Some of my lecturers in the History department such as Prof. Femi Omosini, Dr Biodun Adediran and Toyin Fálọlá, were ready to be my mentors believing that I would do my graduate studies in the History department. But I disappointed them all by switching over to the Department of International Relations. I decided to study international relations at the master’s level the moment the Department of History declined my request for transfer to the Faculty of Law in 1983. It was my own way of expressing my disenchantment with the decision of the department. You can call it pay back time.
Till it happened, I kept it a top secret because I didn’t want any kind of persuasion. The other reason for moving to the Department of International relations, Faculty of Administration, was because I didn’t feel comfortable with the kind of politics that was being played in the department. The incident of my project being downgraded from “A” to “B+” by Dr Femi Anjorin, the head of History department, was all about politics. There was no love lost between Prof. I.A. Akinjogbin a.k.a “The Department” and Dr Anjorin, the head of History department.
Both men were contemporaries but Akinjogbin’s giant strides in the Academia were hypersonic. As the one who started the History department, he definitely had a hand in the appointment of Dr. Anjorin into the department. According to the official records of the University, when Prof. Akinjogbin was appointed the acting head of department in October 1966, Dr. Anjorin, though a Ph.d holder, was lecturer 1. Also, as at September 1968 when Prof. Akinjogbin became the first Professor of History, University of Ife, Dr. Anjorin was still his subordinate. It was in his capacity as the only Professor in the department that Akinjogbin approved of the appointments of the following people Dr. Kola Folayan, Dr. Phillip Igbafe, Dr Segun Osoba, Dr Banji Akintoye and Dr Niyi Ekemode into the Department of History. Before 1977 when Prof. Akinjogbin gave his inaugural lecture, Dr Banji Akintoye had also become a Professor. As at 1985 when my issue cropped up, 17 years after Akinjogbin became a Professor, Dr. Femi Anjorin was still not a Professor even though he was the head of History department.
What pained Prof. Akinjogbin when he was discussing the issue with me was that Dr. Anjorin should not have assigned my project to himself for moderation/vetting since that was not his field. Anjorin was teaching European history. Prof. Akinjogbin told me that the project should have been given to those who had knowledge of Yoruba history like Prof. Kola Folayan, Dr Ishola Olomola, Dr Toyin Fálọlá, Dr. Biodun Adediran and Dr S.O. Arifalo. Prof. Akinjogbin believed that Dr. Anjorin did it intentionally to settle a score with him and to provoke him. This discussion came up when I went to see him to explain to him why I moved to international relations. Surprisingly, he told me that he had nothing against my decision and that he wished me all the best. I knew that if I should go back to that department as a graduate student, the “Agba meji” would keep fighting because of me and at the end of the day, being the innocent grass that would suffer the fight of the two elephants, I decided to avoid elephantine collision by migrating to my new territory-international relations.
I resumed into the Department of international relations in October 1986 . It was a new experience for me. I met some big names that I had been reading in the newspapers or whose faces I used to see on NTA News. They were now my lecturers. The name Olajide Aluko was almost a household name in Nigerian Foreign policy, same for Sola Ojo on Middle East. Both were graduates of London School of Economics (LSE). The former was like a mentor to the latter. There were other lecturers such as Amadu Sesay, Ralph Onwuka, Layi Abegunrin, Olatunde Ojo, Tale Omole, Dr Yinka Bamiduro, Dr Amechi Okolo, Emeka Nwokedi and Kayode Soremekun. It was a department full of scholars of Aristotelian and Marxian inclination.
This division played out in our class as well as we got embroiled in the ideological conflict of the Cold War with some of us identifying with the Capitalist ideology and the other group aligning themselves with the Communist/Marxist doctrine. It was a lively class full of energetic young scholars with leadership potential. The roll call looked like this: Kehinde Laniyan, Victor Adetula, Odharo Daniel, Yemi Fabiyi, Rasheed Kolawole. Let’s call them the” indigenes” because they did their first degree in international relations. The second category was like this: Dapo Thomas, David Makanjuola, Henrietta Otsu, Esho Olurotimi,Tayo Adesina, Bisi Adeleye. You can call us domestic aliens because we were from the same University but from a different Department. Tayo Adesina and Bisi Adeleye only came to audit some courses in international relations. They were doing their PG programmes in History department.The third category are difficult to categorize because some of them also finished from UNIFE but I couldn’t locate their departments since they were not from my department. Let’s simply call them aliens. The list comprised the following people: Kayode Fayemi, Sayo Ademiluwa, Taiwo Ibidapo-Obe, Foluso Obembe, Olu Olanipekun, Adelani Adeniran, Yemi Àjàyí, Dare Obasola, Dayo Famosaya, Taiwo Kolawole, Anthony Osula , Clarkson Umelo, Yemi Sekudo, Yinka Oyinlola, Olabode Alakija, Edward Agbara, Alábá Okunola, Alexander Odhobi, Segun Oyedele and Olumide Akinbinu.
