Chief Ajibola James Ige (1930-2001): Five years after
By RAHMAN RAHEEM
kingraymond001@yahoo.co.uk
“That is all a man can hope for, that during his lifetime. To set example and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history” --Williams McKINLEY (1843-1901), former US president December 23, 2001 marked the end of another brutal year for this country (it has always been since 1999).
The then Minister of Justice and Attorney- General, Chief Bola Ige was brutally assassinated in his bedroom by yet to be apprehended (or is it once apprehended but yet to be punished) men. These circumstances are better forgotten or else one will laugh or even cry (depending on one’s emotion). Somebody who was supposed to be the Chief Law of the country was killed in his Ibadan home without a fight, no dog barked and the assassins escaped unhurt. The operation was not only well planned but also successful. That was because the 11 guards on duty went to eat at once! Ridiculous you say?
Anyway, let me not use lamentation to stop me from reflecting properly on the successful and illustrious existence of this great mind called the Cisero. When the country lost this rare gem to the callous machinations of a ‘nest of killers’ (we all know them), everyone who know the history of the country, who is informed about the present and who cares about the future, lamented seriously because we were going to miss him a lot.
We miss his philosophical stance on all issues, his political thoughts and brilliant legal assertions and his musical talent (remember, he once said he would have been a musician if not for law). The country has a lot to lose indeed if what we do is to kill our best brains.
Chief Bola Ige, the Kaduna boy was not just brilliant a lawyer; he was a successful family man, the husband of Justice Atinuke Ige (who later died probably from the shock her husband’s death’s controversy was generating), he was really a sound mind, very philosophical just like that of the late Sage, his mentor.
Despite having some form of Northern upbringing, the great Cisero of Esa-Oke never forgot his root, he lived all through his life by the dictates and doctrines of the Oduduwa tradition. Bola Ige is a great leader of men; he commands a lot of respect from all in the West and the country in general. During his lifetime, his contribution to any national discourse was always indispensable and he always made himself available. During the military days, he was there with the progressives; he lived up to expectations as one of those strong men taking charge in the absence of the late Sage, Chef Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987). He was one of those who at the risk of his life and safety fought relentlessly for the birth or rebirth of democracy in the country.
There are too many things Nigerians will remember him for, he was deputizing Chief Abraham Adesanya both as Afenifere and AD leader when democracy was on its way. He struggled to see democracy in Nigeria; he helped to win six states in the West for his party, the Alliance for Democracy. He also accepted (what later appeared to be a controversial decision) to serve in the federal government of his ‘friend’, President Olusegun Obasanjo to at least contribute to the success of democracy, which he helped to bring.
Born in the early 20th century, Chief Bola Ige saw imperialism in its raw stage and went to school under such terrible circumstances when racism was still a normality. That shaped his worldview and he must have made up his mind to dedicate all his entire lifetime to the service of the people through the practice of law and politics. This he has done creditably well. His sojourn in Law won him the prestigious Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) very early in life and even his political participation took him to the governorship position of both Oyo and Osun states put together (before Osun state was created) between 1979 and 1983.
One of those very unique occurrences in the life of this great Nigerian happened during the gubernatorial primaries of his then party formed by the grandmaster himself, Awolowo, The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and it concerned the equally late but unforgettable Pa Emmanuel Alayande. Bola was to context with the latter, his former principal at Ibadan Grammar School (Pa Alayande was actually a principal of the school for 20 years) and his personal mentor who had had to flog him many times to teach him things that would later help him in life. We are trying to trace the good impression left for us by these great men in the picture- Ige, Awo, and Alayande but which is not followed by this present crop of politicians with their politics of anointing and disanointing.
Pa Alayande had the support of the Sage but did not do it by crook as the young man won the primaries. The old men never took offence by his effrontery to challenge his elders but supported him to win the election. In fact, the late venerable Alayande accepted to serve as Bola Ige’s Education Adviser, his former schoolboy remember! I only hope the People Deceive People stalwarts (pardon me People’s Democratic Party) are reading this.
Though, he was one of those politicians jailed by the Buhari junta, he did not hide under that to avoid politics having been released. He went on to preach through his practice and landmark speeches to popularize his ideals of good governance, rule of law and democracy. This he did till becoming the Deputy leader of the AD at the dawn of another democratic experience. As a sacrifice to the success of a ‘friend’s administration, he agreed to serve under Obasanjo even in an unfit position as minister of power and steel. A decision, which infuriated his fellow Progressives in the West.
It is left for history to judge whether this decision actually was his greatest undoing. But I want to believe there is nothing wrong in helping a friend to succeed, what is wrong is if the friend to have another agenda and betrays at the end of the day. Whether anyone like or not, I will continue to pray that may this country never have another Obasanjo as president because the man has done enough for us to open our mouths in unpleasant surprise!
The fact that the Obasanjo administration has either refused to find the killers or intentionally refuse to unveil the men or man behind the masquerade is the worst betrayal of a dead comrade ever. This is someone who had to ignore his colleagues in the West to serve you even at his inconveniences in the power and steel ministry. Everyone knows that his stay in charge of that doomed ministry caused a lot of havoc to his reputation in the country. This is someone who was supposed to be your Chief Law Officer and who was killed like a rat (even the rat in my mother’s kitchen will give you a good fight before you succeed even in injuring it let alone kill) and what you do is to ‘siddon look’. In this situation, a responsible government headed by a responsible leader would have shown personal interest to make sure all those who are pointed at were by all legal means possible punished for that ungodly act. This refusal to do anything has made some of us to believe in that Wole Soyinka ‘nest of killers’ theory.
It has made us to think that truly, a certain nest made up of blood sucking insects had to eliminate the obstacle to their ‘capturing’ the South West, hence the denial of the late philosopher an xmas celebration with us that tragic year.
Now, the IG has declared the case closed and Mr. President is still not concerned but he could afford to curse the killers of Funsho Williams. With due respect to the memory of Nigeria’s only calm politician, I do not think the life of Funsho was more important to the president both personally as his friend and officially as his Attorney-General as that of Ige. If really the death of Bola pained the president, he would have been involved personally; he wouldn’t have been looking like lucozade when the prime suspect was being rewarded with a senatorial seat.
Since even the family has given up on this rather evil nation and since we can only hope on God to deliver his own judgement, let us take inspiration and consolation in the immortal words of one of Nigeria’s best journalists and patriots, Dele Giwa (1947-1986) who once said that:
"No evil can go unpunished. Any evil done by man to man will be redressed, if not now, then certainly later, if not by man then certainly by God for the victory of evil over good is only temporary."
Happy Xmas, Sallah and New Yaer!!!.