JAA at 85: A measure of public spirit

How time flies! Just five years ago, we serenaded Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi (fondly called JAA) as he joined the octogenarian club. No cymbals sounded nor any bell jingled anywhere back then. Not that there was any lack or that his legion of mentees now immensely accomplished in all fields of human endeavour were incapable. It was his fervent wish.

Rather, as August 2, 2020 approached, he requested for prayers for the country and deep introspection by family and friends on how to collectively rededicate, to recommit to the pursuit of the common purpose.

As Pa JAA turns this week (August 2), there will be no Owambe anywhere still. It is by choice. Obviously, the effluxion of time has not in any way diluted his existing prescription for a better country. This was one’s conclusion after reading his interview featured by The Nation at the weekend.

Hear him: “I think we need to tell the younger people that apart from education and knowledge they need character. Part of the problem we have in this country now is the complete lack of population with character … For example, somebody who is wealthy is envied, somebody who is intellectually successful is respected, somebody who is in power, politically is feared. But only a person of character is trusted. So if you are known as a person of character, you will be trusted.”

In the thick of COVID 19 in 2020, yours sincerely wrote a tribute entitled “Adelusi-Adeluyi @ 80: The giver’s hand is on top” to toast him. Five years on, I have no cause to modify or recant any word in the eulogy. I crave readers’ indulgence to bring excepts as follows.

“Doubtless, pharmacy taught him the ancient secrets of medicine. But in rather engaging the Nigerian public more intimately in the last half a century, Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi has amply demonstrated that duty of care to society is much more than administering injection or dispensing medication. He is obviously one of Nigeria’s surviving doyens of medicine and arguably her most iconic pharmacist in the past five decades.

“By going extra mile to make a bigger career of the art of inspiring the wary, raising the weak, comforting the traumatized and reconciling the estranged, Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi has certainly touched a far greater number across various disciplines and continents more intimately than the possible reach of ether-smelling lab of medical research and solutions.
“Note, in our society, when the appellation of ‘Daddy’ is invoked outside biological affiliation, it is often an emotional acknowledgement and submission to the authority of another and emplacing such individual on a higher pedestal. It is undoubtedly the highest form of cultural veneration. It presupposes a hand that provides daily-bread, a voice which resonates for compassion and solidarity.

“Were a survey to be conducted today, far more are surely those who fondly address the Ekiti prince as ‘Daddy’ than his biological brood. Few, if any, would indeed rival Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi in contemporary Nigeria in terms of the turnover of mentees in various sectors. His own exertion is certainly on industrial scale.

“So, unlike the Freudian kid who eyes the father with malicious envy, our calling the Ekiti patriarch ‘Daddy’ is a gesture of affection – a worship and appreciation of not just his ever cheerful and accommodating airs, but much more of an instinctive mentoring spirit. His enigma lies not only in the generosity in donating time to mentor, but also the humility to cultivate the friendship of those who, by all yardstick, are his juniors and inferiors.

“Again, there is something enthralling about his aristocratic carriage in the public, garnished with a badge of honor earned undoubtedly from a life-long commitment to charity causes. To say nothing about the sartorial impeccability of his trademark all-white ensemble, rimless glasses and a dimpled smile. More, not many have his remarkable gift of a flawless command of eight international languages.

“Through him, we learnt the great power in little things. Being visible without being voluble. Accessible without being cheap. That there is a stark distinction between being in the service of society and indulging in the vanity of a socialite. It is possible to be sociable without being vain.

“Let me illustrate the latter point by declassifying a secret. Long before the disruption of Covid-19, some conspirators had begun to hold nocturnal meetings, plotting an elaborate ceremony way ahead of Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi’s 80th birthday. Among them was my friend and brother, Azubuike Ishiekwene. I was conscripted at some point. We agreed among ourselves to keep everything discreet, to make it a big surprise to our common benefactor.

“But even before an action plan could crystallize at the drawing-board came a freezing order from the man himself. Till now, what remains a puzzle to some of us is how the secret leaked to him. Perhaps, maybe it was by sheer intuition. The seasoned hunter is probably able to foretell a mischief even in the seemingly impregnable forest by simply reading the lips of its denizens.

