By Eric Elezuo
The Dele Momodu Leadership Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State came very much alive during the weekend as dignitaries, top government officials, well wishers and the general public turned up in their numbers to celebrate a man, who everyone agreed has contributed immensely to the socio-economic and political advancement of the African continent, Chief Dele Momodu, as he celebrates 66 years. The 2-in-1 occasion featured a down-to-earth lecture and an all-encompassing soiree that kept the guests in jolly good mood throughout the duration.
The venue of the event, the Leadership Centre, was apt as it set the stage for an intellectual discourse geared towards creating a new path for another round of African Renaissance. The lecture, in its third edition, was coming to the Ibadan centre for the first time. The first two were held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Victoria Island, Lagos. This marks the first time the lecture was leaving; its place of conception.
Located in the serene quarters of the Government Reserve Area of Alalubosa, in Ibadan, the Leadership Centre is a forethought of creativity, reorientation, capacity building, mental and leadership re-engineering as well as intellectual and technology transfer. It was the preferred choice to bring to the front burner, the vexing topic of xenophobia; a malaise that is fast threatening to consume the entire African continent, with an unenviable in South Africa; a country that survived the most ravaging effect of apartheid regime and brutal massacre of the majority black population.
The birthday lecture, anchored by notable journalist and author, Azu Arinze, was predicated upon the fact that if any nation of the world should be fearful of foreign neighbours co-habitabitng with them, it shouldn’t be South Africa. It shouldn’t be any African nation at all.
The lecture had the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Prof Eghosa Emmanuel Osaghae, as the Guest Lecturer while the former Vice President of Liberia, Mrs. Jewel Howard-Taylor chaired the occasion. In addition, the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke featured as the Special of Honour.
Themed Ignorance and the Danger of Xenophobia, the lecture highlighted the reason Pan-Africanism and barefaced Africanism need to be re-integrated into the regions political, economic and social life of the continent in view of barefaced distrust and threat to hurt one another.
In his matter-of-factly lecture, delivered extempore, Prof Osaghae went down memory lane to bring to the present reasons behind xenophobic activities, stressing that the continent is frowning at external xenophobia, nations have found 8t difficult to deal with internal xenophobia. He noted that xenophobia does not only thrive among individuals of different nations, but also manifold among those of same nation, only differentiated by tribe, language, and most times class.
Prof Osaghae maintained that until internal differentiation of people is checked, it will be difficult to arrest external xenophobia. He noted that using South Africa as a case study revealed that the practice of xenophobia is an agelong culture among the teibes, where no one of another city/tribe is allowed to established himself in a foreign land.
“Even where it is allowed, the said individual is warned against bringing his family members. He comes alone, and leaves when he has concluded the business that brought him there,” Osaghae explained.
He quoted former Tanzanian President, Julius Nyerere, who said that ‘it took the coming of the Europeans for Africans to know that they are one’ as result of the segregated life they have lived. The notion was that since these people are Europeans, then we are Africans.
He also referred to Marcus Garvey, who initiated Pan-Africanism with his Back to Africa Movement. The idea was you need to be in Africa to be an African. He said that one thing that has stood in the way of self actualization towards realizing that Africans are one, is ignorance. It is the same ignorance that has made it difficult for countries like South Africa to realise and remember the efforts African countries made towards their freedom.
Giving copious examples ranging from entertainment, music and football, the guest lecturer decried ignorance as stepping stone to full blown xenophobia, especially as ot is playing in South Africa.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Mrs Howard-Taylor, noted the unfairness in the wrong treatment of fellow Africans in other countries within the African subregions, saying it is the greatest Africans can do to one another.
According to her, Africans are one, and should see themselves in that light. She condemned xenophobia in South Africa, and any other parts of Africa, pointing out that after what the the rest of Africa did for South Africa during the apartheid era, it is unhealthy to hear of attacks against fellow Africans.
Also speaking, the Governor of Osun State, who was the special Guest of Honour, lauded the birthday boy, Dele Momodu, appreciating for allowing his birthday party to be converted to a medium to educate all Africans.
The governor, who shared same month and year with the celebrant, appealed to all Africans to put the spirit of xenophobia behind them so the continent to forge one strong United States of Africa. He lauded Nigeria however, for being one of the world’s most accommodating people.
In his usual characteristics, the Governor led the guests in praises and exhibited a little of his dancing skills to further establish his sobriquet, the dancing governor, before he led everybody to rendering a happy birthday song for the celebrant.
In his vote of thanks, Chief Momodu appreciated the guests for turning in their number to listen to the lecture, and also celebrate him on his 66th birthday.
With the lecture concluded, the party moved to the open arena of the Centre, where guests were already seated for the mother of all entertainment, and were treated to local and continental cuisines with freeflow of choice beverages even delectable music maker and afro juju crooner, Sir Shina Peters serenaded the guests with hits from his various albums. The charged atmosphere caused guests; old and young to shuffle both feet and body to the classic rhythms of yesteryears and now.
Among dignitaries that attended the event were the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke; Deputy Governor of Osun State, Kola Adewusi, Chairman, Biscon, Prince Olatilo, Wife of the Ooni of Ife, Olori Aderonke Ogunwusi, Olajumoke Fadeyi, SSA (Lagos Liaison) to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Michael Effiong, MD, MicCom Wires and Cables, Biodun Ponnle, SA to Osun Governor, Seyi Orolugbagbe, Sir Shina Peters, Editor, Ovation International, Eric Elezuo, Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba, Ghana-born International Broadcaster, Natalie Fort, Mayor Akinpelu, Eniafe Momodu and a host of others.
Born on May 16, 1960, Dele Momodu, who was trained by his ‘unlettered’ mum, has come of age in carving a niche for himself, not only in Nigeria, but across the world.
He started the Dele Momodu Leadership Lecture in 2024, when Professor Barth Nnaji spoke need to make energy/power available to citizens to 2025 when as the Guest Lecturer, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, delivered an outstanding expose on making food available to the generality of the population. The first two editions were held at the NIIA in Lagos.
Dele Momodu is happily married to his wife, Bolaji, and they are blessed with four boy-children.
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