ABOUT four years ago, I turned 70. I marked the event with a social party in my hometown, Ilesa. It was a well-attended party: relations, friends and well-wishers were all there to give me a befitting honour that I can never forget. Prelate Emeritus Makinde of the Methodist Church of Nigeria came to offer me prayers at my private residence at Ilesa. It was an event that will linger long in my memory.
In a few days’ time (January 26 to be specific), I will turn 74. How time flies! I do not in any way plan a social party this time around. I intend to mark my 74th birthday very quietly. I will also do the same if God permits me to witness my 75th birthday. As a Methodist believer through and through, I intend on my 75th birthday to have a Holy Communion Service to celebrate the event. I thank God for His mercy and grace on me. I am full of thanks to God for ensuring my survival thus far. It has not been easy.
I did mention in my write-up on my 70th birthday, the facts of my life that include the following:
(1) I am Ijesa in the South-West of Nigeria.
(2) My father was an itinerant Methodist religious Minister who gave birth to me at Ifaki in Ekiti State of Nigeria when he was in that popular town as a clergyman of the Methodist faith. His wife, the late Mrs. Elizabeth Fehintola Babatope, was able to assist my father in producing ten of us from their Christian family. I was number 3 on the list but two of my brothers had died within two years of their birth. Eight of us remained for a long time until the last born of the family (Tunde Babatope) died about twelve years ago.
(3) I attended Methodist School, Ilogbe Ifaki. Ekiti for my Primary School education. I later advanced to Ifaki Grammar School for my Secondary School education. I later concluded my secondary education at Igbobi College, Yaba in Lagos with Higher School Certificate Studies.
I was admitted to the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba in 1966 where I took a combined honors degree in History and Philosophy. I graduated in June 1969. There are so many facts of my life that I catalogued in the series I issued out during my 70th birthday celebration. My earth’s journey has been long, interesting and sometimes arduous. God, the omnipresent and the omniscient, had made me to survive them all.
I took some important decisions when I turned 70 four years ago. I tried to give effect to many of these decisions. One of them was my decision to return to my people in Ijesaland to live with them. It later turned a decision very difficult to implement in its entirety. My children were soon at war with me. They believed that while not opposing my decision to return to Ijesaland for my post-70 habitation, I did not need to live daily in Ijesaland to effect the idea. Nearly all of them had pontificated that I should come and stay in Lagos where they could all superintend my affairs, particularly my living programme. I countered their opinion by letting them know that my people in Ijesaland will never abandon me that they were all keen to ensure my smooth stay at home. They held to their positions. I have been able to blend their position with mine. Though they won on the point that I cannot abandon Lagos entirely, they have however compromised with me by allowing me to stay in Ilesa at the same time. Today, I move between Lagos and Ijesaland in my desire to stay with my people in Ijesaland.
I hereby thank my family in Ijesaland for rising to the occasion of ensuring my smooth stay at home. My religious life despite problems and complications of my health, have been managed by them all to ensure my survival. I manage everyday diabetes and high blood pressure. They have refused to aggravate my condition by not willing to support my bold attempts at meeting these health challenges.
I am now suffering a complications of these illnesses by gradually losing my eyesight, particularly to glaucoma. When I mentioned these facts of my health to a childhood friend of mine, he replied immediately asking whether I was stating the facts or merely playing pranks. I simply smiled and I did not take offence at his attitude. The truth however remains that Ebino is sick but for God’s unique intervention in my life, I would have gone under. It certainly has not been easy.
I have come to the rather painful decision that despite the debilitating effects of these illnesses, I will continue to write on until my eyes have completely been closed up and I have been forced by realities of the circumstances to surrender. I will constantly however continue to give the good people of Nigeria my progress report.Life turned strangely bad for me when my personal doctor of fourteen years (Dr. Supo Akingbade) suddenly died in January 2015 few days after his turning 70. I have since Dr. Supo Akingbade’s death been moving from one doctor to the other with no permanent personal doctor to monitor my health. All will surely be well in Jesus name.
Another big loss for me over the past four years has been the deaths of my close friends. One by one, I have taken part in releasing them to eternity believing that, one day, it will be my turn to go. These friends include Adebamigbe Akilaya, Bayo Aluko-Olokun, Kayode Aluko-Olokun, Isaac Aluko-Olokun aka “Seko Sekimatu”, Dapo Oyewumi aka “Omo-Oye”, Sola Omodele, Ojo Maduekwe, Emeka Enejere, Joseph Omodayo, Solomon Dada, Remigius Fagboyo, Benjamin Ajiboye, and Bode Sowumi aka “Abudi Show”. Bode will be buried a few days from now. We are dying one by one. God knows best!
When I was in Buhari’s prisons between 1984 and 1085, there was a song made popular by the prisoners of Jos prison where I had stayed for near one year. It went thus:-
“Monkey de work o, Baboon de chop o (twice); One day go be one day monkey go go market, he no go return”. The song has many meanings. It could be an ideological song meaning the days of all oppressors arefixed. It could also mean, one day we the inhabitants of this sinful world will depart mother earth and never to return. I am waiting for that day! One day Ebino will go market and will never return to mother earth. When that time comes by the grace of God, it will be a glorious departure. Ebino is going to be 74! May God’s name be praised!! ALLELUYAH!!!
EBINO TOPSY – 0805-500-1735 (SMS ONLY PLEASE)
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