a call to Bola over the distance, he responded, and we began to resolve our differences, and spoke to each other. JTO did not discuss the matter with us, but we got the message. It was going to be our lives for stupidity, and we wanted to live. He released us by 5.00 P.M. the third day, and aunt Taiye took care of us. JTO’s discipline methods were seemingly gently but were dreadful for us his children.

MEO Returns

By 1979, our dear paternal uncle Reuben had graduated Second Class Upper Division in Accounting from the University of Ife, and completed his NYSC service year at Bauchi State. He moved back to Ilorin to work in the Kwara State Ministry of Finance, and boarded up with JTO at the Ago-Oba home. We saw little of him, because he was always at work, or out with his friends in the evenings. However, uncle Reuben was very attendant to his father, my Grandpa, Chief Samuel Omotowa when he spent about two months at the Agbo-Oba quarters in late 1979, while undergoing surgery to remove cataract from his eyes. Accompanying uncle Reuben, we visited Grandpa Samuel at the University Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) almost on a daily basis. A few months after Grandpa Samuel returned to Okoro-Gbede, uncle Reuben moved out to an apartment on the same street as the JTO home. Then, an announcement of his upcoming marriage to his fiancée, former Miss Bosede E. Fagbemi (of Ekinrin-Adde; BSc ABU Zaria; raised in Bauchi State where Uncle Reuben did NYSC) was announced. Sure there was excitement in the air as every member of the JTO household looked forward to the February 19, 1980 wedding day. Soon afterwards we also learned that MEO would arrive from the United States on February 20, 1980. JTO was overjoyed by the realization of the two events. An overjoyed and proud JTO was in Lagos to welcome MEO back from two year studies at NYU, in New York.

Burglary Misfortunes

By March 1980, it was a joyous and proud atmosphere in our now-alive neighborhood. However, on a rainy night during the first week of March 1980 some burglars broke stealthily into the JTO home in Agbo-Oba to cart away some things that MEO brought with her from the USA. This was a shock, and the family had become victims. MEO victimization was going to happen again in July 1983, when thieves stole MEO’s brand new Peugeot 504 car at 8.00 A.M. from the Ilorin Teachers College (ITC) staff parking lot. MEO was a head of department in that school when this happened.

Okoro-Gbede High School

Armed with a Masters degree in Art Education from NYU MEO gradually settled back into the family. Everyone was proud of her achievement. The first assignment was the development of paraphernalia for the newly approved Okoro-Gbede High School (OGHS). MEO helped to design the schools badge and the logo in 1980. She played her role in helping a proud JTO work very 88 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy hard to ensure that the sleepy town of Okoro-Gbede with about three thousand natives was prospecting to start the most prestigious boarding school in Gbede land. We could see that they were proud as they teamed up to do this. This establishment of this institution still stands out as a landmark achievement for Okoro-Gbede.

Beloved by Okoro-Gbede

It is perhaps useful to know that while JTO and MEO totally avoided political administrations, they were extremely active community organizers, and communicated the importance of community, and the strands that build it to us their children. On May 10, 2003, more than a hundred women of Okoro-Gbede met with the traveling party bringing the body of late JTO from Ilorin for burial in Okoro-Gbede. Those women honed the importance of JTO and MEO associations with the when they repeatedly sang, ”Baba o, baba o, baba o; Baba to feran wa o ti lo”. This translates, “Our father, our father, our father. The father who loved us has left us”. They followed his casket and sang this continuously for three-mile walk through the town from west end to Okoro-Gbede High School (OGHS), on the east end. They sang it again on the way back from the OGHS to the Town hall where the city received him for his final recognition ahead of his burial. If not before then, it became obvious to JTO family that he loved his native land, and Okoro-Gbede loved him back! Essentially, he introduced his children to a people-rich Okun heritage, in which he was a natural fit. To this extent, JTO children recognize our Okun heritage through our parents’ legacy.

Transcript

This is in Total recognition of the Legacy left behind by our father, an educationist and a hero in our dear community, Okoro-Gbede

Who is this Man?

1. He was a man of high repute whose, legacy he left behind is quality & standard education. 2. The man who has put in his best in his life to ensure what Okoro- Gbede High School (Our only community’s Company) is what it is today. 3. He was known for honesty, diligence and his very good integrity in the whole of old Kwara State, when he served as the Board Chairman in the whole state.

Courtesy: Okoro-Gbede Students Union JTO honor memorabilia by Okoro-Gbede Students Union, 2007 (2006/2007)

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Okun Heritage

JTO and MEO did not sit their children, and filled them with facts of their heritage. They simply lived and introduced it, by their (i) circle of friends, (ii) constantly welcoming family from Okunland, (iii) regularly communicated in Gbede language in the home, (iv) regularly visiting and (v) participating in the accelerated development of the region in the 1980s. Their friendships were fiercely loyal, enduring, engaging, developed for mutual development of their families, and always self tasking toward future progress of their larger community. Hundreds of children of many Okun friends of JTO and MEO were either their students at some stage, or became their staff late in life. JTO children constantly received care from many Okun families, and beyond; and they reciprocated the goodwill to others as well.

JTO and MEO travelled extensively to several events, weddings, burials, school openings, graduation, and simple family visits at town in Yagba, Ijumu Arin, Gbede, Ogidi, Kabba, Bunu districts of Okunland, and constantly took us, their children, along. In the 1970s, we had on one occasion attended the traditional Epa festival in Iyah on the invitation of Dr. Omole, a JTO friend.

Okunland as a subgroup of the Yoruba tribe of Southwest Nigeria

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Ijumu Communities of Okunland

JTO maintained good relationship with his siblings and his in-laws throughout his lifetime. Our uncles and aunties are held in fond memories. Somehow, the late 20th century saw many Omotowa families begin to migrate out to seek education and business opportunities. However, JTO spent most of his weekends traveling from his base at different times in Okene, Dekina, and Ilorin, to visit Okoro-Gbede and to organize with his folks for progress. His relationship in his secondary family and in Okoro-Gbede community is probably best discussed in the section of this book written by his youngest brother, Chief Reuben Gilbert Omotowa.

We attended the Christ Apostolic Church in Okoro-Gbede when in town. Between 1969 and 1975, young sons of JTO visited the rivers of Okoro-Gbede at Obalemo, and Pere, in the company of our older cousins who fetched water in several trips to fill storage drums. The water was usually very pure in those days that preceded affordable wells and bore-holes.

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Running errands helped to forge good memories of common experience and respectful relationship with our relations.

The JTO family constantly traveled to Aiyetoro-Gbede to visit with MEO mum and family at Oda quarters. The children frequently slept in Grandma Leah’s 2-bedroom apartment in Aiyetoro-Gbede. She was a devoted widow, since Grandpa Benjamin had passed away in January 1968, leaving a large family behind. JTO children walked on foot with Grandma Leah to her farm some 3 miles away from Aiyetoro-Gbede into the moderate savannah bushes of middle belt Nigeria.

