His Royal Majesty, Oba AbdulRazaq Adegboyega Afolabi Iyiolaseni III is the Olojoku of Ojoku land. Ojoku is described as the fastest growing, serene, agrarian community in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State. The noble, jovial and ever effusing monarch is a man of enviable desriny; he marked 10th year of his coronation with pomp and pageantry as he was showered with love and encomia by his subjects, friends and well wishers. A zealous community developer who is mindful of his position as the custodian of culture and tradition. He has no doubt been leading his people with uncommon vision and aspiration. He has demonstrated that he is an administrator par excellence, knowledgeable historian, promoter of culture and tradition. He is the National Vice President of Cycling Federation of Nigeria. He is a king that stands out as advocate of morality, honesty, due process and rule of law – personal traits greatly influenced by his civil service background and experience in trade union movement. In chat with HighProfile team, he bared his mind on his growing up, education, working life, enthronement, experiences and on development of his domain.
Birth and Growing Up
July 7, 1952 is Oba Abdulrazaq Afolabi’s birth date. He was born in Lagos, but taken to Ghana where he was brought up. In 1959, he relocated back to Nigeria with his fathe, who ascended the throne of Olojoku of Ojoku in 1962. Perhaps it is with the power of insight that made his dad to ensure he was closer to him unlike other royal blood who are distant. He grew up in the palace environment which gave him the opportunity of having close watch of the norms in the royal court. The equally hardworking young prince was not arrogant or selfish, he has friends of varying backgrounds. He was making money as butcher, a trade that is more of family vocation, and operating bank account.
Family Vocation
In days of old when families are known for particular vocation or trade like farming, wood carving, cloth weaving, blacksmithing, e.t.c., transcending down the family lineage , Afolabi family in Ojoku was renowned as cattle owners and butchers. As far as Ojoku community is concerned, all members of his royal family are famous as butchers, ‘Alapatas’ as it is called in local parlance. The young Prince had a niece called Ayi Eleran, who served as his mother because of the age difference. Ayi Eleran was old enough to be his mother. He was working with her as a butcher boy.
Education
He began his primary education in Ojoku, which he finished in 1966, during which pupils spent seven years in primary school before graduation. As fate would have it, in 1967, his half brother, who was residing in Lagos, requested that he should join him in Lagos to learn a vocational skill which he did as mechanic apprentice. He didn’t do it for long, before the end of 1967, his father recalled him back to Ojoku to commence his secondary education. Unfortunately, he couldn’t gain admission into secondary school in January 1968.That compelled him to be resident in Ojoku for the whole of the year 1968, during which he engaged himself with the trade he had learnt, raw meat processing and selling as a butcher.
Fortunately, at the end of that year, he was lucky to gain admission into Offa Grammar School, Offa. By June 1973, fate had it for all of his set in Nigeria at that time to be the first set of WAEC’s June/July Examination all over the country. So, Oba Abdulrazaq Afolabi was among the pioneer set of that education policy.
He later proceeded to Government Secondary School, Ilorin, for his Higher School Certificate (HSC) between 1973 and 1975. He didn’t proceed straight to university in the year 1975, he worked as a clerk in the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture, a position he held for about four months before he voluntarily resigned and joined state Teaching Service. Upon joing the Teaching Service, he was posted to Offa Grammar School as a teacher, the same school where he had his secondary education.
In 1977, he got admission to Bayero University College, under ABU Zaria to study B.A. (Hons.) History. As fate would have it again, by October 1, 1977, the Federal Government announced that Bayero University College, Maiduguri University College, both under ABU Zaria and University College, Ilorin, under UI Ibadan, upgraded to full fledged universities which incidentally made his set to become the first set of Bayero University as graduates in 1980. The pioneer History students in the university ( BUK) were very few. They were just 12 in number, made up of 10 Nigerians and two Gambians. He graduated as one of the best five with Second Class (Upper Division).
