Hon Adekunle Alli, a member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic and Lagos historian, has marked his 80th birthday at his Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos home. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE reports.
Celebrating at 80 should attract the razzmatazz that accompanies a carnival but the celebrator thought otherwise. He believes that such energy and resources should be channeled to other ventures.
This informed the reason Hon Adekunle Alli chose to mark his 80th birthday at his Iyana Ipaja home where his neighbours would be part of the activities instead of taking it to high brow places in Lagos.
The gathering was modest and devoid of the usual hustle and bustle of big events. From the personalities that graced the occasion, it was obvious the kind of person he is.
Alli, a former member of the House of Representatives who joined the club of the octogenarian on March 16, was the toast of political associates, friends and relatives who gathered to share in his joy.
Dressed in a blue lace agbada with a native cap to match, the man who many described as the custodian of Lagos history, was at his best, evoking laughter each time he punctuated his life story.
A prayer session was led by Imam Shehu Gbajabiamila with the recitation of the Holy Quran.
The celebrator was not alone in this ecstatic mood; his wives, children and grand children gathered around him trying to catch his attention while attending to guests on their arrival as early as 8am.
Though there was no particular dress code, most of the guests wore native attires.
The canopies erected outside the main building and the decoration on the tables and chair were in blue colour adorned by the Hon Alli.
The praise-singers, who intermittently formed a shield around every important guest praised such guest until he or she parted with some naira notes.
Being a politician, the presence of the political class was quite loud. Shouts of ‘up All Progressives Congress (APC) did not abate as notable politicians arrived and departed.
Many, who hailed Hon. Alli as their benefactor, urged him not to relent from his fatherly role to the community and those who came his way.
Prof. Ade Elebute, the celebrator’s long-time friend, described him as amazing, urging those in authority to tap from Alli’s wealth of knowledge.
“He has a fantastic knowledge about Lagos. The amount of material in his possession is colossal and I congratulate him for joining us at the octogenarian club,” he said.
Member, House of Representatives, Hon Yakub Balogun, said Alli was not only a blessing to Lagos State but Nigeria.
He said: “I don’t know how he comes about this abundant knowledge but I think God just blessed him. He is quite rich with the traditional history of Lagos Island. Such a person has been instrumental to training many of us.
“He is the mirror through which we judge ourselves, a mentor and so humble. I cannot say exactly when I met him because I grew up in his arms. I was born and bred in Lagos and have known him to be our father right from the period that we were young.”
His wife, Oyindamola, described her husband as the most-caring person she ever met.
“He would risk whatever he has just to make sure others are happy and could hardly say no when he knew he could help,” she said.
Alli’s boyish gait pointed to the fact that he lived a wonderful life.
He said: “I feel natural and of course I have become more philosophical. The essence of life is for the betterment of humanity.”
He described his encounter with former Lagos State Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande as one of the most valuable episode in his life.
He had to risk his life in clandestine exchange of notes with him at the prison.
“What I do today is based on the interest I have. It is the interest one shows in what he does that is important in life. If you are interested in reporting events, you become a reporter even though you have not seen the four walls of the class of journalism,” he said.
