IN PA OLALEYE, WE SAW A PRINCIPLED, LOVING AND DEDICATED MAN OF GOD BY RAHEEM AKINGBOLU
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As primary school pupils in the 70s, our first impression at Ansar -U-Deen Pry School. Aramoko-Ekiti was that teachers were from another world. Perhaps because most people around us were farmers, we assumed that our town was not ‘advanced’ enough to produce teachers.
But we were soon to be proved wrong when we found out three of our teachers; I.0 Olaleye, Mrs. Olatoye and Mallam Yekini Aleji Bamigbola were actually from Aramoko Ekiti. Then teachers were not only like demigods, their children also enjoyed some special regards from classmates.
But because nature attracts each other in human being, Ayo Olaleye, the first son of our no nonsense Mr. Olaleye found my ‘twin brother’ Kabir Akingbolu, son of a farmer attractive and they clicked immediately. They became inseparable in school and bonded very perfectly.
The irony and the shocking thing about the development was that Mr. Olaleye was stricter to Kabir than others. How his son and the poor boy he always like to discipline became friends was difficult for us to unravel.
Baba let the cat out of the bag when he unconsciously announced one day that Kabir was Aunty Adesoro’s son and that he would not let him rest until he made the best out of him. Of course Kabir later revealed to us that his mother only took him to him one morning when she brought him to school but he didn’t imagine they could be family because he too thought teachers were from another world. Beyond Kabir and Mr. Olaleye’s children, the truth is that this late teacher and man of God didn’t take nonsense from any pupil because he wanted the best for all.
This early encounter with Baba formed the basis of my view about his personality as one disciplined, religious and principled man who would never joke with the moral upbringing of his students. It was also easy to know that despite despite his serious-mindedness, Baba appreciated family bonding.
One of Baba’s sister produced the late Imam of Aramoko Ekiti and those of us closed to the Imam can testify to how both religious leaders bonded very well despite their differences.
This was also evident in the active role Baba Olaleye played at the burial of the Imam’s mother two years ago. Though already advanced in age too, Baba was present and conspicuously sat in the front roll at the funeral, which was officiated by Islamic Clerics.
To me, another import of this is that Baba Olaleye demonstrated love and preached unity in diversity.
That Baba later went into full time ministry was not a surprise to many because Baba demonstrated practical Christianity -even while he was a full-time teacher.
As we celebrate the legacy Baba left us with today, it’s crucial for us all to pick one or two things from Baba’s life of humility, humanity and Christianity.
Adieu Baba!
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