*CHOICE*
Choice is the most powerful thing that we all have in this world, it is an inherent and inalienable rights of everyone. the choice we made yesterday became our destiny today and the one we make today will be our destiny tomorrow. So every man has right or should have right to decide his own destiny.
There was pandemonium at Agugu Police Station Ibadan on that day. *Gbade Akinyemi* laid down under the sun in his own pool of blood, having been mortally shot and wounded from a botched armed robbery operation.
*Gbade Akinyemi* would have been 84 set at Oke’ badan High School ( that is, he should have completed his secondary school in 1984) but he failed and repeated and may therefore be classified as 85 set though he never attended a single class with the 85 set. Some of our mates did not even know what class he belonged. I had known him in the school before but made no contact or friendship with him because we did not have anything in common until he repeated the class. He was a friend of Demola Ajuwon, another 84 set , Demola Ajuwon was a cousin to Yinusa Salimonu alias *Jacko* my classmate . Oladipupo Esho, myself, and Jacko were good friends then.
So my deep knowledge of Gbade then was through Jacko, though I had exchanged pleasantries with him on 2 or 3 occasions. Our paths did not normally cross even though I knew almost all his escapades through Jacko.
Gbade was a son of *Justice Akinyemi* of the Magistrate Court very near to our school, Oke’ badan High School, and so we can say that he was born with a silver spoon. One of his sisters was married to one of the ex Governors of Oyo State and she lived at Ikolaba area. Gbade was a truant in the school, but he looked so harmless, quiet, and ‘ *bota* ‘ in appearance . He was not a guy that you would think of as a troublemaker. He had a deceptive appearance that can deceive even the sharpest mind; he had dedicated himself to another side of life. He started as an amateur thief in the school and from little things, he graduated to bigger things. He became an embarrassment to his father when he and his comrades were arranged before his father one morning for theft. Justice Akinyemi was unable to try them, there was a conflict of interest and the honourable judge stepped down from the case . This embarrassment led to his early retirement .
Gbade was not moved as it is true that to be born from a noble family does not mean that one will become honourable and to be born and bred in poverty does not mean that the person will remain wretched in life. *There is nothing so deceptive as one outward appearance. Sometimes , we are not what we look like.*
Let us pause here a bit and take Late *Chief Samuel Taiwo Oredehin* as a case study. Oredehin was one of the founding members of the defunct **Action Group,** and a contemporary of the highly revered chief Obafemi Awolowo. He was so close to Chief Awolowo that he was the one that broke the news of the death of Awo’s Son, Segun to him. Yet Awo was not aware that his friend had other dark business. *AG* was the most progressive party in Nigeria then. Oredehin even authored a book for AG in 1955 and held a prominence position in AG, he was the principal organising Secretary of Action Group, but he had a dark side. In 1971, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for armed robbery. It started like a joke and unbelievable when his name was mentioned. The robbery took place at Bacita a little town in Kwara State but when *Felix* and his gang were arrested, he sang unmelodious songs when he mentioned some big police officers and the name of chief Oredehin as their godfathers. Well, on investigation, the evidence of the proceeds of the crime was found with chief Oredehin , no one can believe it, what was he looking for, it was an embarrassment to his friends. Chief Oredehin hired a brilliant lawyer Rotimi Williams who argued brilliantly but was unable to overturn the plethora of evidence brought against his client. Oredehin was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment , he appealed to the supreme Court but the judgment of the High Court was confirmed. He died in prison. I have referred to this matter so that we can understand the complexity and paradox of life and deception as Gbade continued with his choice as one of the men of the underworld.
On or around 1984, Gbade burgled the house of a family member and carted away Seventeen Thousand Naira cash from the house. ( Seventeen Thousand Naira was a big money then) He had heard the information that the family member had withdrawn the money from the bank and kept it in the house, there was a rumour that Gbade had a master key but that is not true, he either used a duplicate key or forced the door open to gain entrance . Upon taking the money, he started enjoying life in KS Motel Ibadan with different new clothes and started visiting several brothels. He was buying beers for people at Basket Hall in KS Motel Ibadan. He was not acting alone, he had good allies that worked together with him but he had major shares of the money. He finished the money within few weeks and became broke. I saw him around that time and was moaning to Jacko about lack of funds. He did not give my friend *Jacko* anything when his going was good, though Jacko did not ask him for part of the mammon.
