Culled from the Nigerian Guardian Newspaper . Editorial of Thursday 11th September 2008.

The Alaye of Ode Remo, Oba Funsho Adeolu, Sataloye II, died recently in a London hospital. He would have been 77 in December. We condole with the people of Ode Remo, Ogun State, and the cast and audience of Village Headmaster, the popular but now rested television series which captured the imagination of the public in the early 70s and 80s, and in which the late Oba Adeolu was one of the leading and memorable actors.

Oba Adeolu was well-known for his inimitable role as Chief Eleyinmi in Village Headmaster; he will be remembered for the creativity, the panache and the wit that he consistently brought to bear on the interpretation of his role, and for his love of the arts. Village Headmaster created by the then NTA Lagos Director, Segun Olusola, later Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, was peopled by actors and actresses of exceptional talent who, individually and together, brought life to their respective fictional roles under production conditions that tested to the limit, the creativity of all who took part in the project and, even more so, their improvisational ability.

The television series ran at a time when directors had to make do with the most basic material resources available. Much more than raw talent was required from every member of the cast. It is a credit to the Village Headmaster team that everyone lived up to their respective challenges with the result that, for the many years that it featured, Village Headmaster achieved a must-watch status for an audience that cut across all ages and classes.

Morally clean and genuinely entertaining yet didactic on the issues of personal and community life the play was the authentic family sitcom. It offered a truthful portrayal of life in an archetypal Nigerian village, with emphasis on double entendre, Nigeria’s cultural richness and the diversity of its people.

Oba Adeolu as Eleyinmi was in a class of his own; Village Headmaster was superbly enriched by Chief Nicodemus Ologbenla Eleyinmi, second in command to the Oloja of Oja, and as he would never let the chance go to declare “the Chief Justice of Oja Customary Court”. The late traditional ruler also acted in film productions, including Things Fall Apart and Out of Africa. But without doubt, he was in his best elements as Eleyinmi. It is no wonder that he has been rightly described as ‘a colossus of the drama genre and cultural icon’ by the government of Ogun State.

The late Oba Adeolu studied at the Ahmadu Bello University and the London School of Journalism and worked at various times at King’s College Lagos as a teacher, Texaco Nigeria Limited as Area Manager, and Rank Xerox Nigeria Limited as Training Manager. He also had a stint as sports commentator with the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation from where he moved on to set up the sports department at Television House. In 1977, he went into private business in the line of Public Relations, Advertising and Film Production. He was crowned the Alaye of Ode Remo in 1990; he became a Justice of Peace in 1991. In 1997, he received the national honour, Officer of the Order of Niger (OON).

Village Headmaster was one of several locally produced television programmes that ranked high in both entertainment and educational values while they lasted. In the 70s and 80s, examples of such programmes which indicated the vibrancy of the local television industry and the richness of local creative talent included Icheoku, Hotel de Jordan, The Masquerades, Cock Crow at Dawn, Samanja, Jagua, Mirror in the Sun, and Behind the Clouds. However, there is now a regrettable decline in the production of such genuinely indigenous television series and an increasing over-dependence on imported television content.

This imbalance in programming has implications for information flow and the integrity of television programming in Nigeria, but the National Broadcasting Commission, the regulatory agency has been negligent in enforcing the rules. At the moment, Nigerian television viewers are hooked on imported soap opera, from everywhere else including Latin America, aired liberally on Nigerian television.

Oba Funso Adeolu’s performance as television actor and the impact of programmes such as the Village Headmaster attest to the need to provide more support for the development of local content and ensure balance in television programming. As a traditional ruler, Oba Adeolu attracted attention to his home-town of Ode Remo and used both his influence and goodwill for the benefit of the community in terms of development and the maintenance of peace and stability. He is the third member of the Village Headmaster cast to die in recent times, the other two being Joe Layode (Teacher Garuba) and Oba Wole Amele (Councillor Balogun) who also ruled as theAlara Aromoko of Ekiti

The fondness with which members of The Village Headmaster cast and other actors in the television series of old continue to be remembered by the Nigerian public should provide useful lessons for the present generation of Nigerian artistes, particularly members of Nollywood, Nigeria’s local movie industry.

