By CHARLES KUMOLU

A meeting with His Royal Highness, Oba Adedokun Abolarin at an upscale residence of another eminent Nigerian in Lagos, was an opportunity for the sophisticated traditional ruler to discuss his ideas about life, royalty and philanthropy. Certainly, there are lessons in his story that could be internalised.

IF you saw him on the day of this chat, perhaps, he would have been mistaken for just a prosperous chief.

There were no trappings of royalty that could have revealed his royal identity.

His blue native attire and the beaded bracelet on his wrist only presented a picture of an affluent man, who was at peace with himself.

He was completely relaxed as he savoured his breakfast at a highbrow residence of  a friend in Lagos when Vanguard encountered him.

Only the chant of Kabiyesi o by a professional colleague, who accompanied this writer, gave out his identity.

Simultaneously, this reporter joined in making the obeisance to Oba Adedokun Abolarin, the Oragun of Oke Ila.  After all, the primacy of the traditional institution, remains absolute in Africa.

Known for his rich background in Political Science, Law, International Relations, academia, journalism and activism, any encounter with him can’t be termed unpleasant. Oba Abolarin is stylish, savvy and deliberate.

His deep knowledge of contemporary history, royalty, Yoruba history and governance, gave the impression of a traditional ruler, who is richly in tune with the 21st-Century realities of leadership.

It was not surprising that this interview held, even before the chat with his friend,(another eminent Nigerian) who this writer had originally come to see.

With a degree of candour unusual with some occupiers of leadership positions,Oba Abolarin discussed the standards of behaviour that have so far distinguished him. Interestingly, he explained his ideas about life and reasons he made certain choices since becoming the Oba of the ancient city of Oke Ila. Instructively, Oke Ila is a principal town in Osun State and was the capital of the ancient Igbomina-Yoruba city-state.

On immediate wealth

“We left school 36 years ago and this is where we are today. We started from nowhere. There is nothing strange.  That is the natural process of growth and succession. I am saying that it is important for the young ones to work hard and get themselves prepared because we are going to leave the stage one by one and the top will be for them.

”I am going to be 60 soon and I don’t expect to be around in the next 40 years. That is why I am contributing my own quota to make life better. People should think of the future anywhere they find themselves and nurture it. It is very important. The powers-that-be 25 years ago, where are they today?

“I remember that Abraham Lincoln said: “I am going to read, I am going to get myself prepared thinking that my   own time will come.” These immortal words imply that everyone must leave when his time is up.

“Therefore, people should live a good life bearing in mind that their time will be up someday. People should read, work hard because their time will come. Immediate wealth like Yahoo Yahoo is not necessary. People should rather work hard because we are going to leave the stage someday. Even if someone does not want to leave, natural factors will make him leave. And there is nothing people can do about it.

Next 40 years

“I will say that I have always had this kind of worldveiw. I read Political Science and I am a lawyer. And I admired people like Julius Nyerere and Chief Obafemi Awolowo among others. These were men of yesterday, who made an impact. But where are they today? They have left the stage for others. My scriptural training tells me that all the struggle for materialism is vanity. Death will come someday whether we like it or not. It is just a matter of time.  I pride myself as a soul who is interested in the future but I will not be a part of that future.

“We are talking about the next 40 years or more. Awolowo, Zik, and others nurtured our today. Where are they? They have all gone. People should be dynamic and futuristic. But the problem I have with many is that they are immediate and vague people. Many don’t see beyond the immediate. People should see beyond the immediate by working hard. I see beyond the immediate.

Transition to royalty

‘’I was engaged in political activities. But now I am a father to all. On becoming the Oba, what I will say is that anything has been ordained. Apart from my years as a teacher, the best thing to have happened to me is becoming a royal father. The best place for me to be is Oke Ila.

“That is the best place in the world despite some challenges. I live in the midst of poverty. And I am aware that if we fail to resolve the poverty issue in Nigeria, it is going to be tough for everybody because those who do not have will constitute a threat to those who have. They will not allow our children to enjoy. I use the institution that I represent to preach it because it is an institution of development. It is so because being an Oba makes me the soul of my kingdom.

