• Latest
  • Trending
Alaafin, Omisore, absent at new Ooni of Ife, Ogunwusi’s coronation

How Alaafin’s police orderly caused Abacha’s scare at my wedding, by Yinka Fabowale

3 years ago
NCC alerts Nigerians to new malware masquerading as cleaners

NCC alerts Nigerians to new malware masquerading as cleaners

1 hour ago
Strike: Why we are disappointed over Keyamo’s comments-ASUU

Strike: Why we are disappointed over Keyamo’s comments-ASUU

2 hours ago
Kizz Daniel released by Tanzanian police , probe continues

Kizz Daniel released by Tanzanian police , probe continues

12 hours ago
Police dismiss officer caught on camera flogging civilian with cutlass

Police dismiss officer caught on camera flogging civilian with cutlass

14 hours ago
VIDEO: Nigerian celebrities who emerged from reality shows

VIDEO: Nigerian celebrities who emerged from reality shows

16 hours ago
Why Buga crooner, Kizz Daniel was arrested in Tanzania

Why Buga crooner, Kizz Daniel was arrested in Tanzania

17 hours ago
BREAKING:  Dariye, Nyame released from Kuje prison

BREAKING: Dariye, Nyame released from Kuje prison

18 hours ago
Insecurity:  Ogbomoso residents stage protest, demand urgent action

Insecurity: Ogbomoso residents stage protest, demand urgent action

20 hours ago
Police warn against celebrating cultism day in Osun

Police warn against celebrating cultism day in Osun

20 hours ago
Osun 2022: Stop attacking Makinde, he has no anointed candidate –Rep

Makinde empowering thugs fingered in killing of people, Oyo APC alleges

20 hours ago
Nigerian embassy in Mexico shut over COVID-19 outbreak

Nigerian embassy in Mexico shut over COVID-19 outbreak

22 hours ago
Sanwo-Olu: Lagos Red Line train to begin passenger carriage January

Sanwo-Olu: Lagos Red Line train to begin passenger carriage January

24 hours ago
Police kill ex-convict, accomplice caught robbing on CCTV in Lagos

Police kill ex-convict, accomplice caught robbing on CCTV in Lagos

1 day ago
Makinde dissolves Governing Council of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic

Look into issue of Platinum consultant- Oyo tertiary institutions unions appeal to Makinde

1 day ago
BBNaija 7: Christy O, Cyph evicted

BBNaija 7: Christy O, Cyph evicted

1 day ago
Shina Peller visits family of slain LAUTECH student,  urges security agencies to fish out perpetrators

Shina Peller visits family of slain LAUTECH student, urges security agencies to fish out perpetrators

2 days ago
NAL holds convocation, invests new fellows Thursday

NAL holds convocation, invests new fellows Thursday

2 days ago
Muslim-Muslim ticket: Competence  should be Nigerians focus- Oladosu, YPM president

Muslim-Muslim ticket: Competence should be Nigerians focus- Oladosu, YPM president

2 days ago
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
Newspeakonline
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • World
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Europe
  • Opinion
  • Interview
  • Newspeak ExclusivesNew
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • World
    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Europe
  • Opinion
  • Interview
  • Newspeak ExclusivesNew
No Result
View All Result
Newspeak
UBA
Home Opinion iSpeak

How Alaafin’s police orderly caused Abacha’s scare at my wedding, by Yinka Fabowale

admin by admin
March 29, 2019
in iSpeak
Reading Time: 5 mins read
268 20
0
Alaafin, Omisore, absent at new Ooni of Ife, Ogunwusi’s coronation
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on Telegram

Dateline: Saturday, March 29, 1997. Ebun Olojede Street, off Festac 1st Gate, Amuwo, Lagos. The mood at the traditional wedding/introduction ceremony just got upbeat as the bride after the usual motions of customary courtesies and bestowal of blessings by her family and the groom’s, smilingly took her seat beside me on the special nuptial chairs placed at a corner of the middle space partitioning the seated guests into four sides -the groom’s family to the south, the bride’s –north and the couple’s friends taking up the eastern and western flanks under the pavilions.

