BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Monday, February 7, 2022, would be indelible for Chief Tayo Sowunmi, Babanla Adinni of Egbaland and Baba Adinni of Ijemo, Abeokuta, Ogun State and the entire Sowunmi dynasty when the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, visited the Egba land to honour and celebrate Sowunmi’s 80th birthday.
Sowunmi, who is the father of Yemi Kolapo, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of The Point Newspaper, was born on Monday, February 16, 1942, to Chief Sobowale Akanbi Sowunmi and Alhaja Munirat Abeo Sowunmi.
Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, fondly called SLS (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi), stormed the residence of the octogenarian with his entourage including his wives, amid fanfare.
He was received by the birthday celebrant, other Sowunmis, Egba Muslim Council, led by the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Fadhilat Sheikh Imam Sa’adallah Bamgbola, top members of the prestigious Abeokuta Sports Club, Yoruba and Egba Muslim community, among other eminent sons and daughters of Egbaland.
In his welcome address on behalf of the host family at the reception party, Segun Sowunmi, who was the spokesperson for former Vice President and the People’s Democratic Party candidate in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, expressed deep happiness for Sanusi’s courtesy visit despite his busy schedules and declared that the Sowunmis consider the Grand Khalifah of the Tijjaniyyah Movement in Africa as a family member.
Segun Sowunmi said, “Words are not enough to really communicate to you (Sanusi) the level of our happiness for we know just how busy you are. Members of this great congregation, the Yoruba and Egba Muslim community, we have no way of knowing his Royal Majesty, sake for our daughter, Lateefat Sowunmi-Kolapo, who has enjoyed unbroken friendship which on this day, Seriki (Sanusi) has made us understand that it’s more than a friendship, it’s family bond.
“On behalf of the very distinguished Sowunmi family of Abeokuta, in particular, represented by our father, a comrade, former NANS president, very erudite, extremely passionate and driven in his days, a man of letters, whom as it were, is now the Babanla Adinni of Egbaland (birthday celebrant). He told us when his birthday was ripe for 80th and we thought a book would capture the story of his life for the Africans truly do not write, and we had hopes that Your Highness (Sanusi) would be the biggest character on stage that day because you dare not see Seriki’n Kano, former distinguished CBN Governor of Nigeria, a man whose erudition makes big people crumble and shiver because of the frankness and the academic exercise that has gone into the propensity of his speech.
“That you (Sanusi) have chosen, out of your very busy schedules to come down, not just to Abeokuta, but to our family home, you have no idea how much this has been cemented in our hearts. We are particularly grateful that you have come with a very distinguished entourage made up of men of timber and calibre in their own rights. But, shall we then say we are not honoured that the flowers in your bosom, your darling wives, have also accompanied you. Seriki, we want you to know that we consider you a member of our family and for you to be sure, we tell you again, for as long as Allah will preserve you and let you live, we are very hopeful that there are bigger things ahead. For as long as you live, you will always be a Nigerian patriot, a detrabilised Nigerian, a leader of leaders, the holder of the Umra of Islam, the spiritual leader of the Tijjaniyyah and the leading light of everything beautiful in our land.
“We take your visit not for granted. We thank you more profoundly for coming. We love you exceedingly and we listen to you first, before we listen to any other from that particular kingdom. May God Almighty Allah preserve you, may He keep you well. Thank you,” the Egba-born politician, known for his oratorical talents and brilliance, told Sanusi amid applause from guests.
Speaking, Sanusi, who explained how he surmounted different hurdles and drove five hours from Dutse to Kaduna in order to make his trip to Abeokuta a reality, paid tributes to Chief Tayo Sowunmi and described the former Secretary to the Nigeria Union of Teachers and first Secretary-General of the World Organisation for Peaceful Education as the best of mankind.
After expressing surprise and happiness on the kind of reception organised for him by the Sowunmi family, Sanusi addressed the birthday celebrant saying, “To our father (Chief Tayo Sowunmi), the Prophet (SAW), was once asked by one of his companions, who is the best of men? Who is the best of mankind? And he said, he who is given a long life, and also given good deeds and works. A long life in the service of Allah makes one the best of mankind. And when he was asked, who is the worst of men? He who is given long life but whose deeds are bad. So, long life and long good life is something to be thankful for and it’s something to celebrate.
“And we can only pray to Allah to reward you (birthday celebrant) for your service to Islam and humanity and to grant you an even longer life with good deeds. I am touched by this reception and I know this honour is not an honour for me, it’s an honour for the post I represent, it’s an honour for the
Tijjaniyyah order, it’s an honour for the people of Kano, and for Prophet SAW. When a leader of the people comes to you, you should honour them. So, this is an honour we accept on behalf of those on whose honour is given. And I convey the thanks and gratitude of all these people because you have honoured them by honouring me,” the former CBN Governor said.
The spiritual leader of the Tijjaniyyah accepted to be a member of the Sowunmi family and expressed delight at the friendship he has with Alhaja Yemi Kokapo, the daughter of Chief Tayo Sowunmi.
“Our father (Sowunmi), I am happy and honoured to be here (Sowunmi’s family home). I thank you for the honour you have given me. I wish you more years. I must say you have a wonderful daughter, Yemi has been my friend for many years, and anytime she calls me for something, I try to be there and every time I need her for something, she is there. So, I welcome the invitation to be part of the family and I have always hoisted myself as part of the family,” Sanusi declared.
For the birthday celebrant, the honour bestowed on him through Sanusi’s courtesy visit would not be forgotten. Sowunmi said, “It (Sanusi’s visit) is the greatest day of my life, I never envisaged it. His coming from the Kano Emirate to honour me is the greatest anybody can do for me. And I am thankful to God that I lived till this day to witness this occasion. I am particularly impressed by the turnout, entourage and receptors in Abeokuta, too.”