MEO would ensure that everyone visited her aunt, Madam Rebecca Asaju, who raised her in the formative years in Aiyetoro-Gbede, called “Momo li Garage”. While they were alive, MEO respected Momo li Garage very much, almost as much as her mother, my Grandma Leah. She visited them frequently, consulted them, and sought their independent approvals, greatly respected them; and they both knew it More so, all the Owonibi family members knew of this reliable trio relationship, and worked within the limits of it. If author attempts to list names of all the family members in the Oda quarters, he will probably offend those whose names may not be listed. However, it might be an accepted exception to name the late auntie Muni who was uniquely and outstandingly loyal to MEO throughout her lifetime. She was the oldest of MEO’s loyal sister soldiers in the phases of their family evolution between Aiyegunle-Gbede and Aiyetoro-Gbede. Ahead of his death in January 1968, Grandpa Benjamin was recognized in line to the rotational traditional chieftaincy of HRH Olujumu of Ijumu, the Monarch of more than thirty-five towns in three British colonial administrative districts of Ijumu-Oke, Ijumu-Arin, and Ijumu-Gbede. The brother of late Grandpa Benjamin was the reigning Olujumu of Ijumu in January 1968.

Unilorin Undergraduates

By October 1980, I left home again to become a boarding undergraduate of the University of Ilorin. JTO was proud of this progress in his family. In 1982, Bola scored the maximum possible in Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Mathematics and Physics, and he gained admission to study Electrical Engineering at the University of Ilorin. In 1984, Babs would also attend the University of Ilorin to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Chemistry. Seyi followed in his brothers’ steps in 1986, and was admitted to study for Bachelors in Civil Engineering at the University of Ilorin.

Age of Tinuke Began

By June 1981, JTO and MEO welcomed their only daughter, Tinuke, to this world. All her older brothers were in attendance at her naming ceremony in June 1981; and they were glad that she came. Although, she came many years after her brothers, JTO made sure that she enjoyed the love of a father and mother in her tender years. JTO would instruct me about her equal status as each of her brothers in the family. Babs especially loved Tinuke; was very fond of her; and protected her from any abuse by anyone in the JTO household. By 1981, JTO had an official car and an assigned driver. When Tinuke would start primary school at St. Joseph 92 | P a g e

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School (a private Catholic institution) in 1985, JTO would give her a ride to school and the driver got her back home every day of her primary school years. Tinuke was a very bright student, winning in a nationwide essay competition in her primary six, in 1992. She received the national award from Mrs. Mariam Babangida, wife of the then Nigerian military leader, at official residence of the Head of State in the Dodan Barracks, Lagos. Read more detailed discussion on Tinuke in the chapter on “My Devotion, My Life, My love”.

L-R: Babs; Atinuke; Tayo (house help); Dele; Segun Ibitayo (a cousin); and Bola, in 1988

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L-R: Babs: Dele; Atinuke; MEO, in 1988

Towards Becoming Grandparents

I graduated with a Bachelors degree from the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) in July 1984; and was posted to Iwo, Oyo State in August to begin my mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) service year at the Oyo State College of Education. I met a girl there named Ms. Tayo Ajisafe by December 1984. I decided to introduce her to my parents during Unilorin’s May 1985 Convocation ceremony. I will describe her as the girl that I could get married to in the future.

Although, this was a first in the family and a surprise, I was sure that JTO and MEO expected that it would come someday, perhaps not at this stage in my life. For the travel home, I was accompanied by her; her very close Ghanaian friend, Miss Ivy Dastan; and a NYSC colleague of mine from Toro in Bauchi State, Mallam Hassan Datti Mohammed (BA History, ABU Zaria). Another close NYSC colleague, Mr. Chukwuma Nwosa (BSc Physics, UNN) from Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State couldn’t make the trip.

I wrote them of my travel plans ahead of the trip. All the same, JTO and MEO were very surprised to see all of us. They calmly deliberated over the matter for two days and came up with an advice for me: that I needed to wait until I have known how a boy should relate to a girl in a relationship before going steady. For me this was a positive outcome. They could 94 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy send the girl and other visitors away. They did not assess her at all. It was true that Tayo was the first girlfriend that I ever had. Tayo was raised in a different cultural setting, and I had to learn her ways for a few years.

I remained in close relationship with her for another seven years. During this period we corresponding by mail; visited each other occasionally; she earned a BS degree in Political Science from the Obafemi Awolowo University; and I earned an MS degree in Chemistry from Unilorin. JTO and MEO blessed the relationship, and we got married at the College Baptist Church in Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria, in August 1991.

Graduation

The University of Ilorin conferred the B.Sc. degree in Industrial Chemistry on Babs in 1988, and a M.Sc. in Chemistry on Dele the same day. JTO and MEO were quite happy by these outcomes of their years of parenting and investment in their children. Babs went on to receive a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Ilorin in 1990. Further details on Babs’ career progress can be found in the chapter on “Daddy, Unfogettable”.

Meanwhile Dele went on to spending fourteen months (February 1994 – March 1995) as a World Bank scholar at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom. He completed a doctorate degree in chemistry at the University of Ilorin in 1995.

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L-R: JTO; Seyi; Dele; MEO, in living room of the G.R.A. Ilorin home, 1987

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Dedication to his children’s education

JTO’s dedication to his children’s education can be illustrated in the following story. My research for the Masters degree in Chemistry was supervised by Professor Michael A. Mesubi (of Iyamoye, Ijumu) at the University of Ilorin. I undertook this degree as a part-time student, working as a full-time Chemistry teacher at the Government Girls Day Secondary School (GGDSS) Okesuna, Ilorin. Every day after school, between 2.00 and 3.00 P.M., I would go by public transportation to the permanent site of the University of llorin, about eighteen miles away. I undertook an eight hour work day as a graduate student. I returned home at night to sleep. This was my weekdays schedule between 1985 and 1988. Afterwards, JTO would try to engage me in man-to-man discussions as often as it was convenient for me. One day in 1988, Professor Mesubi required the completion of a chemical process before I left for home. Public transportation services from the campus to town shut down at 11.00 P.M. I did not complete my task by then, and I decided to sleep in the laboratory until the day break. In keeping with his discipline he needed to be sure to himself whether I had wondered off uncharacteristically. He drove up the 18-miles stretch to the University, and knocked on the door to the research lab of Professor Mesubi by 6.00 A.M.! He was very pleased when I opened the door. He came, and I was alone, just waking up. I was twenty three years old at this time. He drove me home to shower and get ready to resume at 8.00 A. M. at my teaching job in Okesuna, Ilorin.

L-R: Bashirat Azeez; Titilayo Owolabi; Dele; Mabel Agbogun; Abigael Okesola; Olabisi Faleke Dele with some graduating Form 5A chemistry students at GGDSS Okesuna, November 1988 97 | P a g e

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Steady Hand from Different Times

Much earlier in life, JTO had developed a pact with me in 1982. By then, sophomore students at the University of Ilorin mandatorily live off-campus. I was one of them. I left Ilorin with the drama group of the Unilorin Christian Union to an 8 P.M – 10 P.M. performance at the School of Agriculture in Kabba, some two hundred miles away. I had traveled unceremoniously, and did not inform dad. Our performance was very successful. The group traveled through the night, and arrived back in Ilorin by 6.00 A.M. I was at home, ironing my shirt to get ready for school. JTO he saw me and asked how the night was. I answered by telling him of the trip to Kabba the previous night. He didn’t know! He took some time to process what I’d just said. He thought of not knowing about the risk that I had been exposed to, while I was still living under his roof. My judgment was very poor on this occasion, and I suddenly realized it.

