The funeral rites of ace comedian Moses Olaiya Adejumo (a.k.a. Baba Sala), who died a few months ago, fixed for December 6 and 7, 2018 at Ilesa, have been concluded. A night of tributes was arranged in his honour and memory in Lagos at the end of November 2018 where King Sunny Ade and other star artistes performed.
Shortly after Baba Sala died, I wrote an article titled The Baba Sala I knew. In it, I recalled our pioneering days at WNTV-First-in-Africa in 1959 and early 1960s. I mentioned how Moses Olaiya blazed the trail of drama comedy on television which made him different from actors like Hubert Ogunde, Duro ladipo, Kola Ogunmola, Akin Ogungbe and Oyin Adejobi.
2019: Emerging trends as PDP, others kick-start campaigns
Those were the days when Anike Agbaje Williams was the first television announcer in Africa, Segun Olusola was first television producer and I was first television newscaster. Musicians who featured regularly were Idowu Animasahun, I.K. Dairo, Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Uncle Toye Ajagun and Victor Olaiya to mention a few.
In this article, I want to discuss how our government should immortalize Moses Olaiya. I remember that in 2000, six of us broadcasters; Ibrahim Mohammed, Patrick Itoghen, Ralph Okpara, Ikenna Ndaguba, Christopher Kolade and I were among the 340 people given national honours for our contributions to society in our profession. Some other artists were also honoured like Ebenezer Obey, Sunny Ade, Omobolanle Aluwe and Moses Olaiya.
Like me, Baba Sala was honoured with Membership of the Order of the Niger (MON). At the investiture ceremony on November 16, 2000, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo listed the privileges national honours recipients are entitled to and should enjoy. These include being recognized at public functions, having streets named after them in the federal capital, state or local government headquarters and visits by Federal Government delegations to their homes and families at death.
Though some of these were not sufficiently spelt out, I believe the Federal Government delegation visits at death should be to participate in the funeral rites of such recipients. As for naming streets after such recipients, I recommend that at Ilesa, the street from the Itakogun end on the Ilesa/Osogbo road to the junction of Idasa Street where Baba Sala’s C&S Church is located on the way to Omofe should be renamed Moses Olaiya Road.
I call on the new governor of Osun State Gboyega Oyetola to do something in this regard. The Ilesa local government should also rise up to the occasion. Finally if action is being unduly delayed, I respectfully request Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ilesa and paramount ruler of Ijesaland to take up the matter with the relevant authorities.
This will not only be a fitting tribute for Baba Sala but also serve as an encouragement to budding talents.
Dr Kunle Olasope
Ekiti.
and then