Even though 21-gun salute is the naval tradition and a mark of honour to celebrate their own exemplars, but today, permit me to use the phrase to make a loud din on a birthday celebration of an achiever and our own proud son of Ibadanland, Oloye Adelabu Adebayo, the scion of PENKELEMESI dynasty. 54 cannon-salute will not be a misnomer to rend the air in his honour.
Oloye Adelabu Adebayo, using a popular maxim, has done what great Napoleon could not do. After all, Napoleon, albeit, succeeded on several fronts but finally met his own Waterloo.
So, when we have an achiever who faces difficult situations head-on and wins all , we say, such a person has grappled with his challenges and even succeeds at Waterloo. A feat Napoleon could not accomplish.
The defeat at Waterloo,according to history makers, signposts the end of Napoleon’s rule as the French Emperor, thus ending the French empire. Marking the end of an era .
The story resurfaced on my mind recently when I paid a short visit to UCH, a government health institution that always gnashed about the epileptic power supply. Pronto, I told a matron on duty, “Thank God you have light today, many people would smile home as they wouldn’t be forced to come back at a later date for what they could have used lights to do immediately.”
The matron in question, beaming an open – mouthed smile, looked at me straight in the face, the way a proverbial English man in New York would be espied. “We don’t have power failure again, Alhaji. Light is regular now, our Power Minister has done what Napoleon could not do,” she enthused.
I was glad to hear the delectable news from an outsider who could not link me with Oloye Adelabu Adebayo in any way. This is a testimonial advert, you will say.
The story reminded me of the abysmal power situation before Adelabu’s emergence as power minister and how, within a record time, he is changing the tune to a reviting one. He performed the same mystery in the banking sector, hospitality business, and other ventures he’s involved in.. More power to your elbows!
Oloye Adelabu Adebayo, the man with a Midas touch who is succeeding at Power Ministry that can be likened to the battle of Waterloo against sceptics expectations, is a year older today, please join me in penning down a message of felicitation to the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland and the Aare Soludero of Ado awaye, Mr light.
May Almighty Allah continue to fight all the battles ahead for him and make him more than a conqueror.
Happy birthday, Oloye Adebayo Adekola Adelabu, FCA, FCIB, OFR. ” Igba Odun, Odun kan.