He sat me down later that night and sought me to make a pact that with me: that, we should endeavor to watch the 9.00 P.M. national news on television together every night. I had just become born again, and my integrity was important to me. I agreed to the pact, and kept it. He came to the University to check on me because he hadn’t seen me at 9.00 P.M. the previous night.

JTO had a desire that I will end up as a University lecturer. I did not particularly like the idea, but after my M.Sc. graduation in 1988 I obliged him and took up an appointment as an Assistant Lecturer in Chemistry Department of Unilorin. While there, I received promotion to Lecturer II in 1995. In 1997, my promotion to Lecturer I status was approved by the Appointments and Promotion Committee of the Senate of the University of Ilorin. However, this promotion was suspended when I had decided to move to the University of Idaho in the United States. My appointment with the University of Ilorin was eventually terminated in 1998. This was one risk I took without seeking JTO’s approval and he didn’t kick against it.

Transparent Responsibility to Community

In 1988, I transferred my service from the Kwara State Ministry of Education to the University of Ilorin. Due to administrative lapse, there was a delay in implementing pay stoppage for me at the Kwara State Ministry of Education. I quietly continued to receive my pay for another three months. One evening Alhaji Bonire (of Aiyegunle) visited JTO in the GRA home. He was a supervisor in the audit office in the Ministry, and later I figured that he’d work closely with JTO while he was a Director in the Ministry. “Dele” was the reason for the visit. He had discovered the discrepancy in my continued receipt of salary payment when I was not in their service anymore! He noticed that someone else in the accounting office was using my misadventure to misdirect larger Government funds to him. Knowing JTO’s typical disposition, Alhaji Bonire had come to ensure that this was handled before it became an unexpected scandal that would consume the man. JTO summoned me at once. He inquired sternly, and I admitted it immediately. He’d taught me better than this.

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JTO demanded that I repaid the Ministry by the next morning. I agreed to repay, but had no funds at all. I had spent this carelessly as a windfall. After some minutes, he made me sign a loan undertaking, and he wrote me a check to go and repay. Plus, I had to write a letter of acknowledgement of my misdoing and request for a kind review to the Ministry. He made sure that I repaid him with one hundred percent of my University pay until I had completely paid-up! I probably learnt one of my most important lessons on private sins from this experience.

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CHAPTER 7

My Dad was a Good Man Bola

My dad (JTO) was a good man. Like every human, he had his weaknesses and shortcomings.

JTO, 1991

I grew up to know him as a strong disciplinarian. He was a man who was not partial in enforcing discipline to an errant. He did not spare his own child in the wrong. He was a caring person, and he cared for all in his community. He was limitlessly kindness beyond his family. He was a very hardworking man that did not limit himself to only things within his reach. He went all the way to accomplish his dreams for himself, his family, and community. As a practical man, my late dad physically participated on several construction projects that he commissioned or supervised.

While growing up, he trained us well, and very hard, so that we could develop necessary attitude to face the challenges that life could bring our way. He did not pamper or tolerate his children, and he did not spare us when we went wrong. I remember an instant that he 100 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy practically dragged me to the police to help him scrutinize my way of life because he could not understand how I was behaving at that time. He is not a father that would spare the rod and spoil the child. He lived out his life entirely to serve his community.

Bola at JTO funeral, 2003 Mrs. Bolaji Omotowa at JTO funeral, 2003

By his determination, and betting on me, dad encouraged me to know that whatever I set out to d in life I can achieve success if I am well focused and put all my heart and strength it. He succeeded in changing me from my incongruent approach to live as a teenager. That has helped me a lot in my struggle through life.

My father was a believer in Jesus Christ, but not too much of a religious man. However, he maintained personal discipline and exuded non monetary charity to everyone he met in his path than most religious men of his time.

Dad was a caring father. I remembered when I was about erecting my own quarters in his compound. I didn’t have much money on me. However, the determination that I learnt through him helped me when I started the project. He would come out and watch me do the work. When he noticed the determination in me he sent me to withdraw from his savings from the Bank, and supported me in achieving that dream of mine.

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Late dad was a nice man, who had his extremes. I could remember him sending me out of the house twice because he felt the kind of friends I was having at that time could make me do things that could bring disrepute to his name. It took the assistance of our uncle Reuben Gilbert Omotowa to bring me back home. He was a mentor, and I will always aspire to be like him. May his soul rest in peace.

Bola (right) looks on as JTO coffin is lowered into the grave, 2003

Bola places dust on JTO coffin in the grave, 2003 102 | P a g e

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CHAPTER 8

Daddy, Unforgettable Babs

Earliest recollection

My earliest recollection of the love my daddy had for his children was when I had chicken pox at Okene around 1973. This was during the first of two occasions when our mother had to leave us their children with our daddy, in order to further her education at the University. By 1973, she was attending the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria. I had boils all over my body and I was in pains. I cannot forget the love in my father’s heart and eyes as he went about ensuring that I was adequately cared for. He ensured that the doctor attended to my illness. Daddy was always at hand to ensure that I always rubbed the white calamine lotion that the doctor prescribed. He made sure I ate and ensured that I was comfortable in my sleep.

Focus on Education

Very early in life daddy made sure that we were clear in understanding that education was going to be our priority. Being a teacher himself, he ensured that I made education my priority. That early in our lives he made it clear that whilst he might not be able to bequeath any financial inheritance for us as children, we would be more than capable of standing on our own when armed with a solid education. To him this would be worth more than any other earthly inheritance that he could bequeath to us. Indeed, I owe a great deal of gratitude to daddy for his priority and the clarity of direction of life. At this stage in my life, I have deep appreciation of the wisdom of his foresight.

Christian Faith

His Christian life was also very influential to me from very early on. Either at the village at Okoro-Gbede or when we were at Ilorin, he ensured that he took the whole family to church on a regular basis. He attended the Christ Apostolic Church, Agbo-Oba and later on the UMCA chapel at Ilorin. He always found time to worship God and take his family along with him to the house of the Lord. He was always keen to support church activities both financially and voluntary services and I learnt a lot from him.

Community Service

Daddy was a very communal man. With his examples, he taught me the satisfaction and personal reward of selfless service to my fellow human being and the community. He always spent his time, money and influences to help his fellow human being. He took a very active part in the building of the high school, the town hall, and the market, etc, at Okoro-Gbede. He helped his siblings, relatives and in-laws in their educational pursuits, their work and even their marriages. I remember our family participation at the weddings of our Uncle Reuben in 103 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy our house at Agbo-Oba, Ilorin; as well as that of Auntie Taiye, my mum’s younger step-sister, at the G.R.A. Ilorin house. Daddy was always at hand to support other people. He derived joy in sacrifice.

