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Adebayo Mabayoje
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them are quite overwhelming that I think I just have to express them
somehow. Who am I in life? What does life means to me? And the future;
was born in Surulere, Lagos state; but I hail from Osogbo, Osun State. I
I was born in Lagos, on the 24th of August, 1975, and was the third
son of Adetunji Mabayoje, the owner of the only bicycle store in Igboshere
Lane in Lagos Island. My father, also a son of a popular petty trader in his
time was a boy, when he was recommended by his abilities and talents to
with the talent of petty trading he had developed from his own father. My
father could not believe the idea of working for someone else to be later
paid some ‘little Pounds’ at the end of thirty days when he could move
about to get some wares from places to sell to people from places and
make better ponds there from; even before the count of a thirty-day.
circumstance, the other a most uncommon one. The first is, that in his
With the little he had, he married and had a large family; conduct than
which nothing could be more opposed, both as a matter of good sense and
of duty, to the opinions which, at least at a later period of life, he
which was required to lead the life he led, with the disadvantages under
which he strived from the first, and with those which he brought upon
himself by his marriage. It would have been no small thing, had he done no
more than to support himself and his family during so many years of
as he did, opinions, both in politics and in trade, which were more lovable
men in that generation than either before or since. My father was not only a
convictions, but one who invariably put every thing he has into his trading
circumstances would in any way permit: being, it must also be said, one
who never did anything negligently; never undertook any task, literary or
other, on which he did not conscientiously bestow all the labour necessary
for performing it adequately. But he, with these burdens on him, planned
especially we; his children. And to this is to be added, that during the
whole period, a considerable part of almost every day was employed in the
instruction of us; his children: in the case of one of whom, myself, he
principle of losing no time, was likely to try to pass on the same rule in his
began to learn ‘good English’ like he would say. I have been told that it
was when I was three years old. That was when his contemporaries would
lists of common English words, with their uses in English, which he wrote
out for me on cards and some on the corner of his bicycle store. Of
grammar, until some years later, I learnt no more than the concords of the
Brighter Grammar part one to five. I crammed a lot of examples from the
books. I learnt very little of Arithmetic at this period, until my eighth year.
At that time I had read, under my father's guide, a number of poem and
story books.
In all his teaching, my father demanded of me; not only the utmost that I
could do, but much that I could by no possibility have done. What he was
from the fact that I went through the whole process of preparing my
vocabulary lessons in the same store in which he kept his many business
wares, and on the same table he used for his personal accounting jobs. In
community was wanting. But my father was more than just an unlettered
forced to have recourse to my father for the meaning of every word which I
uncle, Toyeshe whom I’m fond of, taught me, taking it as the task of the
evenings, and I well remember its disagreeableness. But the lessons were
our house. In these walks I always accompanied him, and with my earliest
recollections of green fields and wild flowers, is mingled that of the
account I gave him daily of what I had read the day before. To the best of
While reading, I made notes on slips of used paper packets of items that
my father sold to his customers, and from these, in the morning walks, I
told the story to him. My greatest delight of the story books I read then and
for long afterwards was Reverend Bakko and the Seven Lambs; part one to
five. Next to it, my favourite reading was The Seven Hunters in the
Demons’ Forest. My father had more or less narrated the story in the book
narrated it to me; and my uncle pretended as if he did not realize that book
to him.
brother; ‘uncle Toye’ as I fondly called him. He was fond of putting into
such works, I remember Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart which I first
recommended for pupils to get for lessons in English Literature; but I have
a number of story books some of which came from occasional gifts from
possessed of such books next to none, but he borrowed several for me;
especially each time he feels I needed to keep myself busy; like a bee. So
each moment my uncle feels like whiling away his time or when he wanted
to maketh the man in himself the more; he would call me out and we used
to sit under the mango tree on the field behind our house. ‘Bayo’! He used
to call out the short form of my name. Then he would say ‘continuous
reading maketh the man in a man’; and I would get the message.
