MEMORIES of one of Nigeria's celebrated cultural legends, High Chief John Adeyemi Ayorinde, MFR, MBE, will be rekindled in Ibadan tomorrow as a book in his honour will be publicly presented at the Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, at 10 am.Ayorinde, who passed on in March 1998, was the Asipa Olubadan of Ibadan and an academic board member of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan.A respected orator, poet, historian and author, Ayorinde served his hometown, Ibadan, and his country in various capacities especially in the areas of agriculture where he worked for many years and indigenous culture, where he left indelible footprints.In 1977, he was appointed by the Federal Government as the coordinator of the committee that went round the entire length and breadth of the country collecting samples of clothings and traditional attires. The recommendations of the Ayorinde-led committee gave birth to the formation of the National Gallery of Arts.Pa Ayorinde also served at a time on the Federal Government panel that mediated in the chieftaincy crisis in the old Anambra State in the early 1980s.Acknowledged as an authority on Ibadan history and tradition and an exemplary advocate of its culture - like the Okebadan festival - Ayorinde authored the biography of Oba Isaac Akinyele, a one-time Olubadan of Ibadan, among other books.For his outstanding contribution to knowledge, Pa Ayorinde was conferred with an honourary doctorate degree by the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo Universit)y, Ile Ife, in 1982.He was also instrumental to the formation of Ibadan Progressive Union (IPU) and the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII).Titled Abokede: The Man, the Hill, the City, the biography is written by Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of National Mirror newspapers, who is a grand nephew of the subject.The book tells the compelling story of Papa Ayorinde as an impeccable man of culture and industry. And this is told against the background of the city of his birth and its major socio-cultural offering - the Okebadan festival.Emminent people who recalled Papa Ayorinde's contribution to the society include Prof. Wande Abimbola, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife; Prof. Akinwumi Isola, the late educationist, Chief Emmanuel Alayande; the former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Emmanuel Fakayode; Chief Tayo Akpata, who is Papa Ayorinde's son-in-law; respected arts patriach, Ambassador Segun Olusola and Elder (Dr.) Taiye Ayorinde, Baale of Ekotedo in Ibadan.The publication of the book and Thursday's presentation is being done in collaboration with the Institute of African Studies, UI. Writing the back-cover blurb of the book, Prof. Olawale Albert, Director of the Institute of African Studies, UI, says: 'It is said that the death of the aged in Africa is equivalent to the razing of a whole library. Abokede aptly communicates this in the culture-rich life and times of Papa J.A Ayorinde. Not only Ibadan history, but the history of the Nigerian nation in terms of cultural rebirth and re-orientation is retold in an engaging manner. With this book, the library embodied by J.A Ayorinde has been fortified against any raging inferno.Papa Ayorinde's contributions to the Institute of African Studies was also relayed in the Foreword written by an erstwhile director of the institute, Prof. Oladele Layiwola.According to Chief (Mrs) Taiye Soyege, the Asipa Iyalode of Ibadan, who spoke on behalf of the Planning Committee, the keynote at the book presentation will be done by Prof. Adeniyi Osuntogun, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ife while the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, is the host governor and special guest of honour.She said the book would be jointly presented by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Omowale Kuye; Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola- Alao and the former governor of Oyo State, Chief Rasheed Ladoja. She added that the special presenters expected are Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim,OFR, the Chairman of Global Energy Group and former Minister of National Planning, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, OFR.The event will be jointly chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Isaac Adewole and Bishop Ayo Ladigbolu, while the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, is the Royal Father of the Day.
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