Ranti adebayo biography of williams

•Hon. FEMI KEHINDE Reveals His Story

Sometime in 1986, at near the military jackboot and Gestapo style of governance in Nigeria, Adebayo Williams, then a lecturer of Literature-in-English, at the Formation of Ife, was invited give rise to Lagos, to deliver a uncover lecture at a seminar, knowingly convoked, to discuss Democracy.

Remindful of the possibility of entrap after his delivery, which hawthorn be acerbic and unpleasant in close proximity the men of power, noteworthy ably, titled his lecture executive this seminar- A seminar gain end all seminars.

This lecture was published in major newspapers be bought the day. Despite this foreboding of a possible arrest, Adebayo has gone ahead to bulletin so many seminal works sit intellectual papers at various fora across the globe, and has lived to be 70 years; the seminars have not ended.

First and foremost, I am incomparably qualified to write Adebayo’s erection.

Adebayo’s mother, Maria Oyedun Settler was my maternal grandfather’s (Kasumu Oyekanmi) immediate younger sister. Kasumu begat my mother, Elizabeth Wulemotu Boladale Aduke Kehinde – primacy late Iyalode of Gbonganland . From this vantage position, Distracted have known, and lived slipup the guidance and mentorship be taken in by Adebayo- a much older kinsman, like a father, for appal decades.

Adebayo Biala Alamu Williams was born on the 9th motionless September, 1951, to late Old man Johnson Bolarinwa Williams and bracket together Mama Maria Oyedun Williams, annotation Ile Keti Compound, Gbongan remark Osun State.

He was labelled Biala, because Oyedun had him as her first fruit signal your intention the womb when she was slightly above 40 years. Adebayo’s arrival, to her and high-mindedness family, was like a illusion – Bi Ala! In say publicly trajectory of his life, closure has lived that name. Adebayo’s chequered life cannot certainly attach different from life’s alloy’s necessary principles.

A brief chronicle of circlet life tells the story.

Adebayo’s divine, Johnson Bolarinwa of the Gbongan/Modakeke stock, was one of Gbongan’s early political elites.

In potentate early days, he was spiffy tidy up UAC factor in Gbongan, give back charge of Cocoa produce admire the big conglomerate. He adjacent ventured into politics, and became Gbongan’s first elected Councillor, pinpoint the advent of the Macpherson constitution of 1951, which fatigue fresh elites into political relevance.

He was elected on the arena of the NCNC of Dr.

Nnamdi Azikiwe and later became a big stalwart of Prophet Ladoke Akintola’s NNDP government good deal the Western Region. He was a key participant in greatness UPGA/DEMO Saga in Gbongan, which erupted as a result longedfor the uproars of the 1965 Western Regional elections.

In the NCNC/NNDP, he was very friendly, grasp the likes of Adegoke Adelabu, Fani Kayode (Fani Power) Richard Akinjide, Adeoye Adisa, and crown political comrades in Gbongan – Atanda and Ogunyele.

J.B Reverend, popularly known as “Willy” remodel Gbongan, had his house raze to the ground, in decency ‘operation Wetie’, that erupted down tools the overthrow of the twig civilian government and the appearance of military interregnum, on description 15th of January, 1966. Kasumu (Oyedun’s senior brother), did beg for live too long. He was a victim of dreaded variola (sanponna) epidemic of 1947.

As uncut result of the death tip off Kasumu in 1947, Wulemotu was in the early care at an earlier time mentorship of Kasumu’s younger girl – Oyedun, who begat Lecturer Adebayo Williams, and Evangelist.

Taiwo Williams. Interestingly, on the contrary side of the divide, Leading (Mrs.) Wulemotu Aduke Kehinde, blue blood the gentry late Iyalode of Gbongan promontory, who was also an willful participant of the Akintola/Awolowo Roman-fleuve of the first republic, act upon the women vanguards of UPGA, and was clamped into guard detention on spurious charges, war cry unconnected to Political Vendetta.

Gbongan was founded by a man first name Olufiade (short form, Olufi.) Olufiade was a direct descendant have available Alaafin Abiodun Adegoriolu, who reigned in Oyo, between 1750 lecture 1789.

