The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 645 (March 19 - April 1 2025)

TheTrumpet
Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995
V O L 31 N O 645 M A R C H 19 - APRIL 1 2025
Man convicted
over drive-by
shooting
Yusuf Elias, a Tanzanian
albino, spends much of his
time hiding in his house, both
from the sun and from the
bounty-hunters (Photo - Alex
Wynter - IFRC)
Attacks on
people with
albinism in
Tanzania:
African court holds
government responsible
– why it matters
By Charlotte Baker, Lancaster University
Continued on Page 3>
Nathan Tokosi
Following a drive-by shooting in
Notting Hill in 2023, a man has
been convicted.
25-year-old Nathan Tokosi of
Grove Street, Lewisham, was
convicted of attempting to murder a 27-
year-old man on Monday, 20
November, 2023.
A jury at the Old Bailey also found
Tokosi guilty of two counts of
possession of a firearm with intent to
endanger life and two counts of
possession of ammunition with intent
to endanger life.
Detective Constable Hannah
Forrest, from the Met’s Specialist
Crime South team, said: “This was a
savage attack, with the victim requiring
emergency surgery after being shot in
the body, mouth and head. The verdict
in this case shows that this violent
criminality will not be tolerated on
London’s streets.
“Tokosi is a highly dangerous
individual, who had - at the time of the
shooting - only just been released from
prison after serving time for a separate
offence.
“I would like to pay tribute to the
investigation team in this case, who
were able to build a compelling
forensic case against Tokosi. This
proved indispensable at trial.”
At 02:05hrs on Monday, 20
November 2023, police responded to
reports of a drive-by shooting in
Clydesdale Road, Notting Hill.
A car had pulled up to another car,
with one of the passengers discharging
a firearm. Officers attended and
subsequently found the victim - who
was severely injured - at his home
address.
Continued on Page 4<

Page2 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
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News
MARCH
19 - APRIL 1 2025
TheTrumpet
Attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania:
African court holds government responsible
– why it matters
Page3
Continued from Page 1<
People with albinism face
widespread discrimination in
many Sub-Saharan African
countries. In Tanzania, this minority has
been subjected to extreme forms of
violence. The government’s failure to
protect their rights prompted the filing of
a case before the African Court on
Human and Peoples’ Rights. The case
was brought by Tanzanian and
international civil rights groups against
the government of Tanzania. They were
seeking more robust legal protections
from the state for people with albinism.
In February 2025, the court
delivered a landmark judgment, holding
Tanzania accountable for human rights
violations against persons with albinism.
Charlotte Baker, who has researched
socio-cultural aspects of albinism in
sub-Saharan Africa, explains the
significance of the ruling.
What is the background to the
case?
Albinism is a relatively rare
genetically inherited condition. It occurs
in all countries of the world. In sub-
Saharan Africa, an estimated 1 in 4,000
people have albinism. The condition
results in a lack of pigmentation in the
hair, skin and eyes, causing vulnerability
to skin cancer and visual impairment.
Human rights violations and abuses
against people with albinism in Tanzania
are common. They include
discrimination, verbal abuse and
bullying. People with albinism also face
Continued on Page 4<

Page4
TheTrumpet
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PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
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MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
News
Attacks on people with albinism in
Tanzania: African court holds
government responsible – why it matters
Continued from Page 3<
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Albinos in Burundi are hunted for body parts (Photo - Alex Wynter - Federation of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies CC-NA-SA)
exclusion from public services,
including education and health. They are
additionally subjected to extreme forms
of violence that include killings,
abductions, mutilations and infanticide.
Even after a person with albinism has
died, their graves are at risk of
exhumation to obtain body parts for sale.
A range of traditional and more
modern beliefs drive the oppression of
people with albinism. However,
structural reasons related to social
inequities have created a market in the
body parts of people with albinism.
These are used for the production of
“charms” by “witchdoctors” who
promise they’ll bring wealth and
success.
A few societies are more accepting of
albinism and venerate people with the
condition, such as the Bamiléké in
Cameroon. However, the majority
experience discrimination.
The first media reports of attacks on
people with albinism in Tanzania
emerged in 2007, bringing international
attention to the issue. Since then, over
700 attacks and killings in 28 countries
have been reported to the Canadian
NGO - Under the Same Sun, although
many more go unrecorded. The
organisation works to end discrimination
and violence against persons with
albinism.
In Tanzania, there have been 209
reports of attacks since 2007. Most
recently, on 25 June 2024, a two-yearold
girl with albinism was abducted and
killed in Kagera region, about 1,500km
from the capital Dar es Salaam.
What does the court ruling mean
for persons with albinism?
Under international human rights
law, the fundamental human rights of
persons with albinism must be protected
under the UN’s Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. These include a right to:
life
adequate standards of living and
social protection
equality and non-discrimination
freedom from exploitation, violence
and abuse
education, health, work and
employment.
Upholding the rights of people with
albinism would ensure that they were
treated fairly and with respect.
The African Court on Human and
Peoples’ Rights found that, although
some steps have been taken in the right
direction, Tanzania has violated the right
Continued on Page 5<
Man convicted over
drive-by shooting
Continued from Page 1<
A stolen car was found abandoned in
Allington Road, Queen’s Park. Nearby,
police located a black bag containing a
handgun and ammunition. Forensics
officers attended, and found Tokosi’s
DNA inside the vehicle.
Tokosi was arrested in Lewisham on
Friday, 16 February, 2024, after his car
was stopped by police. Following this,
his address was searched and a further
firearm plus ammunition was found.
Having been remanded in custody,
he was charged with attempted murder,
two counts of possession of a firearm
and two counts of possession of
ammunition.
Tokosi will be sentenced at the Old
Bailey at a later date, which is yet to be
set.

