By Oluwakemi Ishola
The Yoruba idiom of ‘Ibiti a ti n s’odun ilasa, la a ti n s’odun ko’lawa’ (where you celebrate Okro Festival,Okra Festival is also handy) played out during BCOS Oluyole 98.5FM’s popular Yoruba weekly chitchat programme,” YOTOMI L’AWA”, last Sunday.
I had been invited as the Special Guest Analyst on the said Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria-based radio station weekly programme to analyse the music philosophy of an icon of Juju music, Professor(Evangelist) Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, MFR, alias “Chief Commander”, who I first danced before his International Brothers Band called the INTER-REFORMERS BAND), 50 years ago, at the Oyenugas party for their Matriarch at Isale-Gangan, Lagos Island, in 1970.
In the course of the 2-hour programme,Ademola Adeniyi,another BCOS veteran broadcaster colleague/friend of Wale,surprised Wale with a birthday cake,as the latter’s birthday was on Sunday.
I had no choice than to felicitate with Wale,by joining him,Ademola and his wife to cut the cute cake in the BCOS studio.
And this is where the above-quoted Yoruba idiom comes in.May I request all my siblings, dignitaries,friends and well-wishers contacted by my biographer, Emeritus Professor O.B.C Nwolise,to contribute tributes viz my 70th birthday celebration next month, God willing,to please meet the 21st September deadline given by the Prof. Thank you.
Oloye Lekan Alabi is the Ekefa Olubadan
