My participation: By Bisi Akande

A REVIEW BY DR. OGBONNAYA ONU, OF THE BOOK: MY PARTICIPATIONS, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, BY BISI AKANDE.

I am happy to be invited by the author as one of those to review the book: My Participations, an Autobiography, by Bisi Akande published in November, 2020, by Gaskiya Media Ltd, Lagos, Nigeria. This is a 618 page book, divided into four Sections, with 36 Chapters, an Appendix and Index. It has a Map of Ila-Orangun and its neighbours at the beginning of the book. Pictures are arranged in two sections of 16 pages each at the beginning within the preface and at the end of Section three of the book. The Foreword is written by Professor Wole Soyinka and the book is dedicated to Wuraola Abebi and Lawani Akande. The author has 18 other publications, including 10 monographs. Reading through the book, there are some errors. Correcting those errors, will improve the quality of the book. On Pages 457 and 458, Senator Annie Okonkwo was the Deputy National Vice Chairman South (not North) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Numbering of pages, spellings and grammatical errors can be corrected by editing.The ever smiling Chief Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande was born on January 23, 1939, into the family of Wuraola Abebi and Lawani Akande, with two brothers and two sisters in Ila-Orangun, an ancient city of migrants within the Igbomina kingdom in the defunct Western Region, that is now known as Osun State. At a young age, he decided against going to school, but preferred to be a mechanic. He later changed his mind and went to school. His progressive and liberal credentials started early in life. Ila-Orangun in the First Republic, was a stronghold of the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC). Later, it was the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) that had control of the area. Subsequently, it became the stronghold of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). As a child, he accompanied his uncle to church on Sundays. He attended a Methodist Primary School. He also tried to get baptized in the Catholic Church. However, the more he tried, the more he failed the Catechism test. He remained a Muslim. He believed that if he had gone to any of the Pentecostal Churches, he would have been converted. It is remarkable that all through his life, he remained a very tolerant man, showing friendship to all. He kept questioning why his parents were poor. He came to the conclusion that they were poor because they refused to change when the situation warranted it. They remained with their palm wine trade, that gave them money earlier in life when business boomed as the railway lines were been constructed. They did not change their line of trade or occupation when that project was completed. They did not acquire the necessary skills that would have helped them diversify into the new economy brought about by British Colonial Rule. No wonder learning from the mistakes of his parents, the author worked to keep acquiring additional skills to adapt to new circumstances. He started life as an apprentice mechanic, then later as a shop clerk, and after his primary school education became a pupil teacher as one of the pioneer teachers of the historic free and compulsory education programme of the then Western Region. He had to trek a total of 22 miles (over 35 kilometers), to resume as a teacher in the new school at Ijama-Oke. Then he was regarded and acted as Headmaster of the school. He later attended a two year programme, at the Divisional Teachers Training College at Ile-Ife, where he was the Health Officer. He completed his education, but could not collect his certificate or testimonial because of the money he owed the school.Chief Akande is a self made man, he worked very hard and was determined to succeed in life. He did not go to any secondary school. He never saw the inside of any university, except for short courses. Yet, through home study and learning by correspondence, he was able to obtain the certificate of a Chartered Secretary, and later became a qualified accountant at the age of 22 years. He taught briefly in a secondary school. He was able to secure a job in a foreign company, the British Petroleum (BP). Chief Akande is a man that is used to look other men in the face. Yet, when it was necessary for him to do so as part of his work schedule, he failed. He was caught sleeping at work, a serious offence that was punishable with summary dismissal. A panel of three, was set-up to try him. His honesty saved him. He rose very quickly in his job, and was promoted to very high management position in the company. He travelled extensively in the country and was able to visit many parts of the country. He was able to visit many other countries for training purposes. When the time came for him to make a change, after fourteen productive and interesting years with BP, he did not hesitate.The author is a man with a complex personality. In addition to his ever smiling face, he is full of jokes, which can at times be very expensive. At one time, he found himself in an awkward position fleeing from the Senior Prefect of his school in Ile-Ife, who pursued him with a cutlass. He can be stubborn. As the Health Officer, in his school at Ile-Ife, he resisted the pressure from his fellow students, which nearly cost him expulsion from the school. He has a principled mind, he makes every effort to stand by whatever he believes in. When Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye, organised people from his area to have a different political interest from Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Akande was not in agreement. He had to pretend to be drunk, to explain why he did not participate in their discussions. However, when the others found out that he was only drinking mineral water, they decided to leave him alone.His 82 years, have been years of service to his fellow human beings. He was elected as a Councillor, and became a member of the 1977 Constituent Assembly, that gave the nation the Presidential System of Government. He was appointed the Secretary to the then Government of Oyo State by Governor Bola Ige. In 