At over 80 when most of his peers are going senile, Pa Olola Ogunlana has done the incredible, writing two books on Yourba culture, Assistant Editor (Arts) Ozolua Uhakheme reports
A public presentation of two books may be seen as ordinary, as many books have been presented in the past. But when such books are written by an octogenarian, 86-year-old retired insurance guru, Olola Olabode Ogunlana, on Yoruba culture preservation, then such effort is not ordinaryand a commendable feat.
Little wonder guests such as the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo; the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; Onikate of Ikate Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi; the Oniru of Iru, Oba Idowu Oniru; Rev George Bako and some chief executives of insurance companies, among others, converged on the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos to witness the historic unveiling of the books — Out of the Black Pot and The Selected Tales.
Chaired by former Punch Newspaper Chairman Chief Ajibola Ogunshola, the presentation also doubled as part of activities to mark 40 years of SCIB Nigeria & Co Ltd. Ogunshola described Ogunlana as a very thorough person and the first Nigerian managing director of NICON.
According to Ogunsola, Pa Ogunlana’s thoroughness when he headed NICON made his stay to be shortlived. “He was very thorough, sometimes too thorough for that type of organisation. And so his stay was brief, which turned out to be a blessing for him,” he said.
Ogunshola recalled that the author upon retirement from active insurance business devoted his time and energy to exploring and expanding his artistic and literary talents. He said Ogunlana is not only an accomplished artist, but a very talented painter. Four years ago, the author launched two books at Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos that was chaired by Chief Michael Omolayole.
Ogunshola described the books as not only entertaining and morally instructive, but also a product of a fertile mind for poetry, canons and idioms, wits and wisdoms, creativity and fecund imagination. He noted that one of Ogunlana’s books, Out of the black pot is an entertaining vehicle for Christian evangelism and it galvanises the highest moral values, adding that the author must be commended for the publication, which strengthens moral values, and for consciously promoting Yoruba culture.
In his remark, Olola Ogunlana said considering the nature and significance of the two books, it was particularly gratifying that the occasion was graced by traditional rulers, the custodians of Yoruba culture, to which enough attention had not been given in recent years. He recalled that his growing up to become a successful entrepreneur was influenced by a nursery rhyme he learnt in 1938 at St Paul’s Primary School, Breadfruit, Lagos, which made a deep impression on him.
“I am guided by a nursery rhyme I learnt in 1938 at St. Paul’s Breadfruits Primary School, Lagos which made a deep impression on me. It runs thus: “Good, better, best. May I never rest until my good is better, and my better is best”.
He said it was the principle embedded in the above rhyme that inspired him to establish SCIB Insurance. He noted that he grew up in the midst of Moslems and Christians, who lived harmoniously and were helpful to one another.
“In retrospect, I think that spirit promoted the wellbeing of all which made possible the emergence of a strong middle class on which Nigeria was built. I have no doubt that the spirit of togetherness was the catalyst. This goes to show that religion, an important part of culture, is the mainstay of society,” he said.
He lamented the decay in Nigerian music, blaming it on past adminstrations. “The advent of party politics in the mid-50s bequeathed Nigeria with different types of music. The initial melodious harmony followed by loud drumbeat was later escalated to the cacophony of the present day to which many Nigerians are unwilling and unable to dance”. This led to a situation in which Nigerians are no longer their brothers’ keepers; where the spirit of co-operation has gone askew; where only a privileged few are able to take and grasp all they desire without let or hindrance, rather than to give and nurture…to the advantage of the vast majority,” he said.
This, he said, led to the destruction of the middle class, adding that the life of togetherness was destroyed and everything degenerated into a state of decadence. According to him, a totally disillusioned person like him went back down memory lane, recalling two icons of Christian religion; Prophet Joshia Ositelu, primate and founder, Church of the Lord Aladura, and Right Reverend Runsewe Kale, one-time principal of CMS Grammar School, Lagos and later the Anglican Bishop of Lagos.
He added: “May the Almight Father in His mercy give Nigeria many more of such spiritual giants to assist in turning this nation around for the better. I am almost certain that these two icons of the church will be turning in their graves to see what Nigeria of 1938 has metamorphosed into in 2018.
“In the course of my ruminations over the issues confronting Nigeria, I recalled what the writer Spinoza said and I quote: “For myself I am certain that the good of human life cannot lie in the possession of things which one man to possess is for the rest to lose, but rather, a thing which all can possess alike, and where one man’s wealth promotes his neighbour’s.”
The octogenarian noted that this is the mindset Nigeria urgently needs to address the backsliding, which led to today’s godlessness. Ogunlana continued: “Hence, I decided to put pen to paper. The result is two books: Out of the black pot” and Selected Tales. The former is a study of comparative religion. The later dwells on Yoruba culture and language. The two books, in-between them, are wake-up calls to arouse us as individuals and as a nation from our deep slumber”.
He quoted a a poem on page 75 of Out of the black pot: “We came into the world with nothing, We shall leave it with nothing, Lets try to keep the world unspoiled, Use it with others in love and unity, Pass it to others not only good but better.”
According to a statement in the book’s brochure, the ‘stories in Out of the Black Pot transcend the local context. They are epical moral tales. Out of the Black Pot, the lead story, recalls the power of predestination and ironic consequences of fundamental errors committed by man in his interaction with divine powers. The other stories also in various ways convey moral values and virtues of the traditional Yoruba.
“This book of stories challenges the older generation to pass on their wisdom, counsel and skills to the younger generation for the good of the world. A major tragedy of non-documentation of African traditions and values account for the loss of identity of a race, which originated civilisation, but now a victim of globalised foreign cultures; more so as richly endowed custodians of African knowledge in all spheres of life pass away with their moral traditions without handing them over to their children.”
The Selected Tales, a collection of special thrillers from Olola Ogunlana is another clear illustration of the author’s dedication to a legacy of moral discipline, ethics and all that should constitute the objective of real living and ‘giving’ to the younger generation. The book, which emerged from the author’s study of Yoruba culture and language, hopes to stimulate readers’ interest in Yoruba culture and language. Similarly, it is expected to provoke other writers to do the same for other cultures within Nigeria.
The event was not all about long speeches as there were musical performances by Muraina Oyelami, who thrilled the guests with rendition of Yoruba traditional poetry (ewi).