News
MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
TheTrumpet
Attacks on people with albinism in Tanzania:
African court holds government responsible
– why it matters
Page5
Continued from Page 4<
years to combat myths and superstitions
about albinism.
The court requires the Tanzanian
government to amend the 1928
Witchcraft Act to criminalise attacks
against persons with albinism. This is in
response to UN Resolution 47/8 on the
elimination of harmful practices related
to accusations of witchcraft and ritual
attacks.
The government of Tanzania is also
ordered to implement its national action
plan on the protection of persons with
albinism. This is in line with the African
Union Plan of Action to End Attacks and
Other Human Rights Violations
Targeting Persons with Albinism. The
national action plan should address
stigma and structural issues that lead to
discrimination.
The government must also ensure the
right to health protection. This includes
access to skin and eye health services.
Providing protective clothing and
sunscreens can be lifesaving.
Meeting the needs of children with
albinism in educational settings must be
a priority for the Tanzanian government.
This can mean minor adaptions to
classroom layouts and access to visual
aids. Most importantly, it requires a
change in attitudes among teaching staff
and other pupils.
Tanzania has also been ordered to
establish a compensation fund and
compensate persons with albinism who
have been victims of violent attacks.
What power does the court have to
ensure enforcement?
The African Court on Human and
Peoples’ Rights has instructed Tanzania
to publish the judgment on government
websites within three months. It should
remain accessible for at least a year.
The government must also submit a
report on the implementation of the
ruling within two years. If it hasn’t fully
complied within three years, a hearing
will be held. However, the court has a
non-compliance crisis and there are no
built-in consequences in its protocol.
The partners involved in bringing the
case will monitor Tanzania’s compliance
with the court’s orders.
The Institute for Human Rights and
Development in Africa has called on
civil society organisations, policymakers
and human rights defenders to support
efforts to protect the rights of people
with albinism in Tanzania and beyond.
Charlotte Baker is Professor of
French and Critical Disability Studies at
Lancaster University.
This article is republished from The
Conversation under a Creative
Commons license. Read the original
article
at:
https://theconversation.com/attacks-onpeople-with-albinism-in-tanzaniaafrican-court-holds-government-respons
ible-why-it-matters-251275.
Albinos in Burundi like some other parts of Africa, are hunted for body parts (Photo - Federation of
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies)
to life of persons with albinism by not
protecting them as required under
Article 4 of the African Charter. It also
found the State violated the right to nondiscrimination
by failing to put enough
measures in place to fight myths and
stereotypes relating to albinism.
This ruling sets a legal precedent
across Africa. It’s a signal to other States
of their obligations under the African
charters on human rights and children’s
welfare.
What does the Tanzanian
government need to do?
The court determined that
superstitions and harmful beliefs had led
to discrimination and the targeted
killings of persons with albinism. It
ordered the government of Tanzania to
make provision for nationwide
awareness campaigns for at least two

