They virtually occupied all the spaces in the expansive Martinos Events Centre, behind the MKO Abiola Gardens, Alausa, seat of the Lagos State government. Their dog-aired, abeti-aja caps were worn in various aesthetic designs that would undoubtedly leave any skilled Japanese Origami on a first exposure to the Yoruba style, green with profound envy. Their immaculate white garbs and traditional red beads stood them out of the converging crowd. Above all, their trademark chant of Oodua at every opportunity, evoked reminiscences of their struggles during the inglorious days of military dictatorship in Nigeria.
These we
re members of the dreadful Yoruba self-determinant militia, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), literally invading the industrial quarters of Ikeja... but wait, they were not on a protest neither was there any cause for violent demonstration or attack on alleged robber or ritualist, as they won't in their formative years. Their mission? To celebrate their leader and co-founder of the congress, Otunba Gani Adams, who had added yet another year to his age.
To a distant follower of national political trends, especially since the military era, the man behind the name 'Gani Adams' must definitely be a man who had surpassed the age of forty or very close, especially when his status as a leader of millions of Nigerians of Yoruba ethnic stock was considered, but the event of Thursday, April 30, 2009, proved otherwise. Gani Adams just clocked 39 and it was at the instance of celebrating this that the large gathering at Alausa conveyed.
Although the celebrant's biography attests to a humble background, the class of automobiles which parked in and around the vicinity of the events centre, owners of which were around to grace the celebration evidently pointed out that Gani, as he is called by his followers, was a man held in high esteem by not a few ordinary people.
According to information on the circulated invitation, the programme was billed to commence at 10a.m. but even as at 2:15p.m, both human and vehicular movements in and out of the hall were still the order. This of course was in spite of the gracious entry into the main hall, by the celebrant, who took his time to exchange pleasantries with already seated guests, and even in the process, making some adjustments on the their sitting arrangement.
His imposing figure of six feet or thereabout, flowing and elegant agbada made of white lace materials, a matching purple abeti-aja cap, large sized, long glittering beads of mixed colours of blue and silver, sitting comfortably round his neck as well as the long retinue of bodyguards, especially those costumed in black suits in the manner of political aides, all created an alluring blend of splendour, gaiety and exuberance, as the multi-titled culture advocate gallivanted the entire hall, exchanging brisk pleasantries with all the tables. In fact, the aura of the larger-than-life importance that enveloped Gani Adams, who with no extra prompting ignited the hall which some minutes earlier was in a shadow of itself, could be equated to that of a nation's president. Indeed, Adams was a president of the OPC nation. The picture painted by his arrival at the venue vis-a-vis the caliber of the already seated traditional rulers, obas, rights activists from across Nigeria, entertainers, media representatives and of course the hordes of OPC stalwarts, even from outside the shores of this country surely made further attestations to Adams' rising profile both as a national ethnic leader, and also an activist of national repute.
The spontaneity, which characterised proceedings at the birthday party, left every meticulous observer with the reality that either there was no outlined agenda or it was not adhered to, even as foremost broadcaster, Deji Balogun who anchored the programme tried as much to have things in order. Hardly was Adams done with his exchange of banters that Balogun beckoned on the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, represented by the Aworo of Ile-Ife, Chief C.O. Awoyefa to literarily offer libations on behalf of the celebrant and the high chief in turn got the entire hall chorusing ‘ase’, a Yoruba word for amen with his prayers spiced up with strong Yoruba incantations.
Balogun immediately assumed quite an unenviable task after the supplications, as he endlessly reeled out the list of special guests who had come to celebrate Adams. Lagos State governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, his Oyo State counterpart, Adebayo Alao-Akala, both of whom were respectively represented by the permanent secretary in the office of the chief of staff, Samuel Olukunle Ojo and Sayo Alagbe, former Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia and a fellow culture activist, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Chief Executive of Daar Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Alegho Dokpesi, also represented by Sola Ayebola, General Manager, AIT News, Lagos West senator, Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS), Mrs. Joe Okei Odumakin of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), the celebrant's namesake and highly revered rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, whose daughter, Basirat represented, world cup winning coach, Chief Fanny Amun, Alhaji Shetima Yerima, former youth secretary, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Hon. Tony Uranta, a Niger Delta leader, Fatai Rolling Dollar, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Sir Shina Peters, Tope Alabi and a long list of Royal Fathers, amongst others, almost got Balogun's mouth dried of saliva.
In his goodwill message at the occasion, Fashola, who spoke through Samuel Olukunle Ojo, described Adams as an individual with rare leadership sagacity. The governor said Adams' actions as OPC coordinator are good yardsticks to measure ethnic self-determination. He prayed for a long life and sound health for the OPC leader. While the Oyo State governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, who was also represented by Sayo Alagbe, joined Governor Fashola in wishing Otunba Gani Adams more prosperous years ahead.
Top gospel act, Tope Alabi waited no extra minute before clutching the microphone while his producer-husband, Jide took on to the keyboard, in his full elements to officially usher Adams and his wife, Mojisola, into the hall with Tope's soul inspiring lyrics and her trademark sonorous voice alongside Jide's master touches on the keyboard. Indeed it was another round of honour done as the elegant couple wriggled majestically to the penetrating music of yet another couple, the Alabis. Everybody, (even the royal fathers!) on the party floor literally disobeyed the law of gravity as they stood on their feet till the Adams completed their 'journey' down the aisle.
