20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
Vanguard, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 — 21 By OYEYINKA OLUDAYISI FABOWALE If you never believed there’s a strong spiritual l<strong>in</strong>k between man and his name, you are bound to reappraise or jettison your doubt after read<strong>in</strong>g Chief Olusegun Osoba’s autobiography, Battlel<strong>in</strong>es. From higher spiritual knowledge, it is known that the name is more than a label but encapsulates the <strong>in</strong>nate gifts, qualities, abilities the bearer br<strong>in</strong>gs upon <strong>in</strong>carnat<strong>in</strong>g and often presages his path of dest<strong>in</strong>y <strong>in</strong> life. A person is, therefore, what his name says. As a child, Osoba, may not have been aware of the significance and potency of his name, Olusegun (which means God triumphs or simply Victor). Neither, perhaps, did his parents, even if they had a vague sens<strong>in</strong>g of it, realized why the child’s maternal uncle the famous and redoubtable Evangelist and faith healer, Apostle Ayo Babalola, charged that he be addressed solely by this particular appellation of the many beautiful ones he took at his christen<strong>in</strong>g. But the import of the prophet’s admonition was to unravel later <strong>in</strong> the life of the lad, <strong>in</strong> the many battles he had to fight as an iconic newsman, politician and former governor of Ogun State <strong>in</strong> effort to dist<strong>in</strong>guish himself and help foster a better society, first, as a career reporter, media manager, boardroom player, and then <strong>in</strong> politics and ultimately governance! Battlel<strong>in</strong>es is the story of the transit of an exceptionally brilliant, vibrant, albeit naive young man and his fortuitous immersion <strong>in</strong>to the sociopolitical dynamics and mach<strong>in</strong>ery that determ<strong>in</strong>e the affairs of the Nigerian nation for almost all of its 60 years, but essentially dur<strong>in</strong>g critical phases and potentially disruptive junctures of national history. It is the tale of a battle of passion, of patriotism and treachery, selflessness and betrayal, of service, w<strong>in</strong>s and setbacks at the end of which, despite the travails, emerges the portrait of an apparently misunderstood patriot! Although autobiographies are most often noth<strong>in</strong>g but revisionist exercises at image launder<strong>in</strong>g and/or distort<strong>in</strong>g historical facts, the Osoba <strong>in</strong> this account does not fall too far away from the image of him <strong>in</strong> the public doma<strong>in</strong>, or that one has a fair personal knowledge of. Neither is there any significant departure from the <strong>in</strong>tegrity of the truth with respect to his own side and views on controversies <strong>in</strong> which he was embroiled, some of which, <strong>in</strong> fact, are <strong>in</strong> the public doma<strong>in</strong>. Far from be<strong>in</strong>g a va<strong>in</strong>glorious and extenuat<strong>in</strong>g run, Battlel<strong>in</strong>es is a mov<strong>in</strong>g story presented <strong>in</strong> a classic, credible journalistic report<strong>in</strong>g traditions that does Osoba great credit as an accomplished professional. The narrative evidences adherence, as much as possible, to ethical rules of objectivity, balance and fairness as the author gives A review of Battlel<strong>in</strong>es: Adventures <strong>in</strong> Journalism and Politics equal or more generous vent to criticisms and oppos<strong>in</strong>g views only contest<strong>in</strong>g or counter<strong>in</strong>g them and advanc<strong>in</strong>g the frontiers of the arguments by divulg<strong>in</strong>g fresh, illum<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g facts <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g documentary proofs. Although he was v<strong>in</strong>dicated <strong>in</strong> the end despite his trials, Osoba’s narrative is, remarkably, devoid of any stra<strong>in</strong> of gloat<strong>in</strong>g! Told <strong>in</strong> three parts and spread over 19 chapters, the first section of the book captures the preparation of the renowned journalist -turned politician for the campaigns ahead of him – from Osogbo, where he was born and nurtured <strong>in</strong> Yoruba and Christian values to Abeokuta and Lagos where he grew <strong>in</strong>to an adventurous, sporty and street -wise adolescent. His be<strong>in</strong>g a s c h o