On Wednesday, a public presentation of a biography of the governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, was held at the International Events Centre (The Dome), Akure, the state capital. ABIODUN AWOLAJA was at the event.
EVENTS hosted by the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, have always drawn a large and distinguished audience, but the public presentation of Mimiko’s Odyssey: A biography of Revelations exceeded all expectations. The author of the book, Professor Olu Obafemi, a former director of research at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies and current president of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), confessed his awe at the intimidating array of Nigerians and so did the chair of the occasion, a former vice chancellor and Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe.
Held at the International Events Centre (The Dome), Akure, the event was attended by the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Zamfara State governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari; Adamawa State governor, Umar Jibrilla; former Anambra State governor, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Second Republic governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and former governor of Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua. Also present were a former Osun State governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Military Administrator, Chief Olabode George; Afenifere chieftains, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; the founder, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Fredrick Fasehun; and Afenifere spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin. The governors of Lagos, Delta and many other states sent representatives.
Others were Professor Akin Onigbinde; Africa’s most published playwright, Professor Femi Osofisan; former Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Professor David Ker, and Rev Ayo Oladapo (CAN president). There were also Honourable Niyi Owolade, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, Senator Ayo Arise, Dr Amos Akingba, Professor Banji Akitoye; Professor Sani Ododo, Dr Isa Momoh, Dr Auwal Mohammed, Professor Bakare Ojo-Rasaki, Professor Abubakar Abdullahi, Colonel Tony Nyiam (retd), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, Chief Omolade Oluwateru, Ambassador Roland Omowa, Dr Tunji Abayomi and Professor Friday Okonofua. Also present were also Dr Yunusa Tanko, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, Professor Olu Agbi, Chief Isaac Akintade (chairman, Oodua Group), Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, Chief Segun Adegoke, Dr Wale Okediran, Professor Gbemisola Adeoti, Professor Tayo Adesina, Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), Chief Dan Iwuanyanwu, Chief Clement Faboyede, among many others. And there were members of the Ondo State council of traditional rulers led by the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo, members of the Ondo State executive council, including Governor Mimiko and his deputy, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Rotimi Adelola, the chief of staff, Dr Kola Ademujimi and the state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade.
In his opening remarks on the occasion, Professor Akinkugbe said he was humbled by the intimidating presence of so many distinguished Nigerians. He explained that Dr Mimiko could not write an autobiography as yet because he still had a lot of mileage to cover in the Nigerian polity, adding that the biography being launched was just one of many series. He expressed delight with the frank and critical nature of the book, saying it would not have been a compelling reading if it had followed the pattern of glowing adulations usually discerned in biographies. Describing the governor as an enigma, Professor Akinkugbe stated: “He thought through whatever he was going to do at every stage. He is going to go very far in this country.” He promised to launch the book with three years’ pension, to roaring applause.
In his own speech, the author, Professor Olu Obafemi, stated that the project was not informed by political or pecuniary considerations. Rather, he said, he found Dr Mimiko’s persona intriguing, being a reference point in the polity that the present and future generations of politicians could learn from. He said: “I don’t belong to any party but I am committed to the development of our nation. If the motivation was material, Olusegun Mimiko would probably not be my first choice, although I’m not saying he is a poor man.”
In his perspective review, Professor David Ker, noted that the author’s efforts to dispense with politics in the book is not always successful because the subject, Dr Mimiko, is tied to politics. “Dr Rahman Olusegun Mimiko may be said to be a man infected with the political virus very early in life. He was weaned by a socialist/communist father who cherished the revolution in the Soviet Union and worshipped at the feet of the great sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He has also been through the tutelage of Chief Ajasin, Olumilua, Adefarati, and several others. In Mimiko’s Odyssey: A biography of Revelations, we do not get the impression that the man is perfect… The book documents the stupendous achievements of Governor Mimiko in his eight years’ successful tenure in Ondo State. Mimiko is worth many books. His life has been a war and as the author has said, the end of this one seems to be the beginning of another war.”
In another perspective review, a former member of the House of Representatives and ex-Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) president, Dr Wale Okediran, noted that to succeed as a doctor/politician demanded a high dose of late night stamina, optimism, self confidence and brinkmanship, noting that the book portrayed Dr Mimiko as possessing all of those characteristics. He pointed out that Mimiko’s ideological stand seemed to be a blend of those of two of his professional seniors, the revolutionary Che Guevara and the socialist Mahathir bin Mohammed. His words: “As can be recalled, Guevara, just like Mimiko, was radicalised as a young medical student by the poverty, hunger and disease he saw all around him as a youth. Also like Mimiko, Mahathir’s experience from his busy and successful medicine practice, which catered for the poor and downtrodden, enriched his tenure as Prime Minister of Malaysia experiencing a period of rapid modernisation, in addition to a tremendous economic growth and a series of bold infrastructural projects. Olu Obafemi’s Mimiko’s Odyssey is well researched and beautifully written. What makes the book exceptional is the author’s ability to maintain a suspenseful narrative in the midst of a gamut of facts, interviews and personal anecdotes.”
Okediran’s position was reinforced by Professor Umar Buratai, who described the book as a compelling reading. Launching the book after a brief but spectacular performance by the state cultural troupe, Governor Yari appreciated Governor Mimiko for his contributions to the development of Ondo, the Nigerian Governors Forum and the Federal Executive Council. “We pray that God Almighty will be with this icon as he is departing after eight years of service to the people of Ondo State. We enjoyed working with him. I personally copied a lot from him.” On a lighter note, however, Okediran took up Dr Mimiko for violating the ethics of the medical position by marrying a lady who was initially his patient, although he later asked Professor Akinkugbe and others in the medical profession to forgive him. “I think we all have to thank the First Lady, Mrs Olusegun Mimiko, for agreeing to marry this old man. If not, he would have remained a bachelor forever,” Okediran said, throwing the hall into laughter.
Not surprisingly, the book was also enthusiastically launched on the occasion by different groups and individuals. And mounting the podium, Dr Mimiko stated that he was overwhelmed by the show of love and affection and just wanted to thank all those present on the occasion, and those who put the event together. He said: “I’m just overwhelmed. I just want to thank all of you. Thank you and God bless you. My prayer is that, in and out of office, we will continue to prove worthy of your confidence.
and then