Pa Ezekiel Oyebanji, a quintessential teacher who retired as a school principal, recently celebrated his 90th birthday in his home town, Ikogosi-Ekiti.
Deputy Editor, EMMANUEL OLADESU, writes on the lessons that the younger generation can learn from the humble community leader and father of Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
Smiles lit up his face as he danced to the church altar, accompanied by his promising children.
The First Baptist Church in his native Igokosi-Ekiti was filled to the brim by guests from far and near who came to celebrate the milestone with the family.
Hale and hearty, he was decked in voluminous brown Agbada that befitted an elder of his calibre. Tall and dignified, many marvelled at his excellent gait and commanding presence, despite his advanced age.
He moved briskly without a walking stick. His brain was sharp, and like the biblical Moses, his eyes were not dim, nor his natural force abated.
At 90, Pa Ezekiel Olukunle Oyebanji, a retired professional educator, reflected on the journey so far. He is by every standard a fulfilled man; a retired principal, accomplished administrator, a community leader, and father of Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
To the old man, contentment is a great gain.
His governor-son believed that his father deserved a bash. “What my father is celebrating are the virtues of honesty, integrity, humility, hard work, and self-discipline,” the governor, fondly called BAO by his admirers, said.
Governor Oyebanji pointed out that he had also inherited these traits from his father, a disciplinarian and corrective parent, who still monitors his activities as governor.
Yet, the old man is not insulated from mortal regret. During the ceremony, as he looked to his left, he felt a void. It would appear that all the spaces were filled up. But, Pa Oyebanji still saw a vacant seat, which should have been occupied by a person dear to his heart; his beloved wife. Sadly, the devoted wife passed on some 12 years ago.
Pa Oyebanji was born on July 15, 1933. He graduated from the University of Ibadan, where he studied Religious Knowledge and Yoruba. His joy throughout his teaching career was moulding the lives of youths, many of who are now occupying responsible positions in public life. He retired without blemish as a secondary school principal in 1993.
In his blissful retirement, there is no cause for worry. His preoccupation daily is thanking God for his grace, mercies and blessings, particularly his children, who take “maximum care” of him.
His residence at Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, is calm. There is neither adversity nor misfortune in old age. After doing his daily exercise and taking his bath, he eats well. Then, he compulsorily reads two national newspapers, which keep him abreast of information across the globe. After lunch, he observes his siesta, a habit he had cultivated during his school days and in the course of his teaching career. In the evening, he visits or welcomes friends, and fellow retirees who rob minds with him about contemporary issues. There is no dull moment.
Also during holidays, he is surrounded by grandchildren who mill around him.
But, the best form of relaxation for him is digging deep into the words of God. “I read the Bible, sing from the Baptist hymn book, literature books, newspapers and listen to music and sometimes, I relax with a bottle of chilled wine or palm wine,” he told reporters.
While the children of nowadays are glued to Davido, Nice, Olamide, Wizkid, and Rhema, Pa Oyebanji’s favourite musician has remained the philosopher-musician, Juju Maestro Ebenezer Obey.
Growing up, he was lucky, the reason being that he was privileged to go to school. From Baptist Primary School, Ikogosi-Ekiti, which he attended between 1945 and 1952, he never looked back. In 1952, he took the Standard Six Certificate Examination conducted by the Ministry of Education, Western Region, which he passed.
Due to financial constraints, he had to join his poor father on the farm before fate took him to a theological school at Igede-Ekiti. After a year in the school, the Missionary Adviser, Rev. J. S McGee, an American, sent him to Kabba in Kogi State. McGee sent him to another Missionary Adviser, who conducted an examination for him to determine his suitability for work.
From Kogi, he relocated to Ansar-Ud-Deen Teachers’ College, Ado-Ekiti. Having passed his examination there, he began teaching at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Iropora-Ekiti. “Later, I decided to go for Grade Two at Baptist Teachers’ College, Ede, Osun State, to spend another two years. I went for the exam. But the school never admitted me because I had earlier attended a college,” he recalled.
Oyebanji was determined to move forward. Therefore, he obtained a GCE form and sat for five papers in Arts subjects at Akure, Ondo State. After passing the five subjects, he registered for History and Bible Knowledge the Advanced Level GCE.
After passing his diploma course in UI, he gained admission to study Religious Knowledge / Yoruba.
After his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme at Baptist Women Teachers’ College, Abeokuta, Ogun State, he returned to his native Ondo State.
Oyebanji taught at Awo Community Primary School, Awo- Ekiti, All Souls’ Anglican Grammar School, Ado-Ekiti, and CAC Teachers’ College, Efon Alaaye, Eleyo High School, Ikere-Ekiti and Awo Community Grammar School, Awo-Ekiti.
