By Adewale Kupoluyi
The cooperative movement in Nigeria has indeed lost one of its active members and pillars with the passage of Sir Clement Adeola Ayoola. It is a celebration of life of an achiever and man of the people, who cared for the downtrodden and less privileged to ensure that they live quality and purposeful life. Sir Ayoola passed on recently at the age of 83 years. As a devout Catholic, requiem masses were held for him in his parishes at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, Ayede Ekiti and St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State, respectively that were celebrated by over 20 priests from Ekiti Diocese and beyond the Bishop Emeritus of Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Fagun and the incumbent Bishop, Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye.
Ekiti Diocesan priests, Rev. Fr. Raphael Osegboun, who gave the homily at Ayede Ekiti, Rev. Msgr. Tunji Ogidan and Bishop Ajakaye, who delivered the homily at Efon Alaaye, extolled the virtues of Sir Ayoola for his generosity, active participation in church affairs, immense contributions to the upliftment of the people, and his strive for societal development in general. Apart from the rich homilies by the respected men of God, several tributes were poured on the deceased for his meritorious service to humanity. For Bishop Fagun, he was a cheerful and highly social character, who “Started a cooperative that developed to be part of the association that formed the defunct Cooperative Bank of Nigeria. His economics efforts greatly improved the standard of life among the participants that made good use of the opportunity to raise themselves high above poverty level”.
The Parish Priest of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Alao stated that Sir Ayoola gave much to humanity and devoted his energies, resources, time and talents even till his last moment. “We celebrate a man of faith, a man of sacrifice, a man who loves everyone around him with sincere and committed disposition. Your good and indelible works and sacrifices in our midst would always be remembered”, Fr. Alao added. Another priest from the diocese, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Jegede described him as a “Marvelous adviser, a worthy mentor, a father and indeed a gallant warrior”. For the President-General, Efon Alaaye Development League, Bode Fagbemiro, Sir Ayoola’s “Honesty and dedication marked him out and took him out of dispensary business to the cooperative college, and to later become the cornerstone of the cooperative movement in Nigeria, Africa, and the world”.
On his part, the Ekiti Diocesan Laity President, Prof. Emmanuel Onijigin, said the late icon was “Very bold and would offer clear explanation on the issues he is convinced (about), correct, and when necessary, suggest ways out of difficult situations”. The Association of Papal Knights and Medalists, Ekiti State Diocese informed that “His achievements as Nigerian cooperative leader was unparalleled in the history of the movement. An icon of cooperative movement from the local to the international level, Adeola (Ayoola) left his indelible footprints on the sands of the history of cooperative movement”.
However, despite the litany of accolades poured on him, Sir Ayoola’s journey in life cannot be said to have been a smooth one. For instance, the Secretary-General, Efon Alaaye Development League (EDL), Afolabi Ige attested to the fact that Ayoola passed through life travails, starting from being the sixth child of her mother that survived infancy, despite being tagged as ‘a frightening tiny baby, who did not only survived infant mortality, but has survived every stumbling blocks to success and greatness in life and like a mustard seed, has grown to a colossus in size and every of his endeavours in his early challenge in life by opting for formal education and face the ignominy of irregular school fees payment, or remain an illiterate local champion’. For Bishop Fagun, his challenges include the unpleasant experience in the hands of his employer earlier in life that almost left him jobless because of the ‘hire-and-fire’ syndrome that subjected employees like him to employer’s whims and caprices.
Not only that, the demise of his first wife in 1994, Mrs. Veronica Ayoola, who hailed from Ijurin Ekiti, was a major setback for him, but despite all these, he was still able to rise above dull moments and shone like the stars. Meanwhile, aside the service of songs, wake-keep and series of tributes, many of his fellow cooperators, co-workers, Catholic faithful and benefactors were on ground in large numbers to pay their last respect to Sir Ayoola at the Catholic Laity House, Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Ekiti State Branch at Ado Ekiti and Consumer Building in Ayede Ekiti, where they showered encomiums on him. On October 10, 1938, baby Adeola was born to the family of Pa Samuel Ayoola and Madam Julianah Ayoola (both of blessed memory) from the Obaloja family and chieftaincy house; which is the third in rank to the Alaaye of Efon Alaaye, the traditional ruler of the ancient town.
