UNDETERRED: THE PENDULUM SWINGS ON

By KALEJAIYE ADEBOYE PAUL

This publication provides the author the opportunity to reminisce on the journey of his life leading up to 60 tears on mother earth. It is a reflection of his early childhood, education career, his adulthood, students, union activism, his venture into politics, the ups

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookTrail Publishing
• Release date: Jul 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637673102

KALEJAIYE ADEBOYE PAUL

I drew my inspiration in writing this preface from W.H. Auden, who said that autobiography is about one's self and his ego. The purpose of this autobiography is to talk about myself and my ego. Myself as in the totality of my being, starting from my cradle, to where I am today. To talk about my ego, is to talk about my personal self-esteem and self-importance, which in essence translate to mean my rise to prominence - that which constitutes the making of my person.

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Copyright © 2021 Kalejaiye Adeboye Paul

Paperback: 978-1-63767-309-6

eBook: 978-1-63767-310-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021911899

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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To Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for identifying my talent, and bringing me to political limelight.

To my late parents, Otunba and Mrs J.I. Kalejaiye, my children, Oluwagbemiga, Omotosin and Oluwanifemi.

To my family members, true friends and followers for being there for me, through thick and thin. Wonderful people, whose inspiration, support, and prayers for me are unquantifiable, without which, my life would have been meaningless.

Contents

Appreciation

Foreword

Preface

List of Abbreviations

Chapter 1:   Everyone Has a Beginning

Chapter 2:   My Heritage

Chapter 3:   Man of Destiny

Chapter 4:   On Eagle’s Wing

Chapter 5:   Impactful On All Fronts

Chapter 6:   My Family Life

Chapter 7:   Positioned for the Challenges of Life

Chapter 8:   Life of Unforgettable Memories

Chapter 9:   Onto Greater Struggles

Chapter 10:   Struggles of Mixed Feelings

Chapter 11:   Strides Towards a Greater Tomorrow

Chapter 12:   A Tomorrow Without End

References

Appreciation

The thought to write this autobiography did not come until February 2020. When I spoke with some people about it, most said it was a mission impossible but I got words of encouragement from few people. One of them, my elder brother, Joseph Bamidele Kalejaiye, who said to me: I know what you can do once you are determined to do it. I like to place on record my appreciation to you, not only for believing in me, but for always being there for and with me.

The second in that category is my dearest, Omotunde Sheffiat, who stood by me like a rock of Gibraltar. I am indeed grateful to the following people: Professor S.G. Odewunmi, Dr Jide Johnson, Mr Akin Ojo, Dr Lammy Omoyinmi, Mr Olalekan Otun, Dr Bayo Adigun, Assistant Controller of Customs, Koyejo Akintomide, Bayo Epebiyi, Adeolo Balogun, Yinka Alausa and Hon. Fatai Ayoola. You all fall into this category as my vision helpers. I want to thank all of you for believing in me.

Moreover, I want to specially thank some notable personalities, whose role in the journey of my life is remarkable. They are, in no particular order, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Prof. A.O.K. Noah, Dr Lanre Ayejuyo, Mrs Ajaji (AOCOED), the late Barrister Fred Agbaje, Femi Baruwa, Mr Faleti (Nazareth High School), Chief Shina Adejobi, Rotimi Maku, Mr Akinola Fache, Barrister Mutiu Badmos, Are Gbogbogbo Kola Oyefeso, Benjamin Olabinjo and Mrs Joke Durojaiye.

Prince Rabiu Adiu Oluwa, and his wife, Chief (Mrs) Ireti Oluwa, I am indebted to you for standing in the gap for me. I also appreciate late Chief Haruna (Omo Eko), Hon. Samuel Adeyemi, Hon. Wahab Adigun, my campaign committee in the 2019 House of Representatives’ election led by Mamud Daniju and Alhaji Lateef Simba, Engr Olawunmi Gasper amongst others too numerous to mention in my political journey. I like to appreciate Mr Frank Okeke, Miss Ruth Nwani, Mr Abayomi Adewuyi, Mr Cosmas Okafor, Mr Adedamola Kalejaiye, Mr Amos Friday, Mrs Bella Mary, M. Sheriff Fakunle, Barrister Botoku Femi and other members of the Positive Mind Club. I am eternally grateful to Okafor Obianujunwa for being there at all times. You have been an inspiration and vision helper.

