By Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye
There are activists and there are activists but Cadres are rare to come by. Most people want to be called a comrade or an activist but only few out of multitude does earn to be a cadre.
The transition to a higher realm of MOTAJO as we popularly call him is though not regretable but has gone a long way to deplete the ranks of genuine comrades and cadres of our struggle.
Why do I say it’s not regretable?
I read the tribute of Comrade Abiodun Aremu (Aremson), another front line conscious cadre. According to the tribute, Motajo in far away Cuba was given the best treatment, and was already recuperating, waiting to come back to Nigeria. But instead of welcoming him back home, he decided it was better to change his location. This is how geniuses depart because they no longer have emotional attachments to the physical world.
Comrade Motajo was a quintessential fellow with unquantifiable attributes. Even with his seniority in age among us, you cannot link it to his behaviour when we’re together. He was an embodiment of patience, humility, good listening, hardworking, consistency, pragmatic, foresighted, love and above all; he provided BALANCE to maintain peace and harmony in all the organisations he belong.
Though Motajo cut across so many popular and revolutionary organisations, like his primary work place NAUTE, NLC, pro-democracy organisations, Nigerian-Cuba friendship, movement against appatheid struggle; too numerous to be mentioned here, I would only evaluate by summary his role in the Oodua Liberation Movement (OLM).
MOTAJO was a foundation member of the OLM. And till his death he played major role in the building and stabilisation of OLM like Shenge Rahman also does. Shenge also doubles as my comrade and lawyer. He rose to the occasion during one of my detention in PANTI AND IKOYI PRISON.
I will never forget their role. I was having it in mind that Motajo will recuperate and I can discuss OLM with him and shenge Rahman. But nevertheless, it was his time to go. Both of them never believe in the decimation of organisations. They’re not interested in positions but to build.
This also takes me to nostalgia, the late Sage and elderstateman Baba Omojola who was OLM Chairman Polit- Bureau. He would always say “Taiwo, just work with Motajo and Shenge; they understand the struggle.” “And the necessity of our time.” Baba Omojola liked both of them very well. Baba too departed suddenly. Two months before his exit, he came to Kwara and stayed in my residence. He brought a herb ABAMODA…my son is not here with me to tell me the botanical name. But this plant is all-purpose elixir.
My point here is that Baba was making a valedictory speech when he came visited. My senior sister also a active member of the OLM asked ” Baba, why are you speaking this way. ?” ” We don’t want to loose you now.” Baba said, ” Even if I go to where the elderly goes, I am not too young. ” We ended the discussion. And Two months later, a day before his departure, I was having an inner restlessness and the still small voice tried to console me that SOUL is eternal. And when Ronke’s call came in, I knew the Iroko has fallen.
So, it is, Comrade Abdulkareem Motajo. We shall miss you but in your lifetime, you demonstrated the qualities of a revolutionary cadre and leader. You put the people, the organisation and the struggle first. You’re not the type that never see that.
Motajo was resourceful. He excelled in theory and practice. The most quality and asset of a cadre is to be well grounded in theory and practice. This way, you would demonstrate what you preach, you would not lead the organisation to chaos, you can make mistakes in method, but not in principles. Motajo was Cuban trained cadre. He and Comrade Abubakar Bamgbade Adelowo another cadre were together in Cuba. They duo are exemplary of organisational persons who respects the rules of the struggle. For the struggle has essential tenets that must be adhere to if one want to excel.
It’s with happy HEART that I bade COMRADE ABDULKAREEM MOTAJO farewell to his next level of service in a higher realm. Those of us who are still here, promise to do our best to move the struggle forward.
There is victory in the
struggle!
Vigilance is the Eternal Price for Liberty
COMRADE TAIWO OTITOLAYE
National Coordinator
Oodua Liberation Movement ( OLM)