I started attending Arabic class in my tenth year, in conjunction with a
repeated the lessons to my father. Other sisters and brothers later joined us
me. ‘Pass what you know to those you know more than’; he used to say. It
was a part which I greatly disliked; the more so, as I was held responsible
for the lessons of my pupils, in almost as full a sense as for my own. I was
compelled to teach them part of what they learned in their various schools.
from this discipline the; and more lastingly retaining the things which I
difficulties to others, may even at that age have been useful. In other
inefficient as teaching, and I well knew that the relation between teacher
and taught is not a good moral discipline to either. I went in this manner
conversation I had cared to take part in, and it became a great experience
which for many years I most delighted. I think I must have watched the
video so many times that I lost counts. Soon after this time I commenced
entrance examinations.
more vivid realities. I saw some seniors in our neighborhood who were
living some lifestyle I used to think that I should live it better when I get to
their age. For most weekends of my primary five, I was usually busy
language. For my father, not having kept up this part of his early acquired
difficulties, and left me to deal with them, with little other aid than that of
solve difficult problems for which he did not see that I had not the
CLOSE TO ADOLESCENCE
could have made good blending into the science fold, some realization
managed a position among the best ten in the class. Today experimental
science is a kind of discipline which I have often regretted not having had
-- nor even seeing, but merely reading about them. I have laid my hands on
first principles of physics, which abounds in the early part of that work. I
devoured treatises on Chemistry; but that was not enough for me to end up
as a scientist by profession.
instruction; in which the main object was no longer the aids and appliances
of thought in pure science but in social science. Adams Smith was a great
Business Methods, Commerce, and so forth. Giving each day to him, in our
was not too convinced that I was ‘there’ yet. I well remember how, and in a
make me realize that he was no longer against what I feel like becoming as
far as my education was concerned. He was unusually silent at a time; then
he cleared his throat, and framed some conception of what life seemed like
for great writers like Chinua Achebe, Wole Shoyinka who was then
recently nominated for a Nobel Laurel, and the likes of them. At first the
style did not make the matter at all clear to me at the time; but it was not
early practical familiarity with reading novels and story books; attending
early as my childhood which started in his bicycle store and on his table in
the corner of his store. For whatever capacity of writing and oratory I have
to read; coupled with the support of uncle Toye, remained the impetus that
made it for me. Today, whatever good level of intellect I attained was due
life. But what I learnt from ‘uncle-Toye’, are responsible today for most of
opportunity is like a double edged sword that should be very well managed
particular occasions.
I arrived home unusually early the Friday that I got my third ‘report
whom I was really fond of. He speaks the type of English I think by then,
was great and I had always wanted to speak like him. He had promised to
first and the third. So as our class teacher called out our names and handed
over our ‘report cards’ to each of us, I could not control my ecstasy. I
sneaked out of the school as the janitor ranged the bell for break period. I
mother had gone to her workplace; ‘Daddy’ too. Taye and Koinde- my
because school would close on that day for the session. I had forgotten
about the promise. I was too happy to remember. I rushed home before the
school bell rang! My ‘little success’ of that day caused some big problem
for the school. The situation turned out as a case of a missing student. Later
on when it was discovered that I was not missing after all, my uncle
fulfilled his promise to me the next day; but not without admonishing me.
me.
Taye, Kionde and I get fifty kobo every morning from our mother
return later in the day, uncle ‘Toye’ as we fondly call him; would ask of our
‘little drop of water’. I was most consistent to bring back one naira, fifty
kobo, because I just liked to impress my uncle. Then, came a year that all
of us cannot forget easily. Our long school holiday coincided with ‘Ileya’
festival. Daddy said he did not have enough money to buy new shoes for
the three of us, after buying the ram for the festival and our clothing for the
celebration. We felt bad, even though each of us still has two pairs of shoes
that were close to new ones. Three days to the festival, uncle Toye called
for me; and I was in his room. Then he asked if I could imagine how my
‘little drops of water’ had turned into an ocean! After explaining many
things that I could not really comprehend then; beyond the understanding
that he would be able to buy a new pair of shoes for me from my savings
young man each time I gather a number of thousands of Naira from ‘drops
of rain’ that I keep from the ‘remains’ I get from some commercial
transactions I make.
make it look like. An individual is the maker of his bed and he sleeps on it
accordingly. My early adult life was built on realities. Part of it has been
mere stroke of luck; yet Fijabi; my best friend’s elder brother, by no less
mean tried to always prove to us that luck is facilitated by strong effort and
Gombe, Ngeria. I see thse great guys- John Ibitoye, Lasun Adams, Arith
of a major infection that could have held me down for several months. My
friends and I; during my adult age are really fond of ourselves. Arith Odu
was very close. She would stay in my apartment till close to midnight. We
newsletter; and some other flimsy talk we used to have. Arith came from
Bayelsa state, she taught me many things about her tribe and people;
Yoruba culture she would be keen to get from me in return. Like me, she is
the first child of her parents, and the first daughter too. She is not
privileged to taste the urban experience I had during childhood. After six
very close; intimate was our relationship that many people were shocked to
know that we only liked one another; and not beyond that. I have had
course to speak with her fiancé several moment, even before meeting him
physically.
