May I, with the heaviest of hearts, pay sincerest respects to the departing Literary god Prof. Pius Adesanmi of this world, made of the otherworld by the ignorant and uncultured Death on the 10th of March 2019.
The inimitable scholar and Literateur was on his way to attending another of many lectures before the cold hands of death gripped and virulently taught him and extensively the world, the biggest of lessons; the mortal end. Pius Omo Mama Isanlu embarked on the journey to eternal home when he boarded that fateful flight from Ethiopia to Kenya, never ever landing again to touch Mother Earth a whole, complete being. The sagely Pius flew home to the Father Lord.
And since then, it has been watershed of tributes and galore of memorials from the hands of the best of writers and scholars, some inking their tears in their various pieces while several imbued life into theirs to give Hope to the hopeless and reprieve to the bereaved.
But I hold, without being immodest, an opinion that no literary ingenuity would be adequate to portray, picture, describe, define or depict the brilliance extraodinaire, the intellectual collosus and humanity per excellence the ‘abami eda’ in the ‘ gbede gbeyo’ world Prof. Pius Adesanmi made of his life to the
World. Such is a man he is ( was ) to some of the people I know.
Pius Adesanmi, if I was asked for my opinion briefly, would be described a revolutionary who used pen to fight so many wars of injustice and social maladies without minding the physical, emotional and psychological costs.
Baba Tife was a fearless and relentless critic whose opinions were like pepper in the eyes of the myopic Nigerian leaders. The reminisces of his literary Koboko gingered with rich yoruba sagely remarks day in day out was always bad food for bad- intentioned politicians and tonic to the oppressed, cheated and molested Nigerians. Oh, how this divine, utopian contributions would be sorely missed by Nigeria!
Prof. Adesanmi was a man who took on several unsavory battles and many avoidable wars as price for his people’s ignorance and gullibility. Yet, he never acted larger- than- life or irritated when, as he could have put it, ignorance manifest in folds in these people on several social media platforms and they made him object of anger.What a man.
Perhaps Africa have had several greats, but I wonder how Nigeria as a nation, have been largely represented tremendously well by Baba Tise. I was moved to tears when I read the condolence message by Carlton University. Yet despite how glowing, no words could describe Pius resourcefulness, industry, passion, resilience and commitment to Academic, and African Literary world in generality. This was one man who practically lived his whole life studying, teaching, and mentoring to develop humanity. So how do we use words to picture his greatness?
And we never met, dear Pius. If a student’s regards for a teacher makes them see I could bet we would have been seeing everyday! Yet we have always been meeting. Yes.Your Facebook page, like I told a friend once, was a class away from the conventional walls. Be it morals, academics, fiction or nonfiction, there’s hardly any other adept at providing more incisive insights like yours. So if I say now, that, the most hit by your sudden demise are the numberless Nigerians like me you were teaching online without a dime, do I make sense?
For a man who just survived a ghastly motor accident some months ago, one would have thought Omo Mama Adesanmi of Isanlu had cheated death then with wizardry for the next ten years. Alas! This death wasn’t going to be schooled. He just took a scholar like he didn’t know a thing. And I am wondering if Death would have freed you if he would let you write him a ode every time he comes and how long a god like Pius would live!
Oh, this Death do not know a thing.
So the voice of reasoning is silenced? So he gagged the throat of Truth and Justice?
This Professor’s death is another of his unending costs of ignorance for this Death didn’t know a thing, Pius shouldn’t have been taken this quick!
How would Nigerian politicos get kobokoed again? Who will keep mentoring the African youth like you? Baba Tise, who will speak truth to power and gets the powerful fears and trembles? Who will make a joke out of our woes and satirically correct the wrongs?
Who will be Pius Adesanmi to African Youth?
For me, I believe you lived and still lives – in these words; words of wisdom for the ages, which by happenstance or something was your last.
“Psalm 139 verses 9 to 10 (the English Standard Version): “If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.”
So I shall take the cue from the wings of moment to live across the seas and the oceans preaching African values, for your hands shall hold me, Uncle Adesanmi.
Pius Adesanmi, live on!
Ibraheem Abdullateef, columnist, political and social analyst writes from Ilorin.He can be reached via email eggheadibra@gmail.com.Phone no 08148443002