Page6 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
Opinion
Ayo Adebanjo and Alaperu
Basibo: In Requiem
There are some people who should
not die, because of their goodness,
their humanism, the great impact
that they make within the community,
family and sometimes, the nation at large.
The death of good men or women
diminishes us, a part of us leaves with them,
but what endures ultimately is the lesson of
their example. Two of such good men
departed one after the other, within the last
two weeks in the South West of Nigeria:
Oba Adeleke Adelekan Idowu Basibo, the
Alaperu of Iperu, on February 5, 2025, and
Pa Ayo Adebanjo, journalist, lawyer,
nationalist, politician, activist, Afenifere
leader, Awoist and patriot on February 14.
The respective families have formally
announced their transition to the Great
Beyond. Both illustrious sons and titans of
Ogun State extraction were well known to
me. I feel a deep sense of personal loss, and
hereby join others in commiserating with
their families, the people of Remoland and
Ijebuland, the people of Ogun State, the
Dear Editor,
This year’s Women’s History
Month is a moment to reflect on
the challenges still facing women
around the world, and in the UK. In
Southwark, my organisation, the
Women’s Health Advocacy Network
(WHAN) stands with survivors of Sexual
and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV),
offering crisis support, counselling, and
advocacy to ensure no survivor walks
alone.
In London, one in twelve women
experiences SGBV each year, and
support services are stretched beyond
capacity. The recent ten-month pause in
online referrals for the London Survivors
Gateway is just one sign of a system
under strain. WHAN helps bridge these
gaps, but frontline efforts alone aren’t
enough.
We need sustained investment in
grassroots organisations, where support
is most effective. Stronger collaboration
between local councils, the NHS, and
survivor-led groups would streamline
access to care.
Southwark has a long history of
women leading change, from Bella
Burge, one of the UK’s first female
boxing promoters, to the Alo-Wa Oral
History Group, which preserves Black
Afenifere, Obidents and everyone in the
larger Nigerian community who was
privileged to have encountered their person,
influence, and benefitted from the grace of
uncommon measure which the Almighty
bestowed upon both leaders and which they
used, at various levels for the benefit of
mankind and for the elevation of the human
spirit.
There can be no one involved in
Nigerian public affairs, politics and society
and particularly activism that would not
know Chief Ayo Adebanjo. For more than
70 years, he was an active and colossal
presence in Nigerian politics, first at the
regional level as a disciple of the late Chief
Obafemi Awolowo, as a chieftain of the
Action Group and its successor political
parties and at the national level, Adebanjo
was one of the strongest advocates for a
just, equitable and fair society anchored on
the principles of federalism and progressive
politics. He shunned elective offices and
political appointments, he was however, a
Reflecting on the
challenges still
facing women
women’s experiences. Their legacy
reminds us that collective action drives
progress.
This Women’s History Month, it’s
imperative that we commit to that action.
Healing is not a solitary journey. It is a
community promise. I am confident that
we can build a Southwark where every
woman thrives.
Yours Sincerely,
Adama Bah
Voice of a survivor.
CEO, Women’s Health Advocacy
Network (WHAN)
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loyal party man. He remained loyal to
Awoism till the end, and to Awo in life and
in death, and the principles that the sage
espoused. Such level of loyalty is
uncommon in these parts; such singleminded
devotion is rare. Pa Adebanjo has
told his own story in great detail in an
autobiography titled “Telling It As It Is”
(Ibadan: Bookcraft, 2018, 257 pp.) which
was presented publicly on the occasion of
his 90 th birthday on April 10, 2018 in his
home-town of Isanya-Ogbo in the Ijebu
Division of Ogun State. I was the official
book reviewer at the occasion. I wrote then,
as follows, inter alia:
*
“Born on April 10, 1928, barely six
years after the Clifford Constitution and the
first legislative elections in
Nigeria, Adebanjo has lived through the
finest and ugliest moments of Nigerian
history: the constitutional processes, the
struggle for independence,
party politics leading to independence and
after, the civil war, military rule, return to
democracy, the struggle for the protection
of democracy and civilian rule, and the
bigger struggle of ensuring the survival and
development of Nigeria. He joined the
struggle early in 1943, as a Zikist, as a
follower of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe but in
1951, he became a member of the youth
wing of the Action Group, and a mentee
and political disciple of late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo. This became the defining
moment of his life and 67 years later, he has
remained faithful to the ideals of
that political party and the
ideology/political philosophy of his mentor
- that is Awoism.
“As Adebanjo turns 90, what is to be
celebrated is not necessarily his longevity,
even if there may be lessons to be learnt
from his life habits – he maintains a
rigorous exercise regimen, a daily routine
we are told which includes aerobic
BY REUBEN ABATI
sessions, he neither smokes nor drinks, and
for more than 60 years he has remained
married to the same woman- but there are
no hard and fast rules about longevity
perhaps – some alcoholics live up to
hundred, and some chronic womanisers
outlive their own hubris - longevity, if I may
essay a religious tone, is a matter of
grace. Adebanjo has lived a true life of
blessing and amazing grace.
“In 1962, during the travails of the
Action Group and Chief Obafemi
Awolowo’s trial for treasonable
felony, Adebanjo was charged for felony,
along with 30 others. He had to flee to
Ghana. He has been detained more than
once for his political beliefs, but this has
not altered his resolve. Following the
annulment of the June 12, 1993 election,
which was won by Chief MKO Abiola of the
then Social Democratic
Party, Adebanjo was one of the chieftains
of the National Democratic Coalition
(NADECO). He joined protests, stood at
the barricades and made his voice heard.
Members of the democratic coalition and
other groups in civil society were shot at,
harassed, humiliated and their family
members were intimidated. Used to the
dangers of a political life in a dangerous
society, Adebanjo’s resolve remains
unshaken, even in the winter season
of his life.
“When he fled into exile in
1962, his father was arrested, detained and
rough-handled by the State. Many
Continued on Page 11<

MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025 TheTrumpet
Page7

Page8 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
Events
Taiwo Akpabio and Kehinde
Bogunjoko celebrate 60 years
Twin sisters - Arch. (Mrs) Taiwo Mojisola Akpabio and Dr (Mrs)
Kehinde Gbemisola Bogunjoko celebrated their 60 th Birthday
Anniversary in Miami, Florida recently.
Family members and friends turned up to rejoice over this milestone.
The twins with their husbands and children
The twins with Mr. & Mrs. Sam and Funmi Ilori, Iyabosola Johnson and her daughter, Ife-Oluwa Johnson
and Nifemi Ogunro
The twins with Ruth Maxwell, Tosin Abbey-Philip and Tochi Philip
The twins with Gbagada ladies Pastor Bunmi Lukula, Dolapo Oyedeji, Bunmi Oriyomi, Florence Olokunola
and Bunmi Odeseye
The twins with their brothers and sisters Mrs. and Mrs. Kolawole and Ronke Dunni; Pastor (Mrs.) Bunmi
Lukula; Mr. and Mrs. Seun and Idowu Ogunsola and Mr. Kehinde Jacobs
The twins with Mr. & Mrs. Idowu and Wunmi Daniels and their children
Caroline Adebakin, Ronke Obazuaye and Lara (DJ FLX)
The twins with Mr. & Mrs. Kola and Ronke Dunni and their children
The twins with their husbands, Mr. Richard Akpabio and Dr. Joshua Bogunjoko and their children
Margaret, Alexandra and Jeremiah Akpabio, Jochebed and Joel Bogunjoko

MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025 TheTrumpet
Page9

Page10 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
News
Trump should be a wake-up call!
President Donald Trump of the
United States of America is a
creation of time. The key point
is not in changing America. Instead,
Trump is revealing America as it is!
The America that we knew -
represented by F.D. Roosevelt, J.F.
Kennedy and Jimmy Carter - was
perhaps just a fleeting moment or a
facade. Trump’s presidency has
exposed the underlying realities of the
country, making it clear that the
perceived America was not entirely
genuine.
Trump epitomizes the body and
the spirit of the White conquest of
Native Americans, which is reflected
in his immigration policy. On the
surface, his policy aims to eliminate
illegal immigrants, criminal gangs
and narcotics dealers. However, in
reality, Trump, as President Of The
United States (POTUS), and his
supporters are pursuing a Whites-only
immigration agenda, similar to the
one once employed by Australia,
which has now been discarded. The
response to South Africa’s land
reforms is clearly in this direction.
Trump’s offer to allow White
South Africans to immigrate to the
US as refugees is disquieting,
especially since this opportunity
wasn’t extended to Palestinians or
other groups. But then, this move
isn’t surprising, given the longstanding
discussions in the US about
repopulating sparsely populated
States like Wyoming, Montana and
Idaho. The President seems to view
this as a chance to appeal to those
who fear losing their demographic
majority.
Not everything is wrong with
Trump! For instance, his
administration’s cost-effective unit
aimed at reducing waste and
inefficiency in government aligns
with the recommendations of
Nigeria’s Oronsaye Report, which
was submitted in 2012. It’s ironic that
Trump is implementing reforms that
Nigeria should have undertaken years
ago. This highlights Nigeria’s slow
pace in addressing its own
inefficiencies. Importantly, while
Trump’s policies, such as dismantling
USAID and the Department of
Education, are not entirely
commendable, his focus on costefficient
units could serve as a
catalyst for Nigeria to revisit and
implement the Oronsaye Report’s
recommendations.
Similarly, Nigeria seems to expect
the US, under Trump’s leadership, to
take responsibility for recovering its
stolen wealth. However, if the US
Department of Justice is no longer
pursuing cases against individuals
who have looted Nigeria’s treasury
and stashed the funds in the US, it
raises questions about Nigeria’s own
role in addressing corruption.
Ultimately, the issue reveals the shape
President Donald Trump
and size of a deeper problem: why
does Nigeria have such weak
institutions that billions of dollars can
be easily embezzled and laundered
abroad?
So, Trump’s actions should be a
wake-up call for us to “padlock the
stable doors” to prevent the horse
from bolting. It’ll be in our interest
not to allow other countries to capture
the horse which has fled because we
refused to padlock the stable doors.
Padlocking the stable doors should
have involved setting up a
congressional budget office to
monitor and police a budget process
since 1999. That this was not done
and it’s not about to be done shows a
complete and utter lack of seriousness
in our curbing waste and corruption.
In addition, the refusal to use a
performance planning budgeting
system, first proposed by the late
Omowale Kuye as the Director
General of Budget in 1983, reveals a
lackadaisical attitude towards budget
and project management and
implementation. So, no one can, or
should, hold Trump responsible for
Nigeria’s ineptitude.
Trump and his supporters had a
clear agenda, Project 2025, which
became public knowledge before his
presidential nomination. Since his
tariff policies would likely have farreaching
effects on Nigeria, Nigeria
should have prepared countermeasures
in case he won, but did we?
Were we fully prepared for the impact
of his presidency? Canada was wellprepared,
and swiftly responded to
Trump’s policies. In contrast,
Nigeria’s history shows it was once
adept at preparing for economic
challenges, such as the 1967
devaluation of the British pound
sterling. But not anymore!
Again, the question remains,
where did we lose the plot and what’s
next for Nigeria? Now, Nigeria faces
brain drain, with doctors leaving the
country daily. Was that also caused
by Trump? Ours isn’t just a matter of
sensible or senseless governance; it’s
a result of successive governments
failing to effectively communicate
with the people. They’ve either used
BY ABIODUN
KOMOLAFE
the wrong channels or struggled to
convey their message, leaving a
gaping hole in their connection with
the electorate. Consequently,
governments are often caught off
guard, scrambling to respond to issues
that could have been addressed
through proper communication.
The prosperity of the developed
world was built on the exploitation
and suffering of Black slaves.
Unfortunately, the legacy of
colonialism and slavery continues to
haunt us, with the scars of pillage,
human trafficking and forced labour
still evident. Iconic symbols of power,
such as the White House, were
constructed on the backs of enslaved
Africans. Similarly, the Arab world’s
economy flourished thanks to Mansa
Musa’s wealth and the trans-Saharan
trade. Yet, despite these historical
contributions, the Black world
remains economically and socially
shackled.
The Bible and Koran, scriptures
that advocate for compassion, justice
and humility, now serve as a stark
contrast to the hypocrisy of their
proponents. Colonial powers, who
claimed to represent Christianity,
exploited our resources, enslaved our
people, and treated them as
commodities rather than human
beings.
As we reflect on Nigeria’s
economic challenges, it is essential to
consider the importance of informed
leadership. The story of the Pharaoh
“which knew not Joseph” serves as a
cautionary tale about the dangers of
ignorance and the importance of
informed leadership. As if two
wrongs have equaled a right, the
actions of Pharaoh and Trump share
a common thread - both leaders
sought to maintain power and control
over perceived threats. Pharaoh
viewed the Israelites as a danger to his
Continued on Page 15<

