Adelani Ogunrinade: From Iragberi to the world

PROFESSOR Adelani Ogunrinade was here. The aroma of his presence still lingers…. in International Journals of Veterinary Parasitology and Helminthology, on the pages of The Guardian and the Daily Sketch newspapers of yester years; in Wits University lecture halls and the cold corridors of Nul…. He was here. Born and raised in the ancient kingdom of Iragberi, Osun State, Adelani was first educated at Baptist Primary School. Despite his dad, Daniel Motolabi Ogunrinade being the headmaster of the establishment, nothing was given to his only son on a silver platter, except his wit, brilliance and grit which were innate gifts. His fatheralso inheritedthese from his.  An old classmate from his secondary school days in Iwo Baptist High School attested to the genius-level intellect and unbelievable work ethic that gave him a slight edge over his peers. Such was his passion for education, that he studied for long hours, using homemade Kerosene oil lamps and candles in frequent electricity blackouts orchestrated by NEPA. Despite many nights, reading in the dark, nothing could dim the light that shone within him. He always said that he would put his village on the World map one day and he did!

Adelani Folasayo lived his youthful days at a time when the Nigerian economy blossomed. In the 1970s, One naira was competing strongly with the US Dollar and British Pound. His parents exposed himto travel from the early age of 19. He worked at the London Underground, loading newspapers into trains running to Pirbright and surrounding villages on the outskirts of the city.He would recall with nostalgia how he got to work as early as 5 a.m. so he could savour reading the papers before loading them on the trains. His experiences in England shaped the fine foundations of his career pathway.Young Adelani was a handsome brown-eyed Yoruba man with glowing dark skin who bubbled with boundless energy. Old black and white photos of him was evidence that he was perhaps popular with the ladies. In these ‘epic’ pictures, he would usually strike cool poses against concrete walls, with a puffy Afro, corduroy bell bottom pants and fashionable leather jackets hugging his skinny frame tight. I am told that the 24-year-old Mellanbite used to wear a bowler hat on which was inscribed:’ I am only here for the beer!’ But very few would have believed him, seeing that he bagged distinctions in Parasitology, Surgery and Medicine at the completion of the Doctor of Vet Medicine degree (DVM) he obtained from the University of Ibadan in 1974.

He was then awarded a post graduate scholarship to study for a doctorate degree at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where he became the first African student to ever obtain a distinction in Medical Parasitology. From long 7km walks in his quest to get an education in the village to strolling into history books in England, Adelani had certainly come a long way. Nicknamed “Vasco da Gama” for his lionhearted readiness to explore opportunities in any part of the world, the Brunel University alumnus was passionate about improving the infrastructure and institutional culture of every international school he contributed to PhD students were enormously important to him. In many respects, he treated his protégés and collaborators as a second family, even though they did not always have the luxury of experiencing the kind side of him. As a supervisor, Adelani set incredibly high standards for his students. He measured his success by how many graduates he could transform to job creators, innovators and trailblazers.His lecturing legacy is more than just the PhD and Masters theseshe supervised, but the generations of minds he moulded.

His love of travel and adventure stirred him to teach in faraway lands like Jamaica and South Africa. By 1997, the toxicdust of apartheid had settled. Stories of raucous riots and flying bullets on burning street cornershad become stale talesin newsbulletins. After South-Africa’s first fully democratic election, a new dawn had begun. TheRainbow nation was finally ready for the coming-together ofallcolours, all races, be it African or otherwise. Meanwhile, in West Africa, the Nigerian economy was on a downward spiral due to the military ruleof the General Sani Abacha administration. The successful Coup d’état led to a mass exodus of the country’s most competent professionals, one of which was Adelani. His appointment as the Deputy Vice-chancellor at Wits Universitywas apredestined blessing that meant new beginningsfor my mother and siblings. The next chapter of our life storieswould unfold in the city of gold, wheremy father explored this fabled vast land teeming with diamonds and coal. As a disciplinarian who worked his fingers to the bone, he pushed his progenies to mirror his actions. He was not without flaws, but in his misjudged aloofness and abrasiveness was a committed family man.He would play his favourite songs loud on drives to annual December holiday destinations.

Memories of him banging his hands on the steering wheel while singing along in palpable high spiritsto old classics by James Brown and Bob Marley, float to the dashboard of my mind. His favourite song, ‘Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense’ by Fela Kuti was usually sang off key as the trumpets on the instrumental blared through his car speakers. He knew how to create memories to last a lifetime. One of my favourite childhood memories was that unforgettable Safari drive to the Kruger National Park. Through the lenses of our binoculars, we viewed the incredible wild life on display. It was the first time Ihad ever seen a majestic pride of White Lions in real-life.He showed us larger-than-life mountains overlooking white beaches and the breath-taking views of Cape Town.

He showed us the narrow streets of Ocho Rios and allowed us to play in the sands of the small village where he was raised. More than these, he showed us what happens when you reach for stars and dare to dream.

His untimely demise still sends shockwaves down my spine. I am yet to believe that this iconic son of the soil is resting in the bosom of Mother Earth. I wonder who scratched those inerasable words on a wall in his village that reads: “Adelani was here”.

• Ogunrinade jnr writes in from South Africa