Oloye Lekan Alabi at 70: Bayo Adelabu Describe him as a Custodian of Yoruba Values, Style and Culture

Oloye Lekan Alabi at 70: Adelabu showers encomiums, describes him as custodian of Yoruba values, style and culture.

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Oloye Adebayo Adelabu has described the Ekefa Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Lekan Alabi as one of the most intelligent sons of Ibadan extraction who had contributed greatly to the sustenance of Yoruba values, style and culture.

Chief Adelabu made this known in his 70th birthday anniversary congratulatory message to the foremost journalist and former General Manager, Public Relations of Odua group of companies and Chief Press Secretary to four of the past Oyo state governors, Oloye Lekan Alabi.

"It gladdens my heart to be associated with someone of your caliber and pedigree who is rich in culture, style and native intelligence which you have used over the years to sustain our heritage through the journalism profession. At 70, your relevance transcends the journalism profession, you have become a pillar in the preservation of Yoruba values and cultural heritage while your selfless services through your priceless counseling on the media and celebration of iconic late Yoruba entertainers are now reference points. It is therefore not a surprise to me when you were appointed the first cultural ambassador to the Yoruba Cultural museum in Ile-Ife by the Oonirisa of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi" Adelabu said.

Furthermore, the 2019 Gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress said the immense contributions of Oloye Lekan Alabi who had served four Governors in Oyo state as Chief Press Secretary will surely be needed for the desired development of the state.

"If I call you father or Uncle, it is all well said because you're everything to me and to the entire Adegoke Adelabu's family because your wonderful contributions towards the historical documentation of the life and times of Adegoke Adelabu to the public is acknowledged and appreciated. As you joined the league of Septuagenarians, I wish you many more fruitful years on earth in good health and abundant blessings" Adelabu said.

"Congratulations my dear Uncle, Ekefa Olubadan of Ibadan land Oloye Lekan Alabi" He concluded.

End Sars: Justice for Jimoh Isiaq and Suspending #EndSARS Protests

The Lekki shooting stole the show from the many circulating Ibadan gory scenes during the #EndSARS protest, sounds like a good one for some sects, but nothing consolatory for those looking for justice, fair hearing and investigation into the Ibadan and Ogbomoso gruesome murders by the men of the Nigerian Police.

Follow ups to series of deaths in Ogbomoso and Ojoo is something that should be of greater concern to the state government at this time. We can't let it all slide under the carpet, what is to be fate of the families of Jimoh Isiaq and many others who lost their children or ward; the families of the police men who were victims of mob action. It is beyond mere giving their families 1 million naira. Whatever happened to serving justice on this matter.

And while we are still awaiting President Buhari to make comment on the Lekki shooting (if ever) and proffer a way forward from this quagmire we find ourselves as a nation, can the respective state government including our dear Oyo State also go ahead to set up their investigative panels and annihilate the incessant protest which obviously has been hijacked by miscreants.

A lot of properties and businesses have been destroyed in Lagos State. Certainly the investors, staff and other beneficiaries will know the level of impact this will have on them and by extension the economy of the state. Coming back home, a lot of properties are being destroyed in Ibadan, Ogbomoso and other regions which has further aided in grounding further the economy after the massive effect of the pandemic and only active stakeholders will care about the present state, they will be more concerned about getting to the roots of the protest and not by sponsoring or supporting the agitation that has obviously been hijacked by miscreants.

Miscreants will not stop at looting and destroying lives and properties of the people and investments. Remember, Justice for one is justice for all!

Financing Education: The Only Channel to National Development?

Nigerian naturally have a sense of entitlement across all department of government and rightly so, it has a lot to do with the inadequacies in governance since time immemorial. We have been a nation of citizens who have been less dependent on government so we have inadvertently made it a point of duty to critique every move of the government, which we are doing effortlessly.

However, there are other criticism which I somewhat feel we over indulge our capacity. The world is a changing dynamic and we have to switch on to the next gear of acceleration else, we can be caught napping or so to say, forever left basking on our past euphoria. The earlier we accept the reality of the present day fact and empirical figures, the better we admit the world is moving at the speed of light from how we left it barely last night before slumber.

Education is not the only solution to modern development and economic growth, there are way other sectors which contributes their respective quota to the growth of an economy. The entertainment industry is a prolific industry on its own, we also have the sports, arts and culture, hospitality, tourism, engineering, advertisement. Though most of these industries stem from primary and secondary education, but they also involve training and capacity building which is beyond the four walls of the educational system. Quite sadly, the proclivity is hinged on training and building oneself to being the best in one's department.

Some popular Nigeria banter is that Ronaldinho would have been a complete failure in the four wall;s of the classroom if there had been nothing called football and consequently, he would have been a failure in life. Needless to say that it did not happen that way, instead, he became one of the greatest footballers of all time. I can say the same thing about successful musical artistes, professional boxers, motivational speakers, even the great Mark Zuckerberg was a Harvard dropout, who just wanted to leave school and embark on his breathtaking project of starting Facebook.

More recently in Nigeria, Gov. Dapo Abiodun awarded a youth ambassadorial role to Laycon, the winner of the BBNaija Lockdown 2020 winner, with #5m and an apartment and as expected the governor has been getting the sticks for not awarding similar gesture to the past winners of the National Jets Competition from Ogun State. I quite align with the sentiment, but pitching Jets Competition side by side with BBNaija is not totally the way to go. All industry, be it Scientific research, Science and Technology and so on, have their economic value and none can be disposed at the expense of the other. We can't have a competition erected where there is none. Michael Jackson never competed with the best Havard graduate, instead they all evolved from their respective niche and build the future therein.

Fighting for the deficiencies in educational financies while also agitating for a decline in other sectors of the economy, even if it is the least important of them all is not the way forward. Education should not serve as a yardstick for comparing other sectors and vice versa, instead, let's agitate for an increase in appreciating educational activities more while not bringing down other department. The sky is big enough for all the birds to fly. Let's work together to make the government spend on educational program as it remains the foundation for career growth and capacity building, but not at the detriment of the other sector.

The entire country needs all sectors and departments excelling to reach a developed international standard. National economic boost is a function of all working sectors in a country, and even though education is the fundamental and basic foundation for all sectors to thrive, it subsequently needs all others very functional to move the entire country forward and functional.

Written By

Oluwatobi Adisa

@deeduke1