Ninety-two-year-old Agboola Adedipe talks to FEMI MAKINDE about his life
When and where were you born?
I was born on January 23, 1923, in Igede-Ekiti, Ekiti State. My father, the Chief Asamo of Igede-Ekiti, was a tailor. He could read and write. My mother was Deborah Aina. She was among the first Christian converts.
What was growing up like?
I started school in 1930 at Igede Baptist School. In 1933, I was in Standard 1 and my elder brother who was a teacher brought me to Oyan in the present day Osun State. I started school again in 1935. My brother who took me to Oyan resigned as a teacher and became a court clerk at Ado Ekiti. He was transferred to Ido-Irapa in 1936, thus I stopped schooling. He was transferred again to Are-Ekiti not far from Ado-Ekiti and I resumed serving him as a cook. But in 1936, I packed my belongings and ran away from him because I wanted to go to school. In 1939, my brother who was in Kano sent for me in 1939 and I started Standard 1 again when I was supposed to be a teacher. I went to Igbara-Oke and after Standard V, I proceeded to Ilesa Grammar School in 1944. I was already 21 years old when I started at Ilesa Grammar School and I spent two years at the school and stopped because my brother who was sponsoring my education had problems with his business and could no longer afford sending me to school.
What happened after that?
I went to Jos and started work at the Nagaruta Tin Mine, but mining work was very hard so I quit. In 1948, I joined the United Africa Company and spent five years there. After my work in Jos, I came down to Osogbo and I started working as an accountant with Dada Transport Service. I took a correspondence course at the London School of Commerce and I later left Osogbo for Lagos. I worked with an architectural company known as Nixon & Borris Architectural Company. They did the architectural work of the Cocoa House in Ibadan in 1962. I worked with them until 1968. I came back to Osogbo in 1972 and returned to Chief Dada. I was his estate manager until he died in 1985.
When did you marry?
I married my first wife, Jadesola, in 1950. She gave birth to one child and we parted ways because we were not compatible. Maybe she was more sociable than I was but the marriage did not just work. In 1954, I married again, this time around, I married Christiana Abimbola. We lived happily together until she died in 2012. I called my wife “Joy” and many people thought that was her real name. She called me “Sweetie”; my children call me “Sweetie” and even most of my grandchildren call me “Sweetie” thinking it is my name.
How did she die?
My wife died in a motor accident. She was coming back to Osogbo from a birthday party when the crash occurred. She was in the car with some of my children and grandchildren. I miss her greatly. I have been living alone since her death. She did everything for me while she was alive. She was so caring maybe because of the age deference. She took proper care of me while we were together and that is why I am missing her dearly.
Why did you divorce your first wife?
We were not compatible. She is from Ibadan and I am from Ekiti. She was the sociable type while I am not. This may be because of my upbringing or maybe I am from the country side and she is from the city but we were not meant for each other. She left and there was nothing I could do about it.
How did you meet your late wife?
I met her at Igede-Ekiti during one of my visits to the town. I met her through my relatives and I discovered that I liked her and we ended up getting married. I did not regret marrying Christiana at all.
What is the age difference between the two of you?
I am almost 10 years older than her. She was younger and very agile until she died in 2012. She was so dear to me.
How many children did your late wife have for you?
We had eight children. But four of them died. I don’t like to talk about that. There are four of them remaining. I pray God will keep them alive.
Why didn’t you become a teacher like many Ekiti people of those days?
I never wanted to be a teacher. I did not also want to be a pastor and that was why I went to Ilesa Grammar School instead of Teachers’ Training College like many of my contemporaries. But today, two of my children are pastors.
Where were you when Nigeria got her Independence from Britain in 1960?
I was in Lagos then and we enjoyed the ceremony. Just like many nationalists who fought for the nation’s Independence, I also dropped my Christian name, Samuel, during the struggle for independence.
Did you belong to any of the political parties then?
No, but my brother who sponsored me at Ilesa Grammar School was a member of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons. You will recall that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was in the Action Group. My brother was a politician but I was not. I do not like politics at all because of the violence and treachery involved in it. Political violence did not just start today; it was in existence even those days. Many people were framed up and some lost their lives due to political violence and intrigues. I have never voted in any election since I was born and I will not do so. My mentor was almost killed by members of the AG. They trailed him to a place where he usually played ayo game. But God saved him. He had a prior knowledge of the plot. However, they still attacked his house with missiles. Although they could not kill him, when they got him eventually, they imprisoned him on a trumped-up charge. Politicians then were as wicked as they are now. They would dump corpses and marijuana at the backyard of members of the opposition and would alert the police to arrest and detain them.
I remember how one Mr. Brown from Ogbomoso was killed at Station Road in Osogbo. Brown was a court clerk and a very nice man. He was a member of our church. He was among those that established the Union Baptist Church , Osogbo.
