By Prince Fatai Adiyeloja
Death we know is the end of all mortals, no one has immunity against succumbing to this God’s courier, whose mission, sole mission, is to return us to our creator; yet some deaths could be just too painful, sudden and confounding to experience.
Professor Wale Adeniran did not die in his prime. No. He lived beyond the proverbial 70 years, yet he was too good to leave when he unwillingly took a bow, answered the ultimate call. God was good to him, no doubt. Wale was a distinguished academic, a culture connoisseur from the cradle of history, culture, administration and civilisation, the “bibi ire o se e fowora,” type who was born noble and cultivated the habit of being noble in words and deeds. His love for his culture is profound such that at a point he meritoriously assumed headship of a department in the former University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) dedicated to the study and promotion of our culture and had his imprints solidly and undeniably engraved in virtually all the activities of the department.
How does any one chronicle the struggle for the emancipation of the Yoruba race without substantial chapters being allocated to the selfless roles you played in working assiduously for the realisation of the dream of Yoruba nation. You were compelled to leave your comfort zone, relocated to a foreign land, Benin Republic, all for the sake of redressing the injustice being meted our to the proud Yoruba race. It was only the grace of God Almighty that did see you through. We were so glad you returned safe and sound but not sure your health did not suffer for it.
The closest I got to interacting with you was when our own Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, who had earlier on personally taken on our royal father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ile-Ife, on the lingering Obalufe royal contest, told me to interact with you as an elder of the Source and one of the custodians of our culture. I remember vividly your message to the inimitable Kongi, which you read to me before sending it to a mentor of mentors: “I met Prince Fatai Adiyeloja, a while ago; from our discussions, he appeared to me the most competent person to fill the vacant stool of Obalufe. Let me know if you would be keen on putting in a word or two on his behalf to our Imperial Majesty, the Ooni, to grant you this request as a Christmas present.” Christmas was fast approaching then .
This encounter confirmed to me what others had consistently said about your uprightness, truthfulness and high sense of integrity.
How on earth can Fatai Olayinka Adiyeloja, forget an elder who believed in the sanctity of our tradition and stood like the solid rock of Gibraltar on the side of the truth. On another occasion, when I took it upon myself to visit you at your Madomo residence, just to check on your well-being, you urged me to be steadfast and hinge my hope on God. So, that would be the last I’d ever see of you!
Adieu to a proud descendant of Oduduwa. Happy you did not end it up in exile. May God grant repose of your valiant soul and grant all your family members, professional colleagues, friends and admirers the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss.
“Odijominrin, odijominrin, odijoojorokantor’agbara omin o.” It is after a torrential rain we experience flooding of any kind. God be with you till we meet again.
. Adiyeloja is a retired Assistant Director of News, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
