When I was asked by Bashorun J.K. Randle OFR to write a foreword to this book, truth be told, I was a little surprised. However, I was equally honoured to have been so asked. As we all know, Bashorun J.K. Randle is a man who holds all the cards and decides when and how to release each one – I guess there is a reason why I am writing this foreword!
Bashorun J.K. Randle is, by all accounts, an accomplished man. An eminent Chartered Accountant and former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a former Chairman and Chief Executive of KPMG Nigeria and a consummate professional, as well as a former Chairman of the Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor of Lagos State University.
Bashorun J.K. Randle is also an extremely lucid writer. I have had the privilege of reading a number of his essays and articles in manuscript and this book as well. By way of an anecdote, whilst having lunch at The Metropolitan Club, another member remarked about an article Bashorun wrote that he read in the newspapers – it was then that it dawned on me that Bashorun had been engaging my services as a critic of his works before they were published! Bashorun writes on various subjects, from politics to sport to religion, each with the customary irony embedded for the discerning reader. Each one is always cleverly written and eloquently expressed.
As we all know, Bashorun J.K. Randle is an extremely witty man. His natural dry sense of humour is effortlessly recognisable amongst any of his works. The natural style and the wicked twist in his writings are symptomatic of his wicked wit!
The book, The Shooting of King’s College Old Boys, is a clear manifestation of Bashorun’s wit and innate talent as a writer (the title of the book is evidence, in itself, of the deep-rooted irony in his writing style). Tackling, in the main, the subject of school rivalries (otherwise known as ‘banter’ or ‘harmless fun’), Bashorun demonstrates not only his knowledge of current affairs but also his passion for education and his beloved alma mater.
The rivalry between King’s College and St Gregory’s College is perhaps one of the motivations for this book, and such rivalry is akin to the fierce competition between Eton and Harrow (two of the most famous public schools in the United Kingdom). To really appreciate which one is better, one needs to refer to the facts on the table. Taking the issue of prime ministers of the United Kingdom, for example, Eton has had 19 UK prime ministers, whilst Harrow has had 7 UK prime ministers, with the latter perhaps boasting the greatest of them all, Sir Winston Churchill.
Coming back home, neither school has produced a head of state or president of Nigeria. However, there are many notable alumni from both schools. With no scientific analysis, King’s College has amongst its ranks Chief Alex Ekwueme GCON (former Vice President of Nigeria); Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu; Oba Adeyinka Oyekan; Sir Adetokunbo Ademola; Justice Daddy Onyeama; Justice Ishola Oluwa; Chief Simeon Adebo; Eng. A.O. Karunwi; Chief Anthony Enahoro; Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya; Ernest Ikoli; Chief Lateef Jakande; Chief Philip Asiodu; Alhaji Lateef Okunnu; Chief Frank Akinrele; Otunba Adeoye Tugbogbo; Prince Adedapo Adeniran; Dr. Yinka Gbajumo; Jenkins Coker; Alhaji Alade Idris – Animashaun; Alhaji A.K. Amu; Mr Hakeem Bello-Osagie; His Royal Highness Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; Dr. Edet Amana; Senator (Dr.) Bukola Saraki, Yemi Adeola and the author himself to name but a few. On the other hand, St Gregory’s College can boast of Sir Adetokunbo Ademola; Chief (Dr) Moses Majekodunmi; Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie; Professor Theo Ogunbiyi and Senator Ben Murray Bruce, to name but a few. Another important yardstick, which is closer to my heart, is the number of tripos Oxbridge alumni from the two schools – in this regard, King’s College is a clear winner with the likes of Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, Sir Louis Nwachukwu Mbanefo, Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, Chief Philip Asiodu, Mr Hakeem Bello-Osagie, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and Peter Alexander Egom amongst their ranks. The long list includes the likes of Professor Tiamiyu Bello–Osagie, Professor J.T.K. Duncan, Professor Adele Jinadu, Adekunle Williams, Babatunde Williams, Babatunde Edu, Dr Kole Abayomi, Oyewole Browne, Gbolahan Abisogun–Alo, Harry Afolabi Lardner, Chief Allison Ayida, Chief (Ambassador) Albert Osakwe, Professor Osato Giwa–Osagie, and Fubara Anga, as well as two brothers – Isaac Adedapo Akinrele and Olatunde Akinrele.
I leave you to decide which of King’s College and St Gregory’s College is the Eton and Harrow of Nigeria!
Bashorun J.K. Randle is passionate about many things, but it is clear that King’s College is part of his DNA. His illustrious late father, Chief J.K. Randle, was also an old boy of the college and remains a legend for his outstanding achievements in business, politics, sports and philanthropy.
It is difficult to sit with Bashorun for five minutes without sharing his deep anguish and profound concern about the state of affairs in Africa and Nigeria in particular as we stumble from one crisis to another while war, famine, despair and poverty ravage the land and reign supreme. This must necessarily trigger the challenge – what difference have our graduates and professionals made? By the same token, how do we account for the resounding deficit in integrity, public service, security and virtually everything else, regardless of the prevalence of products of King’s College, Queen’s College, St. Gregory’s College, Barewa College and the preponderance of graduates from Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, London School of Economics, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, etc., from whom we are entitled to expect exceptional leadership anchored on knowledge, resourcefulness, creativity, tolerance and above all patriotism as a derivative of “noblesse oblige”?
I am reliably informed that when the Trinidadian-born Nobel Prize-winning writer V.S. Naipaul (ex-University College, Oxford, which also produced poets C.S. Lewis and P.B. Shelley, as well as Stephen Hawking, the renowned physicist, and Bill Clinton, former President of the United States of America) was invited to lunch at the Metropolitan Club as a guest of Bashorun J.K. Randle, he was sufficiently overwhelmed to declare:
“I have never seen so many Oxford and Cambridge graduates assembled under one roof outside of England.”
“The Shooting of King’s College Old Boys” is a thoroughly good read, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to any avid reader of historical or biographical works.
This Foreword was written by Akinfela Akoni, MA (Cantab), President of the Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria.
