By congressman Bimbo Daramola
If the broad analysis of our contextual historical experiences and the narrative of our history is evaluated, it will be found to hollow and gaping with holes and gaps, such that the present is the only relevant part of our history !
The direct implications of this is that only a few honour men on whose broad soldiers the journey of a people or persons had rested in the years gone by, Men who were anchors of collective dreams and aspirations, Men who became the pivots on which corporate dreams rested, Men who imperilled themselves for dreams of a people to come to fruition.
Unfortunately we live for the moment 😕 and that’s is why our emerging today and future will be dominated by the stock of men the Igbos call the “Efulefus” and rarely would our history be defined by men of valour, intense in character and profound in conviction like the “Okonkwos” in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart.
Gradually we are raising a generation of people who do not know or realise the “connecting rod roles” played by the real Men when the future was bleak and dreary, those who stood up to the tidal waves of oppressive forces of the years yeateryears from whose bowels today was berthed , those whose conviction kept them and the ideals needed to stand when others were diving and ducking, interestingly and retrospectively, those “Efulefus” of yesterday have flipped the tide in their favour today .. that is what you get when your history is perforated and riddled with holes, that has enabled the real substance and content to seep away.
Today is therefore in recognition and acknowledgement of one of the “Trojan Horses” of the struggle of the so called progressives in Nigeria, and a day like this must not be allowed to pass without a word for one of the “OKONKWOS ” of our struggle be it in Ekiti or indeed on the national stage in the fight against the military junta who held our future of those days, now our today, back then by the jugular, I am inclined to stand in a place where the roles played by heroes are not allowed to be dimmed or washed away by mesmerising allures of today.
I write about no other than Distinguished Senator Babafemi Abdulganiy Ojudu, Member of the Nigerian Senate, [2011-2015] a journalist of no mean repute and reputation, a dye in wool progressive and a very opinionated character.
Every loaf of bread enjoyed on the breakfast table is a product of the yeasts that transformed the dough over a period and process, not just an happenstance.
The Babafemi Ojudu who had several life threatening encounters in the hands of the military, ended up in the hell hole prison of Gashua in the fringes of Nigeria in pursuit of his conviction for a nation that will thrive under the promises of civil rule cannot be a villain today on the account of anything , if he were a villain, he would have compromised and traded the collective aspiration of the people for filthy lucre, it would have been a cheaper road to travel, some of those who took that route and romanced General Sanni Abacha are still strutting in power till this day, an Ojudu stood by the will of the people through those dark days.
In the journey to this day in Ekiti, a lot of the young folks today may not be in a position to know the roles of Babafemi Ojudu in the decade long fight of the “Progressives” in Ekiti State.
Back then, unlike today when “iru ti da po mo sapati” and the line of difference between the real progressives and conservatives have been swept away by politics of crass opportunism and prebendalism, when the people by themselves have sold themselves cheap for a pot of porridge, it was almost a sacrilege to stand against the collective will of the people, to do that you pay hugely for it, the likes of Babafemi Ojudu through his efforts rallied round personalities to fight for and on the side of the people.
Today cannot obviate or obliterate the invaluable personal sacrifices of Senator Ojudu in the pursuit of that people’s aspiration.
I will be ascribing too much to myself to say my side of our history is comparable to the gospel, but I chose my recollections from the side of history that I belonged and participated actively in.
It is therefore in the light of what i know that i speak, conscious of the fact that we owe our future the benefits of the multidimensional sides and content of the past particularly the roles of persons in navigating our pathway to this day and leave the rest to posterity to judge .
By this post , I am sure those who want to reconnect our historical dots will have added impetus to want to know more about a man of steely conviction like Babafemi Ojudu, who soldiered for years on the side of the people, very people centric, one who is willing to assist as much as he possibly can, long distant runner for public good, a man who is not avaricious or given to crass craze for materialism, a deeply intelligent personality and strong advocate for a better society.
I therefore use this medium to join family, friends and the teeming supporters of Distinguished Senator Babafemi Abdulganiy Ojudu [ERO WITI WITI] to wish him a resounding happy birthday 🎂 as I pray for more years in good health, wellness and well being.
Happy Birthday Bro Femi.