But you said you never wanted to be a pastor, why were you involved in church planting?
I was not a pastor. I was the choir master when we established the Union Baptist Church. We left the former church because some leaders of the church allegedly belonged to a secret cult. We left and started a new church and today it is one of the biggest and most beautiful churches in Osun State.
Did you not engage in drinking and womanising as a youth?
I used to smoke. It is a habit I cultivated due to peer pressure. I did not want to be seen as an outcast so I joined my friends who were smokers but I realised that I was not cut out for it. I would cough seriously whenever I smoked and I had to stop it because I was not a good smoker. I did not womanise and I do not like lies at all. I say things the way they are and I believe one cannot kill me if I say the truth. Although it hurts, I still say the truth.
Who handles your house chores for you now that your wife is dead?
I sweep the premises; I wet the flowers and trim them regularly. You can see that they are well trimmed. I love gardening, it is my hobby. I also like things to be in order. You cannot see my belongings scattered around the house. I put things where they should be. So, when visitors go, I sweep the floor. I also cook. My daughter comes around to cook at times but I do most of my things by myself. They employed some house helps for me but they could not cook what I like to eat so they left.
What food do you eat now?
I love akara and eko. I eat moin moin and ekuru. I eat rice and pounded yam but I take them in a very small quantity because I don’t need much food.
Do you do any exercise?
I walk round the house. I do some light exercises every morning. I started shadow boxing when I was around 40 years. I started it to be fit in case I was attacked. But I later realised that I am a gentleman. I don’t fight hence I don’t need shadow boxing. I later shifted to other forms of physical exercises.
What are your regrets in life?
I don’t have any regrets. Although I didn’t amass wealth like some of my mates, I have all that I need now by the grace of God. Some of my mates, and even those in service now or those holding one office or another, steal even what they don’t need. But I thank God because I am not sick and I have good health. Some of them spend part of what they stole on sickness but my case is not like that. For this, I am grateful to God.
Do you think eating right and engaging in exercise are responsible for your good health?
Good health is a gift of God. There are many who eat better food, do more exercises, shun cigarette or alcohol, yet have cancer or kidney problem.
Do you still attend church?
Many have turned church into money-making business. It is now a means of collecting money from the rich and even the poor. Many founders now do not follow what God teaches but they sweet talk their followers to defraud them and practically rob them of their resources via fake prophesies. Most Nigerians don’t know God but they are very religious Christians and Muslims alike. Despite the growing number of churches, corruption is thriving everywhere. The bloodshed in the country is too much. I don’t think those nations which God destroyed during the Bible times were this wicked. I sincerely love to help people. I love children. I want to help people even now. But this virtue is now in short supply. Many people now live for themselves only and they are not ready to assist anybody. One doesn’t need to be rich to help others. One can help someone with advice; one can help with as small as N100 or even less. But now those who we even call leaders are more wicked than criminals. They steal everything and leave the people pauperised.
What is the way out?
We need to change the way we behave if we want this country to be better than the way it is.
What do you wish to do before you pass on?
My wish now is to see all my children prosper before I depart. I know God has blessed me with long life but I just want to see the remaining one get married and established then I can’t depart in peace.
What type of exercise do you engage in now since you have stopped shadow boxing?
I walk round the house. I raise my hands up and bend down to touch my toes. I do these every day. I tend my garden which is at the back of the house. I planted vegetables and wet them daily. People come to my garden to pick flowers because I planted many flowers.
What change do you think has occurred from your days and now?
So many things have changed. There are some good things which were not available then like mobile telephone, better health care facilities and so on. But many things have gone bad. The nation is in crisis and corruption is ravaging every sector. Nigerians were not this corrupt when I was growing up. People were honest although not everybody was; yet the majority were honest and the society placed much value on honesty. Sadly, this has changed now. People who are thieves now display their ill-gotten wealth and many people worship them and pray to have opportunities to steal like them. Corruption is not limited to politicians alone, individuals, parents, students, teachers and even pastors and other religious leaders are involved in corrupt practices.
What type of president do you wish to have after the 2015 presidential election?
I pray that a God fearing person wins the election. Nigeria needs a leader who would purge the nation of corrupt practices. I don’t have any candidate in mind but the nation desperately needs somebody who would tackle the problems of insecurity, electricity and road infrastructure. He should also be able to promote the culture of honesty and hard work. Many countries lacking natural resources are faring better than Nigeria which is blessed abundant natural resources.
The nation needs good leaders not only as the president but in all offices because the president alone cannot do it. If the president is good and his lieutenants are bad, then there would not be much difference. But if the president is good, the majority of the lawmakers are also good and the same thing is replicated across the states, then Nigeria would be better in a short while.
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