Opinion
MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025 TheTrumpet Page11
Ayo Adebanjo and Alaperu Basibo:
In Requiem
Continued from Page 6<
of Adebanjo’s colleagues have died in the
course of the struggle. Some moved to the
other side of the fence. Others adjusted in
later life. The very essence of
Chief Adebanjo’s politics lies
in his consistency, his unwavering
commitment to ideas rather than
opportunism, his courage in the face of fire
and intimidation, the life of sacrifice that he
has lived, and his loyalty to Awo and
Awoism. On this last score, he may in fact
be described as the last of the original
Awoists.
“This emphasis on ideology,
party politics, and Awoism is important, as
an entry point into the interrogation of
Chief Ayo Adebanjo’s politics. The kind of
post-politics reality that has developed in
Nigeria since the early 2000s has been
a politics that is not driven by any ideology
or principles or core beliefs, but by the
desperate search for power by any vehicle
possible. For this reason, there are
many politicians in Nigeria today who
cannot effectively articulate what exactly
they believe in or stand for, and there are
many of them who in less than a decade
have used up to about
five political platforms of disconcertingly
contradictory impressions. This is probably
the reason Chief Ayo Adebanjo has stayed
away in the last few years from direct
party politics. In 1951, he joined the Action
Group; in the Second Republic, he was a
member of the Unity Party of Nigeria; in
the 90s, he was a member of the progressive
democratic coalition; with the return to
party politics in 1998, he was a member of
the Alliance for Democracy which was
more or less an Awoist party. When the AD
seemed to have transmuted, or well, to have
been compromised and something called
the
ACN
emerged, Adebanjo kept his distance and
functioned more as a leader of the
Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural
group, which till date seems more
committed to the Awoist ideology…”
*
This principled stand, this consistency,
was ever more evident during the 2023
general elections in Nigeria, and also in the
politics of the Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba
socio-political group. Disagreements
within the Afenifere led to Chief Ayo
Adebanjo leading his own core group
within the body, while Pa Reuben Fasoranti
led the other group. Chieftains of Afenifere
often insist that the body was never
factionalised, but it was obvious that Awo’s
group had broken up into two different
tendencies. Adebanjo never played packpolitics.
He was never afraid to stand alone.
He was a man of courage and he found
many admirers and followers for his
convictions. In the lead up to the 2023
elections, for example, he supported the
Pa Ayo Adebanjo
candidacy of Peter Obi, Presidential
candidate of the Labour Party. He could not
be persuaded to support his own kinsman,
Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC) because he was
convinced that it was the turn of Igbos to
produce a Nigerian President in the spirit of
equity and justice. Tinubu won and
emerged as President but that did not stop
Adebanjo from remaining an Obidient, as
Obi’s supporters are known, till the very
end of his life. He could not be intimidated
by parochial, ethnic sentiments. Pa
Adebanjo was a friend of the media. He
was an interviewer’s delight and he was
one of our regular go-to resource persons
at Arise News. He had many friends among
the younger generations. He was
everyone’s Papa, always battle-ready to
hold robust discussions on national issues,
either through phone calls, media
appearances or press statements. One of his
younger colleagues in politics whom he
had criticized frontally in his 2018
autobiography once advised him to go and
take a rest from activism. It is to his eternal
credit that he remained active on the public
stage until his walking stick failed him. It
is sad, however, that the Nigeria of his
dream did not materialize in his lifetime.
His death on February 14, a day devoted to
love and loving, is an important message
that he has left behind.
*
Alaperu Idowu Basibo, Apekun-Joye,
Odoru V spent nearly 23 years on the
throne of his ancestors. By March 30, 2025,
he would have spent 23 years as the 21 st
Alaperu of Iperu Remo in Ogun State. I
was his biographer – a book titled
“Alaperu: The Crown and The Glory”
(Lagos: The Sales Brothers, 2022, 203 pp.).
What makes his death even more shocking
was that a few days earlier, Kabiyesi and I
had spoken on the phone. He wanted me to
speak with someone on a particular matter
and he had said I was too far away; I should
try to keep in touch more often. When I
received news of his passing a few days
later, I kept asking Prince Bola Basibo, his
son, whether this was meant to be a joke,
because I had spoken with the monarch
recently and he was in very high spirits. It
wasn’t a joke. It was true. He was 67.
Death is the most treacherous fact of life.
Its finality reminds us of the finiteness of
our mortality. The late Alaperu was a
cosmopolitan man, well-cultured,
committed to his people, and progressive.
He was a modern monarch who had a
Facebook page, and an Instagram page and
who most actively supported the younger
generation through a group called Iperu
Millennials, a network of young men and
women of Iperu-Akesan extraction who
were encouraged by the town’s royal father
to identify with their roots. They include the
Sales Brothers, Oyinkan Fawehinmi, Tobi
Fletcher (Ofada Boy), Olumide Soyombo,
Christina Soname and a host of others. He
was also a friend of the elderly members of
the community whom he actively
encouraged to invest in the town and
promote it, notably the Odole Oodua, Sir
Kessington A. Adebutu. Prince Dapo
Abiodun, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, and all the
friends that the traditional ruler attracted to
the community, too many to be counted.
Continued on Page 13<

