S.A. Adeniji: Celebrating a community developer

“Death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? “It is given that man should die, then comes judgment”. The contents of these verses should have informed the conclusion of the legendary Shakespare in his evergreen play, Julius Caesar where he stated that ‘death is a necessary end that will come when it will’. And so death came calling on Solomon Adekunle Akanji Adeniji a.k.a. Akanji Onimomo, suddenly on the wee hours of Thursday, 3rd March, after a sojourn of 81 years.

Adeniji attended the famous Ibadan District Council School now known as Ibadan Municipal Government (IMG) primary school between 1948 and 1954 where he obtained the primary school leaving certificate. He then proceeded to St. John’s Modern School Eleta for his secondary education.

Kunle Adeniji and I came in contact after we were individually admitted to The Community Development Training Centre, Shasha, Olumogo, on Ijebu-Ode-Ore road in January, 1965 for a one-year course in the rudiments of community development. It was then an all male institution. The female counterpart was established as Community Development Women Training Centre, Samonda on Sango-U.I. road, Ibadan. Both have transformed to Social Development Training Centre. The Shasha Olumogo Training Centre was later relocated to Iperu-Remo now in Ogun State at the outbreak of the 1967-70 civil war which made the Nigerian military take over the centre as a military post. Our primary assignment as rural development multi-purpose workers was to motivate the various communities to embark on self-help projects that would benefit the communities since no government could provide all community-need amenities.

Kunle Adeniji, as he was fondly called, was posted to Tapa/Ayede axis of Ibarapa and joined other trainees from other parts of the then Western Region which then included Ikeja. I was posted to Akanran, the headquarters of the then Ibadan South-East District Council now Ona-Ara Local Government. It is an unpleasant reflection but God’s will that with the death of Solomon Kunle Adeniji, this writer is the only surviving member of the eleven 1965/66 pioneers of the training centre from Ibadan division. May the good Lord accord a good repose to the souls of all departed colleagues.

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Other local government areas where he worked included  Ibarapa, Oluyole, Atakumosa, Irewole, Ibadan South East, Mapo, Ibadan North-East Iwo-Road, Ibadan North-West Onireke, and some local governments in Oke-Ogun area and South East local government where he retired as the director of Social and Rural Development in 2000, having served meritoriously for 33 years.

Adeniji met his heartthrob, Comfort Titilayo Adeniji, one evening while she was on her way to visit her friend. The relationship started and they got married on January 14, 1968. Their marriage was birthed in deep friendship, respect, commitment and love. They were together for over 54 years, till Papa breathed his last. The union was blessed with wonderful children.

Adeniji gave his life to Christ later in his life. He was ordained an elder in 1995, and served the church till the time of his home call. His zeal for God and humanity was evident. He was the church representative at the Finance Council of CAC Aremo District Council; he was also the church treasurer till he passed on to glory. He was a very disciplined man who used his life’s experiences and lessons to teach younger ones.

Adeniji was an upright man. He hated cheating with passion and he could not be found where corruption was festering. This naturally made the landlord association of his area gravitate toward his style of leadership. He was accountable to the last penny during his eight-year tenure as the association’s treasurer from 2004 to 2012. Even when he left the office, he became ex-officio so he could guide those that were actively involved in governing the association.

He knew he was a product of God’s tender mercy and grace, he always ascribed glory to God and never failed to thank his dear wife for staying with him. As he goes home now, resting in the bosom of his Lord and God, it is my sincere prayer that the good Lord will give him a peaceful rest and uphold the wife, the children and other family members.

Elder Wole Fadele writes from Ibadan.