The first lecturer to notice this divide in the class was Prof. Olajide Aluko. He noticed that there was always a heated argument between me and some set of students whenever there was any discussion on the US and the USSR. He was correct. I was always supportive of the US and Capitalism while Kayode Fayemi was always defending Communism/Socialism and USSR. On my side were Rotimi Esho, David Makanjuola (Baba Makanju), Dayo Famosaya and Odharo Daniel. The Kayode Fayemi group had Kehinde Laniyan, Taiwo Ibidapo-Obe,, Anthony Osula, Other students claimed to be non-aligned.
Our classes were always very clamorous but very interesting. Most of our lecturers used to enjoy the class because of the quality of our arguments and the sophistication of our language. One common feature of scholarship and intellectualism during our programme was that the level of preparation for lectures was of the same status with examinations. Before going to class, you would have to visit the library and the newspaper stands to get an update on what was going on around the globe. You would not only prepare yourself for the lecturer’s questions, you would also prepare for your mates who were ever ready to pooh-pooh your arguments or contributions in the class. This practice of peer- fireworks nourished our quest and desire for excellence not only in the area of intellectualism but also in political leadership.
The kind of enterprising competition that used to happen in the class as a result of robust intellectual debates was an inspiration for class attendance. You would always look forward to the next class. We saw arguments and discussions on empiricism as an elixir for logical postulations and conceptual exploration. Most of our lecturers found our set very ambitious, adventurous and productively cerebral. Aluko’s class was always very stirring. Layi Abegunrin’s class was also very breathtaking. Sola Ojo’s class was usually impressive, Sesay’s class was stimulating, Ralph Onwuka ‘s class was enlightening; M.A Ojo’s class was entertaining; Okolo’s lectures were sturdy, Nwokedi’s class was flavourful while Soremekun’s class was vigorous. The entire department was an intellectual emporium where students interfaced rigorously with ideational principalities.
This peer-rivalry came to a climax on a particular day when the Fayemi group tore a paper I presented on US-Israeli relations to pieces for lack of a theoretical framework. It was in the early part of the programme. I was yet to know or understand the dialectics, didactics, polemics and discursive techniques of social sciences. So, I dived into the pool when I was yet to master the art of swimming and I paid dearly for it when I was taken to the cleaners by the Fayemi/Laniyan/Adetula team. Galvanized by my excellent performance in philosophy of history in my final exams at the undergraduate level (I scored an “A” in the course), I introduced my topic by attempting to establish a philosophical construct that would help in understanding the historical factors that were responsible for the complex relationship between the United States and the state of Israel. As a student of History, I considered my paper a vital and useful material for those seeking more insights into the trajectory of the relationship between the two countries and the tragedy Israel has become to the United States when it comes to the values and ideals that the US represents as a global power.
But my friends-who had received sufficient training in theoretical applications as social scientists- raised objections to my philosophical construct dismissing it as ineffectual and irrelevant in discussing a topic that could better be understood with the use of an appropriate theoretical model. I grappled with all manner of defence mechanisms and academic vitriolics, employing sophistry and sweet terminologies to garnish my arguments but it was clear that I was only being theatrical. The Adetula -Fayemi group was right. My paper lacked a theoretical focus. Prof. Aluko was impressed with my defensive efforts but he knew that I lost the argument. It was an inglorious day for me. Olaniyan, Adetula and Fayemi studied international relations and Political science respectively.