Impact of MEO travel to New York

In 1978, my mother had to travel away from the family for the second time. This time she went to the New York University in the United States of America to further her education. The preparation and trip to Lagos was quite an experience for me. Although, I was excited about the prospect of my mother traveling to New York, I was also looking forward to resuming at my secondary school for the first time. Daddy was quite positive about this trip despite that it was clear that mother had her apprehensions about leaving her children behind again. One could see clearly that she felt some guilt and personal pain. It was also clear to one that daddy did his best to encourage her along on this pursuit and provided assurances that all would be well in her absence.

The trip to Lagos was interesting, but the return to Ilorin was subdued as the reality started to dawn on me at that time that my mother was going to be away for quite a while. Daddy did all he could to put up a brave and reassuring front and never did he let us feel any concerns. He took special attention to my younger brother who was more affected by the situation especially being the only one left back at home as all the elder ones were in boarding school.

During Travails

Dad made sure I resumed at Federal Government College, Ilorin with all my needs taken care of. He took me to school to start Form One, and helped me adapt to the school environment before he drove off. He handed me over to one of the teachers, and discussed with them the need to look after me. After he left I went back to my bed and cried as I immediately started to feel lonely and miss his reassuring presence. I believe he visited me within a fortnight on a regular basis until I got more comfortable in school. Afterwards, I would wait with eagerness for our monthly “exit days” to be able to get home to our house at Agbo-Oba to get refreshed and re-energized.

Encouragement and Motivation

Daddy always took a keen interest in my progress at school. He regularly encouraged and motivated me to do well. He always gave a reward for very good academic performance. As reward for a good result he once gave me N20 to buy a pair of canvass shoes. I was very excited because I really wanted to buy a pair of canvass shoes at that stage in my life. I left home to go and buy this canvass, but lost that precious N20 note on the way. I couldn’t still fathom how that happened to me. Immediately I realized that I had lost the money I retraced my path on that route more than 5 times. I cried and asked anyone I met on the way whether they saw any N20 note that must have dropped from my pocket. Sadly, no one did admitted to seeing it or taking it. After getting tired of the rigmarole, I went back home and waited for my daddy to return from his office. On his return, I told him what happened. He listened 104 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy calmly, and gently advised me to be careful the next time I was handling money. He told me that as a secondary school student I was expected to take responsibility for my actions. He did not replace the lost money; and I learnt some useful lessons.

Disciplinarian

Daddy was a disciplinarian. During our early to mid teenage years, he did not spare the rod. However, as we grew older, the effect of the stick became less effective. When we misbehaved during the late teenage to young adult years he “banned” us from watching the television. Personally, this punishment was worse than the “stick” because, that was the stage when interesting kiddies’ cartoons such as “Rin-Tin-Tin”, “Scooby-doo”, etc got my keen attention. Somehow, we found ways to sneak out of the confinement to watch cartoons. However, I personally dreaded those bans, and I did all I could to avoid it.

Farming interest

Daddy was an avid farmer. I remember several of the farms he had, at Adewole Estate, Afon, etc. He frequently planted yam and maize corn. He grew smaller farms at homes where we lived, There he would plant tomatoes and vegetables. On most weekends he would drive his children to the farm, to use hoes and cutlasses. I remember daddy hoeing away his yam field. I have never seen anyone who loved farming like daddy and he never seem to get tired of working on his farms. I was told at some point that daddy actually financed most of his early education through the proceeds from his farms when he was younger at the village. In the mid-1980s, he went into poultry farming rearing broilers and layers in cages at the back of his GRA house. His poultry farms were not as successful as he would have wished; mainly due to conditions that afflicted the birds on several occasions.

His Career

I was always so proud of daddy’s achievement in his public life. At the Kwara State Ministry of Education he rose to the position of a Director. Daddy made it clear that if a person had no interest in politics, he/she will have to develop hard work and dedication as essential qualities. Daddy did not socialize much in clubs. Instead, he focused his attention on his family and job. I learnt quite a lot from his approach to life, by recognizing his strengths and playing on it while underplaying his weaknesses.

Life After MEO Returned

Mummy returned while I was in Form three. The family had a happy reunion. However, not too long after the birth of Tinuke in 1981 daddy took ill and was unable to go to work a long period of time. His illness affected him severely, as he was no longer his usual strong and ebullient self. The illness also took its toll on the family’s finances; impacting my education to some extent. God kept the family together, and we were able to pull through. After much praying, daddy became better after sometime.

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The Accident

Several months later, daddy was out one day to buy some items along Murtala Mohammed Way in Ilorin when he got involved in an accident. A pick-up truck carrying water pipes had reversed straight into his Volvo car, and some of the pipe did pierce my through the windshield to reach very close to daddy’s left eye. He was rushed unconscious to the hospital. I was later told that he lost a lot of blood in the accident. Luckily, he did not lose the eye; and he was able to recover from the experience. A week after he was discharged from hospital, he came visiting me at school still with the bandages around his left eyes. I was very scared and touched. Despite his injuries he did not fail to come visit me at school. He radiated love like a shining star.

Personal Struggles

I had to repeat my Secondary School Form four because I failed. That was my worst period in school. My academic performance was excellent during my first three years in secondary school. I was always within the first, second, and third positions in the class. In Form four, I made friends that led me astray. They taught me how to skip classes; go out of school illegally to buy bread; and sell bread to other students for earned commission. These distractions prevented me from concentrating on my academic work and class attendance over three consecutive terms. My performance deteriorated so poorly, and had to repeat as a consequence. My mind frame became pretty poor. One evening during this low period of my life, a teacher asked me to leave my table and go to another table at our school dining hall. I refused because I felt he was picking on me in the crowd of a thousand students. This resulted in an altercation and the situation heated up between the teacher and me. In the process he slapped me, and I slapped him back. My punishment was two-week suspension from school; followed by becoming a day student for a term.

Cost of Progress

Daddy made very clear that he strongly disapproved of my declining academic performance and bad behavior resulting from poor judgment. For that whole school term he restricted me to my room during the evening hours after school. I would not receive his support if I did not turn around my performance. He was firm and monitored the restrictions on me during this period. This, along with the shame that I felt at school because I was now in the same class with my former juniors had significant effect on my turn around. I changed my focus, took more control of my life away from the vices, and worked harder than ever before. I finished in the top of the class that year and completed my secondary school with several distinctions in my GCE examinations. Daddy was so proud of this turnaround in my performance and he made sure that I was rewarded for my efforts. See reproduction and transcript JTO letter to Dele on this subject latter in this book.

My JAMB scores did not qualify me for my preferred admission into the college of medicine at the University of Ilorin. However my father and elder brother, Dele, were able to convince me and assist me to commence a program in the Chemistry department of the University. I was 106 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy not the most serious of students whilst at the University but was able to graduate in normal time with what I consider good grades.

Teenage Indiscretions

During my undergraduate years, daddy customarily closed the gate to his fenced yard everyday at about 9 P.M. As part on my teenage indiscretion, I had jumped the fence into the yard to get into my room on several occasions that I had returned late from outings with my friends. Daddy was strict with those rules of the house. When he had not seen me when he went to bed the night before, he would ask me in the mornings about when I came into the house. He was very serious when he had advised me against jumping the fence to get into the yard at night. The night guards and soldiers in the neighborhood houses could mistake me for a thief and shoot at me. When I had not changed my habit, he had waited quietly around the spot where I usually jump in at night. As soon as I did, he called to me quietly, and admonished my conduct.

