Flashback early February, in the year 2007, I was part of a research group under auspice of Alliance Francāis, a French cultural institution with regional office in Ibadan. We visited The Tribune Newspapers with warm reception by one Mr Wale Olapade who opined we meet with his boss at the Oyo State Press Centre in Ìyángànkú. The phone rang and a voice swiftly came up saying “My name is Wale Ojo-Lanre, I had issued directive that your story feature in full-page this weekend” The coin dropped! What a magnanimity from someone I had never met before and oblivious we were even kinsmen of Ekiti extract.
Fast forward, precisely decades later, I was at the office of my brother, Prince Banji Adelusi and so by chance, suggested I pay a courtesy call on the D.G of a newly constituted Council of Arts, Culture and Tourism. Alas! It was same AWOL. We exchanged banters and relived the year 2007 encounter in Ibadan. ‘Omo Èyéliru Usì Ekiti wasted no time at debriefing me on the proposal to create a regulatory body as network of creative professionals in Ekiti State. This was how NECA was birthed and later metamorphosed to SOECA and was inaugurated on 16th September 2019.
This piece wouldn’t have been inked at a better time as now that AWOL is winding up his stewardship under our amiable Governor JKF as SSA, Tourism Development. I unequivocally say, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre is a maverick and bridge builder who pushes boundaries for others. The Yoruba axiom aptly put….Òwe Akálà, Ojú atunrarī connoting “Whatever goes around, comes around”. AWOL, May heaven honour you wherever the journey takes. More wins !
Caleb Osasona.
August 16, 2022.