By Abiodun .J. Owonikoko
About two weeks back, I had the honour of invitation to attempt a review of the manuscript of this enthralling and history-encapsulating literary work by Dr Joe Okei Odumakin.YINKA ODUMAKIN A BIOGRAPHY . This came first by a WhatsApp message followed up with a direct telephone call from a friend with whom I shared upwards of 36 years of memorable comradeship with the late Yinka Odumakin (10/12/66-2/4/2021). Let me say straight away, that It is not out of character for the author to invest her priceless time , boundless energy and profundity of her unmistakable intellect to a myriad of worthy public interest causes. The least we owe her is to do her the honours to witness any such milestone of selfless sacrifice.
But this time it was a bit more comforting that the effort was to unveil a project more personal and yet public spirted: a book rich in contemporary Nigerian history, its Yoruba sub-regional cultural values as at is a celebration of the life and defining personality of Dr Joe Okei Odumakin’s departed struggle-partner and soul mate : Peter Yinka Odumakin of blessed and affectionate memory . Today, 2nd April2023 marks exactly the second year since we lost Yinka into embrace of immortality where our earthly pain and worries can no more exert their toll on his gentle and noble soul.
The book contains 7 crisp chapters prefaced with a uniquely engaging piece of poetry offering us a carefully nuanced window into what was to come . The author would appear to be overtly modest about the task she is set to accomplish when we find her musing in the first 9 lines of the poem titled Ellipsis…, that she personally composed as an intro to book… :
‘How could I write death?
Your death
With just pen
My pen…
How do I pen
the unsaid?
What is left
that they haven’t said.
They have said it all’
But lo and behold! as you opened the first chapter , you are startled. There is definitely more about to be said than the author has dared to hide in plain sight ; for the word Ellipsis which poetically heralded the book should have forewarned us that there’s indeed something left unsaid. Ellipsi shoukd have been discerned as a byword that the above excerpt from the poem is but an ironical confession that more was to come in the body of the book. I was soon to discover that the author only modestly chose to be unlike Nigeria’s proverbial politicians: I can assure you that reading through the manuscript, the author under-promised only to over-deliver.
Review :
The book is unveiled with dedication and an abstract which capture the theme of relativistic dimension of life’s immortality in whichever form it morphs. The author makes a bold dialectic proposition that‘ in the final analysis , nothing in life has a firm end , as nothing as well has final beginning.’
The profundity of that expression signposts a significant correlation with Heraclitus’s famous thesis about the impossibility of stepping into the same flowing river twice. In his Cosmic Fragments the thinker further dissects the rationale of the proposition in these words –
‘ The meaning of the river flowing is not that all things are changing so that we cannot encounter them twice, but that some things stay the same only by changing.’
Welcome then, to the meat of this appetite-whetting piece , as we are ushered into the first Chapter titled : 1Birth and Early Education
Here an enthralling account and foretelling of later life of critical activism of Yinka’s beginning and early education is explored right through to his Early Education. No effort was made to embellish or sugar coat his humble start in life. The author credibly weaves the narration by making a foray into his elementary educational exploits and the intersection with Yoruba tradition, that later was to reflect in his lifelog political engagements as he matured into a nationally respected progressive voice and polemist. But for this book, It never struck me all through my days as an undergraduate at Ife that the secondary schools all around the ancient city that hosts our University are purposively and thoughtfully branded and named after iconic Yoruba figures of yore. Till date those schools bear names that are identified with Oranmiyan, Oduduwa College , Moremi High School, etc. I bet that some in this gathering today, just like myself, will probably only make the connection for the first time on reading the book .
The author proceeded to chapter 3, to conclude exploration of Yinka’s higher educational career path.
Chapter 2: Great Ife .