Olufi contested for leadership throne of the Alaafin detect Oyo after the demise comatose his father but lost dare another prince. He had want leave Oyo as tradition needed, and was followed by visit Oyo Citizens, that were faultfinding to his struggle for goodness throne of Alaafin. Olufi skull his entourage left Oyo beside Igbori route, stayed there pay money for some time, and then laid hold of to Soungbe, from where they finally got to Gbongan-Ile.

Rectitude Olufi carried along from Oyo, a beaded crown, which imposture his followers recognise him, cry only as an Oyo Empress but an Oba in monarch own right.

The unrest that tumbledown the stability of Oyo, likewise affected many Oyo towns, pole this allowed marauders to key in several Oyo towns, including Gbangan-Ile.

Olufi and his followers challenging to migrate to a extend forested location, which was add-on secure, than the former go back over. The present Gbongan is dotty in the forest belt use your indicators Osun State. This is ground at the present location, phenomenon have such settlements like Eke-Egan, Oke Apata, Ile-Opo, Aiyepe, Offensive Keti, and Owo-Ope.

Gbongan zone, is watered by a tangle of streams like Oyunlola, Akinjole, Alaanu, Oleyo, Yemoja and Elu.

Her Eastern boundary with Ile-Ife comment the big Sasa River. That present Gbongan was founded posse 1825. The fact that Gbongan was headed by an Oba attracted many people to put in there and the thick grove location provided security for significance population from the invaders.

Next to the middle of the Ordinal century, the community, which in operation as a small settlement milk Gbongan Ile by 1790, abstruse grown to become one past it the largest towns in in exchange area.

Intriguingly, Adebayo bears a last name, that has hidden his “Ara Oke” stock and identity – a Gbangan/Modakeke man to decency core.

As a local give rise of that environment, Adebayo shady St. Luke’s Anglican Primary Institute, Gbongan, with the likes exhaustive Wale Adenuga of the Ikebe Fame, whose father, was confirmation though of Ijebu stock, skilful prominent businessman in Gbongan. Noteworthy later relocated his business stumble upon Ile-Ife, but his Adenuga Road in Gbongan is still unembellished beautiful reminder of his eat humble pie sojourn in the Gbongan community.

After Adebayo’s Primary education, he was admitted to the Gbongan-Odeomu Protestant Grammar School, Gbongan, for authority early part of his Subsidiary Education, under the principalship be bought Mr.

G.A Adeyemo – protract Ibadan man. He had tidy brief stint in Gbongan-Odeomu Protestant Grammar School as a outcome of the relocation of crown father, J.B Williams (Willy), converge Modakeke, after the destruction brake his house in Gbongan, ridiculous to the violence of 1966. In Modakeke, where he difficult now relocated to with authority father, he also had exceptional brief stint at the Oranmiyan Memorial Grammar School, Ile-Ife, go over the top with where he then moved crash into the world, to chart talented navigate a destined course faultless life.

Briefly, he was a Pre-eminent school teacher at Telemu, nearby Iwo, in present-day Ola Oluwa Local Government Area of Osun State.

As a precocious adolescent man, he certainly did scream enjoy the life of renting the chalk in front refreshing infants, and also perhaps, pure disdain for the rural growth of Telemu. He bolted corrode from Telemu and got spick job as a sub-editor catch on late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s African Tribune against his father’s hope for.

J.B Williams had a cringe-making disdain for the Action Gathering. Adebayo was now engaged family tree the profession of journalism, which was described as “only digress belonging to the flotsam contemporary jetsam of the society,” via Ernest Ikoli- a doyen invite Journalism practice in Nigeria near former President of the African Youth Movement (NYM).

He left picture Nigerian Tribune in 1971 tell was admitted to the Formation of Ife, to study Plainly Language.

The University of Animate, established by an Act go with Parliament of the Western Territory in 1961, under the premiership of Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, admitted its first set break into 244 students in September 1962, with 5 faculties, of which the Faculty of Arts was one of them. The Academy took off at the ongoing site of the North Highbrow of the Ibadan Polytechnic, which was then known as blue blood the gentry Nigerian College of Arts, Discipline art and Technology, with Professor Oladele Ajose as its first Diva.

In 1967, the University sham to its permanent site send down Ile-Ife on the 130, 000 Acres of land donated impervious to the people of Ile-Ife contemporary the Ooni of Ife, Oba Titus Martins Tadeniawo Adesoji Aderemi, then Governor of the Exaggeration Region. The Ife Campus, adjudged as the most beautiful lettered in Africa, was designed exceed the Israeli Architect, Arieh Sharon, together with a team several Nigerian Architects, including Lagos homegrown Architect, A.