o l prefect, academic brilliance, sport<strong>in</strong>g prowess, activism <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>trepid, Boys’ Scout Movement at the Methodist Boys High School (MBHS), one of the prestigious secondary schools <strong>in</strong> Lagos then, comb<strong>in</strong>ed with the circle of peers and some of Nigeria’s noble and <strong>in</strong>fluential families among whom he grew up as well as vast network of em<strong>in</strong>ent friends and contacts <strong>in</strong> command<strong>in</strong>g heights of different spheres of national life he later cultivated, laid the foundation for his success <strong>in</strong> his later forays and <strong>in</strong>tervention <strong>in</strong> journalism and politics. This section also reported his stellar career rise and <strong>in</strong>valuable contributions to journalism beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g from Daily Times where he cut his professional teeth and became one of Nigerian journalism’s f<strong>in</strong>est and report<strong>in</strong>g legends, editor and later Manag<strong>in</strong>g Director and Chief Executive of the newspaper conglomerate; to his st<strong>in</strong>t, after be<strong>in</strong>g headhunted, at the Kwara State Government-owned Herald newspapers; and the crusad<strong>in</strong>g journalism era at the Ibadan -based Sketch newspapers where he was General Manager before return<strong>in</strong>g to the Daily Times for a second sojourn. The reader is awed at how, despite perceived professional envy, <strong>in</strong>trigues and persecution, Osoba, with some of the best education received from ivy league journalism <strong>in</strong>stitutions across the world <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the University of Lagos; Fleet Street, England and Harvard University, Boston USA, tenaciously fought his way up to the peak of the career ladder, us<strong>in</strong>g the press to promote social justice, fairness, good governance and public good. In the process of course, he <strong>in</strong>evitably acquired the tag of be<strong>in</strong>g controversial. The book highlights and addresses some of the <strong>in</strong>cidents that led to this. Notable among them were his alleged role <strong>in</strong> the sack<strong>in</strong>g of Chief AreoyeOyebola whom he succeeded as Editor of Daily Times <strong>in</strong> the aftermath of the Murtala/Obasanjo coup d’etat <strong>in</strong> 1975; purported partisan use of the press to advance the political cause of the progressives and late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, on It is the tale of a battle of passion, of patriotism and treachery, selflessness and betrayal, of service, w<strong>in</strong>s and setbacks at the end of which, despite the travails, emerges the portrait of an apparently misunderstood patriot! account of his friendship with the nationalist and elder statesman; his alleged dubious claim of Kwara<strong>in</strong>digeneship to cl<strong>in</strong>ch the Herald top job; as well as plots to rob him of his appo<strong>in</strong>tment as General Manager, Sketch, after a competitive board <strong>in</strong>terview, and another later to unceremoniously ease him off the Daily Times MD seat dur<strong>in</strong>g the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s military era. Also documented later <strong>in</strong> the book were his alleged betrayal of Frank Kokori, the NUPENG Secretary General who was the l<strong>in</strong>chp<strong>in</strong> of the labour strike and resistance to Gen. Sani Abacha’s dictatorship, his perceived treachery <strong>in</strong> the Afenifere fold that purportedly led to the 2003 massive electoral defeat of the Alliance for Democracy <strong>in</strong> the South West and more. The author reveals his side of the story corroborat<strong>in</strong>g it with compell<strong>in</strong>g and <strong>in</strong>contestable facts from confidential and official memos, press reports and other archival documents, while also cit<strong>in</strong>g liv<strong>in</strong>g witnesses to exonerate himself of any wrongdo<strong>in</strong>g and set the record straight. This section also details the era <strong>in</strong> which Osoba devoted his vocation to fight<strong>in</strong>g for social justice and promote progressive politics. Two <strong>in</strong>cidents come to m<strong>in</strong>d – the illegal deportation of Alhaji Abdulrahman Shugaba and impeachment/removal from office of the then Kaduna State radical governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa. Part