1999, he won election as the Governor of Osun State. For several years, he served as National Chairman, of four different political parties. He was the National Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He was the founding and only National Chairman of the Action Congress (AC). Also, he was the founding and only National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In 2013, he became the Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was then, an opposition party but now the ruling party in the country. He remains a respected leader of the APC. As National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), he played important role in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The formation of the APC was a major and historic achievement. This was the first time, that political parties controlling government came together in a merger both in Nigeria and also in Africa. It is very rewarding that the APC, soon after it was formed, became a governing party by defeating a political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that had been in power for 16 years. Again, the APC’s victory was the first time that a seating President was defeated in an election in Nigeria. The author worked closely with the National Chairmen of the other two legacy political parties, the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). The meeting which the author reported that took place in November 2010, soon after the election of the National Chairman of ANPP, was very historic. The author may recollect the discussions between him and the National Chairman of ANPP, as at the end of that meeting when he escorted the National Chairman of ANPP to his car. They both agreed, at the suggestion of the author, to constitute committees for the two parties to start meeting. The author’s role, in the selection of the first presidential running mate of the APC, who later became Nigeria’s Vice President, is very commendable.The Asiwaju of Ila-Orangun was blessed with a good wife, “made for him by destiny”. Both of them have five children, and many grand children. In his own words, his wife’s, “loyalty was total, her love profound, and her courage, in the face of crisis was without parallel”. She was a star athlete, and brilliant in her academic studies. She was a nurse-midwife. They were married on December 26, 1966. She played the role of a mother to him, “always petting me to eat, and lulling me to sleep. She would dress my hair and manage my wardrobe”. When the author wanted to run for Governor of Osun State, his wife was originally opposed to it, maybe because he was reneging on a promise, he had earlier made to her that after his release from prison, that he would no longer go for public office. But later, she changed her mind and supported him. She abhorred the role of First Lady, but made sure she cooked for him in order to save him from any harmful mischief. Both of them loved themselves and even when they had been married for more that half a century, they behaved as teenage lovers or new couples. It is certain that he never forgot what happened on December 16, 1961, when as a school teacher on holiday, he joined other spectators at a football match, organised in his home. Suddenly, a charming beautiful young girl ran to him for protection and possible defence. This young girl turned out to be his guardian angel, the mother of his children and the grand-mother of his grand-children. Since that date, he wrapped her in his arms, and never allowed those arms to be taken away. It took 56 years, on Tuesday, July 11, 2017, for that firm grip to be loosened, only by the death of his beloved wife. He never believed that his wife had died, because in his mind, he remembered the secret understanding between them that his wife would survive him. Her death, left him “lonely, vulnerable and hopeless”. He wept bitterly and loudly, when he was told that his wife had been buried, because he knew that his guardian angel had gone, never to return.Chief Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande, in his public life, forged a special relationship with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Both of them served as Governor of their respective States, from 1999 to 2003. After 2003, Chief Bisi Akande as National Chairman of all the four political parties that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was also a member, developed very special relationship with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Their relationship flourished such that both of them at sometime appeared as the face of APC in the South West of Nigeria. Chief Bisi Akande in his political life, developed an extensive network of relationship with politicians as well as community, business, traditional and religious leaders. This relationship was at the State, Regional and National levels. This is so extensive, that reading through this book, one can also have to a reasonable degree, an abridged form of the political history of our country.The life history of Chief Bisi Akande, shows that our nation, is a country of great opportunities. The changes that took place just within one generation are awesome. He was born into a poor family, and his parents died, “poor and wretched”. But Chief Bisi Akande is wealthy and comfortable in his old age. His father died from malaria at the age of about 50 years and his mother died at the age of about 45 years from catarrh and cough. Chief Bisi Akande, is 82 years old and yet he is strong and healthy. His parents’ main achievements in life “were their children”. Chief Bisi Akande in addition to his immediate family, has accomplished so much in a life time. He acquired professional certificates at a young age. He worked for a foreign company and rose to almost the highest position that a Nigerian could attain at that time. He left at a relatively young age. He was elected Governor of a State and became the politicians’ politician, as National Chairman of major political parties. This story clearly shows that one’s future is not determined by one’s background. Nigerians who are determined to work hard can achieve their dreams and accomplish their goals irrespective of the limitations of their birth.