In the class, Kayode Fayemi and I were arch rivals but in the postgraduate hall, we were inseparable social partners. Though he came from Unilag to join us in Unife, Kayode showed himself a jolly good fellow by integrating himself so quickly into an Ife family that had been together during our undergraduate days. Though there was no official leader for the group, I was the unofficial “Olori Ẹbi” of the group being the only one with a “wife-to-be”. Bola Òbí was also doing her postgraduate degree in the Faculty of Education. She was given a Postgraduate Fellowship award to study Sociology of Education. So, she was staying in the F Block of the postgraduate hall. The Ife Family (86/87) of the Postgraduate hall, was a very large one comprising people like Billy Adekola, Kofo Ajala (my cousin), Kunle Ajibade (my roommate in our undergraduate and postgraduate days), Bola Adeyeni, Bola Fadaka, Nike Adeyemi, Kayode Fayemi, Dapo Adeniyi (not a student but a regular friend of Kunle Ajibade and I. He was staying in the Quarters), Dele Momodu (he was a postgraduate student too but staying in the staff Quarters. He was always in our room as a friend of Kunle Ajibade and I.
Others were Jimki Ojei, Odharo Daniel, Kemi Eruosanyin, Jumoke Makinde, Mowa Ogundele, Bisi Adeleye, Gochua Jerome (same room with me and Kunle Ajibade), David Makanjuola, Foluso Obembe. Considering our closeness, I discovered that Kayode was always admiring Bisi Adeleye anytime he saw her with me. Bisi and I were very good friends right from when we were in the History department. I doubt if Bisi knew I had another name apart from Mujemu. She had stuck to it since she knew me with it. From admiration to fascination, things started moving fast between Kayode and Bisi. One thing led to the other and the two started talking, consulting and consolidating. Despite our rivalry in class, I was happy that Kayode joined me in marital blitz by changing Bisi’s status as I did to Bola’s. Odharo Daniel made some attempts with Jimki Ojei but I didn’t think it worked. The kind of fraternity and bonding that existed among all of us in the Postgraduate hall was very strong and uncommon.
We were going to the rooms of our ladies to have lunch and dinner at any time we felt like. Our ladies, particularly those in A and F blocks like Foluso Obembe, Billy Adekola, Kofo Ajala, Bola Òbí, Bisi Adeleye, Bola Fadaka, Bola Adeyeni and Kemi Eruosanyin, were always willing to feast us. It was a great family. Our best moments were the weekends when we had enough time to jollificate and gyrate around the PG hall with Mr Asupoto (Bisi Asupoto’s daddy), the hall Warden, playing the role of a father to all of us.
Victor Adetula and Kayode Fayemi were right in their attack on my paper. My inadequacies in theoretical applications manifested themselves in my first semester results. I performed very well in all my courses but “Theories of International Relations” where I scored a “B”. Others were: International Politics (B+), African Government and Politics (B+), African Foreign Relations (B+), Nigerian Foreign Policy (B+). This was the moment I told myself that I must buckle up in theoretical applications if I had to be successful in my new discipline -International Relations. I couldn’t continue to rationalize that the failure of History or historians to introduce theory in History was responsible for my personal theoretical deficiency.
As a dynamic mechanic and component of knowledge, intellectualism has gone beyond the epiphany of pedagogical anciency. History cannot in anyway recuse itself from trancedentalism and the civilizing change agencies on the excuse of disciplinary fixation. The world, as an evolving spatial orbit, inspires its contents to adapt to the fluidity of phenomenal structures and elements for a regenerative engineering. If History refuses the admonition of wisdom by not refreshing its tools of operation, it may soon find itself being confined to the dustbin of its own history. Theory is not a damaging influence rather, it is a guide on how to manage the confluence of Multidisciplinary complications that require empirical clarifications.
I was already settling down in my new department when I noticed a cultural anathema that was of high political content, even worse than what I experienced in my former department. I witnessed first hand, two of my high profile lecturers engaging themselves in an open conflict that was infused with toxic indignation. The list of thesis supervisors had just been released by the department. Before going to check the list, I was praying for either Prof. Olajide Aluko or Dr. Sola Ojo to be my supervisor. On checking the list, I saw that my supervisor was Dr. Sola Ojo. I was going to his office to inform him about this in case he was unaware of the development when I started hearing some offensive noise in the corridor, something that sounded like two people hurling insults at each other. I was shellshocked, seeing that my two favorite lecturers, Prof. Olajide Aluko and Dr. Sola Ojo were the ones hurling abuses and insults on each other. It was an inexplicable spectacle as students and lecturers became unwilling spectators by the corridor, watching in awe, this drama of rage. I never knew there was any kind of animosity between the two of them. Though I was still able to see Dr. Ojo that same day, we couldn’t talk about the supervision. Instead, we spent time discussing the origin of the rift . From the vituperative manner with which he narrated the story, one could notice the kind of acerbity between these two men.
To be continued