Page12 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025

News
MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
TheTrumpet
Ayo Adebanjo and Alaperu Basibo:
In Requiem
Page13
Continued from Page 11<
Many Yoruba communities over the
years have since added to Ifa consultations,
and other considerations, a basic
requirement that royal houses can only
recommend for the throne, princes that are
educated. Oba Basibo was a good example
of having a man who can function in a
modern setting as a traditional ruler. He
was a graduate of The Polytechnic Ibadan,
and the University College, London where
he studied Marine Economics. He also
obtained a Diploma in Shipping and Export
Management from the Yaba College of
Technology. He had risen through the
ranks at the Customs and Excise
Department and was an established
socialite in Lagos, looking forward to
further advancement in his chosen career as
a Customs Officer before his family came
to drag him to become a traditional ruler. It
was an assignment that he eventually
accepted with a determination to serve his
people. In more than 22 years, Alaperu
Basibo transformed the community from a
rural settlement into a thriving investment
destination, located within 50 miles from
Lagos, an intersection between Abeokuta,
Shagamu, and other towns such as Ogere,
and Ode Remo. Kabiyesi Alaperu leaves
behind a legacy of exponential growth and
a standard that would be a source of
inspiration and a challenge to whoever
succeeds him from any of the other ruling
houses – Amororo or Agbonmagbe in
accordance with the Alaperu of Iperu
Chieftaincy Declaration Law of 1958, and
Section 20(1) of the Chiefs Law Cap 20
Law of Ogun State of Nigeria, 1978.
The late Alaperu believed that
traditional rulers should be given a role to
play in the governance process and given
their closeness to the people, they can help
maintain peace and stability within
communities by resolving land disputes or
other matters of potential conflict. “The
Government may hand over instruments of
office to traditional rulers but it is the
people who choose their kings”, he said. He
did not believe in the idea of traditional
rulers getting involved in partisan politics.
But he was an apostle of federalism and the
restructuring of Nigeria, better still a
regional government system as in the 1963
Constitution and a leadership recruitment
process that throws up capable and
trustworthy persons who can move the
country forward. In a society where discodancing,
oshomo moneybags have found
their ways onto traditional stools, and their
conduct has become a subject of derision,
Alaperu Basibo will be remembered for
carrying himself with much dignity and
grace. Always well turned out, he had a
kind word for every one that came across
Oba Adeleke Adelekan Idowu-Basibo - The Alaperu of Iperu 4 (Photo - 3Plea Photography)
him. He brought respect to the Alaperu
throne. He was a compulsive bridgebuilder.
He will be greatly missed. It now
remains for the kingmakers in council – the
Osugbo, Lopere and the Odi - to ensure that
succession to the throne is rancour-free, and
that the peace and stability that the late
Alaperu restored to their “once warring
community” and has left behind as part of
his legacy, is sustained.
Death is a debt that all living things
owe, and which they must pay when called
to the Celestial Lodge above. We are told in
Psalm 89: 48 - “No one can live forever, all
will die. No one can escape the power of
the grave.” Ecclesiastes 8:8: says “None of
us can hold back our spirit from departing.
None of us has the power to prevent the day
of death. There is no escaping that
obligation, that dark battle.” Knowing this
to be true about death, the public’s number
one enemy, we must as a people of faith
accept the fact of our own mortality,
“momento mori”, and take solace in the
worthy life of impact and illumination that
Pa Adebanjo and Alaperu Basibo lived.
Both men deserve to be celebrated and
remembered. Their example should inspire
the living. Thank you, sirs, for your
friendship. Goodbye and goodnight…

