Apagunpote: Anatomy Of A Death -
Redefining Understanding Of Ambition As Mirage When
Death Is Not Minded
08 June 2012
By Abdul-Warees Solanke
On Sunday 4th March, I received a tragic phone call
from home in Ibadan on the death of my "first son",
Sherif. As I took the next available okada from Ikotun
to Iyana Ipaja to board the last bus to Ibadan, hot
tears streamed my flat cheeks. His death reawakened in
me the real meaning of life, the meaning of
meaninglessness, of futility. It redefined my
understanding of ambition, ambition as mirage when
death is not minded. After all, Sherif was one of my
dreams. He was clay in my hands. I was his potter. I
was already glorifying in my dexterity as potter of
sorts. He died on Friday march 2, in a tragic accident
in ikire, Osun State while returning to Ibadan from
Ede, where he worked as the farm manager with the
Oodua Farm Institute.
Following the birth of his new child, Abdussalam, a
month earlier, he had relocated his young family to
Ibadan for necessary post natal support and care. It
was in the course of his weekly family run that he met
his martyrdom in the cause of his young family. With
his death, he became my broken pot, shattered into
smithereens, in my hands. I was involved in digging
the grave of this promising son of mine. And, as I
joined rows of my sympathisers behind this broken pot
of my ambition and unfulfilled dream for the last
ritual of janaza at Orile Erunmu via Iyana Ofa, Ibadan,
I reflected on the colors of ambition. Not colourful,
if not mindful of the hereafter.
Few days later, the deputy inspector general of
police, John Aruna went down with a helicopter around
Plateau State, crashing to death while on active state
service, this tragedy coming barely three months after
another top fly in the policy who was also just
promoted Deputy inspector general, died in a hotel
room in Ikorodu Lagos while representing his
principal, the IG on an assignment. In the duo's death
I had another glimpse of ambition, Ambition crashes
when it is about reality.
And there is another color of ambition in the death of
the Apagunpote of Egbaland last month, in the lake of
a golf resort he superintended, a place he originally
designed for comfort and relaxation, but ended being
his abode of annihilation. The death (whether suicide
or otherwise) of a scion of Abeokuta, Apagun Oluwole
Olumide who played very visible role during immediate
past government in the Gateway State which many Ogun
sons and daughters are praying Never again also gave
me another insight into the colors of ambition.
Ambition fizzles when the ovation is loudest or man is
at a Kilimanjaro of the actualization of his dream,
when being on a Mambilla could be as equally
fulfilling.
As my homestead is at the foot of Olumo Rock, I have a
ritual of celebrating Eid-el Kabir every year in Ikija.
So, I am not deaf to the venom poured on those who
demolished family houses at Ese Olumo, and barricaded
natives from entering their homes in the name
transforming Olumo Rock to an international tourist
centre. They usually say the proceeds from Olumo Rock
Tourist Centre do not benefit the natives. So they
invoke curses on those who rendered them homeless. As
Apagun, a very successful architect was the government
contractor who transformed Olumo to an international
appeal, with the design and construction of escalators
to reach the Olumo heights, many see his role in
government as being the caretaker of OGD's perfidy.
They also cite the appropriation of the Abeokuta Golf
Resort in which lake his lifeless body was retrieved
as a case of crippling the Gateway State. Many are
therefore reading so many insinuations into his death
one of which is situated in the theory of nemesis,
especially with the claim that he has in his hands the
evidences to nail OGD who has being shuttling EFCC
office and the courts to render account of his
stewardship while being the landlord at Oke Mosan.
Since I am a Diaspora son and not part of the politics
of my home state, and I don't have access to privilege
information on what transpired in Abeokuta in the
preceding eight years of OGD, except what everybody
reads on the pages of newspapers and rumours that fly
around, which in any case I treat with disdain, it
becomes impossible for me to join the bandwagon of
critics on the circumstances of Apagun's death.
From Apagun's pedigree however, all I know, is that he
was a man of ambition. So in his death, I gained a new
insight into the colors of ambition, that not all men
of ambition have a death bed laid with roses and
surrounded by light and beauty, nor do they have the
grace to sing the song of Ebenezer; Here is where the
lord hath led me in pleasure and satisfaction. They
may never even have the privilege of smiling at the
moment the black angel comes knocking, violently,
mercilessly. Nonetheless, I have another view on his
death, rooted in Yoruba mythology, after all Apagun
was a Yoruba cultural ambassador, a traditional title
holder of the chivalrous order.
