By EKANPOU ENEWARIDIDEKE

ALMOST on daily basis there are claims and counter-claims of casualties (as one would say in JP Clark’s The Casualties) as regards the successes and methodologies adopted in the fight against terrorism. Words like ‘decimated’, ‘degraded’, ‘technically degraded’, ‘defeated’, etc., have become the beloved register of the fight against terrorism in Nigeria.

From the governments of Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, there are always varying claims of successes in the war against terrorism. People become justifiably embittered whenever the government sanctimoniously talks about the terrorism war, claiming credits in narcissistic nods, without a mention of Teiyebo Agbeotu, the man who fought terrorism ideologically through his two theories of Benabafaism and Ebimenism propounded and pursued vigorously for the betterment of the society as a remote antidote against terrorism. It saddens that this visionary Agbeotu who fought terrorism remotely with all his resources is yet to be identified and recognised. Could this lack of recognition for Agbeotu be a product of the ethnic group he hails from?

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Buhari’s failure to recognise Agbeotu is comparatively better when viewed against the backdrop of the activities of Chief Opudu Boro (Chairman of Delta Waterways and Land Security Committee) who is respected for his relentless war against maritime terrorism in the Niger Delta. Even Boro claims that he does not know that Agbeotu is a remarkable fighter of terrorism. Had Boro known this, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa would have wasted no time in making Agbeotu a think-tank on maritime criminalities in Delta State and beyond.

Agbeotu is a multi-dimensional personality who commands reputation as a poet, novelist, dramatist and a proverb-filled orator extraordinaire whose preoccupation centres quintessentially on war against terrorism through his famous seminal works such as Benabafa, Late Duke of Ojobo, Late Ogbosu of Ojobo, Ebimene, Enekebomosu, Debere, Money No Dey Die, Ebikeme Mieye Siya, Late Johnson Ekpetu, Egbameni and many others. Though Agbeotu is a highly philosophical musician, his philosophical songs have metamorphosed into poems, novels and plays through the meticulous translations of Mr. Gogi Serikoromo of Oyangbene in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

When the main terrorist (death) strikes down a loved one, the loved ones of the deceased are thrown into seemingly irretrievable depths of despair. Musically, Agbeotu appears and gives the loved ones the dosage of the philosophical medication required to stop the drift into irredeemable depth of despair. Music masterpieces, classics like ‘Late Ogbosu of Ojobo’ and ‘Late Duke of Ojobo’ by Agbeotu become the right philosophical medication for the speedy recovery of the bereaved, which eventually become the proactive inoculation against death’s terrorist spikes when a loved one dies.

Agbeotu sees the world in terms of universal brotherhood – a philosophical stand that often makes him disgusted with any attempt at severance of ties of brotherhood. He views Benabafaism as the catalyst to terrorism – a reason he uses all his resources to demonise Benabafaism as a kind of proactive inoculation against terrorism but did President Buhari recognise Agbeotu for his philanthropic deployment of music to wage war against terrorism? Can Nigeria win the war against terrorism now that Agbeotu is dead?

Agbeotu sees terrorism as a terrorist; he also sees death as a terrorist. The first perceptive on terrorism is the conventional terrorism emanating from deliberate companionship struck with the theory of Benabafaism. The second perceptive is the universal terrorism which every human being is unstoppably bound to experience as a parting gift from terrorism. Even this universal terrorism could develop wings of facilitation from the conventional terrorism because a lethal terrorist attack eventually ends in death – that death which is the supreme terrorist.

Quite early in 1963 Agbeotu developed interest in music. Towards the pursuit of his dream in music, he formed the Afro-band using improvised rudimentary musical instruments such as disposed milk tins, hollowed milk cups, hand-made drums and wooden guitars locally made. Even as a boss in his own thriving music band, Agbeotu occasionally featured with King Ebizimor in Izon Brothers Band of Nigeria to entertain music aficionados on the stage of performance. His occasional migratory journey to King Ebizimor’s band to perform alongside king Ebizimor was a product of the love, unity and respect the two music legends had for each other.

Now with the August 25, 2019 terrorised homeward journey of the generalissimo of Benisede and Osuopele masquerades, the appreciatory echo of Amgberi Kolo Kolo which enjoyed enthusiastic crescendo will now be the handmaiden of diminuendo during masquerade festivities in Ojobo. The hitherto deafening echo of Amgberi Kolo Kolo will be no more in Ojobo now that Agbeotu is in the grip of that deadly merciless terrorist called death whose cage nobody can salvage people from. Oh, Ojobo has lost a great philosopher with a multi-dimensional personality. That Agbeotu whose perpetually leavened, seasoned, cooked, condiment-consolidated, jokes (okeke) have the quality of making one’s ribs riot with uncontrollable laughter! Agbeotu would thrive better reputationally as a comedian in his next incarnation!

Buhari, Obasanjo, Jonathan, Okowa, Otuaro and Chief Boro could not have rescued Agbeotu from that terrorist called death because that terrorist is more powerful and deadly than any government agent, however resourceful and good-intentioned. Boro would be ridiculed even if he came with all the soldiers in Delta Waterways and Land Security Committee to confront that terrorist that terrorised Agbeotu into silence!

It appears the terrorist that terrorised Agbeotu and his heavy philosophical statements into co-operative silence is the most dreaded terrorist that terrifies even Buhari, Dickson, Obasanjo, Jonathan, Okowa Otuaro and Boro beyond thoughts of salvage operation for the inimitable proverbialist. Let us summon the poet John Donne to ridicule the terrorist so that the terrorist (death) no longer proudly and arrogantly tells the world that he has hunted down both Agbeotu and his didactic philosophical thoughts.

Teiyebo Agbeotu is dead but Agbeotu shall not die like death because his great musical works, masterpieces, classics, are there to tell his story from generation to generation.