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His father was a full-time farmer while his mother hailed from Ikoyi in Oyo State where his maternal grandparents were warriors. He attended St. Paul’s Anglican School up to Standard Two and later moved to Oro in Kwara State to stay with his uncle, Mr. Joseph Oni (now late). In 1956, he was appointed as a clerk in the Ministry of Works, Akure and in 1957, he proceeded to St. Louis Combined Hospital, Owo, Ondo State, where he was trained as a Pharmacist Assistant. In 1976, he set up his own business at Ayede Ekiti; Clem-Vero (Nigeria) Ltd, of which he was its chairman and in 1972, he attended the Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State, for a short-term course. He equally schooled at the International Labour Organisation Cooperative College, Egypt; and International Institute of the Histadrut, Israel, specialising in cooperative studies, among others.
In 1978, he became a member of the National Advisory Council on Cooperative Development in Nigeria, which he served for 11 years and in 2004, he was appointed a member of the National Cocoa Development Committee (NCDC), where he was given the privilege to serve on the National Cooperative Advisory body. By 1968, he had become committee member of the Ayede Ekiti Kajola Cooperative Thrift as well as Credit Society Limited at the Ayede Ekiti Primary Society. He has served the cooperative society in various capacities before eventually becoming the President of Ayede Ekiti CICU Ltd in 1976; President of Ondo State Cooperative Federation in 1980; Chairman, Adhoc Committee for the establishment of World-Wide Insurance Company Ltd, Ibadan in 1981; President, Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Organisation Ltd, 1997 to 1998; Chairman, Coop Cocoa Product Ltd, Akure, 1996 to 2008; President, Federation of Ekiti State Cooperatives; and President, Coop Investment and Trust Society Ltd, till 2008.
Sir Ayoola bagged several awards in the course of serving in key positions such as Golden Jubilee Award of Cooperative in Nigeria from the Ondo State Cooperative Federation Ltd in 1986; Certificate of Merit by the Ondo State Government in 1988; and Golden Plaque by the World-Wide Insurance Company Ltd’s 10th Anniversary in 1993. In 1994, he was invited by the Government of Israel as one of the year’s Jerusalem Pilgrim (JP); and for his excellent contributions to the Oye Local Government, he was honoured with a Merit Award; given the Ekiti Parapo Award in 2001 as well as assuming the position of Vice President, Efon Alaaye Improvement League in 1995. Sir Ayoola became board member of the defunct Cooperative Bank Ltd and in 1998, was appointed Chairman, Board of Directors till 2005. The bank later merged to form Skye Bank Plc and is now known as Polaris Bank Ltd; a successful tenure that the Secretary-General of Efon Alaaye Development League referred to as “The most critical stage of banking evolution in Nigeria with neither a single corporate scandal nor any personal scar”.
Sir Ayoola’s contributions to the development of the Catholic Church are immense. In 1987, he became the President of the Efon Alaye Catholic Association of Nigeria; Chairman, Pastoral Council, St. Benedict’s Church, Ayede Ekiti; and between 1977 and 2008, he was member of the Pastoral Council, Diocese of Ekiti, the highest decision-making body for the church in Ekiti. His numerous church activities culminated in him receiving the highly-respected and prestigious award of Papal Knight of St. Gregory the Great (KSG) from His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. It is instructive to note also that Sir Ayoola became the Ekiti Diocesan President, Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, 2000 to 2006; Vice President, National Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN); and President of CLCN, 2007 to 2008. Despite not being an indigene, he was installed as the Atayese of Ayede Ekiti by His Royal Highness and Atta of Ayede-Ekiti. Sir Ayoola has travelled to several countries across the world, representing cooperative movements in Africa, Europe, America, Asia and Australia.
No doubt, we can go on and on, but the passage of the octogenarian would remain historic, not only for the cooperative movement, but for so many people; known and unknown that he has impacted positively. This ray of hope that he lived a fruitful life resonated in his words of wisdom that filled the hearts of his children, who also bared the minds of the grandchildren and family members. For Churchill Ayoola, his father was a man of the people, whose “Hard work created history that will be retold from time to time and in everlasting memories”; Olubunmi Ayoola testified that “You taught me so much about being a leader and being a man”; Olufunmilayo Kupoluyi revealed that “Your words of encouragement to me is that you be contended with what you have. Do not compare yourself with others”; Oluranti Ademeso admitted that “We, your children live to this day by the lessons of love, humility, contentment, and hard work that you instilled in us”; while Olumuyiwa Ayoola simply described him as “The greatest human being to live”. No doubt, Sir Clement Adeola Ayoola’s life is truly a worthy celebration of excellence for his rare and outstanding show of love, kindness, generosity, and unblemished service to humanity.
*Dr. Kupoluyi writes from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, @AdewaleKupoluyi
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