I am looking at his death from the warrior class he
belonged, the class of the Baloguns, the Jagunmolus,
the Oloroguns, the Akoguns, the Ajagunlas, the
Jagunnas, the Jogunomis, the Agbaakins and the Aare
Ona kakanfos. After the royal class in Yorubaland, the
Warrior class are the most revered, very powerful. In
fact, they can hold the king to ransom or hold the
kingdom hostage. That is the extent of their power and
influence. Usually, as in Ibadanland, they also aspire
to the throne or are the immediate lieutenants of the
kabiesi. This warrior class in medieval Yorubaland,
are devotees of the powerful god of Iron in Yorubaland,
Ogun Onire Okunrin Ogun. Lakaaye Osinmale, olomi n le
feje we, o laso nle fimo bora. Onile kangunkangun ona
orun. They live by the sword, ever in the shadows of
death with unmistakable courage and charisma,
intolerance of errors of judgement and impermanence of
relationships but of interest. In modern political
philosophy, you are likely to see them as students of
Nicolo Machiavelli, author of the Prince. For them,
the end justifies the means.
Everything about this warrior class spells blood,
betrayals, conspiracies and death. So you are not
unlikely to see them as very mentally alert and
skilful in politics, fire eating and fire spitting,
choleric like Sango Olukoso, with blood shot eyes
bordering on attachment to liquor and allegiance to
cigar. Their elements are likely to be dominated by
fire and wind, ferocious when ignited. As devotees of
Ogun, they carry death in their pouches. They are
Anikulapo. Their scabbards are ever loose, their
swords ever sharpened or greased, either to slay and
gain victory or slash open their own bowels to cover
shame or dishonour. Defeat is not in their dictionary.
Their pledge in battle is to return home with pride or
end it all on the battlefield when defeat is imminent.
They, like Julius Ceaser, the Roman legend, are also
not unlikely to receive the hardest dagger thrust from
their most trusted ally as Brutus, when vested
interest takes precedence over personal relationship.
The traditional title of Chief oluwole Olumide is
Apagunpote of Egbaland. In simple meaning, it is a
title which imbues one with ambition and power and
exposes one to intrigues and conspiracies. In fact it
seems once you assume a title like Apagunpote, a front
liner in the warrior class or the chivalrous order,
death stalks you all the time because you are supposed
to be a warlord that stamps out rebellions and
conspiracies. Unfortunately too, like the Aare Ona
Kakanfos title holders as Yoruba history has shown,
the ilk of Apagun usually die violently or in
controversial circumstances.
Wallahi, this is why a muslim who understands his deen
very well runs away from all traditional titles that
will shift his focus from the real purpose or essence
of creation, which is to worship Allah, and not any
other ambition. As Allah says in the Quran , 'I have
not created the Jinn and mankind except to worship
me'. They are afraid to let their ambition for power
and influence or lust for recognition deters their
journey to eternity. So they don't fancy the fanciful
and powerful titles, satisfied with the simple title,
Muslim, the title bequeathed to the father of faith,
Ibrahim and his progeny.
For me as a muslim, my ultimate ambition, in whatever
I lay my hands on, in whatever I pursue, the goal I
set, my vision for the future, in whatever partnership
or allegiance I forge, in whatever project I handle,
is to attain the pleasure of Allah. Ridhwanullah. So,
as I reflect on the death of my first son, my eldest
sister's first child, Sherif Ariyo Ayobanji Alani
Abdulazeez who died at the age of 33, while on active
duty and family commitment, I was consoled that he
attained a purpose in life, a modern day farmer who
found pride farming and training young farmers at
Oodua Farm Institute, leaving behind a very large
loving family, his death a wakeup call that longevity
is not the definition of reaching the goal of life. As
I contrast his death with death with those of the two
late deputy inspectors general of police and that of
Apagunpote Oluwole Olumide, I realize that death is
most painful when at the point of declaring
celebration either of attaining position or preparing
to retire peacefully to enjoy the fruits of toils and
ambition, death comes knocking, especially violently,
tragically and controversially. From Allah we come, to
Him is our return. Inna lillahi, wa in ilaehi
raajiuuna in all deaths.
Abdul-Warees is the Head of Training, Voice of
Nigeria, Ikoyi, Lagos,
(korewarith@yahoo.com
korewarith@voiceofnigeria.org ,
abdulwarees01@gmail.com ) 08090585723
©
EsinIslam.Com
Add Comments