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A Tribute To Ganiyu Olawale Olagesin (1930 – 2015)

By Kayode Olagesin
20 February 2015   |   11:00 pm
OUR late grandfather, Fasasi Popoola Olagesin was fond of saying that only a foolish child uses the first money he makes to buy frivolities and regularly prayed that ‘all of you will build your own individual houses’ when addressing his children. ‘Dede yin re maa k’ole lo toto’ was also a regular prayer of our…

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OUR late grandfather, Fasasi Popoola Olagesin was fond of saying that only a foolish child uses the first money he makes to buy frivolities and regularly prayed that ‘all of you will build your own individual houses’ when addressing his children. ‘Dede yin re maa k’ole lo toto’ was also a regular prayer of our father that proved true in the lives of his children. He not only prayed, he was an active collaborator by helping his children to buy, supervise, at times, multiple building projects. He was supervising three projects, two for his children and one for himself at the time he passed on at 84.

  Daddy was a practicing Moslem and was Seriki Adeen, Baba Adinn, Ekerin Adeen of several Moslem communities and mosques but not for him, religion by compulsion. I recollect him asking me about my religious leaning when he observed that I neither went to Church or Mosque. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him at the time that I was a free thinker before I developed a relationship with God. He was concerned about the spiritual development of his children but was not prescriptive rather encouraged us to develop a relationship with God on our own. Our father did not impose his will on us so it is difficult to relate to stories of religious persecution from family members.

  Our father was a pioneer member of the Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO), which became the SSS and now DSS. Outside of family most people knew him as a Federal Civil Servant. He also did not allow the paraphernalia of office affect him neglecting to enjoy a lot of things he was entitled to, much to our annoyance but we learnt the wisdom in that later. When he retired, the transition for him was easy as he maintained more or less the standard of living he was accustomed to whilst in office.  He taught us to live well below our means and to be content with what we had.

  Daddy retired in 1985 and was a pensioner for almost 30 years. The four-bedroom duplex he built after his original place was flooded in 2010 and the new block of four flats he almost completed before he took ill were mostly funded from pension arrears. He is one of the lucky ones who served Nigeria and lived long to enjoy the fruits of his labour. 

  I learnt to drive as most boys do behind his back but once he knew I could drive, he asked that I drive him to Abeokuta; I am sure to test me. We branched off at Owode on the way to Abeokuta. On the way back, at the Siun junction, I quickly made the left turn towards Abeokuta even though a truck was bearing down at us about 50 metres away. He asked why I did that and I said I gauged it.  He cautioned me that I should have waited for the truck to go and didn’t say much again. As we made our rounds in Abeokuta, I needed to make a turn to go in the opposite direction and mistakenly engaged gear three and not gear one as I intended. As I took my leg off the clutch, the car stalled right in the middle of the road. My father didn’t shout but calmly asked me what would have happened if I made this same mistake at Siun junction. The lesson sank in more than any sharp reprimand would have done.

  The last time I recollect him flogging me and my brothers was in Akure in 1983 during the general elections. The whole of Ondo was in turmoil, after Omoboriowo was declared winner by FEDECO. In the middle of this crisis as people were lynched and properties burnt, the Inspector General of Police, issued a shoot at sight order to the Police for anyone who broke the curfew.  

  On that fateful day, we went with a friend to ‘wash’ the second hand ‘dekumagolo’, a mini-van, he just bought. Daddy was sleeping when we left and he woke up to find the entire compound deserted. He became apprehensive when he discovered the back gate, which opened into the Secretariat and Owena Motel Road, a busy highway that also led to Oda town, unlocked. We normally hang around the back gate to chat with friends so he assumed we had been picked up by the Police after 7pm for ‘wandering’ behind our house. He contacted the Police Commissioner and signals soon went around for three missing boys. The search at Police Stations and Morgues yielded no results until he returned home to find us waiting.  He didn’t say a word but went into the store to get a cutlass and went out of the house. We lived in a wooded compound and so he was spoilt for choice in cutting the best canes with which he whipped some sense into us.

  Our father was so full of energy and it was difficult to see him age so rapidly. But he gave us six months notice by calling as many of us as were available to a meeting. This was during the last Id El Fitri after the 30 days fast, which he completed as usual. He told us he wanted a strict Moslem burial and Fidau prayers with nothing added. He wanted no noise – just the prayers and to fete the clerics and other guests well. We could then do whatever we wanted after as that was our business. He was a study in simplicity and humility. 

  Addul Ganiyu Olagesin was a very special father and friend to all his children. We will miss him but we are immensely proud of the legacy he left and will keep the flag flying. Adieu Daddy!

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