Prince Tony Momoh’s biography spoke of 1938 and 1939. Chief Oyebola was once teased by irrepressible Gbolabo Ogunsanwo to be oscillating between 1936 and 1938. But when you realise that Oyebola graduated from Ibadan University about 50 years ago, you may be compelled to conclude that Oyebola came before Tony Momoh.
Dashing world reporter Olusegun Osoba came knocking in 1939, the same year Mobile Library Double chief Duro Onabule also cried ‘Mo waa mo waa’! Another legendary reporter and newspaper administrator Felix Adenaike came along in 1940. Unbreakable Wole Awolowo followed in 1942. In between them you have Professor Wale Omole, Dr Akin Fagbamiye, Professor Falusi and Dr Godwin Bakare who turned 70 last Tuesday.
The list is long and you are suddenly faced with the stark reality of ageing. All the boys of yesterday have grown into men and from the status of men now to old men! Boys with Ricco bay on their heads and swift feet on the dancing floor, with sensitive ears to the trumpet wizardry of Eddie Okonta and Victor Olaiya are now watching lazily and listening in helpless amazement to the cacophony of ‘orifoka sibe’!
Daily Times former Deputy Editor Diipo Ajayi, one of the very early university graduates to be recruited into journalism has also crossed the bar of 70. You remember how the ladies-man Diipo dazzled all at Ibadan where he was regional editor of Daily Times in 1970. He was a delight to behold. Handsome, ever smiling and sociable Diipo looked 21 even when he was already close to 31. Even now that his hairs are struggling between dark and grey, his youthful face still remains intact. But he is old! Funmi, his wife of over 45 years may not want to hear this. But we know the boy is getting old. He is old.
Fiery Ebenezer Babatope, student petrel, historian, journalist, politician, lawyer and social crusader is also growing old. Actually, it was his article titled Uleya in his Friday column in the Tribune that provoked this piece. Babatope had cried out about 3 years ago that our generation was dying one by one and it was high time for him to say ‘good bye’ to the bubbling city of Lagos and head home to Ulesha, his ancestral home. The former City Editor of Nigerian Tribune, Babatope and Benjamin Fadoju have remained the oldest faces on the corridors of African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, the publishers of the Tribune titles.
Benjamin Fadoju, our Food prefect at Ijebu Muslim College 48 years ago has stopped being a boy and is now a proud grandfather at 70.
Professor Yemi Badejoko, Professor Tola Atinmo, Professor Wole Osonubi, Chief Tunji Amole, Dr Akin Fagbamiye, Engineers Banwo Smith and Babs Okuyemi are inching towards 70. With Tunde Seriki, Engineer Alade Ajibola, Dr Lasaki husband to Asaks Darling, Alhaji Akinmade, Surveyor Seye Nuga and yours truly, these guys used to declare ‘2 hours of serious drinking’ at the close of their Family Club’s monthly meetings in the late 70s, 80s and even 90s. But nowadays their serious drinking is now restricted to bottled water! The boys have become old.
The movers and shakers of Ibadan social circuit in the 70s, the Kunle Adelekes, the Yemi Farounbis, Alhaji Lateef Busari, Colonel Bola Ogunsanwo, Colonel Dr Davies, Col Prince Roland Omowa, Col Bode Adewuyi, Oba Otudeko, Chief Akanni Aluko, Chief Agboola Alausa, Chief Bisi Rodipe, our own Chief Azeez Alao Arisekola [before the prestigious Aare Musulumi cloak removed him from the circuit] and several of the lively faces that dotted the large landscape of Ibadan mega city have now all become old men.
It is incredible how Nature works. All these spritely men have suddenly become ‘take it easy men’. ‘Agba lode ti mo fi n feso rin’ croons Tunji Oyelana and his Benders band.
Whether you like it or not, whether you want to accept it or not, Nature must take its toll on you.
As you advance in age, your body also ages. Every part of your body also ages. The virility gives way to docility. Your vibrancy gives way to senility. All your faculties submit to ageing processes and you no longer are the same again. Your erstwhile sharp reflexes disappear. Your joints ache. Your eyes begin to see double occasionally. Even your claim to manhood…..
This doesn’t sound pleasant to the Old Boys Club members. All of us! High Chief Soniran Sowemimo, High Chief Joju Fadairo, Chief Niyi Adegbenro, the Sagbua, elder Sowunmi, and all the yesterday boys who now spend more time with grandchildren than they used to spend chasing after youthful fancies have resigned themselves to stark reality. Age! Nkan ti won n pe ni agba yi ko daaa!
So, I am old!
So, the Chubby Checker era is gone for good. The cries of ‘I feel Good’, ‘I’m Black and Proud’ ‘Oriwo!’and Ku si mi l’aiya can only be celebrated in nostalgia. Professor Femi Osofisan, Professor Duro Adegeye, Professor Festus Akintola, Professor Biodun Jeyifo, Dr Wale Adeniran, Professor Tunde Adeniran, and all the other boys including Muyiwa Onabolu, Professor Tunde Fetuga, Wande Sawyerr, Haroon Adamu, David Attah, Senator Kola Bajomo, Senator Akin Odunsi, Dr Babatunde Sagoe, Dr Wale Kabiawu, Dr Kadiri, Chief Boye Ogunlaja, Aare Kola Oyefeso, Lade Bonuola, Dr Diipo Bailey, Olorogun Folorunso Sunny Kuku, Chief Funmi Okunowo, Gbolabo Ogunsanwo and Aremo Taiwo Allimi, the media guru, you must all call a meeting of The Yesterday Boys and device a strategy for coping with your new status.
Ebenezer Obey [1942] Sunny Ade [1946] and all the men in between those brackets should not lament that they can no longer play boys any more. Rather, they should be full of praise and thanks to Olodumare that has allowed their nostrils to be sucking in air without a stop for over six decades. It is a silent miracle that the heart has been pumping blood without ceasing for over 60 multiplied by 365 days and nights. And special thanks to Adiitu that one has survived Nigeria’s killing environment where Death is the cheapest commodity in the country’s rudderless economy.
Of course age confers instant recognition and respect. And you can order any youngster to jump off his seat so that an elder can rest his ailing buttocks.
And if you refuse to dye your grey hairs, you can be guaranteed a respectful welcome at the Nigerian airports Arrival Desks.
Old boys, please come to the floor and dance to SALOME!!!
p/s
If you were one of the boys in the 60s and your name is missing from my list, it is because you are in the habit of dying your hair or you wear a girdle for your bulging belly!!!