I am indebted to the former Governor of Lagos State and current Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, my role model and mentor in public administration and governance. The story of my life particularly my political career would be incomplete without mentioning the name of Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, whose contribution in this direction is unquantifiable.

Adeboye Paul Kalejaiye

April 2020

Foreword

Accepting the invitation to write the foreword to the book, Undeterred: The Pendulum Swings On , by Honourable Paul Adeboye Kalejaiye, was a pleasure to me for several reasons.

A member of the Class of 2007 to 2011 of the Lagos State Executive Council, Hon. Kalejaiye served meritoriously as Special Adviser on Rural Development during my first tenure as Governor of Lagos State. He has, in the past 12 years, served with deep commitment and purposeful energy in various capacities in the Lagos State Government especially in the areas of education and public service reforms.

A loyal party man and great grassroots mobilizer, Hon. Kalejaiye has equally garnered vast experiences in the course of his phenomenal rise to prominence in the twin noble callings of politics and public service. Notably, among several other important roles on the political front, he served as Chairman, Mobilization Committee of the Action Congress of Nigeria which provided the platform on which I ran successfully to become Governor in 2007.

But more importantly perhaps is the fact of his decision to put all those experiences in the public space for the benefit of humanity. I have been a strong advocate of authorship of books by professionals, experts and all others in all areas of human endeavour, who have made their marks in the society, for the benefit of succeeding generations.

Most regrettably, over the years, an unquantifiable amount of knowledge, in practically all areas of human endeavour, has been lost. A considerable number of professionals and experts, people whose knowledge and life experiences would have advanced the course of humanity have taken such knowledge and experiences to their graves and society has been the worse for it.

Quite delightfully, in terms of being truthful and being down to earth about telling his life’s story from his humble beginning as the son of an itinerant Police Officer, by virtue of his frequent postings across every nook and cranny of our great country, Hon. Kalejaiye renders generations yet unborn great service and deserves our praise.

Indeed, my experience while reading Undeterred: The Pendulum Swings On was like recalling memories of a lost world; a world where the sterling virtues of honesty, truth, hard work and discipline reigned supreme. A world where the husband and father, wife and mother and son or daughter knew their proper places in the family hierarchy and took actions that upheld the integrity and reputation of the family. It took me to that world where youthful exuberance was exhibited in healthy competitions that portrayed the best of societal values and formed the building blocks of nation building and human development. On the whole, the experience provoked in me a nostalgia that still lingers.

In the twelve chapters of the book, consisting of Everyone Has a Beginning; My Heritage; Man of Destiny; On the Eagle’s Wing; Impactful on All Fronts; My Family Life; Positioned for the Challenges of Life; Life of Unforgettable Memories; Onto Greater Struggles; Struggles of Mixed Feelings; Strides Towards a Greater Tomorrow; and A Tomorrow Without End, Hon. Kalejaiye in lucid, free flowing but attention grabbing prose, has put his life history and experiences in the public space for generations of up-and-coming youths to learn and be inspired to greatness.

And what a story! What an adventurous life! A mixture of excitement, human strength, foibles and deep and impactful lessons of life without any dull moment. My warning is, don’t be carried away by the stimulating narrative; endeavour also to learn the lessons of LIFE as the Pendulum Swings On.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN

Hon. Minister of Works and Housing

Abuja, FCT

5th June 2020

Preface

THE VOYAGE SAILS ON

Every autobiography is concerned with two characters,

A Don Quixote, the Ego, and a Sancho Panza, the self.

W.H. Auden, playwright, author, poet (1907-1973)

I drew my inspiration in writing this preface from W.H. Auden, who said that autobiography is about one’s self and his ego. The purpose of this autobiography is to talk about myself and my ego. Myself as in the totality of my being, starting from my cradle, to where I am today. To talk about my ego, is to talk about my personal self-esteem and self-importance, which in essence translate to mean my rise to prominence – that which constitutes the making of my person.

