He goes by the epithet, EbinoTopsy, while his real name is Chief Ebenezer Babatope; an impulsive politician, astute administrator, uncompromising pro-democracy activist and lawyer. Born 79 years ago on January 25 to a clergyman, Babatope, he towers above his peers in many respects, as the trajectory of his life reflects his scholarship, dexterity and vision as a quintessential leader. His exit from the University of Lagos, following his uncompromising stance as the Students’ Affairs Officer paved the way for his choice as the Director of Organisation of the then Unity Party of Nigeria in the Second Republic. His interventions during the political dispensation in that capacity gave clarity and proper perspective to national issues, especially government policies and programmes with direct correlation to the welfare of the citizens. His fearlessness, analytical mind, arresting carriage and mien re-calibrated the true essence of party politics. Following the military putsch of 1983, Babatope was thrown into detention from 1983 to 1985 with no clear-cut offence established against him.
Babatope is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an author and one of the foremost disciples of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In fact, he holds the Awo creed with unassailable passion and gusto. He has a humble and engaging personality with a charismatic lifestyle that elicits respect. He has fought many great battles right from his youthful days and triumphed. The major weapon he deployed to the battle field were hidden intellect and oratory prowess, coupled with doggedness and courage.
Imbued with high cognitive memory, Babatope comes across like a mobile encyclopedia, as he is ever at home on any topical issue without quivering and faltering on facts and figures in a chronological order. This is how he recalled his humble rise to political limelight in the Second Republic. “I was lucky that Papa (Awolowo) chose me as an official of his party at a time when people who were better than me politically and ideologically were all over the place.’ From then, his meteoric rise in the political arena took a frenetic phenomenon. Today, Babatope is profuse about the lessons Awo taught him and how the vision of the sage shaped his life and character. He said: “For example, Papa Awolowo taught many of us that when we are in public office, there are lots of things involved there. Don’t enjoy in government what you cannot afford in private life. What he is saying is that if you are made a public officer, don’t enjoy what you cannot provide for yourself in private life.
His days at the university played a critical role in capacity building for the years ahead of him. Those values formed part of his essence till date. He recalled: “I had my first degree in History and Philosophy at the University of Lagos (UNILAG). I remember too well that the late Dr Ayantuga, Professor Olusanya and others, always impressed it on all of us the need to keep records as the mark of a good historian. When you keep records of events, you may find them useful later in life. That is why without being arrogant or sounding immodest, I think I have one of the best libraries of people of my generation because I keep records.”
A very fascinating story on the life of the Osun State-born politician was told by his wife, Mrs Biola Babatope. It was a deep reflection of the kind of sacrifice the family made in his insatiable appetite for erudition and intellectualism. She was quoted as stating: “When we started, money was very tight. In those days, people didn’t have money like now; you really worked for your money. He was spending whatever pennies he could find on books, newspapers and publications. It got so bad when he was working at the UNILAG. He would have bought many books on credit from the bookshop, and so by the time his salary came, the bookshop would have taken a chunk of his money. I spent all his money on newspapers. Up till today, he reads all Nigerian newspapers.”
In a recent newspaper interview, the irrepressible politician discussed the wave of ethnic agitations in the country and fears being expressed in some quarters that the trend could lead to Nigeria’s disintegration. He cautioned against such thoughts because there is strength in the country remaining one. “If you are talking of division of the country, I don’t agree to that, we have to pull ourselves together and remain as a country. If we go our separate ways, it would not be good. We were not created in such a way that we should divide the country. We should live together, unite and put ourselves together,” he said.
The position of Babatope on the 2014 Constitutional Conference, which he was delegate, is also germane and instructive for the country to make meaningful progress. He dismissed the advocacy for a fresh conference to address issues impeding the unity and progress of Nigeria. His words: “If we say we want to organise another constitutional conference, there is no assurance that we will implement what the conference says. The 2014 conference was very good. It tackled several problems of Nigeria and suggested solutions to them. I think it was wrong for President Muhammadu Buhari not to implement the report of the conference. If we should go for a new constitutional conference, we would be wasting our money. Let us see what has been tackled in the last constitutional conference and let us see how Nigeria can move forward from it.”
NADECO years
He served in many capacities and distinguished himself as a worthy ambassador of the ordinary citizens of the country. His track record as a pro-democracy activist is enamouring, having been a leading light in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that battled the military to submission in the quest to return Nigeria to democracy in 1999. His principled mien has ensured that his umbilical cord with the pan-Yoruba organisation, Afenifere remains intact and solid.
Babatope is sad over the frightening level of insecurity across the country. He cannot fathom how things had become so bad such that Nigerians are frightened to move around like they did in the past. “The situation is very appalling. It is pathetic that Nigeria has gradually become a country where human lives and properties are no longer secure. It was not like this before. Every patriotic citizen is worried, especially the elderly. The nation is seriously bleeding. I hope President Muhammadu Buhari will rise to the occasion because the buck stops at his table.” Babatope traced the degeneration in values to the rigging of elections, culminating in all forms of criminality. To tame the menace, he advocates: “The government must commit itself to free and fair elections. Once we have that, everything will go well for the country. The problem we have in this country is the absence of an electoral umpire that will ensure that elections are free and fair. Let us have that and we will know where we are going.” However, the political titan underscores the imperative of the establishment of state police to boost security and entrench the principle of federalism: “The state police will help. I don’t see anything wrong in having state police, if that will be a democratic solution to our security problems. If it will help us to achieve peace and also help us to toe the path of true federalism, let’s go ahead with it….” In a broad perspective, he said the need to restructure the country cannot be compromised to guarantee equity, fairness and justice among the federating units. He said: “We must redefine the federal nature of our country. We must examine our commitment to the federal system of government. We need to restructure the country. If we don’t do this, we cannot make progress.”
At 79, Babatope remains constant in his vision and perspective about life and the essence. He has cut a niche for himself because of his Spartan lifestyle. He still builds bridges to bring down all barriers in the quest by Nigeria to achieve statehood. Thus, the former minister has a large number of friends, associates and allies across the length and breadth of the country, as well as and beyond the shores of Nigeria. Even his critics acknowledge that Babatope remains one statesman and political meteor that can never be ignored on crucial national issues and political discourse. His essence is vividly captured by a former governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, in an animating tributes to Babatope. The trained engineer described the former minister as a great nationalist, a consummate politician and an unwavering democrat with intimidating credentials and extraordinary organizational ability, who has served the country with patriotic zeal over the years. “Chief Babatope, whom I’ve known since my childhood days at Ifaki-Ekiti, my hometown, is a man of immense intellectual capacity, a prolific and cerebral writer who has deployed his talents in serving the cause of the common man. His place in the history of progressive politics in Nigeria is assured on account of the enviable roles he has played in the last four decades. He has been a great family friend and role model. His family and our family share relationships dating back several decades and he has been a wonderful mentor to us his younger ones.”
and then