Many things define him but of all, what endeared me to him was his passion to see everybody around him succeed. Baba had a successful career in teaching. However, his major achievement was his deliberate determination to touch lives.
Yes, Chief was a politician but he had a political mindset driven by a genuine interest to serve his people. Unfortunately, he suffered the same fate suffered by the late Chief Akin Omoboriowo because of the political naivety that pervaded our land up till the second republic.
Before relocating to Aramoko from Akure, following the 1983 political brouhaha, Chief Ade-Ojo's house in the Ondo State capital (comprising Ekiti and Ondo of today) was like a Mecca of some sort to many Aramoko youths who needed temporary abode. Every year, Baba played host to youths who had no relatives in Akure but had, either external exams or job interviews to write. Again, deliberately, Chief Ade-Ojo left an apartment vacant in Akure after his relocation to serve as a 'guest house' for his Aramoko people, who would be coming to Akure on a fleeting visit.
Personally, it will be laxity on my part if I fail to pay tribute to our Baba because of my closeness to him and almost all his children. Perhaps because of his early exposure to education, Baba was highly sociable. He mingled well with old and young people. I was one of many people who enjoyed a special relationship with him because of my relationship with his children.
The beginning of the relationship could be traced to 1984. Following the relocation of the Ade-Ojos to Aramoko, Baba's son, Bola Ade-Ojo, began with us at the District Commercial Secondary School (ADICO) and we were allocated to the same class -1D. Since we were from the same part of the town, we instantly became close friends. But for Bola, ADICO was temporary as he was moved to Christ's School, Ado Ekiti in class two. The change of school notwithstanding, we kept our relationship.
Meanwhile, if there was anything my late father did not tolerate during his lifetime, it was seeing any of his children passing the night outside the home. But this rule was waived in my case because of Chief Ade-Ojo.
In 1988, when I was struggling with Mathematics, his son, Idowu Pius Adeojo (now a Medical Doctor) returned home following his graduation from Sacred Heart Seminary Secondary School, Akure, from where he came out in flying colours. I did not waste time contacting ID for a tutorial. We bonded instantly and Baba Ade-Ojo's house became my second home. Sometimes, we would work till very late and I would not have any other option but keep my night there.
Then after secondary school, Bola too returned home to reunite with us, his old friends: Rufai Shittu; Olu Ayelabowo; Yusuf Jimoh (late); Dayo Ojoogun; Kole Ade-Ojo (from Ifaki); Kabir Akingbolu; and yours sincerely. It was 'our own time and we rocked it to the fullest. We partied well and rocked life while preparing for varsity education but Baba would only smile at our pranks whenever we showed up to 'drag' Bola out for partying or 'hunting'. He would only tell us not to allow 'mingling' or unwanted 'load' to erect a 'barrier' between us and education.
On numerous occasions, Chief Ade-Ojo would sit us down and regale us with the history of Nigeria's political developments and dovetail it with the importance of education. The message would be passed stylishly.
After my graduation, going to Baba every day became like a ritual for me because of the newspapers. In most cases, I would be the one to go and pick his copy of Nigerian Tribune, Punch or Comet. This became necessary for two reasons: I was looking out for classified adverts for vacancies as well as grooming myself for Journalism. When I secured a teaching job and was posted by the Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission to Ara-Ikole Ekiti, Baba would still pile up the papers for me in Aramoko-Ekiti till Friday when I returned from Ikole.
When I left teaching for Journalism, Baba was so excited that he almost shifted his brand loyalty from Tribune to The Nation because of me. During one of my visits, he admitted to me that his love for me had influenced him to add The Nation to his menu. He wanted to do so when I moved to THISDAY but he said my new paper was 'too bulky, analytical and technical.
Unfortunately, Baba reached his peak in politics at a time Nigeria had not matured to appreciate the constitutional relevance of the opposition party. He was one of the members of the Unity Party of Nigeria who thought the gentleman agreement between the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Akin Omoboriowo would be honoured. As Governor of Ondo State between 1979 and 1983, it was believed that Ajasin would shift ground for his Deputy (Akin Omoboriowo) after his first term in office. This was not to be and Ade-Ojo and co. who were loyal to their friend, Omoboriowo pitched a tent with him. As it happened between Ajasin and Omoboriowo, Chief Ade-Ojo damned the consequences and contested with the then incumbent member of the Ekiti West House of Assembly, the late Hon. Joshua Abon Aiyedun. The rest is history.
The story of Baba Ade-Ojo is no doubt a story of an achiever. He built people and served God. His exit has drawn curtail on a generation and there is no gainsaying the fact that he was the last of the originals. May his soul rest in peace.
Akingbolu, a Journalist writes from Apapa, Lagos
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