He reminisced: “I worked as a teacher, Vice Principal and Principal.”
What stood him out was his self-discipline and abstainment from moral laxity. For example, he deliberately avoided temptation by female students and other women of easy virtue, knowing it would lead to distraction and dishonour.
Recalling the impact of self-control, Oyebanji said: “The Bible also warned against pursuing girls or women. If you are a student in a school and your aim and interest are always on girls, you will never succeed. And if you are a worker or staff anywhere and you are always interested in females, whatever you are earning will be taken away from you by them.”
Marriage is a validation of adult status. Thus, at God’s appointed time, the young teacher met his spouse, Esther Bosede Ojo, a native of Aramoko-Ekiti. He came in contact with her when he was posted to Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School in the town.
She was a class captain, who always brought the students’ books to her teacher very close to where Oyebanji lived.
He said: “I wrote a love letter to her first, second, and third times she never replied. I wrote the letters and gave them to a girl living with me as a house help to give to her. When she didn’t reply, I decided to go and visit her in their house.
It was a mistake, which elicited a rebuke from his future father-in-law.
He added: “I went to their house, I didn’t meet her, I didn’t meet her mother but met the father. I prostrated and greeted the father. He asked, hope nothing? I said nothing. He said, what do you want? I answered I have come to see your daughter. He asked which one. I said Bosede. He questioned, for what? I said because I see her very beautiful; I want to marry her. Then, the father looked at me and asked, do you have elders in your house? I answered, there are elders sir. He said, okay, go back to your house. He didn’t say more than that. So, I went back home.”
Back home, his relations also frowned at the steps, which tended to violate tradition. A week later, they took the proper step; they carried palm wine, two bottles of Schnapps, bitter kola, and Kolanuts to Miss Bosede’s father, who received them warmly. Later, the dowry was paid. The first fruit of the union is BAO, who was born on December 21, 1967.
The union was a contribution to the cause of monogamy in the modern world. But, in retirement, they were separated by her demise.
Oyebanji bore the tragedy with philosophical calmness. Despite the entreaties to him to re-marry, he declined, due to his utter sensitivity to the storm and stress associated with polygamy.
Defending his position on the matter, he said: “There is no woman that I will marry that will not love to have at least one child. That only child may in future be a problem to the six already with me. Two, the new wife, if anything happens, may shift the blame on the children. So, I decided to stay alone and not to remarry. Even when the children mounted pressure on me, I told them, no.”
Without his better life, Oyebanji said life has been dull. His consolation is that his caring children have not abandoned him.
Today, he is in a vantage position to point out to the youths the danger of extra-marital affairs. In his view, keeping concubines negates the will of God, adding “Once there is mutual love between the husband and the wife, one will never think of having any extramarital affair.”
The retired teacher is happy that his son is doing well as governor of Ekiti. He recalled that from childhood, BAO has been very obedient; an easygoing person.
Reflecting on his upbringing, Oyebanji said: “I remember I used to put him on my bicycle. At the age of one, I used to take him on my bicycle to my school at that time.
“As little as he was at that time, he would take a piece of chalk on my table and scribble some things on the chalkboard. The chalkboard in my class then was not too high from the ground. He would play about and later sleep on the floor.
“So, I had to buy a mat and I kept it in the Headmaster’s office so anytime he felt like sleeping, I would go and bring it. At age six Biodun was registered.
“He was so tiny that time but fortunately he was leading in the class and was doing fine.”
Pa Oyebanji said the day BAO became governor, two things happened to him. He was filled with joy by the elevation, which happened in his lifetime. But, tears also strolled from his eyes because his wife was not around to witness the historic moment. He noted that a minute of silence was observed in her honour during the inauguration on October 16, 2022.
Pa Oyebanji paid tribute to the founding fathers of Ekiti, who agitated for state creation before the late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, acceded to their request. Remarkably, BAO is one of them.
He said the creation of the state has brought development to Ekiti. He stressed: “Ekiti State has been making progress and shall continue to make progress. Judging from our position before the creation and now, Ekiti has made a lot of progress in all aspects and by the grace of God, Ekiti shall continue to make progress.”
Urging the people to support the governor in his bid to distribute more democratic dividends, Oyebanji said: “They should cooperate fully with the governor and pray along for him, his deputy, his wife and all those working with him.
“Understanding among them is very important. How do I make Ekiti better than I met it? This should be a top priority in their minds. I pray Ekiti as a state will not lag behind among the states in Nigeria. I pray for all Ekiti sons and daughters home and abroad, young and old, male and female, the youths, all residents that they will continue to make progress.
“They should join hands in making sure that Ekiti is better. I pray Ekiti will know peace and will continue to know peace.”
