Thoughts of Babatunde Fadun: Yesterday’s ideas, today’s solutions

Chief Babatunde Fadun, over the years, has contributed to national and global discourses through his writings. Despite having a background in Economics, Chief Fadun has used his training in journalism as a platform to share his opinions on different issues.

Recently, he compiled some of his newspaper publications and some unpublished works into a book form titled, Thoughts of Babatunde Fadun.

The 181-page book, which has the pictures of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Queen Elizabeth, President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Bill Clinton and Chief Obafemi Awolowo on the cover page, also has the picture of the author’s father, Chief Tijani Ilori Fadun (1920-2000), the Oosa Ogona, Igbesa, on the first page. This shows how much the author values and respects the memory of his father.

In writing the Foreword, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), describes the collection of the thoughs of Babatunde Fadun as “a harmonious compendium of politics, history, culture, economy and society in Nigeria and beyond.”

Falana further describes Chief Fadun as a philosophical and political commentator in the field of charting Nigeria’s political history over the last 40 years.

“Chief Fadun’s writings are both nationalistic and universal, which gives us an insight into the depth of his vibrant and analytic mind.”

Chief Fadun opens the book with his article in the defunct Daily Sketch of Monday, March 5, 1973 with the title, Awo is 64 tomorrow.

Before writing the article, Chief Fadun had become a follower of the sage, and it was not a surprise for him to write on Chief Awolowo on his 64th birthday.

In the article, Chief Fadun writes, “One can say without any fear that Chief Obafemi Awolowo is a great man. His is a unique instance of how a person can rise from very humble beginning to the very top in his chosen field.”

The articles chronicle the background of Chief Awolowo, from the time of his birth on March 6, 1909, his parents conversion from the traditional religion to the Christian faith and his early education in Ikenne in 1914.

The author also delves into how Chief Awolowo’s father’s death when he was just 11 years altered his course in life.

This well-researched article is a must read for lovers of Chief Awolowo and those who want to know how he faced life’s obstacles to become one of the greatest Nigerians who ever lived.

On Tuesday, May 8, 1973, Chief Fadun, in Daily Sketch, wrote, “How best to make tenement rating to work.”

In describing tenement rating, Chief Fadun says “it is a device for raising revenue which is spent completely by the local government council to provide amenities for the rate payers. No part of the money goes to the State (Central) Government as in the case of income tax.”

Here, Chief Fadun says all the houses/buildings in a town is rated according to their value and then taxed and the money will go to the local government councils to provide amenities for the people.

Despite the fact that this article was written in 1973, it is still as relevant today as it was then, especially going by the precarious state of things in our local government system.

In Volume Three of the book, Chief Fadun writes on “The case for the integration of the Awori towns of Otta, Igbesa and Ado-Odo into Lagos State.”

This presentation was made in March 1977 to the Chairman of the Boundary Adjustment Commission in the Cabinet Office in Lagos.

On Monday, March 6, 1977, Chief Fadun’s opinion, “Why students loan scheme must stay,” was published in the Daily Times, where he argues on financial support for students in the country.

The author’s article in ThisDay of Thursday, May 25, 2000, titled, “Obasanjo: A nurse of democracy,” details the first year in government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as a civilian president.

He reviews Obasanjo’s programmes and policies and came to the conclusion that they are anchored on two principles, “protection and sustenance of democracy, as well as revamping the nation’s prostate economy as a way of uplifting the standard of living of the citizenry.”

Chief Fadun also agrees that “the administration has also lived up to its leadership role in the sub-region by providing direction towards sub-regional stability and prosperity.”

The author also delves on the need for Nigerians to look inward and buy locally-made goods with his article, “Why locally-made goods are dearer,” published in New Nigerian on Thursday, January 4, 1979.

On the international scene, Chief Fadun wrote, “The rise and fall of Nixon, where he reviews the book, Nixon Memories in the Sunday Times of June 13, 1982.

He also dwells on “Obasanjo’s foreign policy challenges” published in The Punch of March 22, 1999.

One of the most important publications of Chief Fadun is “Amending the 1999 constitution,” published in ThisDay of Monday, April 17, 2000, where he agrees that Nigeria’s system of government gives too much power to the central government.

He writes, “The power structure as presently constituted has increased friction among the component parts of our federation and heightened mutual suspicion among them.

“Therefore, there is an urgent need for a constitutional amendment which will ensure substantial devolution of power to the states. The beauty of Federalism is that it allows each component part to progress at its own pace without being held back by the central government either out of envy or as a stratagem to appease the less enterprising parts of the federation.

“The central government should operate as a coordinator, a first among equals in the component parts and not as an over-powerful boss as inherent in the present constitution.”

He then focuses on important areas which the constitution amendment can benefit the country like revenue allocation, judiciary, local government reform, state police, tenure of the president, tenure of the National Assembly, state electoral commission, Sharia, among others.

With other articles and presentations, it is no doubt that Chief Fadun is a ‘prophet’ who sees tomorrow. Most of his ideas on issues are still applicable today as they were decades when he shared them.

The book, Thoughts of Babatunde Fadun is a must-read for political actors, students of politics and Nigerians who love the country. It will give the reader the opportunity to juxtapose the ideas given by the author several years ago and whether such can be relevant in today’s Nigeria. However, going by the articles, it can be seen that Chief Fadun’s views can still be applied in the administration of the country today.

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