Waking up to the now common Valentine’s Day frenzy in modern Nigeria, just before the red and white, and the all red colours that define February 14th tore through the morning space; calls, messages and Breaking News of the passing of Pa Ayo Adebanjo tore through the Heavens validating Shakespeare’s age long quote, “when beggars die, there are no comets seen; the Heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes”.
Pa Adebanjo loved his Country so much he fought for justice, for fairness, for equity and for an egalitarian society until he took a bow at the very ripe age of 96. He loved Nigeria so much his lifelong campaign was for a Society that works for all. He was a doyen of Justice, of Equity, of Fairness and of Inclusion. He loved us so much that our fault lines to him were manifest tapestry of the potentialities of a Rainbow coalition centred on the conquering and therapeutic force of True Love should our nation elect the egalitarian ideals of equity, of Justice and of fairness over our primordial fault lines and prejudices.
He was so much a lover of Truth and the beloved Community that he took a bow on February 14 ditto Lovers Day. Fare Thee Well Pa Ayo Adebanjo, we love you, and your unassailable legacies shall remain indelible.
Whilst we were yet processing the worthy words and trite refrain soothing the Iroko Pa Ayo Adebanjo, he called out from the yonder place to his friend and Comrade of several decades Pa E.K Clark, yes on the 17th of February, 2025 another doyen of the progressive left and leader of popular struggle heeded that call.
Was it the conspiracy of the gods or a coup hatched by the Universe that the nonagenarian pillars of the struggle for a nation that works for all chose to depart the stage 3 days apart? February the 14th and February the 17th, 2025 tore through a nation’s womb leaving a void, now we must recruit newer and younger progressive elements to whom COUNTRYFIRST must be a creed and a commitment. Now we must grow more Pa Adebanjos and Pa Clarks, and now we must rededicate ourselves to the unalterable task of building a nation that works for all.
I have read several tributes by several groups in honour of both paladins of popular struggle, and must I rehearse the nobility of their lives and the cause for which they stood tall? Must I preach about the preachments that kept them in the news until they passed at 96, and 97 respectively? Need I tell you that Pa Ayo Adebanjo was the living conscience of Afenifere speaking to a nation largely bereft of conscience, saying you must do right, you must imbibe the priceless ideals of equity and you must be JUST to all the peoples of the Republic.
Need I remind you of the extremely versatile Pa Edwin Clark who fought until his death for Restructuring, for True Fiscal Federalism, for Resource Control, for Inclusion, for Justice, for Equity and for Fairness to all. Need I tell of the resilience of the High Chief from Kiagbodo in Delta State, who challenged his nation to justice for her marginalized Oil Producing Communities? What more should I tell you about him that is possibly not out there? Should I remind you of his many efforts and interventions to inspire national cohesion and unity? Have you forgotten the several vehicles of collaboration under his watch including PANDEF the one he led until his light went out on the 17th of February, 2025.
Folks, at the core of this short tribute is the call for a new republic of Comrades, of Statesmen, of well-meaning citizens who will fill in the void, repopulate the vacuum they left behind, and commit to building a conscious mass to whom it will remain COUNTRYFIRST.
If we fail to live by the values for which we have written great words in honour of the duo, then we have a nation doomed to the invidious politricks of soulless and conscienceless power grabbers to whom all that counts is ME, MYSELF AND I. If we fail to grow a stronger and wider class of Patriots, then we are doomed to dark nights of hopelessness. And we are doomed to a cycle of egocentric politicians who prey on our nation’s fault lines to and for political profit.
This effort is a question mark on our collective conscience, if we ever truly love Pa Ayo Adebanjo, and Pa E.K Clark we must rise beyond the fine words of the season and the flowery tributes, and urge and nudge a massive surge in the ideas, ideals and ideologies of egalitarianism. We must put COUNTRYFIRST, and make the values of responsible and responsive leadership our collective minimum, such is the duty we owe our departed Titans.
Fare Thee Well great Paladins of Right, Goodnight Pa Adebanjo, Adieu Pa Clark… We shall yet make Nigeria Great.
Prof Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr.
Convener COUNTRYFIRST MOVEMENT. A Good Governance Advocacy Group.
