By Omotayo Ishola
Chief the Honourable Stephen Kolawole Akanji Oke died peacefully in his sleep, without qualms and without worries. “In his lifetime, Shao was custom-bell by the forces of evil, bad faith, cruelty and oppression and moro citizens were enveloped in the darkness of man inhumanity with man, intolerance, prejudice, poverty, ignorance and superstitions, but he had one life to live. Yet his one life was sacrificed for the redemption of Moro and Shao peoples, verily, he died still on active service battling for the emancipation of oppressed people of Moro, Asa and the underdog in Kwara!!!
His Life
In May 22, 1947, the three stars collided with one another announcing their falconer. That day a son was born at Ile-Eiyeba, that day a king was crowned with Ile-Eiyeba harbouring the new king as Ile-Ajewo, Oba Afolabi. Yet that year, a white missionary of SIM/ECWA crew visited Shao for the very first time, late Rev. D. Porter, Chief Wole Oke was born on May 22, 1947 to a peasant parent, Adigun Ajiboro Oke and Morenike Abio Oke. He started his elementary education at experimental SIM primary school in 1953 pioneered by late Rev. Adetaiwo who would later become his colleague at the state legislature between (1979 – 1983). In 1961, he gained admission to Government College, Kaduna where he obtained his West African School Certificate. Between 1966 – 1967, he was at Bawara College, Zaria where he studied English, French and History for his higher education certificate. In 1968, he gained admission to the Ahmadu Bello University to read Business Administration in the Business School of Faculty of Administration. He obtained his B.Sc. (Hon. Degree, Second Class Upper) in June 1971.
By July 1971, he took up appointment with Kwara State Ministry of Trade and Industry, having declined bank offers given to him in the North with sole aim of living with his people to ventilate his people aspiration for better life. Between 1972 – 1979, he led a non-governmental organization, Oke-Moro/Oke-Asa Development Union to fight for perceived injustices meted out to his people. His efforts for his struggles were crowned with exit of Moro and Asa from old Ilorin division as autonomous local government.
In 1978, he formally resigned his appointment in civil service to contest for Oloru constituency into Kwara State Legislature under the party he joined, the rested Unity Party of Nigeria. He won that election and was a “voice” to reckon with throughout the duration of second republic. He was appointed by late Chief J.S. Olawoyin as the Chief Publicity Officer of Kwara State Chapter of the party and at his remit, he was on all fours with publicity whit kids like late Chief Bola Ige, Ayo Adebanjo, M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu, Ebenezer babatope, Oluwasegun Adegoke and in recent times Alhaji Layi Mohammed, Femi Fani Kayode and late Dr. Doyin Okupe!!! He was secretary, parliamentary caucus of UPN in the house. In 1983, he was elected publicity secretary of UPN in succession to Chief Titus Ade Balogun of Odo-Owa.
At the second leg of second republic in 1983, he was re-elected into the house and became “leader of the house” while lawyer Ismail Sadiq became the speaker of the house.
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He was conferred with chieftaincy titles of Jagunmolu of Shao, Babajiro of Jebba and maiyegun of Oro land. He was secretary of Afenifere, Chairman of Oro College of Education, council, and a member of Odua Group of Companies.
He has traveled to Italy, Israel as a pilgrim and many African countries survived by a wife and children, grandchildren, Chief Wole Oke was one of the leaders of thought on Kwara State and future of Nigeria at the birth of this fourth republic. He is a member of APC elders advisory committee until his death, Chairman of A.A. and he has four publications to his credit.
Calamity
The demise of Doyen of Moro politics and veteran of Shao politics is a disaster at this critical and crucial period of our national rebirth and restructuring. His encyclopedic knowledge and versatile language manipulations would have been handy on how to move Shao, Moro, Kwara State forward in this dispensation! Indeed, what William Wordsworth said of John Milton is applicable to the great man that will be lowered to the earth soon.
“Milton, thou should be living at this hour, Shao, Moro both need of thee, she is tense of stagnant waters, alter, sword, and pen fireside, the burns of wealth of hail and burer, have forfeited their ancient Shao bower of inward happiness. We are selfish men. Oh rise up, return to us again, and give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. Thy soul was like a star, and dwelt apart, thou hadst a lone voice whose sound was like the seat, pure as the naked heavens majestic free!
So didst thou travel on life’s common way in cheerful godliness and yet thy heart the lowliest duties on herself did lay!!!
Supreme Sacrifice:
With due apologies to the second book of Samuel, the beauty of Shao has fallen and desecrated by the cold hands of death, how are the ‘mighty’ fallen? And the weapons of war perished!
Spread this calamity throughout the world, publish it in Lagos, disseminate it in Ilorin, Ibadan, Calabar, Ile-Ife, Oyo-Alaafin so that the world will know Shao kingdom has lost a “hero” in the fight.
You mountains of Isaha, Yelu, Bombomu, Ikoko and Baba Mogba, weep not for Chief Wole Oke but hold high your heads in pride that our town has produced a patriot whose life has been enshrined in the hearts of all who adore freedom. Let the tears shed by River Moro and River Asa flow the plains of the blessed soul of our hometown so that the dreams of Wole Oke for Shao might become a reality.
Ye, sons and daughters of Shao, weep not for our fallen leaders who have sacrificed their lives so that we may have food, raiment, shelter and the necessities of life in abundance. And as you weep, take heart and remember that lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime and departing here behind us footprints on the sands of time”.
Legacies of a start legislator
He was the champion for the creation of Moro and Asa local governments
He was the only legislator (1975 – 1983) that moved a private sponsored bill for creation of traditional council in each of the local governments in Kwara State
He was the legislator that moved a motion for integration of traditional medicine with orthodox medicine
He was the legislator in the whole Nigeria that moved a motion for establishment of price control board across the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
He build six classrooms for his community secondary school, Awonga high school, Shao.
He co-sponsored a bill creating a government secondary school in each of 42 constituencies in Kwara State (1979 – 1983) of which Shao was a beneficiary
He facilitated human and maternal infrastructural development for his people
He fought for the enhancement and grading of traditional rulers in all of the local governments constituting the emirate and in Kwara State
Now
Here lies the body of Wole Oke, the Jeremiah and Moses of Moro people!
Here lies S. Wole Oke, a champion of people’s right and development!!
Here lies the body of Wole Oke, a thorn in the flesh of oppressors and feudal lords!!!
Here lies the body of Wole Oke, the Jagunmolu of Shao, Bobajiro of Jebba and Maiyegun of Oro land!!!!
Here lies the body of Wole Oke, a sponsor of educational bursary for the indigent students in his constituency!!!!!
Here lies the body of Wole Oke, leader of the house, 1983!!!!!!
Here lies the body of Wole Oke, an iconoclast and agitator for oppressed people of Kwara State.
He will be remembered as a touch-bearer in the fight for injustice, he will be remembered as a man of the people.
He will be remembered as people’s burden bearer, he will be remembered as a pathfinder of SIM/ECWA patriots.
He will be remembered as a community man and loving husband.
Adieu, adieu, adieu Chief the Hon. Stephen Kolawole Oke.