Once again I exercised poor judgment when bad friends had negative influence on me as an undergraduate during the course of about a year. I had secretly taken several of my mother’s jewelries without her knowledge, and pawned them. The proceeds were mainly spent on traveling with friends around Oyo and Ondo State. Sometimes I bought clothes and provision. Mummy discovered this at some point when I was unable to return the items. My father did not spare the rod. I walked out on him when he tried to punish me in the house for this act. Once again, he ordered me out of his presence, and refrain me from coming in to the main house where he lived. By this time we lived in a different apartment in his yard. After spending several days in loneliness and in shame, my mother came to my room and advised that I should apologize to my daddy for my insolence. I went to him in his room and prostrated as a sign of my apology and repentance in our Yoruba culture. He accepted my plea, and advised me seriously against repeating such irresponsible acts. His admonition has stuck to me: “you do not disgrace a man in public and try to beg him in private”. This has been a very useful lesson for me to this today.

Sweet Success Initially, daddy did not believe the news that I had indeed graduated from the University. This was mainly because he thought that my bad behaviors, enumerated in the previous section, would hold me back in life. However, when he got a confirmation that this was really true he was quite excited. Going his stick and carrot approach to training us, he rewarded me. He gave me about N200, and asked me to get my friends in for a get-together to celebrate my achievement. I was excited, and daddy made me feel so proud.

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L-R: Babs; JTO; Dele, 1988

L-R: Babs; MEO; Dele, 1988

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NYSC Year Predicament

Daddy was appointed as the Chairman of the Kwara State Education Management Board between 1986 and 1991. I was so proud of this achievement, and his record of service. I served my mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) year at Ile-Oluji in Ondo State between 1988 and 1989. At some point during in 1989 some of the villagers attacked me after school hours while I supervised students working on the school compound. The attack was severe enough that I was admitted into a local hospital. Luckily, I was quickly able to get a telephone message across to my parents in Ilorin. The next day, daddy had sent my mum, my brother, Dele, and a driver to come and pick me up. They pack all my belonging away from Ile-Oluji. Daddy’s love was pretty obvious during that incident, and he spared no efforts on my treatment.

Eventually, the Ondo State NYSC officials came to Ilorin to plead that our family should not publicize the case. They were willing to pay us off. My father simply laughed at them; told then he had no interest in any money; and was only glad his son was alive. He made it clear to them that I was not going to return to that village to complete the service year. The NYSC officials were quite glad to work an arrangement where I could complete my service without returning to the village. I felt so loved and protected during this whole saga. I have very vivid memory of the love and clarity my daddy showed.

Starting my Career

After my NYSC year was over, daddy encouraged me to apply to become a teacher. I secured a teaching job at the Bishop Smith Memorial College, a secondary school, at Ilorin. When I informed him that I was keen on going to studying for a Masters degree in Business Administration, he encouraged me. He introduced me to Professor Eyitayo Lambo, who was then the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ilorin. We discussed my preference, and asked for his guidance in my pursuit. Later, between 1999 and 2006, Professor Lambo became the Minister of Health of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

After completing this Masters degree course I then went to Lagos to seek employment. I stared work with the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), a Federal Establishment, and was later posted to Ibadan. Later I went to work for a multinational company, and have served in Warri, in the United Kingdom, at Lagos, Port-Harcourt, and Abuja.

Illness and Misfortune

After all the fun we’d had, it was sad that daddy became severely ill in late 1994. He received initial treatment at Kabba General Hospital. I visited him at Okoro-Gbede around this time, and I was very concerned at how much he had been affected by the illness. I asked him about why he was still in the village, insisting that he needed to return to Ilorin. I was never pleased with his relocation to Okoro-Gbede because I heard of how wicked people could be in the villages. I was informed that he had invested his career and retirement savings into a wood 109 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy business, and the people that worked for him on this business had been untruthful about the finances and the prospects. Perhaps, they were merely inexperienced and without the skills required to succeed. Within a short time he lost most of his capital. He was left with little to survive on.

Shortly after, he was relocated to Ilorin and continued his treatment. Although, his condition improved and depressed in a continuous cycle daddy was never downcast about his illness. Instead, he was always positive about life, and had an amazing spirit. Mummy took a great care of him as the primary care giver all the years of his illness. However, in 1999 she took a short break from caring for him to visit the family of my brother, Dele, in the USA.

Health Care Abroad

The family was able to fly daddy for better medical attention and treatment at Aberdeen in the United Kingdom. The British doctors at the Royal Albert Hospital, Aberdeen, Scotland, very quickly carried out several tests and determined that daddy’s kidneys had failed to function. It was sad and sour diagnosis at that stage; because the Nigerian doctors had not detected his kidney problem when it was curable over the eight years of his illness. The doctors in Aberdeen highlighted the fact that they would have traced the root cause if this problem had been brought to them earlier. They believed his high blood pressure caused the damage. Sadly, the doctors indicated due to his age and his physical condition it was too late initiate a kidney transplant.

Babs (left) and MEO (right) support healthcare personnel attending to JTO (sitting in wheel chair) after dialysis at the Royal Albert Infirmary, Aberdeen, Scotland, U. K., 2002

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Immediately, he commenced on dialysis treatment in Aberdeen. This continued every other day for six months until he returned to Nigeria in August 2002. That was the saddest period in my life. I was emotionally drained watching my father slowly pass away; becoming frailer each new day. Many days I cried, and I still do when I think of him. It was also sad for me. Daddy slept only little most of the time. Often, he was awake and wandering around in the house during many nights. Encouraging him to stay and sleep in his room did not work. He probably only slept for three to four hours most nights. It seemed that this was related to his persistent high blood pressure that defied the best efforts of the medical team to control it with medication that was too strong for his body.

L-R: Babs; JTO (sitting); Mrs. Tosin Omotowa and grand children, June 2002

While he lived with my family in Aberdeen, Scotland, I was very concerned with how much time he had left to live. At times, I had some conversations with him on his life. I encouraged him to repent of any sins in hid life. In my mind, sin would be an impediment to a potential miraculous healing that could save him and reverse his trend. I thought that he needed to be in a good place spiritually.

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JTO with his grandchildren, July 2002

JTO and Okoro-Gbede

While undergoing dialysis treatment in Aberdeen, Scotland, daddy always asked for information about Nigeria and his hometown, Okoro-Gbede. He wanted to know the progress and milestones of ongoing community development projects. He asked after individuals, and the general well being in the town. His spirit was always uplifted on any day that he had opportunity to speak, by telephone, to someone in Nigeria.

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Painful Return to Nigeria

I returned with him and mum to Nigeria in August 2002. There was strong concern that, except for a miracle from God, he may not have much longer to live. I prayed and waited on the Lord. We also made efforts to see if we could get pastors to pray for him at home, and at spiritual retreats. His dialysis treatment continued at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin for several months.

