By Dele Sobowale

“I hate ingratitude more in a man than lying, vainness babbling drunkenness…” William Shakespeare, 1564-1616.

May 2013 will remain a particularly blessed month for the entire Sobowale family and, especially, for me. On May 8, one daughter and I celebrated our birthday as usual. I was 69. Two other daughters followed on May 9 and 17. And, to cap it all, the May 8 girl got married on May 11 giving the two of us a befitting birthday present. It was also the twenty-third year I would become the Head of Family in a family in which no male child had reached 60 until now.

Like Bolt, I am left to break my own record in terms of longevity. The 23 years before 1990 were disastrous for our family. In those 23 years, eight brothers passed away, before 60, leaving me as the only survivor of our generation. I had no hope of making 60. But, in the last 23 years, we lost only one male child. Now we have more male Sobowales racing towards 60, 70 ….

My thanks go, first, to my entire family, especially, Professor B.K. Ogunmodede, who, when told about the hastily planned wedding, instinctively knew that I needed financial support. He willingly gave me money. Then, our Mummy in the family, Mrs Victoria Olayinka Sobowale, a sister-in-law who became a worthy Mother to me and the entire Sobowale flock – who took over the arrangements leaving me a lot of time to go “begging and borrowing”.

After God, those two remain the only beings on earth to who I give the highest regard. I also owe a great debt of gratitude to Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, CFR, who has been a benefactor and role model in many respects. I cannot forget my in-laws Ambassador Dapo Fafowora and Honourable Dele Obadina, who are always there when needed. Members of WAKA CLUB 1945, particularly, our Chairman, Professor Abisogun Leigh, OFR; the Agbe-Davies Family, as well as one special benefactor who does not wish to be mentioned. I must not forget all those well-wishers who called and sent goodwill messages and prayers. We appreciate you all.

Then there is Uncle Sam, who, inadvertently, forced me to learn a lesson in resolving ethical dilemma, at this late age. In late March, I had gone to see Uncle Sam to tell him about a consultancy contract involving a national issue and from which I stood to make millions. Uncle Sam simply said to me: “Dele, don’t work for them”. And I replied: “O.K Sir”.  In two sentences, we had disposed of an assignment from which I would make a lot of money. But, without realizing it, temptation was on the way to test my resolve.

Two weeks after my discussion with the Publisher, my daughter brought her fiancée and they asked to be married urgently on account of plans I cannot disclose. I had five weeks to organize a wedding. Time was short; cash was even shorter. So, I begged and borrowed. The temptation to “steal” came two weeks after. My prospective clients called again. They had assumed that the offer they made was not good enough; so they were prepared to add more millions. The ethical dilemma was here.

My daughter deserved the best wedding possible from me and here was money begging to be taken. But, outside my own family, Uncle Sam had been my greatest benefactor on earth by opening the pages of his paper to me weekly and opening doors for opportunities as well. Accepting the offer would provide enough money for a bigger wedding and a luxury car with change to spare. But, it would all have come from betraying Uncle Sam – even if he was not aware of the betrayal. In the end, I turned down the offer and went on depending on friend
s to provide the money needed.

As it turned out Uncle Sam spent most of that rainy and beastly day with us at the ceremony. Only God knows how remorseful and ashamed I would have felt if we had a bigger ceremony and if it was made possible on account of disloyalty to my great benefactor. I write this because about three years ago, a young man had sent me a text message, after I wrote on ethical dilemma, asking me how much money it would require for me to do the wrong thing. I sent back a message saying I had been tempted before but not enough; so I had no answer then.

I hope he is still reading SUNDAY VANGUARD because I was tempted enough this time. Now I have an answer and this is it. No amount; at close to 70, and at death’s door, I am free of that temptation. So my second to the last appreciation goes to Uncle Sam. I learnt a lesson about myself that I might not have learnt if my Oga was not involved in the matter. Now I know nobody can tempt me with money anymore.

Finally, I thank God. He has made it possible for me to be the first male child to be within sight of 70 in my family.  For most families, reaching 70 is taken for granted; for us in our family, it will be a minor miracle – if I make it. My family would have broken the jinx forever. To God be the glory.

STOP BLAMING JONATHAN FOR GOD’s SAKE.

“It requires wisdom to understand wisdom; the music is nothing if the audience is deaf”. Walter Lippmann,  1889-1974. American political commentator.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Lippmann’s column and articles were among my “must read” pieces during my ten years living in the United States. He, along with James Reston and Mike Royko, wrote political commentaries that were so insightful and predictive that it was my wish to be like them. But, at the time, I was racing towards collecting my undergraduate degree and my MBA with the objective of working for a large consulting firm in New York City. The last thought on my mind was a career in the media. God knew better.

Last month, President Jonathan completed two years of the four during which he promised to transform the nation and to bring in a breath of fresh air – whatever those jargons mean. I didn’t vote for GEJ and I “shouted” on the pages of this newspaper that nobody should vote for him and the PDP. I was ignored by the majority of voters. Jonathan won by a landslide – even in Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Ogun and Imo; not to talk of Kano, Sokoto and Rivers.  My reasons for rejecting President Jonathan were clearly stated at that time. Any one who did not have enough hands-on experience in an executive capacity should not be expected to deliver – as is the case now.

Furthermore – and all Nigerians know this – each time he got the job, it had always been because the men, Alamieyeseigha and Yar’Adua, he served as number two, fell  – the first to EFCC and the second to the Grim Reaper i.e death. I also wait for anyone to argue that President Jonathan could have been elected President in 2007 – if he ran on his own. Nigeria as a nation is too complex for any individual no matter how intelligent, experienced or honest that person is. Needless to expect miracles in this circumstance as we are.

What my Fellow Countrymen did, in 2011, conformed to Peter’s Principle; we promoted a man, to the highest office in the land…. Why blame him now instead of ourselves? After all President Jonathan did not follow us into the polling booths and forced us to vote for him. It was his good luck that he had Nigerians,  as the electorate. Incidentally, one of his sharpest critics, these days, is Obasanjo, who as Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BOT, did not allow Yar’Adua to be laid to rest before bellowing “Jonathan, you must run; don’t tell me you won’t run next year”. The folly entailed in that announcement should have been sufficient to silence OBJ for life.

The second reason was part of the series of “Adventures In Prophecy”. I had written in 2009, shortly after Yar’Adua took his second and final trip for treatment abroad, that, two names should not be on the ballot in 2011 – Yar’Adua and Jonathan. Yar’Adua, I was certain, would not last the distance. I even said he would be returned to Nigeria “in a box”. The rest is history. As for President Jonathan, the reason was simple. I wrote that if he used the power of incumbency to remain President, beyond 2011, “a disaster will follow”. We are still witnessing events as they unfold – just wait.