To say the task of writing an autobiography is challenging is to say the least; particularly when it is coming as an autobiography, and not a biography. When the thought first came to me, the idea to chapterize my life story and commission professionals to write on me was first considered. As good as that might have been, several questions quickly interjected my flow; Why someone else? Why not you? Could this be intellectual laziness or lack of time? Who can write your story better than yourself ? Will you consider yourself as lacking in intellectual capacity or knowledge required? Will you consider yourself too busy to attend to your person? Or would you not have grabbed at the opportunity if it came by consultancy as you did in the past when you wrote the book, Touch of Excellency for a then serving local government council chairman? My answer to all of these questions is as good as your guess. I came to the conclusion that if I have served so many people including organizations, communities and government, it is worth it, to bow my head and put pen on paper to document just about two things; myself and my ego.

I was also lucky to be surrounded by good people, whose inspirations were quite encouraging, some of whom I had acknowledged earlier on. The next port of call was consideration of those who would benefit from the documentation of my life experiences. Apart from the younger generation, the primary focus here, I was convinced also that my colleagues would benefit from this exposition of my journey thus far. The older generation will find it worthwhile too.

A poor boy from a polygamous home, who was the third child in the hierarchy of children. Not born with a silver spoon, not even in the best environment but raised in the barracks, where negative influences abound. Though the best of education was understandably impossible, I was privileged to have an unbridled primary school education spanning thirteen schools in six years and a secondary school education in one far-flung rural location, without electricity, potable water, and good roads. Tertiary education for me was comparatively like an Israelite’s journey. Yet survival is ultimate. The struggles for relevance and competition that is unending. Yet, coming top most times, benefiting from God’s grace and mercy. Courage when failure reared its ugly head, fortitude when death struck, and determination, when the support of man failed. Today, all glory be to God Almighty.

The tendency to be engaged in self-adulation is always there, and this is where the ego comes in. Every child is considered a king or queen in the eyes of his or her parents, and my case was not an exception. After all, the lizard that fell from the iroko tree said that if no one praised it, it will praise itself. My attempts in life were never without ups and downs.

I take with philosophical calmness everything that comes my way. I believe that life is not a bed of roses. When disappointment comes, I see it as part of the unpredictability and insincerity of men hence I move on and look forward to the next chapter. Some regret about life is the fact that I have had a shaky marital life, but thanking God for the storm is over. My children had to pay for this setback.

The road to my educational career as earlier pointed out was bumpy and akin to the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. However, destiny played a vital role in all of this. Disappointingly, the society in which we live has not helped matters. We have leadership problems. Leadership that is expected to set the pace for which followers should emulate has been conspicuously absent. And so, just a few leaders truly understand what leadership is about. Majority have been bedeviled by self-centredness, pride, covetousness and inordinate accumulation of wealth at the detriment of the society.

Many are visionless and therefore do not have a sense of direction. The few that have a semblance of good mission and vision for the society are either not allowed to get there or sacrificed on the altar of tribalism and nepotism. Our nation is in need of good leadership that will liberate us from the shackles of oppression and servitude. This recollection is coming up at the outbreak of the Corona virus pandemic and there are some lessons to take away. I take one of the captivating messages on WhatsApp:

So suddenly:

New York City that never sleeps is asleep, all quiet.

Paris the center of romance lives in echoes.

Rome the eternal city is deserted. Disney is out of magic.

London is caged in silence; the queen speaks to her people

from a hidden room.

Mecca is empty! Nobody to stone the devil.

The Chinese wall is no longer fortress.

The G8 Nations are speechless.

The developed world suddenly on its knees.

Churches, mosques, great parks, monuments, stadiums are

filled with unfilled spaces.

The famous football leagues, the fashion shows, exotic

weddings, festivals all lost to memory.

Celebrities have run out of celebrations.

Our titles, status and privileged positions are stale.

With all our boastful ‘Citizenship’ we cannot step out of our houses.

With all