JTO undergoing dialysis treatment, 2002

Quenching a Star

On several occasions that I saw him during this period I cried privately. I was concerned about his frail state; and the pain he was going through. His eyes and spirit always lit up whenever he saw any of his children around. I always saw love radiating from him to us his descendants. Sadly, he passed on to eternity on April 29, 2003. It was a really sad day to me. However, I took solace in the fact that his pains were no more.

Interment Location

I was distressed by the intense discussion over where he should be buried. His children wanted to bury him at his house in Ilorin. His relatives preferred his burial at his house in his hometown, Okoro-Gbede. After a while, we were able to resolve to bury his body in his house in Okoro-Gbede. However, I had two comments for my paternal uncles and aunties: (1) why did his relatives not show him this kind of love while he was ill and alive?, and (2) I blame myself for not asking him while in Aberdeen about where he would have preferred to be buried. That would have eliminated any doubts. Finally, he was interred in his village hometown. In my heart I believe that would have been his choice. 113 | P a g e

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Babs at JTO Funeral, 2003 Babs places dust on JTO coffin in the grave, 2003

Mrs. Tosin Omotowa, 2012

I lost a father, a mentor, a hero, a motivator, a guide, a pathfinder, an example, but most of all I lost a very good friend.

Daddy, you will remain, to me, UNFORGETABLE! 114 | P a g e

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CHAPTER 9

A Lifetime with Daddy Seyi

My early Days in the Family

I was born into the family of late Chief Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa (JTO) and Dr (Mrs.) Margaret Ebuntolu Omotowa (MEO) as the fourth son on September 27, 1970 at Okene in the 1967 state lines of Kwara State, Nigeria. By then, daddy was the Principal at the Government Secondary School (G.S.S.) Okene – later renamed Abdul Aziz Atta Memorial College, Okene (AAAMCO). My mother was also a teacher then at Okene Teacher’s College, Okene.

I grew up in a loving, closely knit family of five children and our parents. My brothers and sister are; Dele, Bola, Babs and Tinuke. In my childhood, I traveled with our parents to the various teaching stations where they were posted as educationists. Daddy & mummy were transferred at various times between Okene, Dekina, Ilorin and Lokoja. I lived at Okene, Dekina, and Ilorin during my formative years. Changing locations caused me to attend many primary schools, including the Okene LGEA primary school, Okene; Dekina primary school, Dekina; Baboko primary school, Ilorin; and Bishop Smith primary school, Ilorin. It is noteworthy that the quality of education in those schools was consistently very high.

Supportive Father

Daddy was very supportive at all times. I remember particularly his support during the time that mum traveled to New York for her graduate program in 1978. I was still very young, but he tried his very best minimize my emotional distress from missing mum. I had to travel with him so many times in the course of his work. To keep attending to my personal needs, he made accommodation for me at his work. At this stage his job involved rigorous traveling. Initially, I was awkward as the only child on his frequent travels. However, I eventually became so popular with him on his travel entourage. Daddy traveled in the entourage of the Governor. Once, Colonel Sunday Ifere, a former military governor of Kwara state, came to know me as the youngest member of his entourage. That was the extent of love he had for us all. I guess this made me naturally very close to him. See Dele’s discussion of Child and Work in the chapter on “Roots in Ilorin”.

The Educationist

As educationists, daddy and mummy offered us their children the best quality of education within their limited income. We were encouraged to aim for the highest attainable academic achievement. After my primary school, I gained admission into Federal Government College, Ilorin for my secondary education (1981–1986). On completion of secondary education I attended the Kwara State Polytechnic; Ilorin for a 1 year stint (1986–1987) to study for the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) examinations. After successful completion of the 115 | P a g e

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IJMB examination, I was admitted to study Civil Engineering at University of Ilorin (1987– 1992). I graduated in 1992, and I went on mandatory service to Nigeria as a National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) at Port Harcourt between 1993 and 1994. I have since then continued with my professional career as a civil engineer till now.

L-R: Chief S. O. Ologe (Asiwaju Gbede); MEO; Mrs. Grace Ologe; Seyi, 1992

A Good Name

Daddy was such a great man. He assisted so many people in his lifetime. His life, between July 1935 and April 2003, was a blessing to many people all around him. I bless God always for bringing me into this world through him and mum. Daddy left a very good name in place for us his children. May God help us to maintain and improve on this good name.

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Seyi places dust on JTO’s coffin in the grave, 2003 Seyi at JTO funeral, 2003

Mrs. Philo Omotowa at JTO funeral, 2003 117 | P a g e

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S/No Description of Events Date 1 I was born into the family of late Chief J.T Omotowa & Dr (Mrs.) M.E. Omotowa 9/27/1970 at Okene. Daddy was a principal at AAAMC Okene then. 2 Daddy was transferred to Ilorin and we moved as family to Ilorin 1975 3 I started primary school at Baboko primary school, Ilorin 1975 4 I changed primary school to Bishop smith primary school, Ilorin for logistics 1977 - 1981 reasons due to close proximity to Dad's office then. Driver will normally pick me from school to his office and we'd both come home when he finally closes from work. 5 Mummy travelled for her Masters degree program at NYU, New York 1978 - 1980 5 Daddy and I were going along Muritala Mohammed road at Ilorin and we had 1981 an accident due to a pick-up which was carrying pipes which suddenly stopped and the some pipes entered through the windscreen and one wounded dad and narrowly missed his right eye. 6 Daddy always took me with him on his numerous duty tours, inspections and 1978 - 1980 conferences all over the country since mum was not around and for me not to miss her presence. I was very attached to him due to this. 7 I attended to FGC Ilorin for my secondary education 1981 - 1986 8 While in secondary school, I developed some bad habits coupled with usual 1981 - 1986 adolescence crisis, but Dad, with support of mum, helped to instill necessary discipline in me to put me back on the right track . 8 Daddy was deeply involved in farming both at home garden and at Afon. We 1977 - 1992 always go to farm with him when on holidays. He was also involved in poultry farming which I helped him managed. 9 Completed my secondary education and proceeded for my IJMB at Kwara 1986 - 1987 Polytechnic through the support and guidance of Dad

10 Daddy and Brother Dele guided me in selecting civil engineering course for my 1987 -1992 JAMB exams. I gained admission to study civil engineering at Unilorin

11 Daddy and mum moved to Lokoja due to state creation. Daddy was to head the 1991-1993 SPEB lokoja and mum was transferred to KTC kabba 12 Daddy started to become ill and it progressively deteriorated and after his 1994 tenure at the SPEB he had to come back to Ilorin 13 Daddy's illness progressively worsened and was flown abroad where it was 2002 diagnosed as kidney failure and he had to be placed on dialysis 14 Daddy eventually passed away to be with our Lord 4/29/2003 15 One thing he loved very much was going home to see his people at Okoro- Gbedde. In the lifetime that I spent with him, he went to his hometown almost on a monthly basis. It was therefore most honourable for him to be buried at our hometown house in Okoro-Gbede 16 He was a loving, resourceful, responsible and focused father. He built 3 houses in his lifetime, one at his hometown and two at Ilorin. He left us a legacy of a good name which is better than gold or silver.

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CHAPTER 10

History Will Never Forget Daddy Tinuke

Coming Aboard

I was born into the family of Chief Joseph T. Omotowa and Dr (Mrs) Margaret E. Omotowa as the last born; and the only girl in the family.

