On Tuesday 28th July 2020, it will be time for the annual Thanksgiving and Memorial Service for late Chief Joseph Koshoniola Randle, MBE; MVO, who was born in Lagos on 28th July 1909. If he was alive, we would have been celebrating his 111th (one hundred and eleventh) birthday.
The number 111 is magical but he died on 17th December 1956 at the age of 47 years. He lived half-way through a century that witnessed the following epochal events:
1914, World War I began and ended in 1918 with 22 million dead.
Soon after a global pandemic, the Spanish Flu, appeared, killing an average of 50 million people.
1929, the global economic crisis that started with the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange, causing inflation, unemployment and famine began and lasted for four years. Suicide rates rose drastically during this period.
1933, the Nazis came to power in Germany.
1939, World War II began and ended in 1945 with an average of 60 million dead. In the Holocaust roughly 6 million Jews died.
1950, the Korean War began and ended in 1953.
1955, the Vietnam War began and ended in 1975. It reportedly claimed over 4 million lives.
1967, the Nigerian civil war began with as many as 3 million casualties. It saw horrific ethnic cleansing of the Ibos and lasted for three years ending in 1970.
1979, Soviet-Afghan War began and till its conclusion in 1992 claimed an estimated 1.5 million lives.
1984-1985, Ethiopian peasants perished in the terrible African drought and thousands died while being forcibly resettled in less arid areas far from their homes.
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For those who are interested in knowing about the history of Lagos, here are a few highlights:
1886 – Telephone cables connect Lagos to London
1888 – Lagos Chamber of Commerce established
1889 – CourtHouse built
1894 – Lagos Echo and Lagos Standard newspapers begin publication of the Bank of British West Africa established.
1898 – Electric Street lighting commences operation.
The choice of the theme of this year’s Thanksgiving is “My vanishing country” – to borrow a leaf from Bakri N. Sellers because of all those values that prevailed in our nation’s life when Chief J.K. Randle was alive and virtually vanished. They have been buried and forgotten.
As the march towards Independence commenced, everyone knew the boundary – between the sanctity of the public treasury and private property. If indeed there was corruption, it was fiercely condemned without any recourse to self-serving ethnic jingoism or religious bigotry. In essence, law and order was taken for granted and by extension, the safety of lives and property were the staple diet for all and sundry.
Politics was strictly (or by and large) for those who genuinely wanted to serve and pay their dues to society.
It was not that they all amassed huge fortunes with which to bedazzle the gullible public that was already overwhelmed and emasculated by oppression.
Most of that generation were truly committed to Nigeria and there was no limit to their generosity of spirit, vibrant patriotism and all-encompassing goodwill as they strove valiantly to give back to society, as a sacrifice for the benefit of future generations.
What was uppermost in their minds was what they could bestow as an enduring legacy towards the development of our nation – education, health, infrastructure (particularly roads, railways, electric power etc.) to galvanise Nigeria into a country that future generations would be proud of. Selflessness (and selfless service) prevailed over private greed. Alas, not anymore!!
The prevailing culture ensured that government plans were spelt out in the Budget and copies thereof were readily available at the Government Printing office, on Broad Street, Lagos and the regional capitals – Ibadan; Kaduna; Enugu etc.
Coincidentally, the Telephone Directory listed the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all officials of the government, as well as the politicians along with the captains of industry and commerce in every major city.
Now, our nation has vanished. What is left of our country is under siege in a vicious contest by Boko Haram against the others – armed robbers, bandits, treasury looters, kidnappers, “419 advance Fee” fraudsters, money-launderers, ritual murderers and fake pastors/mallams (clerics). We now live in an age of suppressed rage and fury and mutual distrust. Compassion is dead. Integrity and uprightness were buried long ago.
Our ancestors savoured the beneficence of the Almighty and his grace which enabled them to look out for the best in every soul regardless of race, religion or gender.
Hence, no one batted an eye-lid when Chief Ernest Ikoli and Ijaw (from Niger-Delta) won election in Lagos in the heartland of the Yorubas – against a Yoruba opponent! Mind you, Chief Ikoli was a great journalist (the first African editor of “The Daily Times”) in addition to being an old Boy if King’s College, Lagos. He contested against Oba Samuel Akisanya (a.k.a General Saki).
After Abayomi resigned both Ikoli and Samuel Akisanya ran for the NYM nomination to be the party’s candidate. Akinsanya had also sought the party’s candidature for the 1940 by-election, but had lost to Jibril Martin. Akinola Maja joined the contest as a third candidate at a late stage.
An internal party primary was held in which Akinsanya received 108 votes, Ikoli 60 and Akinola Maja 37. However, the NYM central committee, which had the power to review the result, chose Ikoli as the party’s candidate. Although Akinsanya initially congratulated Ikoli, he later changed his mind and decided to run as an independent with the support of Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Results
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| Ernest Ikoli | Nigerian Youth Movement | 523 | 56.00 |
| Samuel Akisanya | Independent | 411 | 44.00 |
| Invalid/blank votes | – | ||
| Total | 934 | 100 | |
| Registered voters |
There was also a Fulani from the North, Mallam Umaru Altine who was elected as the Mayor of Enugu in the heartland of the Igbo.
The North reciprocated by electing Yorubas and Ibos as their representatives in various capacities.
Even in the Mid-Western Region, Chief J.S. Mariere, an Urhobo who was elected to represent Agbor, the heartland of the Anioma.
Time and space will not allow us to list all those who were the beneficiaries of the mutual trust and respect which cut across their tribal origin or religion.
It is sufficient to add that in the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo the Premier, a devout Christian, set up a Pilgrims’ Board to cater for Muslims who wanted to go on pilgrimage to Mecca. Similarly, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the North (a devout Muslim) not only had Christian ministers, his personal physician Dr. Ishaya Audu was a Christian. His personal assistants such as Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Chief Silas Daniyan and several others were Christians.
Their devotion to duty and loyalty to their boss were never questioned.
