Retiree shares his story in The Adventures of a Village Boy

A review of Adekunle Adeagbo’s book, The Adventures of A Village Boy, by Deborah Omoare

Adekunle Adeagbo is a retired civil servant with track record of meritorious and impactful years of service in the then Western Nigeria Civil Service.

Now that he is retired, he has, therefore, used the opportunity of his spare time to share with the world his growing up years in the book, The Adventures of a Village Boy.

The book shares the story of the author’s background and how he overcomes all odds to achieve greatness in life.

He starts with his early life in his village at Aba Alaro, which is close to Ile-Ife and Ilesha in Osun State.

In the early chapters of the book, the author delves into his family, and narrates how his mother died when he is 10 years old.

Following his mother’s death, his paternal grandmother, Ayisat Aderibigbe, then takes responsibility for his upbringing.

He further narrates how his father’s two wives who he married after the demise of his mother persuaded him (his father) to stop his education in order to give the chance to their children.

The author also focuses on his father, Amuda Yesufu Adeagbo, who often takes him everywhere because he is the first child among his 19 children.

He then writes on how his father converted to Christianity while on the sick bed before his death few months later.

Adeagbo also highlights the history of Modakeke town, where he was born, which he says is founded in 1845 by the Alaafin of Oyo.

He then returns to his early village life at Aba Alaro, a community that has no social amenity.

In remembering those years, Adeagbo describes how he and some of his friends always queue to fill up their mud pots and gourds with water which dripped from a brook from the bottom of a hill.

With the experience of the author during his younger years, when he finds himself in the position as the sole administrator of Atakumosa Local Government Area of Osun State, under whose jurisdiction is Aba Alaro and Araromi villages, he dug a 52-feet well which serves the villagers till date.

The author also focuses on his education background and how he weathered the challenges to become an important member of the society today.