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Chief Solomon Ogunniyi Morakinyo is the initiating co-coordinator of Afe Babalola Day, Afe Babalola Beneficiaries and Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden. He is the publisher of Kayegbo International, tourism investor, entertainment promoter and also the Amuludun of Okemesi land. In this interview, he bares his mind on what people should expect during the forthcoming 10th edition of Afe Babalola Day in Ekiti State.
About how Afe Babalola Beneficiaries celebrate Baba Afe every December 12 ?
Our benefactor, Amb. Aare Afe Babalola that we celebrate every December 12, is a self-made man. He is a member of the Bar of England and Wales. He is a distinguished member of the Nigeria Bar, a foremost Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He is a living legend, Pan-Africanist and benefactor of humanity and the Aare Bamofin of Yoruba land.
He is a prominent advocate of quality and functional education in Nigeria, the former Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, former Chairman of all Pro-Chancellors of Nigeria.
He is the founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD). He is the Afiwajoye of Ado Ekiti and the Jagunmolu Atuluse of Okemesi Ekiti. A Street was named after him in the ancient town,
On December 11, 2018, to commemorate him and his wife’s installations as the Jagunmolu and Yeye Jagunmolu Atuluse of Okemesi land by His Royal Majesty Oba Michael Gbadebo Adedeji, Ariyowonye II, CON, JP, the Owa Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti, we his beneficiaries put heads together and bankrolled the Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden at Hillside, Okemesi Ekiti, as a surprise gift to him. We also erected his bust inside the garden for tourists to read some of his contributions to humanity on marble round the bust.
Amb. Aare Afe Babalola we know, is a replica of the great warrior, legendary Fabunmi Okemesi, the generalissimo of Ekiti parapo warriors during the war of liberation in the 19th century, who now come in this generation to lead the people by working hard to put Ekiti State on the world map by establishing a world-class university and Multi-system Hospital.
I stand to be corrected, apart from Ekiti State Government, Afe Babalola University and multi-system Hospital remain the highest employer of labour in the state. Till this moment, Aare Afe Babalola, our benefactor is the highest tax payer in Ekiti State right from the old Ondo State.
Our benefactor used his personal connections with the support of Ekiti Obas and stakeholders and made sure Ekiti State was created in 1996 by the then Head of State, late Gen. Sani Abacha of blessed memory.
Afe Babalola has trained and supported over 3000 lawyers to reach the pinnacle of their career. His farm in Ado Ekiti is bigger than some towns in Nigeria.
His Hall of Fame in Okemesi Ekiti is where you will be able to access all relevant vital information about him, including all his books written by him and others. We, his beneficiaries deliberately celebrate him every December 12, so that others can emulate his exemplary contributions to humanity.
Why December 12?
December 12, 1999, was the day I met him one on one when he sent message to me that I should report in his office in Ibadan for his seed money for my media outfit. He gave me good money which goes a long way to take me to where I am today.
In 2013, my media outfit organized the maiden edition of Afe Babalola Day at Afe Babalola University; one of my benefactors, Oba Justice Johm Ademola Ajakaiye, the late Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, the pioneer Chief Judge of Ekiti State of blessed memory, supported the initiative because we were very close to Baba Afe.
In my speech during the programme, I proposed Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden to be built in Ekiti State. After my speech, the then chairman of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola, who was the chairman of the programme called for endorsement of annual Afe Babalola Day for life and the proposal of Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden.
Late High Chief AlexOlu-Ajayi, the Odoba Ausi of Ado Ekiti, Primate Funke Babayemi (Iya Ewe, Jerusalem Church), Olori Funke Omotoyinbo, Amb. Wale Ojo-Lanre and a friend, former Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Idris Yahaya Oladiran, who were the first set of awardees, adopted the motion that Afe Babalola Day should be celebrated every December 12 for life and Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden were endorsed as Afe Babalola Beneficiaries’ projects. Being the initiating coordinator, I then used the opportunity to start work on it in my town –Okemesi.
I rushed home to buy a big parcel of land for the project and 60% of the money raised to start the project at Okemesi hill side was from Kayegbo media outfit purse. Thereafter, voluntary donations to support the projects came from Kabiyesi Oluyin, Kabiyesi Owa Ooye Oba Michael Gbadebo Adedeji, Asiwaju Samuel Bolarinde, the then Vice Chancellor of ABUAD, Prof. Michael Ajisafe and some ABUAD Professors, Mr. Olawale Fapounda, SAN. Others include Mr. Adebayo Olanipekun SAN, Mr. Lucas Daramola SAN, and Mr. Isiaka Iyadunmi.
Voluntary donations also came from Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Erelu Engr. Kemi Elebute-Halle, Yeye Oba Joke Adebayo-Chukwumah, Her Excellency Prof. Modupe Adelabu, Amb. Dr. Eniola Ajayi, Aare Akorewolu of Ado Ekiti, Patrick Oluwole Orungbe.
His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, who always attended our programme every year at ABUAD campus, bankrolled Ewi Oba Adejugbe Place at Afe Babalola Garden, Okemesi, to honour his Afiwajoye Ado Ekiti.
The Asiwaju Okemesi land, Chief Samuel Bolarinde, Yeye Otunba Okemesi land, Dr. Titi Oyejola-Olaniyan, Dr. Femi Alabi bankrolled each mini pavilion fortourists in the garden. Senator (Dr.) Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader, donated a big Plasma Television to the Hall of Fame.
Rev. Dr. Gbemisola Olukoya, CEO Cecemee Care Foundation based in London, donated children equipment worth millions of Naira to the garden for the love she has for Okemesi community, particularly Aare Afe Babalola in recognition of his exemplary contributions to humanity.
Being the initiating coordinator of Afe Babalola Day, Afe Babalola Beneficiaries Worldwide, ABBW, and Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden, I bankrolled four different projects to add value to the Afe Babalola Hall of Fame because my belief is that we should continue to celebrate our benefactor when he is still alive so that others can emulate his good gesture to humanity.
In order to lead by example, for the past 10 years, I have succeeded in constructing 79 steps right inside Afe Babalola Garden to Agbonna Hill side Tourist Resort, which I initiated. I bankrolled a tower, a cenotaph of world legends and the Altar of Solution Prayer Centre for all Nations at the hill side. I also built two mini chalets for tourists while my wife built a village kitchen there.
For now, there are some ongoing projects at the hill side which will be commissioned on Christmas day and these include; Asiwaju Bolarinde Relaxation Centre and Balogun Akin Osuntokun Place including Eniola Fast Food. For your information, we have the record of donations given to support us for posterity.
2024 projection and focus?
I want to assure our people that AFE BABALOLA PARK in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital will be ready. We are still working on the suitable site for the project. We will continue to celebrate our benefactor, Aare Afe BabalolA for life.
Afe Babalola Hall of Fame and Garden is a project that belongs to anybody that contributes something there for posterity. All the names of contributors will be on marble in the Hall of Fame.