From Letter Writing To Serious Business

Can an Ebora be idle?  Perish the thought, for the Irunmale themselves (the Yoruba divine) might just strike you dead!  Okay, but it’s just in saying!

Still, let me reframe: can the Ebora be busy, as in real busy — so busy the devil can’t seize its mind as busy workshop for mischief?  And if the Ebora can be busy (with startling positives), what happens if it is idle?  Is that still a satanic question?

Well, cheery news have been emanating from the liar of our Ebora Owu, Chief (Dr.) Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of the Federal Republic.  The news is especially cheery because it shows age is no barrier to hard work and industry.

Obasanjo made good news, with accompanying media pictures to boot, when newspapers reported that he was set to employ no less that 1000 Benue natives, in his new Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Ltd mango plantation; and its agro-processing arm, a fruit juice factory in Howe, Gwer East local government area of the state.  That was November 2019.

In January 2020, came equally cheery news.  Baba Iyabo, decked in full farming camouflage, with hoe and stick to match, was spotted harvesting yam, at his farm in his native Ibogun Olaogun village, near Ifo, in Ogun State.  What!  An Ebora live, actually getting down to yam harvesting?

The symbolism of it was even more exciting: new year, more serious work, and age need not be any barrier!  It was only January 7.

Then on January 20, came Heritage Apparel, Obasanjo’s new garment-making investment, on the premises of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), first in Africa!

Why, the Ebora, who seldom shares his glory with anybody, crowed about Abisade Adenubi, his collaborator-in-chief in the new enterprise: “After the initiative from me, the one who has taken it to the greatest height is this young woman, Abisade, and the credit for where we are today should go to her.”

From agricultural processing, to tuber harvesting, to garment factory founding — this Ebora has sure been very, very busy!  Applause! Applause!

It’s such a salutary departure from the former president’s letter-writing days when, his critics insist, fear of being outshone goaded him to fire thunderous letters, like some weaponized lexis, at the powers-that-be, preaching what even he failed to achieve while in government, even after three different tries; and sending the polity into a tail spin!

Besides, not a few ask: if the commonwealth Obasanjo seized every opportunity to rail against was that bad, how come he now endorses it with new investments, from Benue to Ogun, two states named after great rivers, without getting drowned in any of these two rivers?

This is definite: a busy Ebora is far better off — to itself, to its host community and to its nation.  Which is why everyone should cheer the former president in this new role.

It is nobler, more honourable and less distracting than hostile letter-writing which, most times, is nothing but empty grandstanding!
Credit: Hardball