While the munching and drinking continued, the Alabis gave a good account of themselves as they maximally thrilled the seated guests with different numbers from their past popular albums. By this time, the Adams were expected to be seated but alas, who did we see again meandering the seats? It was the celebrant himself, as he continued the pleasantries exchange from where he had paused earlier. This became more imperative for him as more guests, especially royal fathers from Lagos and his home state, Ondo kept thronging the venue in droves.
Although the Martinos' facility was already under a siege of sort particularly with its unbelievable accommodation of the present large crowd, the door leading to the main hall never had a bit of rest as mild commotions continued to play out. People kept laying unnecessary claims to one title or the other, all in the bid not to miss out of the fun within. Those who were barren of ideas of what to claim accepted their fate calmly and created another boisterous party scene outside the hall, with a retinue of the traditional Yoruba itinerant drummers adding extra spice of entertainment as they kept welcoming more and more guests.
Enigmatic Afro Juju crooner, Sir Shina Peters played the literary biggest masquerade that, a Yoruba adage says emerges last from the shrine. His heavily-percussion numbers rend the entire atmosphere in a frenzy that saw all lovers of good music, including Adams and his wife, swinging inescapably. And if anybody thought the Central Bank's recent campaigns against 'money spraying' at parties had achieved anything in reworking the orientations of Nigerians on the use of money at parties, such individual would definitely have a rethink after the birthday party. Friends, well-wishers, followers and all those that mattered to the Adams hardly waited to take turn in 'spraying' the couple with crisp notes of the naira. In fact, 'money sellers' had a field day.
With Shina Peters giving a pause, the anchorman announced the cutting of the mouth gaping cake. Huge, with a good use of blue-white colour blend, the cake had a sculptural design depicting Adams sitting magnificently on a couch in a supposed living room, with Mojisola seated on the rug, bearing a calabash of kola nuts on her laps, while on the right side of the cake, the traditional big, red chieftaincy beads occupied one-third of the base cake surface. Expectedly, Adams' family members and well-wishers took turn to take snapshots with the celebrant and his wife.
In a dramatic crescendo, Shina Peters 'rearrested' the entire hall for the umpteenth time with his music and entertaining dance steps, as the event finally got its ordering freedom from Deji Balogun, the anchorman. People threw all orderliness to the trash bins but despite that, the OPC police officers manning the entrance did not compromise, albeit they were obviously sapped of the initial gusto.
Trust Nigerians during occasions like this when there is enough to eat and drink. People literally gave their stomach an unusual treat and the lavatories got more than enough 'special guests' for the day.
The celebrant, while addressing pressmen at the event declared that the occasion of his 39th birthday anniversary and the attendance recorded were enough proof that he was indeed fighting what he described as a right cause. "What happened today has shown, beyond doubt that I'm fighting a right cause, and I'm using this opportunity to thank my God for sparing my life; for giving me this moment to celebrate yet another birthday. Even if I were not interested in celebrating the event, my well-wishers and my followers would still go ahead to celebrate it for me. A few people in the society have that opportunity and with that, I have to thank my God."
Commenting on the electoral imbroglio presently experienced in Ekiti State, the Yoruba leader said what is currently playing out in the sate is a sign of what Nigeria's democracy as a whole has become.
Said he: "I think what is happening in Ekiti State is rather unfortunate. It is a clear indication of what our democracy is, especially that we have been running democracy for a period of ten years, so, it is a very bad signal to the entire world. South Africans got their freedom some few years ago; they conducted an election, a presidential election for 44 million population and they declared the winner within just three days. But here, an election was held for just ten local governments, and what do we have? For the past five days, the results are still yet announced. It is unfortunate, and I think the present Federal Government should be ashamed because right now, the entire world is laughing at us"
Born on Thursday, April 30, 1970 in Arigidi-Akoko in the present Akoko North-West Local Government, Ondo State, Gani attended Army Children School, Oturkpo in 1976 but completed his elementary studies in Lagos at the Municipal Primary School, Surulere, Lagos, 1981. Although, the young Adams furthered in his studies to Ansar-ud-deen Secondary School, Randle Avenue, Surulere, for some reasons had to drop out of school in class three. He took a trade apprenticeship in furniture making and interior decoration.
Realising the danger of half-education, Gani Adams attended the International Aviation School, Tema, Ghana, where he obtained a National Diploma in Tourism Management in 2003 and then furthered to the Lagos State University to study History/International Relations.
At the age of 24 when most of his mates were still feeding from their mothers, Gani had become conscious of the need to get involved in the fight for what was believed as the emancipation of the Yoruba race and thus became a co-founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in 1994. That was after serving as the Public Relations Officer of the Mushin Local Government's chapter of the Campaign for Democracy (CD). His image as a frontline rights activist got an unprecedented boost during his 14-month incarceration in 2005 and his historical release in 2006. Adams is an adherent of the Ifa divination deity.
