By Magnus Eze
Chief Samuel Ayodele Adebanjo is an avowed crusader for a better Nigeria. His innate conviction is that the multi-ethnic composition of Nigeria with its advantages is better operated under unfettered federalism. He believes in one Nigeria where inclusivity reigns and where all components of the country are treated as equal partners in the national destiny. This belief forms his persistent advocacy for restructuring of the country back into the system that the country was left for self rule.
Born on April 10, 1928 at Okelamuren, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Pa Adebanjo is the only child of his mother and an avid Awoist. Born into a deep religious family, his father was a Christian while his mother was a Muslim. He had his primary education on Lagos Island between 1934 and 1943.
As a young man, he worked at the Ministry of Health in Lagos, but his employment was terminated for being rude to a White man during a demonstration for Independence. He practiced journalism at the Daily Service (later Daily Express) newspaper before he was appointed into the position of Organising Secretary of Action Group for Remo Division in the 1950s.
Young Adebanjo started off his political activism as a follower of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, who, to all intents and purposes, was the visible successor to Herbert Macaulay, the father of Nigerian nationalism. He later left Lagos for London, where he studied Law and came back to Nigeria in 1961.
Events of the early independent Nigeria made him go into exile in Ghana, when their political leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was imprisoned in Calabar. He returned to Nigeria with his co-Awoists who fled Nigeria when the military took over power in Nigeria.
Pa Adebanjo returned to the trenches and continued his advocacy for better Nigeria and once again met the military assault with the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
As a prominent member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), he continued his search for fundamental and universal values such as justice and fairness.
His deep conviction for fairness made him take sides in 2023 presidential election, where he openly canvassed support of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi. He stated that it was only fair that the third leg of the Nigeria tripod (the Igbo) was given the chance to lead Nigeria as others had done.
Pa Adebanjo’s prominence, insistence and agility made for the strong formation of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), a platform with which he and his fellow idealogues have continued to canvass for restructuring the country for a stronger Nigeria unity based on justice and equity.
Pa Adebanjo’s contributions to the political development of Nigeria earns him The Sun Lifetime Achievement Award, 2023.