I find it very significant that the 70th birth milestone and retirement from service of my favourite half – sibling and very dear sister, Professor Adenike Oyinlola Osofisan (nee Adedipe), comes up today. A Wednesday and the day my column is published. Apart from my 75th birthday on September 4, and which was a Wednesday, last year, hers is the first time the coming into the world anniversary of any of our father’s 23 children alive has come up on a Wednesday.
I take this as Heavens way of acknowledging and endorsing our close relationship since she was about six years old and I was twelve. It is also remarkable that Nike who was born on the eleventh day of the month of March was also the eleventh child of the 27 offspring of our old man from six of his eight spouses. My mum was the second spouse while hers was the fifth.
In addition, I find it exceptional that our great dad, Senior High Chief Orisabinu Josiah Adedipe IV (1904 – 72), the Maiyegun of Osogbo from 1954 and the 13th Elemo of Akure (1959 – 72), who went to glory on Wednesday, February 23 1972, was laid to rest 17 days later, on Saturday, March 11. A day which happened to have been the 22nd birthday of Nike who was also born on Saturday, March 11, 1950 in Osogbo, where 21 of our dad’s children also came into the world. The remaining six were born in Akure after our old man relocated back home in December 1958.
In Nigeria up to about 1950, most fathers did not give their daughters education beyond the primary school level. But ours, who was one of the first 15 to 20 millionaires in Nigeria, in the 1930s through 1950, trained his female children to the secondary and university levels. The effect of his foresightedness and progressiveness is that today eleven of his 17 daughters and six of his nine sons are graduates, that is people with university degrees or a Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate, which is equivalent of a BA or BSc degree.
Apart from Nike we also have two other professors, both of them women. They are Professor (Mrs.) Adefunke Oyemade, our dad’s first child, a medical doctor and Professor (Mrs.) Adeola Abaelu, the third – born and a former Deputy Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi – Araba, Surulere who has a PhD degree in Biochemistry.
But of all of our old man’s offspring Nike is the first among equals in brilliancy and academic achievements. Although she had distinction in mathematics when she sat for the West African School Certificate Examination at Fiwasaiye Girls’ Secondary School, Akure in 1967 she was originally to study Arts in the university. She changed her mind while doing her Higher School Certificate (HSC) course at the Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro, Ogun State. As a result, she spent three years for the two – year programme.
She had her first degree, a 2nd Class Upper Division pass in Computer Science and Economics at the University of Ife, Ile – Ife in 1976 and obtained her MSc degree in Computer Science in 1979 at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, United States. She earned her PhD in the subject at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife in 1989. The institution was changed from the University of Ife in 1987.
In 1993, Professor (Mrs.) Osofisan enrolled for a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Ibadan and completed the course with an unprecedented record of nine distinctions.
More to come next Wednesday
Adieu Admiral Koshoni & Dr. Victor Olaiya (2)
I started visiting the corner-piece residence of the parents of Admiral Patrick Seubo Koshoni at 76, Bamgbose and 55, Kakawa Streets on Lagos Island in January 1965 because two of my bosom friends were living in their compound. These were the Doherty brothers from Ile – Ife, who were born and bred in Akure, retired Major (Prince) Abiodun Doherty (1944 – 2017), a former General Manager, Nigeria Ports Authority, Lagos and his elder brother, very handsome Prince Sunday Oladipo Doherty a.ka. Bobo (1941 – 80).
The latter who was popularly known as ‘Gulder man’ when he advertised the beer drink in the media in the 1970s owned Mama Koko night club in Surulere, Lagos and went to glory at the Ooni’s palace in December 1980 when he collapsed during the coronation of his cousin, His Royal Majesty Okunade Sijuwade (1930 – 2015), as the paramount ruler of Ile – Ife. The Dohertys shared a large room with late Mr. Lateef Adekunle Antonio (Oga Lato), the eldest of them and late Mr. Adeniran Terry Agbelemoge (1942 – 80), a one – time Science Editor of the Daily Times in Lagos.
At the time I started visiting their compound in 1965, Seubo had joined the Navy and I only met him occasionally when I was at their residence when he came to visit his parents and siblings. I was then living with my uncle at 18A, Joseph Street which was about three minutes – walk to their place. In the order of their seniority in age, his brothers and sisters were: Mr. Bernard Sedowe Koshoni, whom we used to call Egbon (Elder) Bernard; Maggie who later married Ekiti – born Mr. Gbadamosi, Ms Anise and late Mr. Gbegan Koshoni, a senior staff of Eko Bank who was the first to die in 1991 or 92.
He was followed in 2009 by Bernard whom I spoke with on phone three days before his demise and Maggie in 2012. Only Anise is alive of all the eleven people who lived in their compound when I used to visit them.
Continues next week with the story of Admiral Koshoni as one of the best Chief of Naval Staff Nigeria ever had.