Gen. Bajowa celebrates 80th birthday, launches radio station.
– Steve Ovirih.
Prince Dr. (Gen) Joseph Olu Bajowa, the Jagunmolu of Ikale Land and Ojagbulegun from the Source has celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary. The star studded event which held at Igbotako, the celebrant’s country home on Sunday, the 27th December kick-started at Ayeka, the location of a new radio station established by Gen. Bajowa in conjunction with the Iye Lumure Foundation, the brainchild and pet project of his wife, the Regent of Ayeka, Princess. Barr. Oluyemi Bajowa.
The new radio station, Awawa 94.1 FM, according to Gen. Bajowa while delivering his speech at its Commissioning, was established to help revive the dying culture of the people of the Southern senatorial district, whose culture are rich but almost going into extinction .
Gen. Bajowa said he observed that due to culture contact with foreign culture, the younger generation have lost interest in their own dialect and by so doing are quick to forget esteemed tradition and cultural values. He noted that people can no longer speak their dialectal variety of the Yoruba language fluently, thus the establishment of the station where Ikale, Ilaje, Apoi and Arogbo languages will be used as broadcast medium.
Gen. Bajowa who saluted Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his giant stride promised on behalf of the management of Awawa FM that the station shall complement the efforts of the state government in the area of prompt and accurate information dissemination.
In his response before cutting tape to declare the station opened, Governor Akeredolu congratulated Gen. Bajowa whom he described as a grassroots developer and a rare gift from Ikale to Nigeria. He noted that the celebrant has enjoyed God’s great benevolence having served in the Army and reached the Pinnacle of his career, fought war to stabilize the country and became a General of the Nigerian Army all within the spate of twenty years. “When Baba retired, he was recalled to serve the nation in different capacity and he did serve meritoriously leaving behind enviable and unblemished record in the different sector where he served, ” Gov. Akeredolu noted.
The Governor however charged the new radio station to focus on information dissemination and veer off politics as this could make their esteemed listeners to pigeonhole them on the basis of bias. “Information dissemination is very important and it will be good as the General has noted if the news broadcast are done in the local dialects so that the station can give the people in the hinterlands a sense of belonging,” Gov. Akeredolu stressed.
Gen. Bajowa and his wife, the Regent of Ayeka, Princess Barr Oluyemi Bajowa later took the guests , among whom were Arole Oodua, Oonirisa, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi, Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Mr. Donal Ojogo, Ondo State Commissioner for Information, round the facilities of the radio station.
At the thanksgiving session held to mark Gen. Bajowa’s 80th birthday at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Igbotako, the Preacher and Lord Bishop, Diocese on the Coast, Rt. Rev’d Oluseyi Pirisola congratulated the celebrant for the grace to have come this far in his life’s journey. Reading from the Book of Psalm 90, the Cleric admonished all Christians to live an exemplary life, noting that numbering our days should help us to spend our days as we should. ” The best way to spend our days accordingly is by seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness on daily basis. Jesus has already told us what first priority ought to be : seeking first everyday of our lives the kingdom of God. And we must express the kingdom of God in our character,” Bishop Pirisola emphasised.
The Church programme, a communion service also featured the special invitation of the celebrant, his wife , children and well wishers to a thanksgiving dance to the altar.
At the Grand reception which held at the General’s residence at Igbotako, it was a high profile gathering of Nigerian stakeholders.
Former Nigerian President , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo chaired the event while Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey provided time tested evergreen lyrics to serenade the high octane event.
Chief Okikiola Olusegun Obasanjo described Bajowa as a loyal colleague who was and is still very dependable. “Give him a responsibility and you can be rest assured he will execute it with utmost diligence. He rose through the rungs in the Army and reached the peak of his career. Only diligent men achieve such feat in the Armed Forces.
” When we wanted to build the Barracks at Ibadan, we didn’t look any further. We committed the job into the hand of Olu and it was successfully executed. He is a fine gentleman and a valuable officer. I am proud to associate with him anytime , any day. I chaired his 70th birthday, I am the Chair of his 80th birthday and I will still come and Chair his 90th birthday by God’s grace,” Chief Obasanjo enthused.
He further noted that Gen. Bajowa saved him from the coupists’ s bullets during the Buka Suka Dimka coup as he was already penned down by the executioners but for the invitation of Gen. Bajowa to the naming ceremony of his son.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja the 2nd offered special prayer for Gen. Bajowa , admonishing him to continue to contribute to the society as his giant contribution are making indelible marks in the sand of time.
In her special tribute to her husband at 80, the Regent of Ayeka, Princess Barr. Oluyemi Bajowa said, ” On this day, I am happy and proud to be part of your success as your wife.
” The Almighty , the author of your life rewarded you exceedingly with victories in all the wars you fought in your life , wether on the war front at ‘O leku Ija Ore’ or the ones you fought in far away strange and foreign lands , commanding brave men of the Armed Forces to fight , to win and to live. What shall we say about the wars you fought in the boardrooms and won profitably! Indeed you are Jagunmolu.”
Princess Adetokunbo Gloria Bajowa who was on the set of thepolity “round table ” described her father as a very caring and passionate father, ” the best of all Dad’s” she said. ” Thank you for your generosity , warmth and wisdom. May God continue to fill your life with endurance and endless blessings ,” Gloria Bajowa added.
Abodi of Ikale, HIM , Oba George Faduyile in his tribute described Gen Bajowa as a fearless character who approaches issues with fair play , truth and orderliness devoid of oppression, cheating , intimidation, coercion and fraud. “To enumerate your struggles and successes during the span of the last eighty years of your life is to touch all facets of human development in Ikale , Ondo State and Nigeria,” Abodi added.
In his own opinion, Barr. Akeremale Abayomi, Commissioner of Police (RTD) said , ” You managed your Ministry as Quarter Master General with honesty, integrity and Accountability during the civil war. You came out untarnished, no blemish ! We are proud of you as a model in Ikale Land, sir.
” What a retiree worth his salt should do is what you are doing as a leader. Your legacy shall remain indelible.”
Among the A list dignitaries who graced the grand 80th birthday event of the Jagunmolu of Ikale Land were Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Executive Governor of Ondo State, , Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, ably represented by Brig. Gen Sagir Mohammed, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR), Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Eniitan Ogunwusi, Osemawe of Ondo , Oba Rufus Kiladejo, Abodi of Ikale Land, Oba George Babatunde Faduyile, Otunba Nimbe Ayenuyo, Chief Emeka Okonkwo (E Money), Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo, ( former Chief of Naval Staff) CP Sam Adetuyi ( RTD), CP Abayomi Akeremale (RTD), Prof. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, TIYEC member and immediate past , President NMA, Prince Kunle Aiyeku, PRO Ikale World Congress (IWC USA), Prof. Adegoju and a host of others.