My Random Reflections @ 36

By Adeola Aderounmu

I am writing this article to mark my 36th birthday. I was born on July 12 1972 right there in the heart of Africa. As a child I still remember vividly my dreams. It is absolutely impossible to forget all those memorable moments. In my own literary world, I also have what I’ve called thoughtless times.

I have never lied about my childhood. It was hard, very hard! It was hard to find food on the table and I will never be ashame to write about that in my autobiography. My father is an honest man and I am proud of him. My mother is more important to me than an angel. I will never forget who my parents are. They are one of those who never thought Nigeria could become the hell it is now.

I have come to accept that my writings are seriously influenced by my childhood. I am eternally grateful to my parents who gave everything possible to ensure that all their six children were educated. In my life, there will be many more people to appreciate and acknowledge and this is not the appropriate forum.

Yet, teachers like Mrs. Obi, Mrs. Aregbesola and Mrs. Nwuoha who taught me in the late 70s to the mid 80s in Central Primary School in Festac Town will never be forgotten in my life time. Mrs Obi told us that nearly does not catch a bird. How could I forget that? It was Mrs. Nwuoha who ensured that the best male and the best female students in her class would be the class captain and assistant. How can I forget that when I think now of the implications of National Character in a comatose country called Nigeria?

My dreams and aspirations were not only shaped at home, they were equally modified at school. They told me that I attended Jakande poultry school but who cares? I tried though to gain entry into the then famous Ijanikin but you can tell that my family was not well connected and we had no money to go the length. Above that, I wasn’t keen to go back one step in the name of Unity school.

My moulding was completed under great teachers at Festac Grammar School and the University of Lagos. I left Nigeria in 2002 as I pursued my third degree and after giving more than 10 years into the noble teaching profession outside permanent or regular employment. My last and highest stint was a GA position at the College of Medicine in Idiaraba. In 2004, I decided that I’d had enough of the academic world (so I thought) and I virtually gave away a part of my dreams. It has not come with any regret!

Some stories will be better narrated in books. There is always more to certain issues than the eyes really behold at a given point in time. The mind remains a terrible thing to waste and one of the greatest crimes a man can commit against himself is to become static. I can say that I took my chances to another lane and I decided to live life in the new perspective that I’d seen it since my entry into another world. It’s now like another life.

If life begins at 40, it means that a Nigerian male and female has only 6 and 7 years to live respectively according to the United Nations life expectancy figures. Life does not begin at 40 or maybe my own life will not begin at 40. I believe that my struggles through thick and thin during those formative years in Nigeria and here in Sweden are parts of my life. I have started living before 40. It may require hardwork or dedication, it may be destiny, it may be the hand of fate, it may be luck, it may be opportunities, it may be opened or closed doors, whatever it is I have been living.

I woke up today receiving a number of sms and phone calls from families and friends scattered all over the world. Several emails have also popped up and I’m delighted to be surrounded by thoughtful people and organisations.

I keep reminding myself of what the Asians recommended for a fulfilled life. Have children, build a house and plant a tree. We have been planting trees around our new home and today I will celebrate my housewarming and birthday party with several friends and family members here in Sweden.

As I celebrate, my thoughts are with my families in Nigeria. My thoughts are ever with all Nigerians who are going through those moments and extremely hard situations that I’d left behind. I hope they find their dreams and make them come true because there is only one life to live and life can never be rewind.

I dedicate this piece to two wonderful women. Anita Westlund is 84 and has been diagnosed with cancer of the liver. The great-grandmother to my daughter Anita is one of the loveliest women I’ve ever met and I’m hoping that the rest of her life will be spent in peace.  Doyinsola Aderounmu is 68 and she has not been on her feet for almost 3 years. We have not given up on my lovely and beautiful mother.

(Anita Westlund died at the ripe age of 84 on 10th August 2008, May her soul rest in peace). 

Adeola Aderounmu

Happy viewing!