One culture I want to cultivate going forward is celebrating good people while they are alive, and not writing tribute they won’t get to read when they might have gone beyond.
Growing up in Secondary School at Baptist High School, Isia Okeho, one of those who laboriously invested in me is Mr. Michael Kunle Awojobi.
He thought me English language and Government as an Art student.
You dared not come to School some minutes after 8am, even when the School is about some kilometres away from Okeho town.
Awojobi, a tall energetic-looking man would descend on you and he will try to chase away the spirit of late coming out of you.
“Baba Awo” as we used to call him is a brilliant teacher. You will never see him coming to class with a note or text book, probably to prove a point that he also read before coming to class.
We called him Baba Awo because he is an Apostle of the great Obafemi Awolowo’s School of thought. To him, the late sage was never wrong.
“Baba Awo” popularised my then a.k.a (Fiyanle jo) to the extent that my closed friends abandoned my real name.
Teacher – “Sunday, you have not paid your School fee?
Me – Sir, Fiyanle jo, I will pay. (Leave that one I will pay).
Teacher – “Sunday you didn’t submit my assignment?
Me – Sir, Fiyanle jo I will summit it.
To me then in Secondary School, “just leave whatever challenge, things will fall into places” was my ideology.
You see, poverty has a way of giving a poor child wrong confidence.
In one occasion, a friend told him I was chasing a well known black girl in my class and Baba Awo couldn’t hide it. He saw me the next day and asked “Sunday Agbeniga I heard about it o! that black girl…” I was shocked to the marrow and I boldly told him as usual “Sir, Fiyanle jo…”.
The above few narrations will tell you how closed Mr. Kunle Micheal Awojobi was and is to his former students.
Fortunately for me, Baba Awo’s subjects (English and Government) were among the credits I got in WAEC and later qualified me to read my choice of course in the Polytechnic and University.
Even after Secondary education, Baba Awo kept in touch directly or indirectly. He frequently asked about how we were all doing in our higher education.
Awojobi is a teacher of teachers. He maintains a good relationship with all his students despite being a very tough and ‘no nonsense teacher.’
Baba Awo has now retired from an active service of Oyo State Government after 35 years, and to celebrate a successful ending, he has written a book titled “Harvest of Gratitude” a collection of his literary works (Poems).
Even before his retirement, news got to me that he has taken up another worthy task of community service in our town Okeho, by actively participating in affairs of our town and working closely with our revered King, the Onjo of Okeho.
I am sure, Awojobi’s foot print will become conspicuous even to the blinds.
I was on phone with him just yesterday to congratulate a gem, who had made great impact on me, on his retirement ceremony and I was so happy I received fresh prayers from him.
After praying for me in the Name that is above every other names (Jesus), he recalled: “Sunday, thank you. I appreciate you and your friends for your love. You didn’t remember how I was beating you people in those days…”
Today, I want to sincerely celebrate a great man, a mentor, a great influencer and a friend.
I wasn’t surprise at the kind of goodwill Baba Awo is getting towards the launch of his book and the retirement ceremony.
Baba Awo!
Thank you for your friendship.
Thank you for the beating when I was wrong. It wasn’t for no reason.
Thank you for not sparing the rod. It made us what we are today.
Thank you for your sacrifices. We cannot pay for it.
Thank you for believing in us even when hopes were deem.
Going forward sir, may the good God sustain you. May you live long in good health. May you not live the rest of your life in penury.
May your reward as a teacher come to you in million folds while on earth, against the usual prayer, and may you not miss the ones in heaven too.
Baba Awo, do not fear what tomorrow will bring to your way because the owner of future will stand by you, ‘Fiyanle jo.’
Bode Olagoke.
27/07/2024.