“Today, I am the employment officer in my kingdom, I am the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC officer,   chief health officer, admission officer, and security officer because if anything happens, I will be held responsible. The system could be dictatorial but it can be simplified to become democratic. Any king that rules dictatorially will find it difficult to rule because he is a father of all. I work with the biblical statement that we should honour all men. I honour all men and want every king to honour all men. I do all things with the fear of God because he is the ultimate judge. Though I no longer live in Abuja and Lagos, I am glad to be living with the poor because it was ordained to be so.

Immediate greatness

“There should be tolerance in the society because even fools in the society have rights. They are humans. Fools have rights because we can’t see things through the same prism. Life is about tolerance. It is important for the young ones to learn from history. This generation wants wealth. We can’t all be wealthy, but they don’t know that. Many see things in terms of wealth,  hence, they don’t want to work hard. Young ones should realise that there is dignity in labour. I have been in the struggle for a better Nigeria because I appreciate what it means for the society to be better.

“I just want this generation to know that to build is always rigorous and to sustain is also a rigorous task. I always tell people that when a society is being built, its greatness cannot be immediate. It always takes processes. In Ifa mythology, it is established that compromise is the key to the establishment of a good society. Agreeing does not make an individual to be a fool. It is rather a sign that the person wants to start growing. Therefore, if someone is not patient,  Eldorado will continue to elude that person.

On philantropy

“It is wrong for anyone to think that I am wasting my money on philanthropy. I am not wasting my money because that is the future. I am not a rich man. I beg my friends for money to sustain my school for indigent people because I believe in Nigeria. Education is key. The Head Boy of that school, Gabriel Erons  is from the  Niger- Delta. If a Niger-Deltan could be a Head Boy in Oke Ila, why should a Yoruba person not have the opportunity to excel in any part of Nigeria? My son, John Chigozie is from Ebonyi State. Okede is an Igede boy from Benue State. I am sponsoring Nigerians of all tribes so that there will be peace because commerce won’t thrive where there is no peace.

“Nobody can make money where there is instability.  Let us strengthen diversity because we can’t see things from the same perspective. That is why I said that fools have rights and the poor also have rights. That is the essence of our school. My school is to strengthen diversity by offering free education to indigent children in the society. Today, we have many indigent rural children in that school who we teach how to make money. They are taught how to be creative and kind. We are thinking of the future because we are not going to be around forever.

Creating a future

“I got the idea of establishing Abolarin College from Tanzania. I felt that instead of joining the bandwagon of some Nigerian leaders who travel a lot and see good things but will never bring any legacy to their fatherland, I must use the  resources that God has placed in my hands to replicate the good thing that I saw in Tanzania. That was how the idea of Abolarin College came and today the rest is history.

“We are preparing them to be compassionate. We are preparing them to look beyond themselves when they grow up and occupy positions of authority. We are preparing them to be confident and to be able to stand up for their country in future. We are preparing them to have passion for Nigeria and take care of those who are weak.That is why the school’s prayer says: “Make me a servant, humble and meek. Lord, let me always lift up those who are weak.” It is not about being a Christian or Muslim. It is not about nepotism, neither is it restricted to Yoruba children.

nor children from my hometown.”

It is about any less privileged child around who is willing to be educated.

Poor children from rural areas

“We need help because what we are doing is in the interest of the generality of Nigerians. We are using the school to promote peace, grow communities, stop emergence of future vagabonds, criminals, and miscreants that could give problems to the country in future.

“We are also trying to protect the rights of poor children from rural areas. For instance, teenage poor girls suffer a lot of oppression through rape and teenage pregnancy. Government alone cannot address the case. That is why, as an ambassador of the rural poor, I decided to actualise this dream.

“We all need to use our privileges to salvage this country from decadence and bring the rural poor to a pedestal where they won’t be forced to envy our privileges and antagonise us as kidnappers, robbers as Boko Haram are doing today.”

Memories

“When June 12 happened I didn’t see it just like a Yoruba thing. I saw it as a national thing. I was young then and belonged to Afenifere. We were the unseen powers behind the powers that be. Bola Ige, Adekunle Ajasin, Abraham Ajasin. There was an event at Methodist Cathedral when their wives saw us and were surprised, saying that we were too young. We all had our pseudo names for this statesment. For instance, I called Olaniwun Ajayi Ajagu..