Major-General Robert Adeyinka Adebayo: A man for all seasons

CHIEF Robert Adeyinka Adebayo, Major-General (retd), was the seventh member (7th) of the indigenous officer corps of the Nigerian Army, after it evolved from the RWAFF. He passed on on Wednesday March 8, 2017, exactly at the age of 89. A native of Iyin Ekiti, he was born at Ile-Ife on 9th March, 1928. He attended Eko Boys’ High School, Lagos and earlier, Christ School, Ado Ekiti, Canon Mason’s famous school. He was enlisted in the Nigerian Army in 1948. He attended various military courses at Teshie in Ghana and elsewhere. Good old Bob was the only African at the Imperial Defence College, London, in 1966. He served in the Congo (Democratic Republic) in the seamy turbulent days of Lumumba, Kasavubu, Tsombe of Katanga (the name my mother gave her dog) followed by notorious Mobutu Sese-Seko, who simply converted the National Treasury into his personal bank account. That was the limit. Prostate cancer eventually conquered him.

General Adebayo was my greatest mentor. He appointed me to innumerable posts, including Commissioner for Special Duties; Chairman, WNDC with Cabinet rank (O’dua); Commissioner for Education; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and later Commissioner for both; First Rector, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, etc. For these, I accord him my everlasting gratitude. Between 1964 and 1965, Bob Adeyinka Adebayo was the Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Army. In August 1966, he was appointed the Military Governor of Western Nigeria, after the death of Adekunle Fajuyi in the accurately forecast coup of July 29, 1966. Ironsi and himself paid the supreme price at Ibadan, allegedly led by Murtala Muhammed and Theophilus Danjuma. This brought Murtala into power, making a national hero of him.

General Robert Adeyinka Adebayo was a man whose personality is inherently imbued with fair play and a deep sense of natural justice. At one time, he was the most senior officer in the Nigerian Army, actually senior to Gowon, Ojukwu, Murtala, Danjuma, etc. In civilian life, he was justifiably made the President of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE). He was the natural and rightful leader of the Yorubas, but extremist partisanship robbed him of it.

One important assignment he had was as chairman of the Commission established to look into the conduct of all officers who fought on the Biafran side, with a view to re-admitting them into the Nigerian Army, particularly those not involved in the mutiny not convicted of any sadistic behavior. The Army, like any other organization, had its factions. He later became the Governor of the Western State from 1966 – 1971. In 1971, he was posted to head the Defence Academy in Kaduna, with promotion as a Major-General. This had a somewhat unusual sour taste to it, because his transfer was announced three full months ahead of time. This weakened his administration substantially, because several civil servants became openly rebellious.

Gowon was the head of state and Oluwole Rotimi became the new Western State Governor. Conspiracy and midnight meetings became the order of the day and several people were caught in the cross-fires, not excluding the writer of this tribute as to the matter of The Polytechnic Ibadan and perhaps the issues surrounding the appointment of a new Alaafin of Oyo. Gowon too was overthrown. Later, things turn around and this writer became the Governor of Old Oyo State briefly. Rotimi, Gowon, Baba Adebayo and all of us were reconciled.

General Adebayo was an officer and a gentleman. He was a good officer and a great genial gentleman. He was retired from the Army in August 1975 by the late General Murtala Muhammed’s regime. After the ban on political activities was lifted in 1978, he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and became the national vice chairman of the party. I, the writer of this tribute, am his Sir Bedivere, the last of all his knights, as Tennyson the English poet would say in Morte D’Arthur. He constructed a balanced cabinet of twelve civilians made of six pro-Action Group and six pro-NCNC. This was complemented by the GOC, CP and an equivalent of the SSS boss, called the E-branch. He was my mentor in whom I am most blessed and exceedingly pleased. He declared me, in 1970, the best Civilian Commissioner and Lt Gen Alani Akinrinade, the best non-civilian cabinet member. We were each given a golden clock plus a hard high quality dispatch bag. We were openly declared the two most distinguished members of his cabinet and Lt-Gen Akinrinade of Sandhurst and Yakoyo remains a noble and cherished friend till today. He and his partners in the Third Marine Commando used to regale us with chilling near-death exploits in the Niger Delta, which used to put us on tenterhooks. They inspired me, in particular, as a dare-devil Commissioner for Education. What with crocodiles gnawing their toes?

General Robert Adeyinka Adebayo gave me nearly limitless latitude and powers in executing my work in the Ministry of Education. The same with the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, before he eventually gave me both ministries, simultaneously. The cabinet plodded over the Alaafin of Oyo vacancy which occurred in 1968.

(Continues tomorrow)

• Dr. Olunloyo is a former governor, Old Oyo State