By Muyiwa Adetiba
The book ‘Witness to History’ authored by Alhaji Lai Mohammed of the ACN was launched amidst fun fare on Monday.

Lai and I go back a long way; back to when we were both single and free to explore and exploit. Back to when we were both building our respective careers—I at the Punch and he at the Nigerian Airport Authority. Back to when our children both attended the same secondary school and we found our selves in the school PTA.

In all of our long association, Lai seemed to me to be deep and principled – he was one of the few friends I had in those young, carefree days that did not obviously ‘misbehave’ to quote late Yinka Craig. In fact, I don’t think a drop of alcohol has ever touched Lai’s lips. But he was voluble and sociable and therefore fun to be with.

It was he who sent his numbers to me through one of my staff when he became the Chief of Staff to Bola Tinubu. It is to his credit that when I called to say I wanted to see him, he insisted on coming to see me instead.

These, along other reasons, were responsible for my being ‘available’ for the book launch where I expected, and so prepared to stomach the exhibitionism of politicians. So when they came with their entourage and air of importance, I smiled and told myself that these people never learn.

I sometimes wonder when they behave as if they own the block whether they ever stop to check if the walls are cracked; if the roof is falling off; or if the building is about to collapse. Do they even ask what happened to previous ‘owners’?

They had a pointer last Monday, when Alhaji Jakande, a previous ‘owner’, shuffled into the hall and was led by the hand to the high table. This was the Baba Kekere of Lagos himself; a once powerful man who wielded enormous influence in Lagos State and was liked and respected across the nation.

He came in frail and shorn of all power. I am not sure the import of this registered in the minds of the high and mighty on that table. I am not sure they acknowledged the transient nature of power and position; that all of this had happened before and will happen again.

You see, in my own way, I was a witness to history too. And when Alhaji Jakande came in, some  memories flooded into my consciousness. UPN was the first party to hold a press conference when the ban on political parties was lifted some 35 years ago. I was at that press conference and Jakande was at the right hand of Chief Obafemi Awolowo playing some of the roles that Lai now plays for ACN.

The air pre ‘79 was thick with euphoria and anticipation and I was a witness. A year before the ban was officially lifted, Punch had set up a three-man team to monitor political developments across the country.

I was in the team with Nduka Onum, the Political Editor and Eric Teniola, Assistant News Editor who later became the National Assembly Correspondent. I also had a weekly column that interviewed emerging political personalities. I was probably the first reporter to do a full, two page interview with Chief Awolowo after the ban was lifted. I still remember two extremes during those hell –for – fire days.

One was the first of my three interviews with Dr Olusola Saraki which started well after midnight at the Central Hotel Kano. I had taken the Nigeria Airways last flight to Kano and taken the first flight out of it. The other was my interview with Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya which took place at 6am. I had to leave my home in Ikeja to spend the night in Surulere in order to keep the appointment.

My interview with Chief Enahoro took place on a golf course while that of Chief Bisi Onobanjo was at a campaign rally. The one with Prof Ambrose Alli took place in a small office in Uniben while that of Alhaji Inua Wada was in a large compound in Kano.

I met and interviewed most of the dramatis personae of the time and was a witness to the flamboyance of K.O  Mbadiwe and Ibrahim Tahir, the eloquence of S.G Ikoku and Chuba Okadigbo, the commanding presence of MKO Abiola and J.S Tarka, the candour of Adamu Ciroma and Aminu Kano, the charm of Arthur Nzeribe, the brawn of Bola Ige, the  fire of Babatope  the elegance of Dappa Biriye etc.

I mention all these to show that nothing is happening today that has not happened before. We were witnesses to mergers and demergers; marriages and divorces; deceits and intrigues. We witnessed castles being built in the air and political bridges being erected across the Niger.

Where are all these eminent personalities today? They have largely, with the exception of a few, become forgotten men with all the eloquence, the grand standing, the intrigues, the fake promises.

That is why I believe that we are really not witnesses to history but to moments in history. The birth and evolution of ACN therefore, are, with all due respects, just a moment in history. And if the actors in what is being generously described as history in the making, do not seize the time and space that history gives to all of us, they might easily become footnotes to history.