๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ!
– ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ข๐ฐ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ
๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ข!
Good evening to you, my LSF!
๐: To start, what is your full name, your royal name, and keg year?
๐: My name is Rahman Taofeek Gbolagade. I am Ogbori Efon 1ne, the Descent Ariwajoye Ogbori Efon 1ne!
I was a chief of our great club, Egungunrized, and reigned in 1986 -1987 keg year. I read your last interview with my contemporary; Chief Twinkle-Twinkle asking about what or where Ilya Ila is. I told myself, my LSF will have to produce 2 kegs of holy water to appease the gods if he does not know that Ilya Ila, the wogedest seat of kariabilty of the Old Oyo hemisphere is The College of Education, Ila-Orangun.
๐: ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐-๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐๐ฉ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ โ๐๐ฅ๐โ ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ง๐ข. ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐?
๐: Haaa aah! To dekeg an LSF is a long and tidy process. Not sure many people are aware of that but it involves about 3-4 chiefi6 and more.
๐๐ก! ๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ, ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐จ, ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ. ๐๐จ๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ง!
๐: ๐๐จ, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ?
๐: HRH Oba Adesina Oriade-Olu of Lakoro-Ile ife (Atobatele of Ilya Meleki ), Professor BJO Ayorinde (Osondu Owendi of Ilya du Fatika), Yemi Afuwape (Jaye ori-Iku lo sure ju of Lacost), Abiodun Bamgboye (Ilya Ogun), Koye (Oluwosan of Ilya UCH ) ,Babatunde Adebayo (Estopella of Ilya Nateco) Late Taye Kenke of Ilya Lacoed. Olu-Kay of National Hqtrs, Isaac Uzodinma Ogidi (Gbansiki 50-50) of WHQ, and Chief Twinkle-Twinkle.
๐: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง, ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ?
You can say that again! We had fun and bonded like brothers. Comradium was a garden of joy and a high spirit of brotherhood personified. I canโt trade those yearsโ experiences for anything, not and never, Egbe Elemu I come till I climb the tallest tree at Godโs wish!
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง! ๐ช๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ก! ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ, ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฌ๐ญ. ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐, ๐ฅ๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ง ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ. ๐
๐ฎ๐ง ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐?
๐: Fun times is almost all through the year. Let me see if I can just tell you a few fun times then.
It was during one of our trips to the Mother Shrine, The Ibadan Polytechnic. I really loved their XY Chief then, a very Karid Chief, Chief (Hunter) Dipo Odejayi. As usual, it was a night trip. We got to Apomu/Gbongan, about to negotiate the new Express road to Ibadan, around 1 am. Local Guards, the โOlodesโ accosted us and started blowing their whistles. They got us all down. Had us removed our regalias and beads. Lined us up in one line and said โwe donโt want to waste our bullets; one bullet is enough for you allโ. My LSF, I thought I was going to die. The guards were many, some with dane guns, cocked and ready to shoot had we made any exuberant move. You could see the seriousness from the tone of their leader who refused to confirm our studentship or not.
As a Chief, I know I needed to keep calm to assure my colleagues. Sebi you are aware of my height, that height was intimidating their oga patapata. It took one passerby driver, educated who parked and talked to him, confirming that we were students before we were let go.
๐๐ก๐ข๐๐, ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก!
In the face of gun, juju, bow, and arrow? Haa ahh! I almost peed on pants when it was appearing serious that we could get killed. Guess what? After then, all our trips continued to be at the same time and most times, the same route! To World HQtrs, National HQtrs, Lagos, Ogun Hemisphere, we must pass through the same Gbongan axis.
๐: ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐. ๐ช๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ค๐๐ -๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐?
๐: I hate to join the past interviewed kutasis of yore to say it is discipline. I miss the discipline that has to pervade our world of komradship. Many things have changed and for the worse. You know I was and still am a Songito? As a matter of fact, I was nick-named Woro master then. Though I will not claim to be the best, I tried my best among the notables of our time. I was contemplating cutting an album as encouraged by my colleagues then but you know why I did not?
๐: ๐ช๐ก๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐?
๐: You will need permission to do that! Even though I did not need money from any quarter to go to the studio, my fadasis and ilya plus other Chief6 would have supported by all means but, you dare not unilaterally produce a song marketable o otherwise without approval.
๐ช๐จ๐ฐ! ๐๐ฎ๐ญ, ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Yes, I am not saying it is wrong, not at all but that in our time, you need to get permission to do such then, that is what it was and you got to comply. I think the very first Kegites album was by Chief Bambo of Ilya Lacoed and in some quarters, it didnโt go down well. Lots of controversies followed the launch in the early 80s, to be precise.
๐: ๐๐จ, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ข, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฎ๐ฆ?
๐: Love. Love conquers everything. It unites us all from different ages, tribes, and clans. We should be exactly what our motto is: ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. I mirror that in my life. ๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ. I personify ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. I should be noted for that and Iโm proud of that!
๐: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐, ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ?
๐: You see, when you say unity in diversity, it simply means, it doesnโt matter where youโre from, your age has no bearing to the club membership, the language you speak, Igbo, Yoruba, Ishan, Kanuri, Ogori, Ibibio, any languaja for that matter, even Chinese or French language, we understand you. We love ourselves. We are one. With your regalia, you can travel with zero money to anywhere in the country, free. Just wear it, wave down vehicles, you will be picked to your destination with one finger salute. Nobody will ask where you are from, our regalia is our sacred identity. Letโs go back to those days of love.
๐: ๐ช๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ, ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ, ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐จ, ๐๐๐ข?
๐: I knew you will go back to that
I am a Muslim by birth and by practice. I am an Alhaji and a devout Muslim andโฆ
๐: ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐โฆ
๐: My LSF, hold itโฆ
๐ ๐๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ง๐ข ๐จ, ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐โฆ
My wife is a prophetess, a devout Christian, and let me shock you, she pastors and leads her own church! We both are kariable souls! We live in peace and order, in harmony, unity of one family despite our diverse and professed form of religion.
What other way would you describe our unity in diversity, LSF?
๐: ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐! ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ: ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ. ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐จ, ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ช๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ซ๐, ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐?
๐: Are you serious right now, My LSF? I am dereth already, 7 days before the event sef!
๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ฆ, ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐!
Wok, LSF!
๐ ๐๐จ๐๐, ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐!
