FORMER Military Governor of Western Region , late Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi lived a heroic life as someone who rather than leave his guest, General Aguiyi-Ironsi to the hands of mutineers, he preferred to go with him to avert catastrophic bloodshed of the people he governed.
His memorable leadership qualities of an incorruptible leader lingers in the minds generations yet on unborn.
Brief Story Of A Leader Who Leads By Example
“We will not forget him!!!
When Col Francis Adekunle Fajuyi’s immediate elder sister went to meet him(Fajuyi) in Ibadan, the headquarters of the western region, she took the opportunity to register a company so she could lobby for contracts from government.
When the Western Region Governor, Col Adekunle, returned later that day from the office, they exchanged pleasantries and the big sister went ahead to show the kid brother the certificate of registration of her new company. Col Adekunle’s mood changed immediately! He asked,
“What is this? Is this why you came from Ado Ekiti to this place? Do you want to soil my name?
The thing we want to eradicate, you want me to have a hand in it? You will be going about getting contracts from the ministries? No way, you cannot do that!’
Then he tore the paper and went upstairs. The sister broke down in tear.
Col Fajuyi was an incorruptible soldier who became governor of old Western Region in January, 1966, and sent words to Ekiti to stop the building of his house, which was at foundation level on Textile Road in a place called Onimosoyin in Ado-Ekiti, because the ethics of public service demands that you do not acquire anything during service. He never had a personal house when he died.
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Col Adekunle Fajuyi’s “native intelligence” was legendary. Some British men came to have a meeting with Fajuyi and the Secretary to the government of Western region, Pa Odumosu, because they wanted to site an industry in Ibadan.
At a point, the British requested to see Col Fajuyi privately, so Pa Odumosu was asked to leave. They wanted to bribe him!. They gave him huge cash and they left. Then Fajuyi called pa Odumosu and said the British brought “our money” and he said he collected the money from them because “it was part of our money.” He then instructed him to pay the money into the government’s treasury.
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Col Adekunle Francis Fajuyi was an embodiment of courage and unalloyed loyalty. Suicidal loyalty!.
When the Head of State, Agonyi Ironsi went to Ibadan on official visit and gunshots were heard in the dead of the night, both the host and the guest were taken aback by the ugly development.
The government house had been surrounded by soldiers of Northern extraction in a COUNTER-COUP.
In their pyjamas, Fajuyi and Ironsi went to the Governor’s office to make calls for reinforcements. Then Ironsi asked Fajuyi,
“But you assured me yesterday that I was safe in your territory”.
“Yes, I thought you were safe. I didn’t know anything. I didn’t hear anything. But don’t worry, the two of us will stay together. Go and dress up and I will dress up. Anything that will happen will happen to the two of us.” Fajuyi replied.
The invaders broke in and before they saw the Head of State, they told Fajuyi;
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‘Give us Ironsi, we want Ironsi. Give us Ironsi, we want Ironsi.’
Fajuyi stood his grounds and replied;
‘No, you cannot take him, he is my guest. Why didn’t you take him in Lagos or elsewhere? You cannot take him here. If you are taking him, then take me along”
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Gallant, brave and outstanding soldier, Col Adekunle Fajuyi put his own life on the line to defend his guest and even when he was told they only wanted Ironsi, he stood by his guest and died with him.
He was just 40 years-old when he took a bullet for his friend. Fajuyi was survived by aged parents and very young children. His heartbroken father died shortly thereafter.
Just history that is worth telling at this crucial time with political rogues without honour at the centre stage of our polity in Nigeria.
I feel irked by their indecency and gullibility.
O ma se ooo. What a pity!
*COPIED.
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