Seun and Tinuke, 1988

Grandma Leah & Tinuke, 1981 Tinuke, 1991 Tinuke and Ola, 1993 119 | P a g e

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I attended both primary school and secondary school in Ilorin. Like they did for my brothers ahead of me, daddy and mummy provided enormous support for my education. A remarkable outcome was that I emerged as the best student in Nigeria in the National Primary Schools Essay competition towards the end of my primary school education in 1992.

Tinuke, at the St. Joseph Catholic Primary School, Ilorin, 1993

Cardinal Onaiyekan, Tinuke (right) & others, 1992 JTO and Tinuke, 1985 120 | P a g e

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Tinuke (3rd right) & Mrs. Tayo Omotowa (1st right); with teachers and fellow winners of the Annual National Primary Schools Essay Competition in Nigeria, 1992

I attended the University of Ilorin Secondary School (U.S.S.) for a term in Firm One, ahead of starting at the Federal Government College (FGC) Ilorin. I completed my secondary school education at the FGC Ilorin in 1999. I did Interim joint matriculation board (IJMB) in Kwara Polytechnic in 2000 for a year.

The Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) conducts standardized tests/examinations in various fields. The IJMB examinations provide an alternative as well as an effective opportunity for out-of-school candidates to take the IJMB examinations for the purposes of being better prepared to (i) enter into the employment market for better jobs; (ii) gain admission to tertiary and higher educational institutions, within and outside Nigeria. The Board conducts Ordinary & Advanced Levels Examinations; and the IJMB results are used for admissions into local tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Going Abroad

In 2002, my brother Bola accompanied me to book an Interview date at British High commission, Lagos for a student visa to study in United Kingdom. Mummy advised me to take all necessary documents along, and be prepared for interview. Surprisingly, when we got to embassy to book for interview date, the consular staff asked me if I brought the necessary documents with me. I was interviewed on the spot, and I was granted visa that same day! Thanks to Mummy’s judgment, and her advice that i should take all the documents with me. 121 | P a g e

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Studying Abroad

My parents did pass on love and passion for education into my brothers’ systems. They all supported and sponsored my study to United Kingdom. I gained admission to Aberdeen College in UK to study access to Nursing.

MEO, grandchild, and Tinuke, 2012

MEO, Mrs. Philo Omotowa, and grandchildren, 2012 122 | P a g e

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After I had completed the Access to Nursing program, the United Kingdom Government awarded me full scholarship in February 2003 to advance to study for a Bachelors degree in Nursing. I have been practicing as a Registered Nurse in U. K. since my graduation. I was a secondary care giver to dad while he was in Aberdeen, Scotland, in 2002.

Focus and Discipline

“Focus and discipline” were some of the words that my daddy and mummy endlessly emphasized to me. Both of them ensured that I exhibited these qualities so that I will not be distracted in the corridor of life. My daddy's discipline and focus made him to achieve a lot in his chosen career.

Tinuke, 2008 Engineer Seun Fasina

A Good name and A Precious Heart

The scriptures teach, in Proverbs 22:1, that a good name was is more desirable than great riches. My daddy protected his name while he was alive and preserved it for the generation yet unborn. My daddy maintained a good name till his last breadth.

Albert Pike, an American lawyer, journalist and Soldier who lived between 1809 and 1891, philosophized that, “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and are immortal”. 123 | P a g e

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He Preached Education as a Vehicle out of Poverty

Although, sickness incapacitated daddy from carrying out most of his plans; he ensured that people he came across made education their priority. He knew education is a very important vehicle for the advancement of the quality of his family. He preached this same to his community, and at his work.

Daddy lives in us

Daddy lives in us. That is why we are remembering him today. Many young people he touched celebrate him as well.

When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure. There is no doubt about it daddy is a treasured memory.

Only God knows what is meant to lose daddy

If tears could build a stairway and memories were a lane to God, I would walk all the way to heaven to bring you home again daddy. No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye, and only God knows what is meant to lose you, no one will ever know.

Ode to daddy

Daddy, God saw you getting tired and a cure was not meant to be,

So he put his arms around you and whispered "Come to me".

All my brothers tried all the medically possible best to let you stay.

Mummy stayed close to you throughout.

With tearful eyes we watched you, as we saw you pass away.

Although we loved you deeply, we could not make you stay.

Your precious Heart stopped beating, Hard working hands at rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us that our death is not an end.

If only we can live on in our children and the younger generation.

For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life.

HISTORY WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, GREAT DADDY

Sun re o.

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CHAPTER 11

New Beginnings and the Empty Nest Dele

Introduction

This chapter discusses the evolution of the JTO family, from the time of his retirement in 1985 until the 1995, when he turned 60 years old. MEO and Jolayemi have both covered the season of his illness, travel to the United Kingdom, through his final passing in 2003. I have kept some of his original letters to me, and will use his own words to describe the changes and the atmosphere for an average civil servant family in Nigeria in the 1980s and the 1990s. Perhaps, not much has changed in Nigeria by 2012.

Retirement

The reader is should see chapter written by MEO on this subject. Ahead of the mandatory retirement at the age of fifty five years, JTO retired early when he was fifty years old. JTO was a Director of Education, the highest position he could earn by promotion in the Kwara State Civil Service in December 1985. The positions of Permanent Secretary or Commissioner are senior to the Director, but they are filled by political appointment of the State Governor. JTO’s earlier decision to avoid politics had an influence on his early retirement. JTO moved his family from Agbo-Oba to the GRA home in 1985. He also lost a very dear personal friend in 1985 – Mr. S. O. Afolayan (of Igbaja). They were close friends since JTO secondary school days at Igbaja.

Just When MEO would Get a Break

In January 1986, the military Governor (Wing Commander) Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru (August 1985–December 1987) appointed JTO to be Chairman of the Kwara State Education Management Board (KWSEMB) on a renewable four-year term. By this time, MEO had risen to be a head of department at the Queen School Ilorin. All the JTO boys had gone to the University, and MEO focused on the training of Atinuke. JTO spent time off work at his farms, and he was successful at it. Between 1990 and 1993 MEO studied towards a PhD degree at the University of Ilorin. JTO was still Chairman of KWSEMB in August 1991 when the family received Mr. Omotayo Omobola Omotowa (nee Ajisafe) as daughter by marriage. By October 1991, Kogi State was created, and despite a 1990 renewal of his four year term with KWSEMB by the military Governor, Colonel Alwali kazir, JTO elected to transfer his service to the new state of his nativity where he was appointed to a parallel position, as Chairman of the Kogi State Schools Management Board (KSEB).

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JTO and MEO (in the background), at the wedding L-R: MEO; Dele; Tayo; JTO in Iwo, Nigeria ceremony of Dele and Tayo, 1991

Dispersing

Although, Auntie Taiye had married in 1988 and visited a few time; the JTO family actually began to disperse from Ilorin in 1991. I was married, but remained in Ilorin at the University. Between 1994 and 1995 I traveled to the United Kingdom as an exchange scholar. Babs, who was a Chemistry teacher at the Bishop Smith Memorial College, Ilorin, between 1989 and 1991, decided to not transfer his service to Kogi State. He move to Lagos with his friend, Abiodun Alabi, and lived with our paternal uncle Reuben in Lagos until he got a job with the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) Ltd in 1992. Bola was at the Obafemi Awolowo University by 1992.