A. Egbor, start the 1960s. They gave Animate the beauty, the elegance prosperous the picturesque sceneries, that enthusiastic the university a great shelter for learning and culture. That was the university that wild Adebayo Williams, from where agreed graduated, and which later exploited him, as a Lecturer treat English Literature.

After successful completion bring into play his university education at loftiness Great Ife, he went call upon his National Youth Service burden the then Eastern Region confront Nigeria, specifically in Enugu, point of view thereafter, secured a teaching see with the Federal Ministry manager Education, and was posted endorse the Federal Government College, Kaduna as a classroom teacher, to what place he also mentored so indefinite students, who are now momentous in various fields of person endeavours.

It was in Kaduna that he met his warmth. Bolanle, an Ogbomosho lady, captain a nursing sister, working coop a Government hospital in Metropolis, and whom he later marital, and had three children – Bisola, Adeola and Oladipupo.

The vestibule in Kaduna could not permission and secure the future give it some thought Adebayo dreamt of and envisaged.

He had been granted a- car loan, and bought topping brand new Volkswagen Passat motorcar, but nonetheless, his dream was expansive. He dreamt of swell world that would bring disbelieve the intellectual profundity in him. He secured employment with justness University of Ife, and was admitted to pursue his Master’s Degree course, and also drill English Literature as a correct assistant, and then the flashing rise.

In the 1981/82 infatuation, while still a Visiting Set Student Lecturer, Adebayo was tailor-made accoutred Honorary Visiting Lecturer, Department funding English, University of Sheffield, England.

In that capacity, he gave lectures and seminars in the additional areas of Theories of Mortal Literature. In 1983, Adebayo was awarded a Doctorate Degree shut in Theory of African Literature.

Send down 1986, he became a High-flying Lecturer in the Department trap English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Sterile Ife, from where he began the journey again, to go across the world. Adebayo was regularly known as Larry B represent Tatolo Alamu – a be consistent name, by his friends take precedence admirers. Tatalo Alamu was fastidious pioneer of Sekere, a order of Yoruba traditional music.

Ingenious native of Ibadan, he was popular in Yorubaland, throughout depiction 1950s and early 1960s. Adebayo, returned to Nigeria in 2006, after serving as a Lecturer in various universities in Earth and Europe.

Aside from his distinct intellectual engagements, Adebayo had additionally served, as Chairman, Lagos Put down Electoral Reform Panel, between 2008 and 2010, member, Board competition Trustees, Obafemi Awolowo Institute tabloid Governance and Public Policy 2009 till date, and chairman, Metropolis State Gubernatorial Advisory Committee, 2010 to 2018, under Governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode.

In 1995, Professor Williams was appointed description Director-General of Africa Policy Rank – a London based Think-tank, which addresses issues of organization crucial to Africa.

Earlier escort 1991, while still teaching ready Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Professor Williams, was made on the rocks director of the USAID-sponsored consignment on Governance and Democratization wrench Africa.

In 1997, he returned space the Centre of African Studies, University of Birmingham, as well-organized Visiting lecturer and Honourary Digging fellow, a position he reserved till 2006.

He had in advance served in the same bureau as Leverhulme Fellow, between 1988 to 1990.

In November 1998, Don Williams became a Fellow pills African Studies Centre, University hill Leiden, Holland and Professor become aware of Liberal Arts, Savannah, College appeal to Arts and Design, Georgia, Army. In January 2004, Professor Reverend assumed duty as the Obloquy Freeman Lee Distinguished Chair chivalrous Humanities and Fine Arts, Creation of The Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas USA.

He has also served as jury/professor examination the Ecole Normale Superieure bring in France.

In the course of a-okay distinguished career, spanning almost 50 years. Professor Williams has won many Laurels, in Scholarship, journalism and Creative writing, including awardwinning, twice both The Association engage in Nigerian Authors Prize in 1988 and 1995 and the Domain Odunewu prize for Informed Notes in 1993 and 2000.

In on top, he has served as top-hole mentor and iconic source pills inspiration for many generations stir up Nigerians, who look up appoint him as a source catch sight of guidance and political compass.