Page14 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
Opinion
Legends lost! An era closes!
A nation mourns!
By Abiodun Komolafe
The passing of Chief Ayo
Adebanjo, a renowned elder
statesman and Afenifere
chieftain, and the breaking news
about Chief Edwin Clark, mark the
end of an era.
Focusing primarily on Adebanjo,
he represented, very much like
Clark, the spirit of emancipation,
which arose out of the earlier stages
of the agitation for an end to the
colonial incursion in Africa. Indeed,
Clark was actually, as a student at
Holborn College of Law in London,
an active member of the West
African Students’ Union (WASU).
Between 1952 and 1965, he was
also a member of the Honourable
Society of Inner Temple, London.
WASU is of great significance,
for it triggered off the current of
thinking, based on the progressive
philosophical base, not just for
dismantling colonialism but for
presenting a programme of action to
guide the post-colonial State. The
position of WASU affected the
thinking of movements such as the
Action Group (AG) in Nigeria and
the Convention People’s Party
(CPP) in Ghana, amongst others.
Indeed, the manifesto pledge of
the AG, to ‘make life more
abundant’, is aligned with WASU’s
affiliation with the ground-breaking
manifesto of the Labour Party in
1945, ‘Let us face the future’, which
has stood as the most important
manifesto ever issued. Significantly,
it was the AG manifesto in 1951
which persuaded Adebanjo to
switch from the National Council of
Nigeria and the Cameroons
(NCNC) to AG. The late sage
obviously felt that AG’s manifesto
was in alignment with his own
political philosophy.
By the time the foremost
nationalist switched to AG, the
NCNC had undergone a significant
shift in its ideology. Following the
death of Herbert Macaulay, the
party abandoned its initial stance on
a federalist post-colonial State and
adopted a highly centralized
Pa Ayo Adebanjo
‘unification’ position. This drastic
change had far-reaching
consequences, leading to disastrous
effects that still plague the country
today.
Adebanjo’s shift in allegiance
revealed the politics of an era which
was based on philosophical ideas
and ideological thrusts. This is in
marked contradistinction to today’s
trend of ‘decamping’ for purely
personal advancement and
pecuniary benefits. He remained
steadfast in his progressive beliefs
from his early 20s until his passing
at 96. This is why an era has passed,
and the passing of that era should be
treated with deep regret. The highly
respected Nigerian did not shift
from his ideological position,
through tribulations, setbacks and
defeats, including the prospect of
going to jail.
During the 1962 treasonable
felony trial, Adebanjo faced a
choice: abandon his principles and
gain a lucrative appointment by
testifying for the prosecution, or
stand firm. He chose the latter!
Today, the political atmosphere is in
direct contrast to the faithfulness
exhibited by the Isanya Ogbo, Ijebu
Ode-born leader and the nation is
financially and morally poorer for it.
Nigeria is today mired in the
‘development of the underdevelopment’,
underachievement and an alarming
slide into the fringes in the world
pecking order.
In my January 6, 2009 article,
‘Afenifere: Once upon an identity‘,
I wrote that many Yorubas believed
the once-revered body had become
extinct, with its relevance dying
even before the passing of notable
figures like Bola Ige and Abraham
Adesanya. Fast-forward to today,
and the question remains: how
relevant is Afenifere in the face of
widespread crises, including
security concerns and rampant
unemployment in the Southwest?
If a country’s politics is not
ideologically driven, there are
always consequences. In other
words, if Nigeria had continued to
produce people who believed in the
ideological current and stayed
faithful, the country could have
lived to be at par with Brazil, which
is the world’s 10 th largest economy;
if not, with India, which is the 5 th
largest.
Instructively, there was a clear
ideological mandate of President
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva that, in his
first coming, that translated into
practice moved forty million
Brazilians out of poverty and built
one million housing units annually
for eight years. Nigeria could have
achieved similar progress, and
more, if it had continued to create
the atmosphere that produced Ayo
Adebanjo and people like him, such
as Edwin Clark.
Speaking generally, Nigeria’s
biggest problem is the attitude of its
leaders and the popular. Imagine the
plight of the average citizen! As fate
would have it, Nigeria now has one
of the highest poverty rates in the
world, with significant spatial and
socio-economic inequalities,
exacerbating social unrest and
instability. The living standards are
going down, and there’s mass
unemployment, with large trade
deficits and dependence on oil
exports not only resulting in
economic stagnation but also
hindering development. Here,
corruption is a fair game. Bribery is
also a fair game. The trouble is that
either is a seed; once it is sown, it
will surely germinate, then bear

