The scholar, enigma, reluctant politician and timely proverb for the modern public servant
The scholarly capacity and prowess of Uncle ‘Mololu is known to all and sundry; despite his early truancies in Government College, Ibadan where he avoided classes because to him, subjects were boringly slow, yet mostly often came first in his class all the way in Scotland where lecturers either wanted to be certain he wasn’t a fluke or sought to enjoy the moments spent with a life rarity of a genius, gifted with extraordinary abilities. His mental mathematics display was a thing of amusement around many dinner tables to draw in children and simplify well-established mathematical principles to the allure of every listener, often used to punctuate many historical stories he was fond of telling.
What may not be apparent to most is his witty and jocular nature when thoroughly relaxed and amid family and friends. This was when he was in his best elements. One such eventful moment happened recently, sometime in the afternoon of a sunny day in September of last year (2024). I had approached the erudite ‘Mololu in a quest to interrogate his photographic mind and find notable explanations for his close relationship with our late fathers: – Chief Ezekiel Atanda Agboola (my own biological father), whom he respectfully either referred to as Ba’ Funlayo during my father’s lifetime and as Baba Onipako subsequently, whenever he saw us, the children “Awon Omo Baba Onipako”, along with our other fathers who were prominent at the time, a cohort comprising of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland – Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I and Chief Michael Okunola Ladokun of the Ladokun Feeds fame.
Just as we settled for the interrogation after the usual pleasantries and greetings, Uncle ‘Mololu immediately opened with Dirichlet’s Pigeonhole Principle which he simplified in his usual jocular manner, using the letterboxes at the University of Ibadan where lecturers picked their mails. He went on to explain that if you had a certain number of pigeonholes and a number of letters, and there are fewer letters than pigeonholes, there must be a number of pigeonholes empty, equivalent to the difference between the number of pigeonholes and the available letters. We, my brother and I, looked at each other and wondered what the correlation was. Apparently, it was a segue into explaining the fact of his birthday—the 14th of April, being the same as that of the late Oba Odulana Odugade I. In his usual manner of using mathematics to explain and as a display of how his mind worked, a mathematical explanation had to be advanced for the birthdays as an easy explanation and something that is not necessarily spectacular given the certain number of days in a calendar and the billions of people who either are living or dead, that it should be expected that many will share birthdays. Oba Odulana Odugade 1 was exactly 20 years older than Uncle ‘Mololu and Baba Onipako about 17 years older.
Uncle ‘Mololu was enigmatic in many ways; he had an uncanny ability to remember people, events, expressions and the aura of people he encountered. Even though he had only a few days prior suffered a stroke, his face lit up and the usual smile softened his facial features as he recalled most of the people mentioned to him and with precise words described personalities, their mien, tribal marks where they had any and mostly what he remembered. It wasn’t long before he had us reeling with laughter as he described someone as having “tribal marks and often looking anxious”, despite the person having died nearly forty years ago, and another as “eagle-eyed, lean, strong and hungry looking”, all done without malice and with utmost respect to everyone since he went ahead to give glowing reports of valiant forthrightness about them.
Without mincing words, he remembered the names of figures relevant to the stories and events that happened in the 70s involving personalities and wove them into notable moments, describing vividly events in the various episodes that shaped the politics of Ibadan and the Western Region and especially tracing the development of the Plank Market in Bodija.
Shortly after returning from Scotland and distinguishing himself, he was appointed Commissioner for Education and later Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the old Western Region with many laudable achievements. The celebrated stories of his achievements earned him a call to service right after the perceived political errors of Chief Bola Ige. It was reported that Chief Bola Ige during the famously televised engagement with Ibadan Elders in an effort to seek the inclusion of more Ibadan Indigenes in political appointments insisted that there was no qualified indigene of Ibadan Extraction which infuriated the said elders, resorting to make the next governor an Ibadan indigene. This led to the socialised slogan “Omo wa ni e je o se” interpreted roughly to mean – Let our child do it !, ushering in Dr Omololu Olunloyo in as Governor of Oyo state in 1983.
His tenure was short-lived, cut short by a military coup that was already socialised, about four days before the coup actually took place. Famously, as the coupist made their announcements, Uncle ‘Mololu defiantly called a press conference, denouncing the coup as mere rumours which further infuriated the military jaunta and put him in the crosshairs of General Abacha who announced the coup. On the 31st of September 1983, having been informed by a loyal commissioner of police from Langtang that a known Ondo Colonel had been instructed to kill him, he stole away and drove without the usual convoy into the Family House of Baba Onipako in Monatan, where he sojourned until eventually presenting himself as demanded.
During his short stint as the governor of Oyo State, his reputation with that of his administration as “Aro’wo ma’gbe” was firmly in place. All that sought one contract award, or his patronage were quickly shocked at his honesty, transparency and inadequacy at being pliant with the usual kickbacks of 10% that was the order of the era. He insisted on jobs going to qualified people and prompt performance was required, which is incongruent with modern politics and public service where a fiefdom reigns with equally influential non-elected players holding sway.
Conclusion
Modern times seem to bury epitaphs in the sands of time and with token celebrations that soon fade away, otherwise a monument ought to be erected for Uncle “Mololu for many reasons, possibly with the wordings that suggest – “here is a man worthy of emulation”. Though born into a wealthy family, effortlessly scholarly, advantaged and opportune to serve severally in a public capacity—starting as a commissioner at the young age of 27, and then the first Ibadan Indigene Governor of Oyo State though short-lived, yet continuing unwaveringly in his commitment to humanity, the downtrodden and remained incorruptible to the end.
Firstly, his educational achievements. Among his peers, he really had very little comparisons as his abilities were without effort. It was with the same ease that he corrected civil engineers sent to renovate the family house at Molete when those had constructed casings for copings erroneously, that he opined on legal matters to do with knotty and complex international law, that he waded into family linkages, weaving historic dates and religious celebrations into his narratives as well as carefully making choices on his food including requests for avocado, shrimps and papaya, each time with detailed explanations and some educational backing.
Furthermore, for his enigmatic and forthright nature, his fortuitous foray into public service is known to many, yet he lived until his last days in a house left behind by his father. He is known to have built only one other house for himself. In all, what is clear is that he did not use the opportunities he had for self-aggrandisement as is often the case these days and synonymous with access to public funds, rather, he lived a life of impact, memorable influence and contribution to the lifting of others.
If there was ever a proverb for the living and especially for the well-heeled and those opportune to serve in public offices, Uncle ‘Mololu is one. He stands tall in the hall of hearts attune to excellence, brilliance and erudition.
Adieu Sir!
Mogaji Segun Agboola writing from Ibadan.
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