RelatedPosts

Oyo: Atiba LG Chairman sacks palace aides, late Oba Adeyemi’s spokesperson kicks

REVEALED: 48 princes being considered as next Alaafin

Al-Mustapha: Why I don’t regret working with Abacha

We were awaiting the next line of instructions from the “Alagas”, two women whose portfolios involved officiating as comperes and registrars at the wedlock, when I overheard my sister, Busola Odubawo, having an agitated conversation with Mrs Tolulope Baker, my favourite cousin, who sat a row behind me. I looked back to behold a frightened Busola, almost in tears nervously telling Baker: “Sister mi, the police are here looking for Yinka. What do we do?”

This information obviously jolted Baker. But the fear only registered on her face for a few seconds, as she rose defiantly and demanded: “Where are they?”

FeedWell

“Over there,” my sister gestured at a policeman slowly making his way through the crowd behind us, and apparently still anxious, she added: “I’ve asked to be allowed to come fetch him. Do we tell him (me)?”

At this point, Sister Tolu leaned towards me and trying hard, albeit unsuccessfully to disguise her own worry, she asked: “Yinka, are you expecting any policemen?”

Policemen?

I have heard enough of their discussion to be intrigued by the subject.

Police? I couldn’t remember inviting any police- friend to the wedding. So the only probable reason the law enforcers could be looking for me was that I’d crossed the red line in my duty as a journalist, as drawn by the despotic regime of the day, of course.

It was at the height of the tyrannical rule of the despised dark goggled General Sani Abacha, when many perceived enemies of the government of which pro-democracy activists and journalists ranked prominently either mysteriously went missing or were killed, arrested, detained or tortured by the goons of the maximum ruler on the flimsiest excuse.

Late General Sani Abacha

I wrote for The Guardian, a newspaper, which had suffered closures along with others like Punch and Ibadan -based Sketch, for its perceived sympathy and advocacy for the validation of the June 12, 1993 electoral win of Bashorun MKO Abiola, which was annulled by the military. As the Oyo State correspondent of the influential newspaper, I was not much involved in opinion writing, as in reporting unfolding events as objectively as possible and in keeping with other ethical canons of journalism.

Even so, I must admit, one couldn’t entirely run away from being part of the crusade waged by the Nigerian press and the civil society to salvage democracy from the stiff jaws of the military usurpers. Thus, although I did not openly associate with the community of intrepid pro-democracy ideologues and activists, I generously gave vent to their campaign in my reports. Many of their leaders and critics of the regime including late Chief Bola Ige, Gbenga Awosode, Lam Adesina, Comrade Ola Oni, Moshood Erubami, Dr. Israel Agbon and Jimi Adesina (UI ASUU Chairman and Secretary), as well as even Chief Lekan Balogun, who later became a Senator on return of civil rule, were not only my news sources, but have their critical opinions amplified in stories I filed.

But this fact apparently did not escape the notice of security agents. I was puzzled when a colleague’s girlfriend, who happened to be an operative of the SSS, smilingly claimed to know me quite well when we were introduced, whereas I knew I’d never met her until then. The lady later cleared the mystery when we became more familiar. I, like a few reporters, she confided, were on the watch radar of the secret police. In fact, my writings, she disclosed, were monitored, essentially to determine my political leaning, among other security concerns!

She also told me that some of her male colleagues, pretending to be rights activists, had visited my office on several occasions, ostensibly to discuss the national situation or ask my help in publishing apparently seditious articles or press statements often critical of government, but actually only to audit political views for bias and extent of collusion with dissidents and perceived subversive elements.

But, the female security agent ended assuring me I had nothing to fear, as their investigations had established I was just a ‘naive’ professional passionate with my job. I felt both shock and a queer sense of importance at these incredible disclosures!