Working Career
After graduation, Kabyesi served the nation under National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in Imo State. He was posted to Community Secondary School, Amukwu (now Abia State) as place of primary assignment. After the compulsory national service, he returned home and joined the services of Kwara State Polytechnic, which was then called Kwara State College of Technology (Kwaratech). He was posted to School of Basic Studies’ History Department and was saddled with the responsibility of teaching North Africa History and Industrial Revolution. During the same year also, he was lucky to have secured job in AT Gomel, in now Jigawa State. He also got another job in College of Education, Minna, Niger State but he declined all the opportunities in the spirit of listening to his father’s advice who had earlier warned him strongly not to go outside Kwara State no matter how juicy the job might appear. “I couldn’t go outside Kwara State because my father gave me specific instruction that I shouldn’t work outside the state,” he said.As young and vibrant lecturer, Prince Afolabi was hoping for so many things in life.
As God would have it again, under two years of active service in Kwaratech, he changed his job to Local Government Service Board in 1983, switching from academic to administrative job. He rose through the ranks and became Assistant Secretary 1. He continued his career at the local government and he made an indelible mark by changing the hitherto system that restricted workers from attaining certain cadre in the service irrespective of their qualifications.
The system of local government then was that nobody could go beyond level 13. No matter the qualification. The man-made stumbling block saddened his heart, an inspirational dissatisfaction that awoke his consciousness. During this period, the Secretary to the Local Government was on level 13, Administrative Secretary was on level 12, while all other officers would be stuck on level 10. And I started on level 9. That means I would be stuck on level 10 till I retire. “Never! When I have 2.1,” he said to himself.
He saw it as a cheat on the personnel in that line and the thought to make a change informed his involvement in trade union movement. Apart from being a labour man, in 1987, he was the pioneer electoral officer of the National Electoral Commission, NEC that time. “I conducted the 1987 local government election in Oyun, which was one of the toughest local governments to do election then, where Chief Ayotunde Raji came in as the Chairman. From there, I moved to Moro, Kainji, Omu-Aran. By 1992, I got seconded back to local government where I finally left government service,” he added.
He left service theoretically in 2012 after he ascended the throne of his forefathers as Kabiesi, the Olojoku of Ojoku but he disengaged him self practically from service in 2004.
Years of Labour Activism
That obvious subjugation in the realm of the then Local Government Service prompted and propelled him as an individual to become a labour man. He was individually and collectively fighting the glaring injustice in the system. His frantic effort brought him to limelight and he eventually became a voice to be reckoned with in the labour movement. He became the branch Chairman of NULGE (National Union of.Local Government Employees) of Borgu Local Government then in Kwara State and later became the state Public Relations Officer (PRO) in 1999.
When new states were created, Kogi people left while Borgu people left for Niger state. It now remained very few of them in the saddle. Thereafter, in 1991/92, he was made the Acting President of NULGE, the position he held till 2003. Later, it was said that there must be a review of local government scheme of service. Victory eventually came his way following the Presidency’s directives to all Military Governors. And it was adopted at the state level. That was how we were able to move from level 13 to level 17. That was one of the achievements I personally benefited from in my activities as a labour man” he said. He had a seamless years as a trade union activist, he enjoyed a peaceful and progressive labour years.
He midwived so many reforms as a vibrant and skilful agitator. Among the fruit of labour included the review of the scheme of service, the issue of allotment of sponsored pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Saudi/Mecca. Being a labour man, Kabiyesi has traversed the entire Nigeria and many countries of the world.” With my labour work and personal inquisitiveness, there is no state, out of the 36 states in Nigeria, including Abuja that I have not visited,” he said.
He had visited countries in almost all the continents of the world. Every year, he goes to one country or the other. As a matter of fact, he has been to Saudi Arabia more than 23 times in his life.
….Enthronement as Olojoku
Speaking succinctly about his emergence as Oba, he said: “I never thought I would become Kabiesi but what I discovered was that the last five years of my mum on earth, between 1999 and 2004, were full of prayers that God would make me to be in the position of my dad. Within me I was only saying: if it was going to be a blessing, God should make it happen but if it was not going to be, I did not want. When my uncle who was the Olojoku after my father joined our ancestors, the stool became vacant, I was called upon and I enjoyed tremendous support of the people, the kingmakers, government officials, political leaders and distant supporters.”
