Obituary:Baba Oluwide Omojola (foremost Patriot, Humanist & Socialist) Passes On @ 75!

We announce formally the passing on of Comrade BABA Oluwide Omojola at age 75 who was confirmed dead at the 1st Mercy Specialist Hospital Akure @ about 11am on Saturday, October 19, 2013.
Born on July 13, 1938 and named ADEWOLE BABARINDE OMOJOLA AJIBOLA but known as BABA (OLUWIDE) OMOJOLA – his operational name in the course of revolutionary duties in Africa and his activism in the social movement in Nigeria.
Educated at Ilesa Grammar School, Osun State (1952 – 56); London School of Economics (LSE) (1958 – 61) and Central School of Planning and Statistics, Poland (1969 – 70), Comrade Baba set a scholarship record as the most brilliant student in LSE with a 1st Class Degree in Economics in 1961 – a record that endured for more than four decades and only recently equalled by his own son – Akin – who also graduated from LSE.
Comrade Baba was an essential link with Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara in the African liberation struggles in Algeria, Congo and Southerrn Africa. Also, he was a revolutionary confidat and combatant to Ahmed Ben Bella who became the first President of Algeria after the DEFEAT of French colonialism, a revolutionary worker with Winnie Mandela following the establishment of the Mandela House in London as a coordinating centre of the international phase of the African National Congress (ANC) struggle against Apartheid South Africa.
Comrade Baba who equally functioned as the revolutionary confindat-courier between Kwame Nkrumah and Nigerian Labour Leader No 1 – Michael Imoudu was a foremost (but unassuming) African political economist. He was distinguished as a Member of Honourable Society of the Inner Temple of England 1962, Fellow of the Royal Economic Society of England 1963, Research Fellow of the United Nations Research Institute for Developing countries 1969, Member of the Economic Commission of Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organisation, Cairo 1970, Consultant/Specialist of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Addis Ababa, 1975, a life Member of the Life Member of the Nigerian Economic Society since 1984, listed in the Data Bank of Social Scientistsas a member of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, Dakar in 1983, etc.
Veteran of numerous and decisive underground revolutionary struggles on the African scene, Comrade Baba played host and provided cover for most African freedom fighters who were in Nigeria cladenstially at one time or other in the 1960s to early 80s, including Thabo Mbeki who later became the 2nd President of independent South Africa.
In the Nigerian social movement, Comrade Baba was a key and silent organiser and strategist at various levels of organisation including Movement for Popular Democracy in Nigeria (MPD) 1976, People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Socialist Revolutionary Vanguard (SRV), National Consultative Forum NCF (that organised the 1990 National Conference that was aborted by the IBB dictatorship), Campaign for Democracy (CD), National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Socialist Conferences in Nigeria between 1960s – 2000s, All-Nigerian Socialist Alliance (ANSA), Pro-National Conference Organisations (PRONACO), Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), June 12 Movementn etc.
An archivist, editor of several journals in popular struggle and custodian of the most extensive materials on labour struggle and social movement in Nigeria from which he authored – Part 1 of the Imoudu Biography – a plotical history of Nigeria 1939 – 50, Comrade Baba died as the Chairman of Econsultants (Overseas) Ltd – an integrated economic, industrial engineering and environment consultants he established since 1988.
Comrade Baba was a Political Adviser to the PRP Kano State Government of Abubakar Rimi Government in 1979 – 83. His strategic maxim of “working on two legs” while focused on the socialist transformation of the society, led him into engagement and collaboration with diverse people and organisations in Nigeria and accross the world. In Nigeria, he collaborated extensively with patriots and nationalists of generation ahead of him and those of successive generations, among which were: Michael Imoudu, Wahab Goodluck, Dapo Fatogun, Eskor Toyo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Aminu Kano, Obafemi Awolowo, Gambo Sawaba, S.G. Ikoku, Mokwugo Okoye, Anthony Enahoro, Alao Aka-Bashorun, M.E. Kolagbodi, Ola-Oni, Balarabe Musa, Abubakar Rimi, General KKM Kasongov, Abayomi Ferreira, M.T. Akobo, Ken Saro-Wiwa,Alfred Ilenre, Gani Fawehinmi, Beko Ransome-Kuti, etc.
He is survived by his wife – Dr. Iyabode Cole-Ajibola and three children -Eyinade Ajibola, Akin Ajibola & Morenike Ajibola and numerous other children and grandchildren.
Condolence Registers will be opened at:
His Residence: 13 Chief Onitana Street off Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere.
His Country Lodge: Ibeju Town, Ibeju-Lekki LGA on the Maroko – Epe Expressway.
Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG): 10 Afolabi Lesi Street, Ilupeju
Details of the Family burial arrangement and a comradely celebration of his life will be made public later.
Signed: 20th October 2013
Comrade ABIODUN AREMU
Private & Political Secretary to Comrade Baba since 1989
(Secretary, Joint Action Front) 08033347962
biod_abi@yahoo.co.uk