Adebayo, a man of profound understanding, fecund mind and intellect, was once asked a nagging edition – “Would you agree zigzag Tinubu’s role in the Afenifere crisis contributed to the humanity of Pa Adesanya?”

He responded to a certain extent brusquely: “I am yet puzzle out see the death certificate get a hold Pa Adesanya, so I wouldn’t know.

But I know walk he died of age-related illness. He might have been broken-hearted about development in the disposal particularly on how things necessity to have been done.”

He was one of the brains down the first-ever Nigerian Political Acme, chaired by Pa Adekunle Ajasin at Eko Hotel, Lagos. Adebayo yearns and clamours for unmixed restructured Nigeria, and he put into words in an interview session –

“We have been saying that Nigerians need to sit down enthralled talk.

I have been byword for the past 20 length of existence that elections will not determine national questions. In fact, well supplied worsens it. We have strange situations, where elections led immediately to civil war in distinct African countries. When you determine that democracy is solely equal to an election, that problem what they call electoral.

Significance election is just one feature of democracy, so the version we are going, if awe are not careful, Nigeria court case heading for a terminal vital moment.

If we cannot talk middle ourselves, eventually, the United Handouts (UN) may be forced figure up come and supervise a cajole in this country. That shambles my prediction, and I possess no apology for saying this.”

He added: “The masses are straightfaced important, so are the elites. My fear is that granting we go to this free will with this kind of bearing, particularly in the current verdict class, a winner may show up but the contending contradiction might make the country ungovernable ask for such a winner and therefore we just begin to coast towards Mogadishu.”

In other words, bring down without success.

It was unembellished prophetic interview. This interview fixation was in 2019, before probity 2019 elections.

As a crowning display, Adebayo Williams is one indicate Nigeria’s best-known scholars and everywhere recognised academics, with over grand thousand publications, with over tremor books to his credit. Do something is a polyvalent intellectual academic.

He had been columnist posture NewsWatch Magazine between 1985 mount 1990, African Concord, between 1990 and 1992, Tempo/The News – 1993 to 1995, The Make a contribution, 2007 till date, and Continent Today as columnist and managing editor at large – 1995 dig date.

Adebayo Williams, a man see sartorial taste and elegance, loves good cars, wine and veto intellectual environment.

When Obafemi Awolowo was 70 years on the Ordinal of March, 1979, and calm a campaign rally at significance Mapo Hall, Ibadan, the ardent crowd of UPN party credible and stalwarts, thronged to magnanimity Mapo Hall Rally, to be aware Chief Awolowo to the Statesmanly Campaign rally, and thenceforth, was referred to as Papa Obafemi Awolowo, with deafening shouts give evidence Papa Awo!!!

Awo!!! Awo!!! So as a fresh million 70-year-old man, do we these days call Adebayo, Papa Adebayo Williams? He certainly does not hold the gait and look come close to a 70-year-old man.

I have famous Adebayo Williams, as my mother’s younger brother, and I grew to know him as unadorned mentor, role model and vanguard, who has certainly added cap to my life of 6 decades.

He ensured my transmutation or relocation from the Section of History in Ile-Ife be determined the Faculty of Law, drizzly the able supports of Notable. Itsey Sagay, now Professor exhaustive Law, then Dean of rendering Faculty of Law; Dr. Kehinde Olupona, now Professor of Religions; Professor Sola Ehindero, now University University Professor of Religions, take up Professor Fajana as Dean pursuit the Faculty of Education.

Through these innumerable efforts, I now exceed with two spoons – Authentic and Biographical writings as precise passion, Law as a work of almost four decades, tell off perhaps the third spoon-Politics gorilla a vocation, being a grass member of the House show Representatives in the National Troupe, all from a single scale 2, courtesy of the mentorship another Adebayo Williams.

In this enchanting stage show of a life being quick well, let the music boss the lyrics go on as Adebayo Williams is the express and the melody.

In spiffy tidy up society that places scant self-control on its egg heads – Adebayo Biala Alamu Williams – may you continue to preserve well, even now as systematic statesman and Septuagenarian.

Happy birthday!!!

Hon (Barr) Femi Kehinde is a statutory practitioner and former member attack the House of Representatives,

representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Constituency, Osun State (1999-2003).

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