Architect Muyiwa Ige, son of late Attorney General and Minister of Justice in Nigeria, Chief Ajibola Ige, in this interview speaks about life after the demise of the great politician and orator. He also used the opportunity to admonish younger Nigerians on need to be ready to faithfully serve the country. Excerpts:
90 years of birth and 19 years of his demise. What did you miss about the late outstanding politician and legal icon?
I must premise this by saying that, before being an outstanding Statesman and legal luminary, he was a great husband, a fantastic father and doting grandfather. The question you ask is quite loaded. Obviously, we never expected him to be assassinated 19 years ago. Since his demise on the 23rd December 2001, life has been very challenging, to say the least. I am sure that you will recall that within 16 months of his assassination, my late Mom, Hon. Justice Atinule Ige, JCA,OFR rtd. also transited to the great beyond. Her untimely death was as a result of her darling husband’s previous death – she died of a broken heart. So, therefore, I miss both of them. As we celebrate and reminisce the life of my father, at this auspicious 90th year Posthumous birthday, I will say that I miss his wise counsel, his undiluted and unflinching love, and the excitement of his physical presence that was special (though I cherish the fact his spirit is with us). He truly was a great man, and I thank God for the legacy they both left behind. I truly have a goodly heritage.
The late Chief Bola lge was known as an Apostle of good governance, transparency and unity. What part of his ideologies do you think is missing in this modern Nigeria or democracy?
What part of his ideological leaning is missing today? I will say a great part is missing.
My father believed in the emancipation of the common man. His socialist ideological bent was devoted to elevating the plight of the masses and downtrodden. They placed themselves at the service of the nation – the qualities of a true Statesman. Whereas, in this era, our politicians are lording it over us, and are placing the nation at their service. These are diametrically opposed notions.
My father had been relevant, socially and politically from a very young age. He used to write, under the pseudonym ‘Leo Biga’, in the West African Pilot in the early 50s, and was very active in the Student Christian Movement. As a matter of fact, at age 29, a youthful Bola Ige was on the same platform with the great Martin Luther King, Jnr, in Athens, Ohio at the Quadrennial held in 1959. He was also National Publicity Secretary of the defunct Action Group on 1962, at age 32. He was Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture in the Western State under Gen. Adebayo, and was the First Executive Governor of Old Oyo State in 1979, and more.
You mentioned that the late lge political trajectory started early at age 29 (on the same pedestal as Martin Luther King) and till he breathed his last he was still relevant. But what in your own view as scion of lge is lacking in today’s youth who are risking their lives for a better future at all cost?
As scion and Arole of Ige family, I will say that my late father loved young people. Were he to be alive today, he would have ensured that the torch of leadership be systematically passed on to the younger ones, and the older one should sit back and ‘jeun omo’. What we young people need is good Mentoring. We also need continuous leadership training, and active relevance in our communities. My father also believed that we must Organise, Organise, Organise. Young people must also challenge the establishment and build a strong network. You know that leadership and power is not served ‘a la carte’. We must seek to be involved and by our activities and charismatic engagement, it shall come. The strength of the youth of this period (the millennials and generation y-not?) is the broad base and access to knowledge bank that is thriving in the world today. This should be deployed positively and strategically, for the collective good. Our youths are unfortunately risking it all, in search of the elusive ‘golden fleece’. These are desperate measures and we must all look inwardly to correct to anomalies of this nation. My father, when asked if Nigeria was worth dying for, his retort was that ‘It is better to live for Nigeria than to die for her’. That means we must collectively make it a better place for all to thrive.
But Mr. President signed Not too Young to Rule bill, that encourages younger people to participate in politics. How has the bill fared? Has it achieved its purpose considering the fact that Nigerian political space is still dominated by older people with governors using national assembly as a ‘retired haven’?
The signing of a bill does not mean relinquishing and yielding to the youths. The first question is, Are we well organised and fully mobilised to displace the older generation? We also know that they refuse to grow or have a succession plan. They have also made politics expensive and cost prohibitive. Hence, the seemingly ‘sit tight notion. We must encourage them to yield the political space by intelligently creating advisory roles for them, and using God given technological talent to address this. It is a shame that some governors (after having governed over all the Senatorial districts in their state) would want to represent one Senatorial district. Very sad. By the way, please interrogate this. How many true Statesmen that governed successfully ever went to become a Senator? I will give good examples of thoroughbred Statesmen here – Baba Ajasin, Bola Ige, Jakande, others like them. They NEVER did.
What did the lge generation get right in the 50s, 60s and 70s in terms of governance and economy as we know that both work hand in hand to achieve a better society that we are missing?
They were lucky because they were politically conscious earlier on. The pre-independence activism also helped them. Most of them, as young turks, were saddled with leadership roles very early. They were also driven by ideology. The question is, why are those protocols of yore not relevant or applicable today? It boils down to lack of ideologically grounding in this present age. Cross-carpeting is the order of the day today. You do not even know who is a Progressive and who is a Conservative. There is too much ‘jeun-jeun’ politics now.
How would the young Nigerian chart the path of leadership for a better Nigeria?
The young Nigerian must be prepared to serve. Selfless service comes at a huge cost. It comes with humility, integrity, honesty and the will to want to emancipate the common man. They must be willing to be mentored. Politics and those who wish to play politics must be associated with the nobility of service and public spirit. There is a huge potential of excellence in this country. This must be harnessed, trained and deployed for the collective good. The future is bright and is in the grasp of the ever-dynamic Nigerian youth.
As the only surviving son of lge, apart from your brief stint as Commissioner during the first tenure of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osun, you have not been active I mean by participating in national politics. It this deliberate or you are being careful?
I thank God for the opportunity to serve. I can proudly say that we worked very hard to deliver the dividends of democracy during the first term of Ogbeni Aregbesola’s administration. As the Arole Ige, I know there is a huge responsibility on my head and shoulders, because of the legacy my father has left behind. I am relevant politically and remain a major stakeholder. I believe you are asking if I will ever vie for elective office. The answer is yes, at the God-appointed time. It’s all about service and I am willing to serve my people and nation.
Then looking at the state of the nation are we moving forward or backward? And how do you think the present Leadership can replicate what the lge and co did during their foray in politics that set Nigeria on the right path in the areas of education, economic and general well-being of the nation?
The state of the nation is poor and not encouraging. COVID-19 dealt a huge blow in 2019-2020, fuel and electricity hike is on, food prices skyrocketing, the currency has further depreciated, the masses are facing hardship, unemployment is very high, education and health are below par, and we have security challenges everywhere. We have not moved forward nor gotten ahead at all. Additionally, the dynamics of governance today is very different from their era. Recall I mentioned that they were steeped in ideology. Now, the leaders today are just ‘winging it’. There is no concrete or domesticated plan for development.
It is 19 years since the late SAN was murdered and up till now the hit men have not been found. Are you and your sibling still hopeful to get justice for him?
We pray for justice. That will bring closure. We all know that the suspects are walking free in this land. However, they know that they are not free. The blood of Bola Ige will avenge and God will do right by us. Remember that my father was a sitting Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation. He was also Deputy Leader of Afenifere and Asiwaju of Esaoke land at the time. I trust that a responsible government would want to apprehend and bring to book those that committed the dastardly act. I know and believe that everyone will get his or her comeuppance.
If he were to be alive today what would you have said to him today?
I would have said, I thank you Daddy for giving us a wonderful legacy.
He would have been very proud of his Ige grandsons, three prosperous nation, and he would have prayed the prayer for the youth that ‘May you be greater than we’. To God be all the glory. Rest on Daddy. You remain forever alive in our lives.
Credit: THISDAY