Opinion
MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
Legends lost! An era closes!
A nation mourns!
TheTrumpet
Page15
Continued from Page 14<
fruit. After that comes the harvest
season.
The reality is unambiguous:
many families survive on less than
N5,000 per week, while the
minimum wage barely covers the
cost of a bag of rice. Soaring
gasoline prices, inadequate
education, healthcare and nutrition
have all contributed to a vicious
cycle of poverty and
underdevelopment. To make
matters worse, the inflation rate has
skyrocketed to an all-time high,
exacerbating the country’s
economic challenges; and it is as if
the gods are angry!
With these pressing issues
staring us in the face, what concrete
solutions is Afenifere proposing,
and how is it engaging with
organizations like the Development
Agenda for Western Nigeria
(DAWN) to address these
challenges? Furthermore, as
Afenifere’s stance seems to swing
and swerve depending on the whims
of its leaders, is the organization
presenting solid position papers and
working collaboratively with others
to drive meaningful change?
The fall of giants like Ayo
Adebanjo serves as a poignant
reminder that the baton of
leadership must be passed to a new
generation of Nigerians who are
equally committed to the ideals of
democracy, social justice, and
federalism. In saner societies,
Afenifere is supposed to have
evolved into a research institute
powerhouse for Southwest Nigeria,
proffering ironclad solutions to state
and local governments on
education, internal security, food
security and health challenges. But
is it doing that?
How many people relate to
Afenifere these days, apart from a
tiny segment of the elite? Again, if
one may ask, what’s the continued
relevance of Afenifere? Its influence
has waned, and its connection to the
average person, particularly outside
the elite circle, is tenuous at best. If
you talk to somebody in Ijebu-Jesa,
my Native Nazareth, what is his
concern with Afenifere? Does he
know what it stands for? With the
last of the titans finding their way to
their Creator, will Afenifere still be
relevant in decades to come?
Adebanjo was once here! Now,
he belongs in history! He has done
his bit and he has left the stage. He
fought tirelessly for his principles,
unyielding in the face of adversity,
and uncompromising in his pursuit
of a more just and equitable society.
His legacy, now forever entwined
with the fabric of Afenifere, stands
as an inspiration, illuminating the
enduring importance of equity, good
governance and social justice –
timeless ideals that transcend the
boundaries of mortality.
Adebanjo’s passing represents
what we have lost and what might
have been. The lesson from the
passing of people like him should be
taught in schools and documentary
dramas made about their lives in
order to instruct, guide and guard.
Perhaps, it’d still be possible to
rekindle that era!
May the beautiful souls of Chief
Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Edwin
Clark find rest in the bosom of their
Creator!
May the Lamb of God, who
takes away the sin of the world,
grant us peace in Nigeria!
Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-
Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)
Trump should be a wake-up call!
Continued from Page 10<
authority, while Trump has portrayed
undocumented immigrants as a threat
to national security and American jobs.
Ancient civilizations also offer
valuable lessons in leadership. In
Greece, for instance, Oedipus Rex
serves as a moral lesson about the
dangers of hubris and ignorance.
Likewise, India’s Mahabharata tells
the story of the blind king,
Dhritarashtra, who ignored wise
counsel and led his kingdom to ruin.
China’s concept of ‘Mandate of
Heaven’ emphasizes the importance
of morally just leadership.
Conversely, Africa’s ‘Ubuntu’
philosophy prioritizes community and
interconnectedness. It highlights the
need for leaders to consider the wellbeing
of all people, not just their own
constituents. This concept is often
cited as a counterpoint to Trump’s
‘America First’ ideology.
Now that Trump has declared war
on everybody, it might be a unique
opportunity for Nigeria to take control
of our economic destiny and build an
economy based on self-reliance and
the search for export-oriented, valueadded
policies in order to balance its
books, end the perennial current
accounts deficits and smash the
mould of boom-to-bust cycles. Even
as he continues to defy conventions
and push the boundaries of executive
power, dear country should learn
from its history and leverage the
population dynamics of countries like
the United States and India to create a
more sustainable and resilient
economy.
The Chinese ideograph for
CRISIS is, on one side, Danger, and,
on the other side, Opportunity.
Essentially therefore, Trump’s second
coming presents a fantastic
opportunity for Nigerians. We should
seize it with both hands. We shouldn’t
ask other countries to do for us what
we are expected to do for ourselves.
In a word, failure to have a coherent
response to Trump’s ‘wahala’ only
means that Nigeria will continue to
move, irresistibly, in the direction of
boom-to-bust, under-performance
and under-achievement, with more
Nigerians sliding into poverty. And
that will be sad!
May the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world, grant us
peace in Nigeria!
Komolafe wrote from Ijebu-Jesa,
Osun State, Nigeria
(ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

Page16 TheTrumpet MARCH 19 - APRIL 1 2025
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