Asiwaju Olatunde Badmus: This is your life, by Dawood Iyiola Ahetunmobi

I must confess that the title of this article is not originally mine. It draws inspiration from “Aare, This is Your Life,” a heartfelt tribute penned by Oloye Lekan Alabi in honor of the late Aare Arisekola Alao, following the conferment of Nigeria’s prestigious Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) award by the late President Umar Yar’Adua on December 22, 2008, in Abuja. In his work, Oloye Lekan noted that he borrowed the title from a television program titled “This Is Your Life,” produced and presented by Mr. Eamon Andrews of Independent Television in London. This program is a poignant documentary that connects remarkable achievers with their pasts through the memories of teachers, classmates, childhood friends, professional colleagues, mentors, protégés, and admirers, who candidly share their experiences with the guests featured.

However, this piece is not about Mr. Andrews’ program; it is dedicated to Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland.

The scene was set at the Aafin Soun of Ogbomosholand, where the clock struck 2 PM. Present were a distinguished assembly of royal figures: Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeeen Adesola Lawal; Aragbiji of Iragbijiland, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi; Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedeokun Abolarinwa; Olororuwo of Ororuwo, Oba Kamrudeen Olayinka Bello; Soun of Ogbomosholand; Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Oladunni Ọláoyè; Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland; Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus; and members of a branch of the Ayilara family from Ogbomosholand.

Two hours prior, these visiting dignitaries and Asiwaju Musulumi had embarked on a self-imposed peace mission from Osogbo, seeking to engage Soun in a discussion about allowing Imam of Ogbomosholand, Dr. Yunus Toliat Ayilara, the opportunity to “breathe.” This initiative originated at the behest of Asiwaju himself.

Upon their arrival at the palace, the atmosphere brimmed with palpable tension, thick enough to be cut with a knife. Members of the second faction of the Ayilara family, invited by Soun for this crucial parley, took turns appealing to the audience, fervently arguing why Dr. Toliat should not serve as Imam of Ogbomosholand.

When it was Soun’s turn to speak, he began by recounting a conversation with the Orangun of Oke-Ila. “When the Orangun informed me that some individuals and Obas from Osun State wished to meet regarding the issue of Toliat, my initial reaction was one of reluctance. I felt I had endured enough meetings concerning the Imam of Ogbomosho, and I certainly did not want to start the new year grappling with this matter. However, when I learned that the meeting was requested by Mr. Badmus, I felt a flicker of curiosity. I asked the Orangun, ‘Is he the same Badmus we used to hear about when we were younger?’ He confirmed that he was. My desire to reconnect with that cherished figure from my youth was the sole reason I consented to attend; otherwise, I would have declined.”

Soun proceeded to speak for nearly two hours, skillfully utilizing his pastoral oratory to articulate his views. By the end of his speech, he had managed to sway the opinions of his guests, casting a shadow of prejudice against Imam Toliat. Nevertheless, he offered subtle hints about what Toliat would need to do to earn some breathing space.

As the entourage exited the palace, Asiwaju expressed his belief that it was crucial to hear from Dr. Toliat as well, humbly proposing this to the Obas. While they agreed with his suggestion, they insisted that, to honor Soun, the meeting with the Chief Imam of Ogbomosholand should be postponed to a later date.

That later date arrived sooner than expected. Asiwaju seemed to seek someone who could serve as a safety valve for Imam Ogbomosho, particularly given the strong bias that had developed among the Obas due to Soun’s earlier remarks. On the day of the meeting, as I was preparing to go to court, I received a call from Asiwaju. He said, “Aljazeera, please contact Noibul Imam and ask him to reach out to Imam Offa. If his schedule permits, I would greatly appreciate it if he could join me and some Obas in Osogbo today for a peace meeting.”

Although Asiwaju could have directly called Imam Offa, he preferred not to impose requests on people. Even among his aides, he refrains from dictating what we should do; instead, we find ourselves looking out for his interests and taking the initiative to act accordingly.

I managed to connect with Noibul Imam, but he was just about to board a plane, returning from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah. Unfortunately, this meant he wouldn’t be able to deliver Asiwaju’s message to Imam Offa. The task fell to me instead. When I relayed the message to Imam Offa, he immediately acknowledged that, despite his busy schedule, he couldn’t hear Asiwaju’s words and simply turn away from them.

The meeting proceeded as planned. Imam Ogbomosho presented his own side of the story, and a productive exchange took place, with advice and exhortations offered. Together, roadmaps for peace was devised;the Orangun of Oke-Ila—who has been a childhood friend of Soun—was assigned to collaborate and worked on Soun while Imam Offa was entrusted with addressing the conflicts among the warring Muslims in Ogbomosho.

What may come as a surprise to many is that Imam Ogbomosho was not informed about this journey until Asiwaju and the Obas returned. This was a completely selfless and voluntary intervention by Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, one that incurred costs of no less than five million Naira. In fact, during his prayers of gratitude for Asiwaju’s remarkable efforts, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun, noted a significantly higher sum.

Much like the format of the television show “This Is Your Life,” which reflects on the achievements of its honored guests, the journey to Ogbomosho brought forth many fond memories. Soun’s heartfelt words about Asiwaju, the commitment of four first-class Obas from Osun State to accompany him, their exceptional willingness to gather at Asiwaju’s residence, and Imam Offa’s readiness to attend the meeting in Osogbo on such short notice—all of these highlight the life and greatness of Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus.

This is precisely how history will remember Asiwaju KhamisOlatundeBadmus, just as Soun recalls the memories of forty years.

Happy 79th Birthday Anniversary, Baba!