We finished and left school in and many of us lost contact of each other. We all went our different ways in search of Golden fleece.
Gbade moved to Lagos where he became a professional armed robber. He made new friends and acquired guns for smooth operation. On or around 1987 Gbade came to Ibadan on information from his old colleague.
Chief Akintola had just retired as a Manager at Leventist , he was living at around Ratibi area ibadan and was enjoying his retirement quietly. He had worked hard in life and had risen to the top. He had saved some money as he was a prudent man. One day, he went to the bank to withdraw a huge amount of money from his account for a purpose. He was not aware that some prying eyes were watching him withdraw the money at the counter in the bank . information was very important to the men of the underworld, and informants are always rewarded because men of the underworld rely on valuable information for their operation. Message was sent to Gbade in Lagos. Mr Akintola had withdrawn a big chunk of cash which was kept in his house. Gbade was very excited, this should be a smooth operation with little risk . Gbade did not need many people and only invited one of his gang. There was no need for many people , so the money would be enough to share. They only need two pistols for the operation. He grew up in Agugu area, so he knew the place of the operation in and out. It was his jungle and nothing to fear, if everything goes well, they should be back to Lagos early in the morning.
He came to Ibadan that day he was spotted in green jakard lace with his friend wearing the same as well. Notwithstanding his knowledge of the place, he carried out reconnaissance of the place in the afternoon as testified by those who saw him around that area. He was later seen drinking at Titilus palmwine that afternoon. Titilus was beside Mobolaji Hospital opposite Renascent High School. The operation was to take place late in the night when good people must have retired to bed and snoring. No one was aware of what was to take place later in the night, Yoruba sayings are apt ” (Awo Fele bo Inu koje ka ri ikun Asebi) **fragile skin concealed the inner body and did not reveal the heart of a wicked person”.*
Mr Akintola also retired to bed early that night but he was unable to sleep. He was restless. He had purchased a double barrel gun a long time ago that he rarely used but loaded. Mr. Akintola mind was unsettled, his instinct told him something was about to happen, but what, he knew not.
Gbade and his colleague gained entrance around 2 am and made straight towards their target , he did not even camouflage or cover his face, he was sure of his ground. Mr Akintola heard unsual sound,his territory has been breached, he went straight for his double barrel gun , he sighted the intruders and without wasting time unleashed his double barrel first on Gbade’s friend, he killed him instantly. The reports of the gun woke up almost all the neighbours as it was dead in the night. Gbade must have been shocked as he did not bargain for this, his informant did not disclose to him that Mr. Akintola had arm in his house, he had no intention of killing the old man , he just want his money, however, things have taken dramatic turn , well, if Mr Akintola has to die so be it. He aimed his pistol but missed his target; Mr Akintola was not a child of today, (let the reader understand) he emptied his second barrel again on Gbade, he either tried to dodge the bullet or Mr Akintola did not aim very well, the bullet hit him but did not kill him instantly . He tried to run but was unable , he crawled but he was mortally wounded and by that time the neighbours had came out. Our old classmate had been demobilised though alive, he was caught and carried to Agugu Police Station. They laid him outside in the sun in the pool of his blood, still alive, he begged for water , he was denied, he was in agony and was left to die outside the Agugu Station. Some of our old school mates went there to see him in agony and in a desperate move to cling to life, he made some confessions even in agony before he died on the second day. All eyes beheld him including his old friends and girlfriends, because he grew up in Agugu where he died.
Gbade had every opportunity to be great in life if he had followed the footsteps of his father; a lawyer and a judge but he made a wrong choice and followed an ardous and evil route.
My friends, what choice are you making? how are you exercising that freedom of choice . As for me , I have decided that whatever God gives to me in this world , I will use them to the glory of God and for the benefit of mankind. I have chosen the right path.
Until I come your way next week, may the almighty God guide you to make a right choice in life.
Niyi Aborisade is a lawyer, Human Rights Activist and an Historian.
Niyi Aborisade has a copy right of this Article , no part of this Article should be used in a film without his prior consent. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
