Speeches

70th Birthday Anniversary Celebration Of Professor Akinwumi Isola, NNOM, FNAL

Dec 17, 2009 - It is often said that “one crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name”. This aptly captures the works and achievements of the man we are here to celebrate today – Prof. Akinwunmi Isola. It is therefore my pleasure to join you all, as well as lovers and practitioners of culture and tradition, especially, Yoruba Culture as we celebrate the life and achievements of a literary and cultural icon. He has attained the revered age of three scores and ten on planet earth and caps this achievement with the public presentation of his latest publications which you can see on display at this occasion. Yesterday, the premiere of his latest visual films – “Eru Owo” and “Ofin Ga” came up. Congratulations Professor Akinwunmi Isola.

It will be difficult for most people to identify the academic in Professor Akinwumi Isola with the practicing thespian in various Yoruba movie epics such as “Saworo Ide”, “Agogo Eewo”, “O Le Ku” and “Ti Oluwa Ni Ile” among many others, because, he brings a freshness into role interpretation as a practitioner of Yoruba tradition and culture. This aspect of his life underscores the fact that the reward for having done something well is having done it; and there is no way we can reward him, enough, for his contribution to the literal translation and documentation of our Yoruba culture and tradition, on celluloid and digital format, for our visual delight.

Professor Isola has contributed in many ways to the promotion of Yoruba Culture and tradition, as an academic scholar, poet, novelist, script writer and dramatist. He therefore, deserves to be celebrated and acknowledged. The Lagos State Government share the vision and passion of Professor Akinwunmi. For instance, in the last ten years, we have been in the forefront of the promotion of Yoruba Culture and Tradition. This is why we gave the necessary logistic support to the producers of “Saworo Ide” and “Agogo Eewo” and we shall continue to support the promotion of Yoruba tradition, language and culture in every way possible.

I am very happy, also, to note that Professor Akinwumi Isola has deployed his vast artistic talents to the documentation of an epochal period in the life of the people and government of Lagos State by writing a dramatic presentation about a hero of democracy and “son of the soil” – that is the late, but, revered Herbert Macaulay; who, despite his well-refined upbringing, maintained close and intimate contact with “Ijo Orunmila” and said “ the outlook of religion must be broad enough to accommodate African Custom and Tradition or else there will be no firm foundation upon which to build any lofty superstructure”.

Five books are being presented here today. Five great books that together give a complete picture of Prof. Ishola’s works. Yet one of them bears resonance to our development efforts and vision for Lagos today – It is Herbert Macaulay and the spirit of Lagos. It will top the collections that I will be taking back after this occasion. It not only reminds us of the heroic exploits of this founding fathers, it also reminds us of our strength in unity, as a people, the superiority of justice and equity in the conduct of our affairs and the role of leadership in galvanizing the people in challenging times. These qualities as aptly captured by Prof. Ishola in the play, are the guiding principles in our new Lagos.

I will, therefore, encourage everyone present here, today, to ensure that you get a copy of each of the publications being presented today for your personal libraries and for your friends, so that we can all benefit from the deep well of knowledge on Yoruba tradition and culture of Professor Akinwumi Isola and pass on this knowledge to our offspring so that our tradition and culture will continue to flourish; most especially in these days of globalization, cultural integration and devaluation of cultural mores and values.

I am, therefore, very happy on behalf of my family, the Government and People of Lagos State to felicitate with Professor Akinwumi Isola, his family members, friends, associates and admirers on the occasion of the celebration of his 70th birthday anniversary and the public presentation of his latest academic works. I wish him many more fruitful years of contributing to the promotion of the cause of Yorubaland and the Nigerian Nation.

I, also, congratulate the members of the organizing committee of this occasion for their thoughtfulness in organizing the programme in a way that it highlights the essence of the persona of Professor Akinwumi Isola to members of the public. Thank you for a job well done.

Once again, congratulations and Happy Birthday to you, Professor Akinwumi Isola.

Thank you all for listening and God bless.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Executive Governor,
Lagos State