“Considering how Covid-19 would later unravel with all its forbidding protocols, Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi’s earlier restraining order would then appear clairvoyant indeed. It was as if the old man saw pandemic ahead of all of us. Surely, the shrewd elder depends on the sixth sense more than anything for their own fortification.

“Typically, his objection to our proposal was lovingly expressed. To him, any form of revelry will be utterly meaningless at a time of great distress in the land, suggesting he remained mindful of the sixth social sin Mahatma Gandhi talked about – pleasure without conscience.

“Otherwise, why feast when increasing number of our compatriots are unsure of their next meal? Why make merry and dance wildly in the shimmering marquee when in several locations across the country, millions are huddled in makeshift tents, daily tortured by thoughts of homelessness inflicted by relentless Boko Haram terror and cruel banditry.
Rather, he would wish an atmosphere for deep national introspection and true healing.

“We listened and understood his message.

“Everything considered, yours sincerely will surely be counted among the legion of his mentees. In media industry alone, the list is endless. Since the torrent of tributes began a week ago in commemoration of his 80th birthday, media heavyweights like Sam Omatseye, Dr. Reuben Abati, Segun Adeniyi, Azu (Azubuike Ishiekwene), Simon Kolawole have individually given touching testimonies. Indeed, these tributes have celebrated his trophies and laurels in multiple fields of human endeavor. But it will require tomes and tomes to document his positive impact on the lives of so many.

“From his vantage position, he certainly sees far and is ever eager to push the younger ones to attain their full potentials. Back in 2005, he assembled a number of us from the media he considered equipped with ‘critical skills’ to dream of jointly authoring a book to set agenda for the nation in the decade ahead. That included Reuben “The Monumental” Reuben (Abati), Azu Ishiekwene, Simon Kolawole and this writer. After a couple of sessions at his Ikeja office, we developed content ideas. But hard as he pushed, the book project became stalled at some point due to some technical challenges.

“At inter-personal level, his sense of humor can be summarized with one word: subversive. When I turned 40 in 2013, he attended a reception hosted in my honour by my big brother, Benita Obaze (owner of Bevista, Ikoyi). As usual, he was so generous with his time to sit through the event as the Chairman from evening till late in the night. He was flanked on the high table by the durable Aremo Segun Osoba (former Ogun Governor) and Right Honorable Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Lagos State Speaker. Immortal Kongi (Professor Wole Soyinka) sent a goodwill message read by Sam Omatseye that day.

“But it took our next meeting at his Ikeja office several days later for Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi to tell me his impression by way of a postmortem of the event.
‘I heard everyone hailing you as “Mr Capacity! Mr Capacity!!” at the party. I almost didn’t suspect anything until I started noticing one slim lady running all over the place. Now, as the ‘Daddy’ you call me, tell me who is that fine lady?”

‘Oh, you must be referring the the event planner of the ceremony,’ I replied casually. “Just an event planner?,” he probed further, his face contorted with a playful frown. ”And she was always smiling coyly and all over you as you sat next to me on the high table?”

‘“Ah, Daddy…,” I burst into laughter.

‘“Just one more word from you and I will…” he interjected in a raised his voice, twirling a finger in mock threat.

‘Of course, the unspoken message was to squeal on the findings of his discreet investigation.
‘We both reeled in a prolonged hearty laughter.
‘On regaining his breath, he fired more shots with suddenly contrived sobriety: “I know that very soon, you’ll start saying you inherited your handsomeness from me. But if I may ask you, is that “Capacity” part of the genes you took from me?”

The laughter only grew more delirious.

‘Ever since, the invocation of “One more word!” has become the trigger for laughter in our conversations or interactions. Once he tried to reach Azu in Abuja on phone from Lagos without success. It eventually took the latter several hours to return the missed call.

‘After Azu tried to apologize for the delay, Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi replied with feigned severity: “You’re supposed to be a bachelor in Abuja. Last night, I called you to discuss a matter of urgent national importance, you deliberately refused to pick your call. Now, just one more word from you and I will tell Madam!”

Both parties burst into laughter.

Indeed, with Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi, laughter never ends.

“Happy birthday, sir!”