There is a video trending on the social media by one Mr Olujimi Adekanle, Omolijoka from Irele, which castigated and rubbished some “Ikale Elders”. The issues raised in the video are of great concern and importance, to not just Ikale Land, but to the entire people of the South Senatorial District of Ondo State, consisting of the Ikale, Ilaje and the Apoi Lands.
Olujimi’s submission bothered on the blackout and non-performance of Politicians, Businessmen and Senior Civil /Public Servants, including Top Military Officers from Ikaleland.
However, the genuineness of the motive of Mr Olujimi Adekanle became questionable at the point, when he started mentioning names of some leading “Ikale Elders” for derisions, aspersions and denigration. General Bajowa, Admiral Aduwo and JK Naiyeju, are gentle and respectable “Omoluwabi” who at different times, did whatever was within their powers and purview of the law as Civil/Public Servants, to help the Ikale people and the South Senatorial District of Ondo State.
Of particular interest to me is the reference made in the video to General Oluyemi Bajowa, the Jagunmolu of Ikaleland. The tirade against his person is uncalled for. The aspersions against him is unfounded. The expectation of Mr Olujimi Adekanle that General Olu Bajowa, had capacity to populate the Nigerian Army and Civil/Public Service with Ikale people without considering the Federal Character policy is undue, as it is misplaced and uninformed.
Ordinarily, it would have been absolutely unnecessary to enter a rejoinder to the rantings and invectives of Mr Adekanle, but for two main reasons, firstly to dispel the festering of wilful and deliberate untruths by Mr Adekanle and to cure or purge him of self destructive tirade. Secondly, to take it as a personal and moral obligation to educate and help him out of his groping ignorance and bad faith.
General Olu Bajowa, the Jagunmolu of Ikaleland retired from the Nigerian Army in 1980 at the age of 40, after 20 years of meritorious and impactful service to our dear nation. His very clean public records are ascertainable and remained unblemished.
General Bajowa was a Career Civil/Public Officer. He was more than qualified for every position that he occupied during the entire period of his service to his fatherland. General Olu Bajowa who is a Prince of Rebuja dynasty of Osooro Kingdom in Ikaleland, played crucial and influential roles with other prominent “Ikale Elders”, in the creation of Ondo State, in 1975, when he was a Brigadier General, during the military interregnum.
Mr Olujimi Adekanle’s recording with jaundiced views as an “Ikale Emigrant” and an arm-chair critic from far away Toronto Canada, is ignorant of the profile of General Olu Bajowa who was a great and courageous warrior like his progenitor, Ikale Crown Prince “Ojagbulegun” of Ayeka Kingdom (The Source). He was the Commanding Officer of the historic August 1967 battle at Ore (famously tagged “ole ku ija Ore) that prevented and fought off invasion and needless incursion into Yoruba land during the Biafra war, by the aggressors from East. As a matter of fact General Olu Bajowa led this battle in person and he delivered the victory gallantly to and for the Nigeria Nation. These exemplary acts of leadership, heroism and nationalism later earned him the title of “Jagunmolu” of Ikale Land and as a Prince of “Lumure Clan” in Ikale land, he was also bestowed the title of the Crown Prince “Ojagbulegun” of Ayeka Kingdom.
Without any shadow of doubt the expectations and hopes of Olujimi Adekanle who confessed that he was a “sacked Banker”, might have been shattered and definitely misplaced. Mr Adekanle is more interested in his perfidious and “Pull-Him-Down” syndrome and machinations. Apparently, Mr Adekanle wilfully put himself in a pathetic position not to acknowledge the efforts and service to the nation of the three Professional Career “Ikale Elders”, amongst others mentioned in his video.
General Olu Bajowa, OFR, inspired by his mentor and role model, Chief Olu Akinfosile, OFR, of blessed memory, impacted on the lives of Ikale people and contributed immensely to the development of Ikaleland.
It is crucially important to point out that this great “Ikale Elder” is not a businessman or politician who would ordinarily base his popularity on promises to the electorates and drive for electoral gains. General Olu Bajowa was a Career Officer on government employment. He stood the risk of sanction if he fell foul of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, relevant/applicable legislations, bearing in mind the extant Rules and Regulation of Civil/Public Service. Should he willingly or inadvertently involved in business or politics against the ethics, codes and his conditions of employment, the likes of Olujimi Adekanle would be the first to mock the General to scorn, if he had broken the Civil/Public Service laws, whilst in service.
Nevertheless, the Jagunmolu, within the ambit of the Public Service Rules and Regulations, encouraged and assisted many Ikale and Ilaje indigenes, to enlist into the Nigerian Army, Navy, Airforce, Police, including State and Federal Civil Service, some of whom (serving and retired), rose to the rank of Permanent Secretary, Commissioner of Police, Navy Commander, Air Commodore, Colonel and Brigadier General in the Armed Forces. In addition, as a Lt Colonel and Commanding Officer of Abeokuta Army Training Depot 1967-1969, Olu Bajowa recruited and trained Yoruba able bodied men, including over 500 Ikale and Ilaje indigenes as Combatant Soldiers, to join the Nigerian Armed Forces. He also assisted some notable Ikale and Ilaje businessmen of his generation, to climb the “millionaire ladder”, before he retired from the Nigerian Army in 1980 (40 years ago).
Significantly, General Olu Bajowa influenced the establishment of three Federal Institutions (Army Barrack, Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria and Federal Science & Technology Incubator) in Ikale Land. Also to his credit are numerous scholarship schemes to indigents students of Ikaleland, up to Doctorate and Professorial levels.
Also of note, is the role played by General Olu Bajowa, even on retirement, when he answered the call to “Macedonia” from his people and assumed the vanguard role by speaking the truth to power in the land struggle between Ikale people and Araromi-Obu settlers. He ensured that the Ikale people were not shortchanged in their heritage and patrimony.
Unfortunately, the misfortune of power outage in Ikaleland is a product of lack of purposeful leadership and synergy amongst all stakeholder. Likewise, the aspiration and yearnings of the sons and daughters of Ikaleland for the development and progress of Ikaleland had been hamstrung, due to disunity amongst the Ikale Obas. Instead of speaking with one voice, the Ikale Traditional Rulers are divided and now in court on the issue of “Paramountcy”. I am aware of all the spirited and concerted efforts of the Jagunmolu, criss crossing the whole of Ikaleland, to have the matter resolved amicably and bring Ikale Obas into one accord. His efforts in this regard is noble and commendable.
However, The Jagunmolu has always expressed his strong resolve never to be deterred as long as he lives, in placing at the beck and call of Ikaleland and Ikale people, his contacts, influence, and leverage, for the continued progress and development of Ikaleland, irrespective of the views and opinions held by Mr Olujimi Adekanle and his ilks. More so, that the Jagunmolu believes that you can not be too good to be loved by everybody or too bad to be hated by everybody. (“kosi eni ti o le te aye lorun!”).
It is my hope, that Olujimi Adekanle will accord similar publicity as his widespread video on the Facebook page of Ikale TV Dairy, to this rejoinder which shows the modest contributions of Gen Olu Bajowa to the progress and development of Ikaleland, for posterity and the information of Ikale people at home and in diaspora.