Achievements as Olojoku in a Decade
The monarch initiated a very gigantic town hall project which gulped over N25 million. It was completed without any public fund-raising ceremony in the community. Also, a befitting police station with officer’s lodge was built in the community. “I spoke with some of my people to get them done, we have a befitting police station with accommodation for officers. My journey outside the state, and outside the country is to woo the indigenes of Ojoku to come and build houses at home. We have a problem in this country. So many communities, including Ojoku, are having “lost generations.” For example, you are a successful trader in Lagos. You married an Ijebu or Egba woman, begin to have children, you refuse to bring them home. They will become “lost generations”. When you die, they won’t come home because you refused to let them know the system and integrate them to be part and parcel of the family you came from. So, I try to educate them on how to stop the habit,” the monarch said.
Also, I call them to come and get even if it is a room and a parlour apartment at home. I try to take them outside family bond to explore some things. If you go to GRA in Ojoku here, you will see beautiful, gigantic buildings there. They are built by the illustrious sons and daughters of Ojoku. I let them realise that Ojoku cannot become a ‘mega city’ without fine buildings. It is the expansion of the community and the structure on ground that make the community become a city.
Philanthropic Activities
“All my life, till today, I have been a philanthropist. I’ve awarded scholarship to more than a hundred primary pupils, secondary and university students. And by head counts, Ojoku indigenes that had stayed in my house in Ilorin for their education are more than 50. Some of them are still with me uptill today. And I did not do it with the purpose of receiving thanks from them or any gratification,” he explained.Kabiyesi floated ‘Afolabi Memorial Scholarship Scheme’, a rare initiave among traditional rulers.
His love and passion for people’s welfare navigated his interest towards setting up the humanitarian organ. As at now, Olojoku has touched many lives positively through the charity initiative. He engaged the services of technocrats and professional teachers with proven integrity for the running of the scheme to ensure that the right people are considered as beneficiaries. They select from primary school level to secondary and even beyond; while Kabiyesi provides funds for the payment of their school fees. “But it got to a point that people are pursuing it themselves. This morning, I’ve got a message that somebody is in need of N57,000. I cannot count the number of those I give scholarship to. As they come, I give whatever I can afford,” he added.
...Attempt in Business
“I learnt a little about business as a young boy; so, I was never afraid to take investment risk. I did ventured into business, I had my bakery here in Ojoku. I also had my garri industry here. But they are not in operation now. I had stopped them before I became Kabiesi. The money I released to people working there was embezzled. But I’m presently planning to revive it, after my 10 years on the throne. I want people to be engaged and work there and earn their means of livelihoods,” he narrated.
How Kabiesi Unwinds
The Olojoku is a socially balanced person, he belongs to various leading and forward-thinking clubs and associations whose primary objectives are to help the needy in the society.”I belong to International Lion’s Club. It is a charity organisation where we help the less privileged, handicapped and so on. I commit my resources to helping people. I am also a member of the prestigious Ilorin Club where I do go to relax with friends and like-minds,” Kabiesi enthused.
Favourite Games
“When I was in secondary school, I was a shot puter, I represented kwara State at the Nigeria Sports Festival. After that I changed over to cycling. In fact today, I’m a notable cyclist in kwara State Sports Council. I’m currently the National Vice President of Cycling Federation of Nigeria for the North Central Zone. I still ride cycle,” he revealed.The Olojoku is also a lover of football but he does not have preferred club. He watches football for fun. He has traveled far and wide and has visited some of the stadia of the big and famous international clubs in England, Italy and other Europeans countries.
Advice to Ojoku indigenes
The monarch advised indigenes of the community to always speak with one voice and share true love among themselves. He advised that they should foster unity, progress, and advancement. “Let’s continue our unity in diversity. Let’s love our community, don’t develop lost generation, who does not know their roots,” he added.
Advice to Politicians
He advised politicians to provide water, health, access roads, though not all roads can be tarred within short period in office but urged them to focus on things that will have direct and positive impact on the lives of people. Oba Abdulrasaq Afolabi implored politicians to accord social amenities utmost priority. “Politicians should always have it at the back of their minds that every position is temporal, even the position of Obaship is temporal, our life is temporary. Politicians should be God-fearing and should have the love of their people at heart.
His enthronement as Olojoku of Ojoku is a round peg in a round hole.