Here, vivid details of the intellectual foundations of Yinka’s philosophy of life took the spotlight. We are regaled with insights into how he evolved in his world view from an orthodox Marxist socialist to a social activist that was battle-tested but never battle-wearied on and off campus ; the thankless price paid were informatively fleshed out but not in too much details that could bore the reader. The devils details were edited out beyond what is t enough to sustain interest . One little slip though , and it can be can be forgiven . I spotted in the passage about the fight against Yinka’s expulsion for student activism and the resultant court case that ended in victory for him and his fellow comrades against the university. In the narration , Prof A.B. Kasunmu SAN, who represented the University in that litigation was mentioned quite correctly. However, it seems to have been implied that the erudite Professor of Law was only later to become a Senior Advocate. On the contrary, the Prof was already a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for 8 years (1979) by the time the case was prosecuted (1988). And his eminence indeed accentuates the feat recorded by the victory won for the student by their relatively young counsel who only became a senior advocate in his own right about two decades after the case was concluded.
Chapter 3The Road to Afenifere. It unveils the post-university pollical odyssey of the subject .
It is to be expected that the writer would lend us some insight into what Afenifere is all about. As yes. She did. As well as its origins , changing compositions and leading lights. For people of Yinka’s age Afenifere is nothing more than surviving Awoist. The journey of the subject’s childhood fascination with his idol and his foray into ring-side seat among the leaders who called the shots in the political assemblage was amplified. We are treated to the underpinnings of present tendencies in that foremost Yoruba socio-political organisation; and makes one wonder in hindsight , in which camp would Yinka have pitched his tent among the splintering Afenifere tendencies of today , were he alive today? Would he have been an Obidient Afenifere or a BATified one? One thing is sure, Yinka wouldn’t have sat on the fence. He wasn’t a vacillator by nature , as the author was to later confirm in the next chapter .
Chapter 4, The Awoist.
While the previous chapter dissected anecdotal relationship of dramatis personae in Afenifere, one gets the sense that The Awoist can easily pass for short case note on the subject of Awoism, if it were a course of study.
I must commend the literary fluidity with which the chapter was developed. It is a penetrating, if candid, scorecard of the shades of adherents. The powerful characterisation of those ‘who rose by the name to their own fame, and then unravelled into infamy’is instructive. It was nevertheless made less unpalatable to by avoiding name calling or shaming. Or lawyers would have baying for libel suits . In the paragraph that immediately follows that revealing critique of the Awoists by name only, the reader is not left with licence to make a judgment in vacuo . A commendation was offered to the camp of those who dutifully kept faith with the sterling ideals and tradition that the late sage stood and lived for. Next chapter.
Chapter 5; Aluta Matrimony .
All struggle and no love is a reproach. I suppose that is why this chapter has to feature. In it you get a touching feel of the effusive interplay of romance with aluta in their fascinating and scintillating titbits. The chapter lived up to its billing. It makes enjoyable reading for the sheer relatable drama of boy-meet-girl in the most unlikely of places. We get to find in the cast of that romantic scene , the late Senior Advocate of the Masses, Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN as he plays the role of a matchmaker right in the midst of intense political activism and survival uncertainties. Paradoxically, it in this chapter that the author shares with us the most defining character and persona of the subject. It must take untrammelled intimacy and acuteness at closest quarters, to so keenly and aptly appraise one’s subject . The author has this to say of Yinka Odumakin:
‘Despite the raging ethnic, religious and social issues, Yinka had lifelong clear views about race, tribe and humanity. He pursued a cause to disagree sharply with domination by any ethnic group, and had nothing but great respect and affection for his several Fulani friends. Yinka could assume a glow simply Palking about Col. Umar Dangiwa (Rtd.).
Despite his immersion in Yoruba cultural creeds, ethos and philosophy, he was impervious to certain ethnic barriers which were considered to be de rigueur in his circles.Joe hails from the Igbo speaking area of Delta State. Specifically, Illah in Oshimili North.’
I cannot but concur in this depiction of Yinka that I know and enjoyed patriotic fraternity with for nearly four decades dating back to our teenage years as undergraduates at Great Ife.
Chapter 6; Death Row .
