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Poet Eddie Aderinokun celebrated his 70th birthday surrounded by family and associates

Former journalist,
sports administrator and poet, Eddie Aderinokun, who clocked 70 on July
13, celebrated the occasion on Friday, July 16 at the Banquet Hall,
National Theatre, Lagos.

It was a two-in-one
celebration as Aderinokun’s latest poetry collections, ‘Ode to Artist
Without Compare’ and ‘Thirty Thoughts in Thirty Cities’, were also
unveiled at the event attended by eminent Nigerians from journalism,
the literary arts and sports.

Pioneer president,
National Press Council, Alade Odunewu; former Minister of Information
and Culture, Tony Momoh; broadcaster turned king, Igwe Alex Nwokedi;
Vanguard publisher, Sam Amuka; former Chief Press Secretary to Ibrahim
Babangida, Duro Onabule; veteran journalist, Jibade Fasina-Thomas and
deputy Managing Director, Sun Newspapers, Femi Adesina – were among
those who came to felicitate with the former Editor of ‘Daily Express’.
Writers Odia Ofeimun and Kunle Ajibade, sports journalist, Mitchell
Obi, the Olowu of Owu kingdom, Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu and actor Femi
Robinson, were among others at the occasion.

Playwright, Ben
Tomoloju highlighted some of Aderinokun’s qualities, including his
altruism, friendliness and contributions to sports in a toast before
the anchors, Adesuwa Onyenokwe and Ropo Ewenla, took control of
proceedings. Tomoloju ended his toast with a song ‘Oro Agba’, extolling
the wisdom in the words of elders.

Chair of the
occasion and executive president, African Business Roundtable, Bamanga
Tukur, explained that he didn’t come with a prepared speech because
“this is a family gathering.” He recalled that he had known Aderinokun,
former president of Nigeria’s Volleyball and Wrestling Federations for
about 40 years. “From close friends, we have become brothers. We have
been together always,” stated the politician and businessman.

The former Governor
of defunct Gongola State also recalled Aderinokun’s role in the
election that brought him into power in 1983. He said he was surprised
when he saw the former board member of the Athletics Federation of
Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee on his campaign trail, in the
difficult terrain of Adamawa which was unlike Lagos State where the
celebrant resided. Tukur ended his remarks on an appreciative note with
“Thanks, Eddie, for staying the course.” He later presented a cheque of
N70, 000 representing each of his years to Aderinokun.

Segun Adefila’s
Crown Troupe of Africa provided light entertainment by performing some
poems from ‘Ode to Artist Without Compare’ and ‘Thirty Thoughts in
Thirty Cities’. The troupe, as usual, was a delight to watch as they
gave life to some of Aderinokun’s reflective poems on the omniscient
nature of God, conscience and conflicts and insurrections in Africa.

In a short speech at the occasion, publisher of ‘Ovation’ Magazine
and one of the book presenters, Dele Momodu, blamed the military for
destroying poetry in Nigeria. “It’s a shame that we have had leaders
who didn’t appreciate poetry,” the journalist now aspiring to the
nation’s presidency declared. He, however, noted that the military’s
non-appreciation of poetry is not their fault. “They didn’t have what
we had at Ile Ife,” he said, while reciting part of Wole Soyinka’s
‘Abiku’ Others who paid tributes to the celebrant before the event
ended include Bayo Odulana, a member of the House of Representatives
who described Aderinokun as “a piece of artwork. You look at him; he
looks like a sculpture piece. I painted him in oil, pastel and pencil
when he was launching his first book.” Renowned music producer, Laolu
Akintobi, also disclosed the poet’s impact on him. He revealed that
Aderinokun renamed him Laolu Akins in 1967 and thanked him “for those
wonderful times.”