As a foremost personality who has transmuted into a colossus in Nigeria’s socio-economic and judicio-political landscapes, it’s expected that Aare Afe Babalola will mean different things to different people. But the one unassailable fact that remains unequivocally constant like a Northern Star that defines Aare is a very essence that encapsulates humanity at its finest. Baba Afe’s unquenchable thirst to leave the Nigerian society, most particularly his beloved Ekiti State and its people better than he met them came once again in vivid colour on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at the AB Foundation, Ado-Ekiti. Dubbed “AB Foundation Poverty Alleviation Package,” it was at the event hall of this foundation that some of Nigeria’s prominent dignitaries that included the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe and his entourage of all his Council Chiefs; the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim; Chief Deji Fasuan, the prolific octogenarian writer and public analyst; Prof. Tunde Adeniran, a former Nigerian ambassador—to name just a handful—were gathered as living witnesses to the joy and excitement of one thousand needy indigenes of the state. On this day, all the one thousand people in the hall received envelopes stuffed with the minimum N5,000 prize to the grand largesse of N100,000. Although the recipients knew intrinsically that they were lucky to have made it into the foundation hall as they were sure to go home with probably their first financial gift of the year, but what they did not know was where they would fall under between the N5,000, N10,000, N50,000, or the N100,000.00 categories of recipients. As a result, the apprehension on the faces of some of them was palpable. To others, these categories didn’t matter as they were already rocking excitedly on their seats because they knew that their financial stations would most definitely be enhanced by the time they left.
As if Baba himself knew that people would be curious as to how the foundation arrived at the one thousand threshold and the yardstick that was utilized in determining the eligibility of the would-be recipients of his financial package, he explained in his opening remarks that the foundation’s initial decision was to extend the financial gesture to no more than 200 people. “But when reports came to me that the people that filled the forms had swollen despite being told that the foundation had reached its limit of 200 people, tears ran down my face. I told them to increase the number of recipients to 1000 people,” Aare said. That announcement did not only touch some raw nerves of some of the audience as some shook their heads in sympathy and appreciation, it also underscored the heart-wrenching poverty that the Nigerian masses continue to face constantly in which Aare has played, and continues to play his role without let or hindrance in alleviating.
The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim who was the special guest of honour delivered his speech by attesting to the fact that he had never met a Nigerian personality so unique and has such outstanding spirit of giving like Aare Afe Babalola, among other things. His Royal Majesty enjoined the lucky congregants to judiciously use whatever amount they’re lucky to be given from the great philanthropist so that “a year from now you would give testimony as to how you’ve been able to multiply this money which would be to the greatest delight of the giver.” The Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe also extended his profound gratitude to Aare Afe Babalola for his many socio-economic exploits which had radically transformed his domain in particular. His Royal Highness thanked Aare very profusely for citing the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), a world class higher institution of learning that states like Lagos, Ibadan or any part of the federation would have felt greatly privileged to have. Oba Adejugbe advised the would-be recipients to look seriously into agriculture with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of being given the cash they did not work for. Chief Fasuan and Prof. Adeniran were not left out in intimating the audience with the rare human qualities that are integral to Aare’s genetic make-up in their own speeches.
Perhaps what Prof. Adeniran may have inadvertently left out in his speech on this ‘August occasion’ was the life-changing role Aare played in the life of this great intellectual Ekiti son and former ambassador. His education probably would have been permanently truncated. This is because at some point he could not pay his tuition and the young Adeniran was shown the door. But he ran to Aare for help and he quickly obliged without any strings attached. I have been privileged to be at many of Baba’s landmark occasions such as ABUAD’s anniversaries, matriculations and convocations, among others. In all these occasions, torrents of encomiums were always showered on Aare and the way he affects his society by the cream of society and foreign dignitaries alike in terms of his impact on individual lives, his unquantifiable contributions to various professional and educational organizations in Nigeria that by extension impacts humanity at large.
Femi Odere is a media professional. He can be reached at femiodere@gmail.com
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