Boundaries of thirty-six states administration in Nigeria post-1991 126 | P a g e

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Seyi graduated with B.Eng. from the University of Ilorin in 1992, and did his NYSC service year in Port Harcourt between 1992 and 1993. In 1993, Seyi moved to join Babs, who had moved from NSPMC to join Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC) in Warri. JTO left the KSEB in Lokoja by 1992. JTO and MEO lived in Okoro-Gbede between 1992 and 1994. During this period Tinuke lived with Dele and Tayo in Ilorin, briefly attending the Unilorin Secondary School, ahead of going to the Federal Government College, Ilorin.

Dele, as a Lecturer at the University of Ilorin, 1989

The Strain and Pain Began

Nigeria went through significant political instability and many economic downgrades during 1986-1995. In September 1986, General Ibrahim B. Babangida, the military president foisted the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) on Nigeria; and the Nation’s currency, the Naira (N), suffered significant devaluation from $1=N0.9 to $1=N4 overnight! The same General held the political parties through many insincere efforts to transfer power to them between 1990 and 199. He actually annulled a popular election of Chief M.K.O. Abiola in 1993, and further devaluation of the Naira. The exchange rate of the Naira with the dollar had changed to $1 = N22. The attendant inflation wiped out the value of earned pension. A new level desperation among serving civil servants led to increased scale of greed; beginning an era of delays in payment of pension allowance. Nigeria’s interest payment on a $36 billion external loan diminished subvention to the state governments that had become mere pay offices in the supply chain management of the oil revenues. The Governors resorted to outright retrenchment in the civil service to cut their losses. This led to cruel victimization at work place. Most of these effects were new to civil service in Nigeria, and brought severe strain on serving and retired civil servants. These developments brought temporary downturn to the fortunes of the JTO family. It will adjust, but will pay a severe price for it.

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Post Retirement Life in Okoro-Gbede

In July 1992, JTO and MEO joined Tayo and Dele in welcoming their grandson Olaolu into the family. The Academic Staff of Universities Union (ASUU) of Nigerian Universities began the era of incessant strikes in 1992, and I was a member. The Federal Government of Nigeria withheld salaries to University teachers and professors for nine months in 1992, and my family lived through discomfort. I noticed that the national situation would have a significant effect on the JTO family because he did not have much to support me through this period. Instead, his attempt to settle down to a low-cost retirement in Okoro-Gbede had backfired. He had tried to start a logging business, and perhaps open a saw-mill in town. He made efforts to create a market through SteelFab Construction, makers of wooden doors in Ilorin, owned by the family of late Chief Obatoyinbo (of Iyamoye, a former Secretary to Kwara State Government). Unfortunately, other people had their plans on him as well. Without prior business experience, an ill JTO could not manage through this, and his efforts failed.

L-R: Tayo; JTO; MEO carrying grandchild; Dele, 1993

This would become a very heavy burden on him in the years to come. Retired; no operating business to generate revenues; depleting reserves; children dispersed from home; disappointing fortunes at Okoro-Gbede; JTO’s sense of self-worth had diminished, and he was disappointed. Then, his health began to fail, and our hospitals had become shadows of their erstwhile stature. JTO received conflicting, inaccurate, and unhelpful diagnosis of his ailment at the General Hospital in Kabba, and at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) over about eight years.

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Strong Advice for the Future

During this period, I had become frustrated with the University system in Nigeria, and JTO- MEO strongly encouraged me to seek alternative employment abroad or in Nigeria. In 1995, with the foresight that I was likely to have to move abroad someday in the future, JTO ceded over a plot of land to me in his GRA holding, and impressed it upon me to build a house there. I must thank my siblings for working very hard to help me realize this goal while I was far away in Germany in 1996-1997. I remain very grateful to them for this, and many more acts of love and kindness in the family.

Cost of Personal Progress

By providence, I received foreign University appointments in Germany and in the United States, and moved my family with me. The cost to me was emotional disappointment of my absence from Nigeria during weddings and other family activities of my siblings in the 1990s; and the illness years of JTO. I returned from the U.K. to continue teaching at the University of Ilorin in April 1995. I met a very emaciated JTO, and cried profusely for weeks. I feared that the events of life were tougher on JTO than I had thought. In earlier years he found ways to write his own story, but by 1995 the story was writing itself for him.

Curtain Closing

MEO, Babs, and Seyi provide excellent details on JTO between 1996 and JTO’s death on April 29, 2003. JTO was my dad, my principal, my leader, my hero, my watch. I missed all that at 38! He left us an incorruptible legacy. I now have to find the path that he’d taught me but is not around to show me. I found so much grace and progress abroad during the ten years since JTO death; and I wonder if he continues to watch over his family, or if the Lord has been watching over us all on JTO’s behalf. For a man so well beloved JTO went away so young at the 67 year old.

Dele, with JTO during a dialysis treatment at Dele, visiting JTO at the Royal Albert Infirmary in the Royal Albert Infirmary, 2002 Aberdeen, U. K., 2002 129 | P a g e

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L-R: MEO carrying a grandson; Tayo Omotowa; Tinuke (sitting); Tosin; JTO; as family support around JTO in the home of Babs and Mrs. Tosin Omotowa in Aberdeen, Scotland, 2002

My family’s last visit with JTO was in Aberdeen, Scotland in 2002. We had traveled in the company of my wife, and our children in 2002. JTO had played with, and was very fond of his grandchildren. We spent about ten days with him in Babs’s home. He blessed his grandchildren children. As I left on July 15, 2002, he told me that this was going to be the last time we would see each other in this life. I told him that he was wrong, but eventually, my father was dead as of 8.00 A.M. April, 29, 2003. Painfully, he was right!.

JTO playing with some of his Grandchildren, 2002

JTO, my father, didn’t have any wealth, but he had character. That remains to this day for us much more than any financial asset he could have left behind. He is treasure for our 130 | P a g e

Joseph Tolorunleke Omotowa Foundation Silver Linings of an Incorruptible Legacy generation of the family, and perhaps it will remain so for those coming on our heels to succeed us as well. On returning to Nigeria for his burial in 2003, I had to go to the mortuary of the Unilorin Teaching Hospital to see him in his death, and to say my personal bye bye, until the next life, at the feet the Lord Jesus Christ. He believed this, and I believe it too, that we will meet again in the life that Christ has promised us who believe in Him.

JTO praying for some of his grandchildren, 2002

May God keep you and care for you daddy. As I said as I placed dust on your coffin in the grave at Okoro-Gbede, “In the name of Jesus, we will meet again!” I stand tall on the foundation that you and MEO built for me, and your legacy remain the wind under my wings. I am glad that you brought me here, and Jesus will keep me and mine for the rest of the journey, until we meet again.

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Dele at JTO funeral, 2003 JTO places dust on JTO coffin in the grave, 2003

The Choir of Christ Apostolic Church, Okoro-Gbede at JTO funeral service, 2003 132 | P a g e