EXTRA: Omoluabi — by Simbo Olorunfemi
There is a sense in which one can argue that there is a measure of flippancy or casualness to the use of Omoluabi these days that has the tendency of watering down what it connotes in the real sense of it.
Either for reason of insufficient attention to what it ought to represent, or simply ignoring the values that are attached to it, people slap Omoluabi on all sorts of people.
But Omoluabi is not a decorative description to be slapped on anyone as fancied. It is a signpost to a fidelity to some intrinsic values, among which are character, integrity, respect, courage, responsibility, compassion and a subscription to the spirit of Afenifere.
There is hardly anyone better suited to be called an Omoluabi in the truest sense of the word than Temitope Ajayi. He is an embodiment of the Omoluabi spirit.
His very essence appears to have been carefully framed to breathe life into the philosophy, to serve as an exemplar and inspiration to others, to reinforce the idea that it is possible to be of a strong conviction, yet be graceful and respectful, while demonstrating that courage is no reason to dispense with compassion, or that conviction can only be upheld by acting out of character.
One might argue that to be an Omoluabi, one has to be an Afenifere, but I will argue, in a sense, that it is quite possible to be one without the other, and that it is a rarity to have one person being both.
Temitope is an Omoluabi-Afenifere.
He is one who is prepared to stand by what he believes, even where such a stance may attract criticism, ridicule, abuse, or deliberate misrepresentation. He is willing to be misunderstood if misunderstanding is the price of fidelity to principle.
He not only lives by strong positive values, chief of which are character, conviction and compassion, he is completely sold out to a life of helping others find their feet, opening or holding the door for others to come in, speaking up for people in rooms where their names might ordinarily come up. It would appear that he draws some kind of fulfilment in helping to fix problems, finding solutions and generally just being useful.
This he does, time and again, paying no attention to being given credit, outrightly refusing compensation or acknowledgement for his efforts. He helps, moves on and that is it.
Of course, like all of us, he has his rough edges, but even with that, his capacity to let go, and not take anything to heart stands him out. That might explain how he has been able to maintain strong relationships with friends for over three decades, some from way back as his primary school days.
For some of us who met him through this platform, the way he has nurtured many of the relationships that began as online friendship has become enduring family ties, which speaks to the measure of the man and the premium he places on relationships.
It has been so heartwarming reading his friends, one after the other, saying just about the same things about Temitope. His support for them at different times. That he is a man of strong conviction, yet harbours no bitterness towards others.
He is one who is prepared to stand by what he believes, even where such a stance may attract criticism, ridicule, abuse, or deliberate misrepresentation. He is willing to be misunderstood if misunderstanding is the price of fidelity to principle.
Above all, he is a good man. An Omoluabi in every sense of it.
Happy birthday, Temitope.
Congratulations.