The title of this chapter is an engaging metaphor of the message that the author has been building in the preceding chapters – Afterall this book tells a cradle to grave story, so that if birth breadth the first live , death then, must end it. The choice of the death row metaphor therefore succeeds in painting a poignant image of an inverted anti-climax to the entire book. The inversion derives from arriving ahead of the climax which readers would be glad to unveil in the final chapter. It is expectedly the longest narration in the piece of work. I daresay it is to a good literary effect.
The writer draws out a philosophical context out of the expression when applied to life itself. I beg to quote the author here ,
Everyone who draws breath on earth is actually on a death row. From the moment we are born, our feet shuffle inexorably towards this eventuality. It is just a matter of time. Sometimes fate intervenes to expedite or delay the inevitable. In the words of Robert Half, “Death is the penalty we all pay for the privilege of life.”
This is quite deep. This is profound. Its fitting repository for posterity is nowhere other than on the marble.
Readers who struggle to make sense out of ephemerality of life in times of irreparable loss, will find the chapter a calming balm from the pains of bereavement to achieve some measure of closure needed to move on with life, afterwards.
Coincidentally , one name featured in this chapter that tells a familiar story of investment in common humanity when others encounter their own adversity . the author exposes us to one man who played a life-saver in Yinka’s recurring health needs at some point in his later life. It was revealed in the book that one Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu had intervened with a helping hand at the early stage of Yinka’s trying health issues by arranging his passage for overseas medical trip for treatment in India. The author very appreciatively tagged the philanthropic gesture ‘…prompt and unadvertised intervention.’
Again very moving account was given in this chapter of how Yinka proved to be a cat with nine lives as the clock of eventual mortality ticked for him. Of how he used them up at an alarming rate. Sadly, the disappointing role of our sub-par Medicare (traditional and orthodox) in hastening and aggravating the myriads of medical emergencies he had to endure dogged the last years of his life. This jarring experience must give concern to those of us who still have Nigeria as our sole medical option. It speaks to where the rain has been beating us heath-wise. And why hopefully Yinka’s untimely exit must prick our governments’ conscience to take access to qualitative and affordable heath care in-country more seriously. It did not help that the news of Yinka’s death while on admission in a reputedly high ranking tertiary hospital was broken to the family , not by the doctors , but on the internet. Imagine the aggravated double trauma that the family had to endure all at once. I leave you to read the full details of that experience in the book, while I move to the final chapter.
Chapter 7: The Mourning After…
As it is with the way God works his wonders, the message in the book was not all gloom doom and pangs. The play on words in the title of this last chapter cannot be missed . It ended with a happy recompense albeit posthumously. Yinka left him surviving not just the Iyawo rere and Abraham his son. Better news than was broken on 2nd April, 2021 was soon to come from Atlanta Georgia in the United States of America to the grieving family. A few months after his passing, there arrived a set of twins into the family of the Odumakins. So what the centenarian dad lost in Yinka’s untimely death , the lord replenished two fold with twin grandchildren. And so aluta continua and hope for victory is doubly renewed . This is what I reckon as the belated happy-ending climax of the story of Yinka Odumakin . God be praised.
Conclusion.
As I earlier noted the book reveals that late Yinka contracted an intertribal matrimonial contract, and made a success of it. .A good part of this book oozes of incredible evidence of ideas thought through in ijinle Yoruba but expertly delivered in English by an Ika Ibo wowan that is the gain of Yorubaland.
Please join me in heartily congratulating Dr Joe Okei Odumakin, the author for capturing for posterity and the children, particularly the young twins born after their dad’s home call, the memory and illustrious legacy of her departed husband. It is a testimony to the wisdom and grace of marrying right and living right by our spouses .if we do, and when we leave too soon , leaving our spouse behind, it can be said that we left us surviving Iyawo rere. Dr Joe Odumakin richly deserves that accolade in all ramifications. The book we are reviewing this afternoon is averitable and incontestable proof of that verdict.
I thank you.
*Abiodun .J. Owonikoko SAN FCArb presented this review of Yinka Odumakin’s Biography at the public presentation of the book in commemoration of the 2ndanniversary of the passing of the departed, on 2 April, 2023 at Sheraton Hotel ikeja , Lagos
2/4/2023.