THE LEARNED SQUIB
Those who know a bit of my history know that some special ladies are quite important in my life. One of such ladies was late Professor Jadesola Akande I wouldn’t have known her at all, if I hadn’t chosen in 1989 to obtain a law degree in her domain – the Lagos State University. And even then as a Law Student, I might never have come across her, for she was then the Almighty Vice-Chancellor of the citadel and little me, one of the several thousand students of the University.
But then by second year of my studies, I had levitated from the tepid waters of Law Students politics, where the shine of one’s shoes, the texture of one’ coat, the cultured cadences of one’s affected speeches and the angularity of ones nostrils, in the air as well as the aroma of one’s pedigree, determine greatly the success of the political animal, and had gravitated to the tempestuous waves of Students’ Unionism where brains and brawn must mix admirably in the political gladiator to survive hard knocks and escape 'knock – outs’ from political rivals, the government and the University administration.
So as a Student Union Leader, duty brought me closer to Professor Akande. It was a testy relationship, which saw the V.C one occasion attempting to slap a ban on my tongue at a meeting of the Union Leaders with her. On another occasion the tough lady, apparently losing control of the University, issued an unmasked threat to me and the president Wale Okuniyi to use brutal force to contain us (Union Leaders). At the end of the day, since two captains cannot command a ship at a time – Mama banned our Union and expelled Union Leaders. But she could only do that from the safety of her home–LASU had become too hot for her. She left, “by force, by fire” December 8 1992, her car chased by dozens of enraged students, who thank goodness, failed to outrun the automobile, even when moving in reverse.
After leaving LASU, Professor Akande’s star did not dim. Rather it was getting brighter. That was, I think rather remarkable. Many past Vice –Chancellors, Governors, presidents who leave office just melt away into steady oblivion. After just two years- people would have to scratch their heads to remember the names of all these ex-this, ex- that.
But Jadesola’s case was different. She settled down to become a gender activist, human right activist, humanist, bar woman; of course she remained an educationist. In year 2000, Jadesola became the Pro- Chancellor of a Federal University, probably the first former vice- chancellor, to become a pro-chancellor. Along the way, she also bagged the Commander of the Order of the Niger title (CON) and then that of Officer of the Republic (OFR).
But Jadesola was not just an intellectual, she was also, a lady of action – including street protest. Most unusual I dare say, for some one of her honey and milk background.
In 2005, Jadesola was tear-gassed by anti riot police men who were sent to disperse the crowd who had gathered with her on a street to protest one plane crash incident too many which had taken away the souls of several dozens of people.
That was the type of a lady Jadesola Akande was, and not the type that many of the elites class who attended her wake-keeping and burial ceremonies, last week tried to paint. Many of the afore-mentioned, appeared rather taken aback and even discomfited if not rather afraid to see students union activists taking a part in the ceremonies, in their ususal “revolutionary manner.”
An activist died and all what the organisers of her wake-keeping wanted to happen was the wearing of solemn looks, salad speeches and “unto you-thee-lord-my-soul” songs. Those officially allowed to speak dwelled on everything Jadesola except her activisim.
To redress the situation and correct the inbalance, the activists’ cadre present took up a song, which went thus:
“There is victory for us
there is victory for us
in the struggle for good governance
there is VICTORY for us”
Forward ever, Backward never
In the struggle for good governance
there is VICTORY for us”.
The activists formed two rows along the exit route and sang lustily. I was there in the cadre and I saw the baffled, if worried looks on many faces of members of the pampered class as they passed through the lines, half expecting I suppose, that they would be molested.
But nothing ontoward happened. They (the frightened and the worried) needed not fear. An activist is not a rogue. He is actually a good citizen. A patriot. Just like Jadesola who passed away un-jaded.
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