This is an example of a leader and father figure to students. As a student of Linguistics in the University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Banjo was already Vice Chancellor of the institution and so, he never taught me (or did he once? I am not too sure). His office in the department was always under lock and key but the name plate was there proclaiming his presence.
As I read President Bola Tinubu’s congratulatory message on the joyous occasion of his 90th birthday this afternoon, two things came up vividly to mind; first was the popular joke at the Zik Hall, where I went to “squart” in my 300 Level. I am a Bellite by the way (Sultan Bello Hall, to the uninitiated).
It happened that the Hall Warden of Zik Hall was a Mr. Odidi. A hefty individual who was as tough as they come. He never brooked nonsense and students feared him. Because of this, he wasn’t the most popular individual among Zikites. And so, they coined a proverb around him. A Yorùbá proverb says something like size doesn’t matter once you are adequate (not what you are thinking, you rascal 😂). It says “orí ti yó gbe ni, kìí tó jankan-jankan” transliterated to mean your head doesn’t have to be too big for you to have good fortune. But Zikites turned it round and said “orí ti yó gbe ni kìí tó jankan-jankan, orí Banjo kò tó ti Odidi” meaning “Banjo’s head is smaller than Odidi’s even though he was just a hall warden while Banjo was the VC.
Someone said it one day without knowing that Odidi was passing by and the man rained some curses in retaliation.
But the serious issue:
The university management had decided to introduce examination fees to augment inadequate funding from the military government. As we were about to start the first semester examinations, notices went out that students would pay examination fees. Students’ Union Government immediately opposed such plans and vowed that it would not happen. There was palpable tension on campus. Some students opposed the plan on principle but it was a life and death situation for many others as they couldn’t afford it.
Suddenly, Professor Banjo, as the VC, invited every student to a meeting at the Senate Chambers. I got there early. We were chanting solidarity songs and then Banjo entered. As word went round that he was coming in, we raised our voices. Tension was high.
As he took his seat, the VC cleared his throat and in that baritone voice queried: “if I have so many students with such beautiful voices, why is UI choir so thinly populated?” He calmed many nerves as we chuckled. Next he asked “is it that you don’t want to pay or you don’t have money to pay?” And the reply was mixed.
Then a representative of the students brought out a UI students journal published in the early 1960s and read out an article wherein the writer argued quite vehemently against introduction of examination fees to students in the university. There was no need to mention the name of the writer.
Baba became weak. He looked down, looked up and looked directly at the students sitting in front of him and simply declared: “you can go and write your exams!” We roared in jubilation and left happy. Those who had already paid were refunded. Some of us had no means of paying and so, it was a lifeline. I wonder if there are vice chancellors like that anymore.
•Adejokun writes from Abuja.