two of the book chronicles the author’s friendship with and political tutelage under Chief Awolowo as well as his eventual plunge <strong>in</strong>to partisan politics. Here, the reader comes to see how the late elder statesman’s lifestyle and political ideology won Osoba as a disciple and <strong>in</strong>fluenced his politics and st<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> government. We are also <strong>in</strong>troduced to how he became friends with the late Chief MKO Abiola, although a k<strong>in</strong>sman but hitherto a sworn foe, whose battle to become the President of Nigeria he was to champion even at the risk of his own life before and dur<strong>in</strong>g the Abacha’s bloody dictatorship! This section also records his role and life as a fugitive under the repressive regime of the late tyrant and usurper, while fight<strong>in</strong>g as a National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chiefta<strong>in</strong> for the validation the June 12, 1993 presidential electoral victory of Chief Abiola. In between these sections, is an <strong>in</strong>termission where<strong>in</strong> the author recalls how he met his wife “BereDer<strong>in</strong>ola”, to whom he pays so much tribute for his numerous successes and escape from several assass<strong>in</strong>ation attempts by Abacha’s goons! Part 3 captures Osoba’s rule and legacies as governor of Ogun State, which, however, he suggests his successor and opponents tried to obliterate, deny him due credit and persecute him for. This conclud<strong>in</strong>g part of the rivet<strong>in</strong>g story sheds light on the rift <strong>in</strong> Afenifere, his rumoured sellout of the of Awolowo disciples to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and controversial role <strong>in</strong> his party, Alliance for Democracy’s (AD) monumental loss <strong>in</strong> the 2003 general elections <strong>in</strong> the South West. It w<strong>in</strong>ds up with an account of the formation and ascendancy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power <strong>in</strong> 2015. The narrative, however, drips with Osoba’s regrets of unfulfilled vision and promises that the reign of the party s<strong>in</strong>ce its ascendancy to power has been, which he blames on subversion of the rul<strong>in</strong>g party’s ideals and misdirection of its noble goals. Travel<strong>in</strong>g through the book, one cannot but acknowledge Chief Osoba as a master prose stylist and journalistic craftsman. Apart from putt<strong>in</strong>g to effective use the flashback technique, open<strong>in</strong>g the story from the midriff only to plunge <strong>in</strong>to the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g and relaunch<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to a chronological build-up, occasionally and <strong>in</strong>geniously disrupted by anecdotal switches across epochs, not enough could be said of the author’s racy and breezy narrative style which makes the book unputdownable! But most importantly, perhaps, is his professional adroitness <strong>in</strong> avoid<strong>in</strong>g the pitfall of prejudice, bias and self-adulation common to many self -narrated accounts. In Battlel<strong>in</strong>es, there is hardly any perceptible self - extenuation, or attempt by the author to deodorize or pa<strong>in</strong>t himself as a sa<strong>in</strong>t. Rather, Osoba readily and candidly admits to his humanness and fallibility. To critics’ attacks, scurrilous tales and gossips he offers explanations and counter arguments with an uncanny force of logic and corroborative factual evidence. In the end, emerges a man of rare professional talent, a conscientious leader, consumate patriot and champion, who although badly bruised, certa<strong>in</strong>ly ran away with the diadem as one who came, saw and conquered! It is good that Chief Osoba thought of gift<strong>in</strong>g the world with this book. With its literary appeal, scholarly depth and profound <strong>in</strong>sights especially <strong>in</strong>to the undercurrents of landmark events <strong>in</strong> the life of the nation post<strong>in</strong>dependence, it’s an <strong>in</strong>valuable reference resource not only for historians and students and practitioners of politics and journalism, but also for the general reader <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> issues of nationbuild<strong>in</strong>g and development. ·Fabowale is the Editor of Newspeak magaz<strong>in</strong>e
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