Understandably though, I couldn’t hide my thoughts and feelings about developments in the polity from close circle of my family and friends. And hearing the strong views I often expressed about the authorities, mother would plead: “Ma ko nkankan nipa Abacha o, mi o ran e lo ba Abacha o!”, which literally translates: “Please steer clear of Abacha, don’t write anything negative about him!”

I fought a long inward battle not to capitulate to the tempting albeit, cowardly option of saving self and family first, which, this admonition was. I simply could not think of shirking my social responsibility. Better to quit the job than a mere quisling, I often retorted to my mum’s shock. But, realising that should there be any untoward consequence of my obduracy, such as arrest or detention, which was quite possible during the unpredictable dark era, the thought of it alone could kill the old woman, the only one I had ever truly loved and who meant so much to me, I began to take good caution in discharging my duties. So, what was this about police at my wedding?

While still trying to shoot the fog, the uniformed policeman had drawn closer and I recognised him to be the police orderly to Iku Baba Yeye, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III!

I smiled in relief and told my sisters to relax, that he’s a friend. Both the uniformed man and I greeted as he informed me the revered monarch had sent him to accompany a royal deputation comprising an Olori (Queen) and two palace chiefs to represent him at the ceremony he regretted he couldn’t make as planned. The policeman then took excuse to go fetch the rest of the delegation, who were waiting in the car.

Twenty-two years after, I could imagine what the headlines would have been, were I really to have been arrested at my own wedding: A news reporter turning a news maker! But, however chilling such might be, they certainly could not have compared to the morbid titles that announced the deaths of the Bagauda Kalthos and other colleagues we lost to that bloody era!

O ja sope!

Yinka Fabowale with his wife, Lola

Today, March 29, 2019, is the 22nd wedding anniversary of Mr & Mrs Fabowale

What's Your Reaction?

  • LolLol
    0
    Lol
  • OMGOMG
    0
    OMG
  • AngryAngry
    0
    Angry
  • LoveLove
    0
    Love
  • CuteCute
    0
    Cute
  • WinWin
    0
    Win
  • CryCry
    0
    Cry

Related

Tags: AbachaAlaafinWedding
Previous Post

Feedwell Supermarket opens new Ibadan outlet in Eleyele

Next Post

Conservative, Labour Party break-away group of MPs form new party to contest election

RecentPosts

Makinde joining APC will be bad market, says Abass-Aleshinloye

Supreme Court judgement: ALGON berates Makinde for wasting Oyo’s financial resources

May 7, 2021
My prophecies for 2020, by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

My prophecies for 2020, by Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

January 31, 2020
Afe Babalola reveals success secrets to ABUAD new students

Honour for the home boy

December 23, 2019
Youth unemployment and the vocational education imperative, by Tunji Olaopa

Youth unemployment and the vocational education imperative, by Tunji Olaopa

April 11, 2019
FULL TEXT of Buhari’s speech at WEF conference in Jordan

FULL TEXT of Buhari’s speech at WEF conference in Jordan

April 6, 2019
Ajimobi writes sweet, touching letter to wife, Florence, on her birthday

Ajimobi writes sweet, touching letter to wife, Florence, on her birthday

April 5, 2019
Alaafin, Omisore, absent at new Ooni of Ife, Ogunwusi’s coronation

Oba-elect of Port-Novo in Benin Republic to pay ancestral homage to Alaafin of Oyo

March 22, 2019
National Hospital successfully perform open heart surgery on 6 patients

Health financing and the crisis of healthcare system in Nigeria, by Tunji Olaopa

March 13, 2019
Next Post
Conservative, Labour Party break-away group of MPs form new party to contest election

Conservative, Labour Party break-away group of MPs form new party to contest election

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Newspeakonline

© 2020 Newspeak & Associates
Optimized by IChannelTech.

Navigate Site

  • Breaking News
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Interview
  • Newpeak Magazine
  • Newspeak Exclusives
  • Politics

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Technology
  • World
  • Opinion
  • Interview
  • Newspeak Exclusives

© 2020 Newspeak & Associates
Optimized by IChannelTech.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Newspeak We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
    Dismiss
    Allow Notifications