Lagos until he went for his university education in his state of origin. The
two of us have had a particular reason to run into one another like to waters
for many corps members to know that Arith was going to be taken to the
altar by another individual apart from the guy they have always observed
her intimacy with all the while. By my experience with Arith, I learnt self
remember my mother often say. The reality never sunup on me like it did
MY BIG SHOCK
very much when my beloved mother died on 31st of August, 2003; exactly
seven days after my birthday celebration. Incidentally too it was the day I
stopped as soon as she conceived her first child- me. The experience was a
little much for her to bear. She was often advised to take some bed rest
After her delivery of her first child, trading took over from teaching as a
she believed. Even when daddy refused at a time, mother bought new
uniforms for us; even before the end of a term. She would spoil us; daddy
used to say. She knew what she was doing. According to her belief; mother
they have in her. We did not really understand her attitude towards people
then. I was particularly small, my uncle Toye once told me; to know that
she gives out as mush as she gets. I remember though that each moment we
had to invite people for certain celebration or the other our compound was
always filled with crowd. But mother died! She just died; no explanation
more than she gave in to this heart ailment she had really spent much to get
rid of.
but surprised to see him. I had sent another friend of mine; a school mate to
inform my family of my plan to take some few days off with my friend in
Ede.
but my elder brother’s. ‘Kayode was traveling to Germany for his master
that day to see him off at the airport later in the evening. I rushed to Lagos;
happy. Sad; vary sad I latter became when I knew that Taye stealthily took
me home to know that mother had gone ‘home’. Mother died. She was
gone. And that is history; but I remember every bit of her love. I took a lot
from her. From her I got it that having good people around one are of great
essence.
reason is attached to this than the fact that they enjoy my philosophy of
ambition.
EFFECT OF SHOCK
In fact, her death affected many things because she was strong and
showed us more care. Yes, more than daddy did. She could not complete
forth.
me, like wild fire in a hot harmattan in a northern Nigerian state; where I
did my National Youth Service. The zeal to succeed in life started to grow.
Sidi Camp, in Nafada Local Government Area of Gombe State. The best of
my friends was Arith Odu- a lady from Bayelsa state, Mudashir Salami, a
call him) any trouble to notice the way I speak. He liked the way I speak-
down to our room (we shared one). ‘Bayo they want you!’ he shouted from
outside of the room. That was how my first significant success started as a
young graduate. I took part in the try-out conducted by the organizers and
Mallam Sidi camp became more interesting starting from June 8th,
2005. By 5am I was awake. I could not wait to go on air on the OBS. My
duties for the day usually begin with announcing the brake of a new day,
experiences. I had more and more friends. I was careful not to let the
got some commendations. After the third week on camp, I was posted to
whom were quite older and more experienced in and outside the
The state award I won as one of the best youth corps member in
2006 meant that I had to stay behind in the northern state of Gombe while
secondary school days up till present and I am happy to note that life has
been fairly good. I have seen some dark clouds amidst bright skies during
IN LOCO PARANTIS
life is all about relationship. People come together to do one thing or the
other. As human being we come to meet people we have not met before
and we are bound to separate later on. One can only enjoy the period of
maintained.
Services; GSBS acted ‘in loco parentis’ for three years of my life in
Gombe. From office my relationship with him grew right into his home:
his family- two wives, six children, and a number of his friends. He
smokes heavily.
the GM had some bad health. I brought in my friend ‘Doki’ who confided
abdomen. ‘Nothing can really cure that baba unless he changes his eating
Alhaji Maikudi was suffering from something else caused by another habit
had told the GM that he would come to see how the Gm feared the next
day. He did some checkups and suddenly raised some tension which was
visibly felt by the GM. His ailment could turn terminal unless he stopped
smoking. From no where the Hausa old man brought out a copy of Qur’an
free health. I use to wonder how he would fell to know how little change of
habit made such big difference in his life. Change is constant; just as it is
relative. Knowing when to make the right one is the obligation of the
mater.
that look out for me. When any one of us is having a bad day, we always
friends off air- no idle talk any way. And alone with myself when I get
long future. Would I have enough time for my kids to take from my
philosophy of life? How would my wife like it that she sees her husband
only quite late at nights and he leaves for work early morning? No
own family. Apart from the time I would have to think of how to create to
be with my Folashade and the kids she would bear for me, I don’t see any
consistent sought for it. I know I would need a strong support and
Together with her and our children, I see great future. A life of
bigger success enhanced by great relationship with good people I have and
would be having. I am positive of such successful future because my ‘Fola’