SAM EYOBOKA & OLAYINKA LATONA
FEW months to his 102nd birthday anniversary scheduled for November the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos as well as the Nigerian Army last Thursday rose to honour one of the highly esteemed sons of the Catholic Church and our dear nation, Monsignor Pedro Ayodele Martins, the first indigenous Head of the Catholic Chaplaincy in the Nigerian Army.

It was another moment of reflection, recollection and reminiscences as the Lagos Archdiocese of the Catholic Church of Nigeria, converged at the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki to launch two books in honour of the man who headed a committee that took another look at what was considered to be late General Murtala Muhammed’s well intentioned but
ill-timed and rash decision to retire top civil servants across the country.

The books: Ontology of Time and Time and Reminiscence were written by the Dean of Lekki Deanery, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Rev. Msgr. Francis Ogunmodede who, in his presentation, revealed that the books were originally planned for 2010 to celebrate a man he described as a legend and world historical figure.

*Left - right, Gen Alexander Ogumudia (rtd) Chairman of occasion, Col Sir John Madaki (rtd) Chief Launcher and Rt Rev Msgr Col Pedro Ayodele Martins (rtd) at the occassion - Photo by Biodun Ogunleye

The author also explained that the proceeds from the book presentation would be ploughed  into  the realization of the Msgr. Pedro Martins’ Library in the proposed Augustine University Project in Epe, Lagos State.

While advising the Federal Government to embark on the construction of reputable institutions with state of art equipment and properly furnished libraries for Nigerian youths, Msgr. Ogunmodede praised the efforts of the former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who established a presidential library in his native home.

According to him, “a library is a vital soul of any academic institution, adding that without such there cannot be an institution described as a university.”

Dr. Gabriel Soyoye who reviewed one of the books, Time and Reminiscence an 8-chapter book with a forward by the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie described the book as a lucid account of the life and times as well as a tribute to the “polygonal centenarian, priest, philosopher, artist, soldier, teacher, statesman, disciplinarian, peacemaker, counselor, athlete, cricketer, footballer, swimmer, wrestler, boxer, painter, and exemplar in all these endeavours and recipient of a National award.”

According to him, Reminiscences is about bringing the past into the present and “I think the author had successfully brought the past to the present.”

While reviewing the second book, a 231-page book, The Ontology of Time, Chief Lawson Omokhodion, a Knight of St Mulumba, described the 10-chapter book as one that is once contemporaneous and non-contemporaneous. “It is giant literature review of philosophical studies and a compendium of knowledge across the ages. It is a book that points you to a direction of further
research in the sphere of knowledge it has covered.” He said.

Omokhodion added that Msgr. Ogunmodede was writing on a very difficult subject but  managed to use the here and now examples that everybody can relate with to explain concepts that are brain twisters. He further revealed that the book is extremely educating and an instrument for mature minds, stressing that the book tests one’s understanding of global and national development over time.