BY BASHIR ADEFAKA
Ota—Saturday November 15, 2014 came like any other day but its occurrences came differently in different quarters.

In the Ota home of Alhaji Abdul Gaffar Kayode Animashaun, the surviving head of Muritala Animashaun family of Lagos, it came with bits of sober reflections and bits of joy.

Sober reflections because the children and grandchildren of the late radio broadcaster and Islamic scholar appeared not to let go the deep pains of having to lose him into the grip of Angel of Death, 45 years after the departure of the enigma that the late Alhaji Muhammed Muritala Ajadi Animashaun was.

Joy because from the single soul that was Muritala, many great lights had sprung up and are still springing up from which the Nigerian society and Lagos in particular have benefitted.

From right: Alhaji Ganiyu Animashaun, Major-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, former Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adeshina and other family members, during the 45th rememberance ceremony of late Islamic scholar and radio broadcaster, Alhaji Muhammed Muritala Ajadi Animashaun, in Ota, Ogun State, recently.

Among the lights from the late Muritala are G. K. Animashaun, a lawyer and successful business man, whose imparts in the housing development, media and insurance sectors have been greatly felt.  GK’s nephew and son of Ishola Olanrewaju Animashaun, Major-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju is another great light that has emerged as part of the offspring of the departed soul and in his own way, Tajudeen as General Officer Commanding, GOC, Three Division of the Nigerian Army not only silenced the crisis brewers of Jos during his time but also, he worked assiduously, as a right hand man of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, upgraded Lagos State from 12 Local Government structure to the 20 Local Government that the Centre of Excellence now is.

He did more among which, as Minister of Communications, was the deregulation of the telecommunications sector thereby licensing Private Telecommunications Operators, PTOs, to partake in the telecommunication businesses and, by so doing, saved Nigerian telephone users from the claws of NITEL.  There are more children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren of Muritala Animashaun that have made Nigeria great, by which the family were consoled that “Baba ku, Baba ku”, meaning, Muritala Animashaun died but his legacy remains.

They all came together, last Saturday to appreciate the good and proper upbringing given to them by their grand and grandfather and, together with the Muslim clerics present, asked Allah to continue to repose his soul in Al-Jannah.

Muritala Animashaun, Vanguard gathered, belonged to the Lagos largest family, the over 10,000-member Animashaun, of Lagos, joined by high and low members of the society home and abroad to partake in the event attended by creame de la creame of the society including the mother of Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Fashola; Commandant, Nigerian Army Ordnance Corp, NAOC, Major-General A. A. Martins; former Chairman, Editorial Board, Vanguard Newspapers, Alhaji Kola Animashaun and many others.  It was noteworthy that the presence of a high ranking Army officer, General Martins, naturally hiked the security in and around the venue of the event, a development a member of the family gave to General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, grandson of the remembered late scholar, on whose instance he said the event had the security presence that was.

The late broadcaster and erudite Islamic scholar, born in 1896, it was learned, spent a fulfilled life before he died at 73 on November 12, 1969.  Father of 20 successful and proudable children among who were Alhaji  Ishola Olanrewaju Animashaun, late father of former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju and Vanguard Media Limited’s director, Alhaji Abdul-Gaffar Kayode Animashaun popularly called G.K., Alhaji Muritala Animashaun’s enigmatic personality continues to endear him in the hearts and memories of many, 45 years after his death.

A statement by the former minister, General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, said, “Alhaji Muhammed Murtala Ajadi Animashaun was a courageous preacher, a precious encyclopaedia that infected minds with curiosity and, more importantly, an indefatigable orator and moralist.  Until his death in 1969, he was very proud of his progeny and jealously guarded the Animashaun name.  He was gentleman personified.

He had class and was very affluent and but well mannered.  He was also very fond of using the Qur’an Suratul Kahf, chapter 18 verse 110 to round up his radio programmes thus, ‘In the name of Allah the beneficent, the merciful. Say: I am but a man like yourselves (‘Enia bi’yin ni me’, in Yoruba) but the inspiration has come to me that your God is One God…”

Olanrewaju told Saturday Vanguard that the famous verse earned his grandfather the nickname, “Enia bi’yin nimi” that he was fondly called during his life time.  One particular grandchild of the late Muritala Animashaun that would forever be appreciative of him is Gabisiyu Adeagbo, the retired Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN’s official popularly called Gabby. In a publication also made available to Saturday Vangaurd by General Olanrewaju, Gabby gave a brief account of how his grandfather saved his leg from being amputated following a car accident at the age of 5.

The late broadcaster was so much in touch with his children and grandchildren no matter their number so much that all have said many good and touching things about their past in relation to him.

“May his soul continue to rest in peace,” General Tajudeen Olanrewau prayed.