Pat UtomiThis one is tough for me. The youngest of the troika departed first, breaking a pattern that started during the June 12 struggle, but continued long after.
As professionals who abhorred impunity which reached its apogee in the annulment of the Presidential elections of June 12th 1993 rallied under a banner, The Concerned Professionals, friendships with bonds thicker than blood emerged. One such connection brought an IT engineer and entrepreneur Tunde Akinleye and I together in shared values espousing the paths of justice, freedom and a passionate commitment to the advancement of the Common Good.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelBoth Tunde and I admired the courage, intellect and loyalty to family of a woman who recognized the power of the cause that was June 12 but cared much for the safety of her husband Chief MKO Abiola who won the elections of that day.
The three of us, Dr Doyin Abiola, Tunde and I began to meet frequently, usually on Sunday evenings at my home to discuss Nigeria.
Dr Abiola, pioneering woman in the editorial chair in Nigeria and board room gladiator brought a heart for a new Nigeria to the meetings.
A bona fide public intellectual, she found materials written in continents far away that show how we can be better governed she quickly brought it to our attention. I recall that she was travelling abroad when she became exposed to the book by Jonathan Tepperman titled ‘The Fix: How Nations Survive and Thrive In A World in Decline’. She could hardly wait to get back to Lagos for us to discuss the book.
One weekend, the Easter weekend of 2015, many were agitated by social media outcry on an alleged threat by the Oba of Lagos to drown those who did not vote for his preferred candidates in the election in the Lagoon. We decided to meet in the morning.
I had already tried to pour water on the flames in comments I made for which Oba Akiolu told me his daughter had told him he owed me a debt of gratitude.
Dr Abiola and I were waiting for Tunde to arrive when former Nigerian Breweries MD Festus Odimegwu showed up and urged we go with him to Abeokuta to see General Obasanjo.
It’s not easy to escape a Festus Odimegwu forecourt pressure so we found ourselves on the way to Abeokuta.
There was quite a crowd in the Living room. President Obasanjo sighted us and shouted Festus why are you bringing this my enemy to my house, referring to me. I quickly retorted: people like you deserve enemies.
Our host detached himself from the crowd and went to lunch with us. When we were leaving after four hours of bantering, Dr Abiola remarked that this was peculiar enmity. ‘You and Obasanjo pretend to be enemies or frenemies, as you call it but what I can see is that the man loves you, but cannot manage to find a way of controlling you.
Dr Abiola spoke many more truths. And Tunde Akinleye had a masterful way of disagreeing with her without being disagreeable.
And then Tunde who had just finished serving as Chairman of Ikoyi Club found cancer was threatening. Dr Abiola also began to complain more about her health. Nothing prepared us for the sequence. Tunde was quite disciplined so I was confident he would overcome.
He fought with bravery but bowed to heaven’s call. I too began to look poor health in the face.
My friends who worked for her when she was CEO of the Concord Group said she was a tough but fair boss.
They remember her as sharp witted editor and slow to anger. She was patient.
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Dr Abiola did not get to say farewell. But I will always remember the passion with which she argued on matters of injustice. I pray she makes a strong plea for Nigeria up there, that Nigeria may rise up again.
I know that patriotic Nigerians will miss her just as the media fraternity and Intellectuals will.
I pray for sweet repose of her soul, immortality for her in the hearts of men and fortitude to her family, especially for her beloved daughter and grandchildren.
Patrick Okedinachi Utomi, founder, CVL
