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BY OLOYE ‘LEKAN ALABI
Alhaji (Chief) Dauda Soroye Adegbenro, a late Balogun Owu and Ekerin Egba, was a politician and Minister in the cabinets of the late first Premier of the now-defunct Western Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, SAN, GCFR, and that of Awolowo’s successor, the late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, GCON, in the 1950’s.
The Awolowo/Akintola-led Action Group government of Western Nigeria, was described by the British colonial government as “the best organised political party and goals-oriented government, respectively, in Nigeria and Africa”, until the May 1962 internal crisis of the AG tore Awolowo, Akintola and their supporters apart.
The AG Executive Council sacked Chief Akintola from the party and replaced him as the Premier of Western Nigeria with Alhaji Adegbenro, as the British parliamentary system being operated in Nigeria then dictated.
That change was not allowed to be, and it led to a breakdown of law and order in the West (Operation Wet ‘e) and invariably the first military coup d’état in Nigeria, on Saturday, January 15, 1966.
But, that ugly political story (upheaval) of the AG, Western Nigeria and Nigeria, between May 1962 and January 1966, is not my motive for this post.
Rather, the pleasant story of Rasheed David, a son of the late Alhaji (Chief) Adegbenro, my intimate friend and professional colleague of 51 years, who turns 70, is why I am here.
Rasheed, the gentleman, loyal friend and veteran Journalist-PR guru and I met in 1973, when we were both employed by the now-defunct Sketch Publishing Company Limited, Oba Adebimpe Road, in the Dugbe Business District of Ibadan, old Western State of Nigeria.
Rasheed was a reporter in the Sports Department, under Mr. Jide Orimogunje, while I was a Reporter/Writer/Reader Grade II in the Yoruba Department (Gboungboun) with additional duty as a weekly columnist with the Sunday Sketch.
We struck our friendship on the first day of meeting each other at the Sketch Press Ltd, Ibadan in 1973.
When in April 1976, I left for London, United Kingdom for further studies at the famous College of Journalism, Fleet Street, London EC4, Rasheed also headed for further studies at the University of Lagos
By the time I returned to Nigeria, Rasheed had resigned from the Sketch Press Ltd to join the Nigerian Television (NTV) Ibadan.
It was only natural, therefore, that we continued our friendship when I also joined the NTV, Ibadan in 1978.
In 1980, I followed Rasheed to Abeokuta, Ogun State, to lend support at the first ALHAJI DS ADEGBENRO MEMORIAL LECTURE, held at the Akin-Olugbade Events Centre, Ita-Iyalode, Owu, Abeokuta.
The guest of honour was the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, GCFR. Abiola came very late to the lecture, and providence made him sit next to me in the hall.
It was my first meeting with MKO, who in the course of the conversation between us, was so impressed by my deep knowledge of not only the late Alhaji Adegbenro, but the AG crisis of 1962, the Operation Wet ‘e, and the rest of what led to the first military coup of January 15,1966 (my paternal grandmother, Mama Asma’u Odunola Alabi, was the Woman Leader of the NCNC in Ibadan under Adegoke Adelabu “Penkelemesi) that he, MKO, voluntaryily gave me his private telephone nos.
We struck our mentor-mentee relationship at the lecture.
In 1982, Rasheed was appointed the pioneer Public Relations Manager (PRM) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Ikeja, Lagos State.
At the send forth party organised by we, his friends, for him at the Press Centre of the OYS COUNCIL OF THE NUJ, Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan, Rasheed surprised the audience when he requested for our attention, and said he had a special announcement to make.
His words: “Ladies and gentlemen, after due consultations in my family, I have the mandate to announce the decision of the DS Adegbenro Family to handover the key of our late father’s postal box at the General Post Office, Dugbe, Ibadan to my good friend, Lekan Alabi, for keeps”.
Till date, 42 years after, I still keep the key to the late Alhaji (Chief) D.S Adegbenro’s postal box at Dugbe.
Dear Rasheed, as your 70th birthday toasts are proposed and glasses clinked, this weekend, gentleman Rasheed David Adegbenro, I attest to your good character, professionalism, quiet carriage and goodwill to all men and women without malice to anyone.
The sore point is that your soulmate, Mrs Tokunbo Adegbenro, a pearl of a wife, is deceased.
May her kind and noble soul continue to rest in perfect peace. Amen.
*High Chief ‘Lekan Alabi, Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland and the first Culture Ambassador of the National Museum and Monument, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
CAPTIONS
Pic 1:
L-R: The new Septuagenarian, Pastor Rasheed David Adegbenro, his brother-in-law, retired DIG Oyebade Oyeleye, my wife, Chief (Mrs.) Adetokunbo Alabi, at my 65th birthday luncheon on October 27, 2015, at the Agodi Park and Gardens, Ibadan.
Pic 2:
The late Alhaji (Chief) Dauda Soroye Adegbenro, my 31 year-old article titled: “I WILL PAY FOR DSA’s SAKE”, published in the Sunday Tribune newspaper issue of March 28,1993 (page 20)
Pic 3:
L-R: My humbleself, High Chief ‘Lekan Alabi, Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland and the first Culture Ambassador of the National Museum and Monument, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Chief Niyi Adegbenro, eldest son of the late Alhaji (Chief) D.S Adegbenro and business woman, Chief Joko Oni at the launch of the biography of Alhaji (Chief) DS Adegbenro in 1992 at the Banquet Hall of Premier Hotel, Mokola Hill, Ibadan, Oyo State. I compered the book launch, chaired by the late Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, GCFR.
Pic 4:
R-L: Chief Niyi Adegbenro, King Sunny Ade, MFR and the late Otunba Jide Osunnubi at my 65th birthday luncheon at the Agodi Park and Gardens, Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State at which KSA & his World Beats Band performed.
Pic 5:
The keys to the late Alhaji (Chief) Dauda Soroye Adegbenro’s postal box at the General Post Office, Dugbe, Ibadan inherited by me 42 years ago, as it were.
