Growing up in the 1980s to knowing my name and the awareness of my environment were two families in our local Church-ST Joseph Catholic Church, Isanlu, Kogi State, Nigeria. The two families were different from the rest of us. One of the families (not to mention the second but the two families lived in the same locality and held common leadership control in the Church) still green in my memory like a story of yesterday was the Adesanmi family. Papa and Mama Adesanmi were scholars and leaders of the local Church and everyone looked up to them perhaps by reasons of exposure and education, their children stood different from the rest of us except for the few Igbo traders who could afford new clothes and shoes for their children without Christmas trees and Manger staging at the right hand of the main entrance to the Church.
It is very interesting that though I did not have personal relationship with Pius Adesanmi (as fondly called in those days) in my early years because he was already a ‘big boy’ but whenever he was home from school, many of us wanted and hoped to be like him. I personally was not drawn to him as much as I was to Abosede Makinde (imagine, I have mentioned the second family name) who was my secondary school role model and I proudly called her my sister and boastfully, my school mother but the news of academic progress of Pius Adesanmi was a personified hope for many of us children in the local Church.
Late Professor Pius Adesanmi was always a rising star even at death, the whole world is mourning the literary genius but of course, his death is more painful to those of us who have been drawing hope from him since in the 1980s. Pius was a mentor from afar, he gave a name to Isanlu at the global stage even when he featured at the TEDx Euston and he was never disconnected from his root until his death. The first time I will understand what first class means in reality was when my brother, Paul Oladele-Araga told me Pius graduated with first class in French from the University of Ilorin and those fired my nerves in those days. Pius Adesanmi was always a leader and he left some literary works that will immortalize him forever.
Without any gainsay, I personally love the family of Adesanmi for many reasons not quite obvious at first but the Professor’s parents were leaders and Mama Isanlu (or Mrs Adesanmi as we were calling his Mum in those days) is still very close to my Mum-Mrs Abosede Araga in the village. Second because Mama Adesanmi picked an obvious interest in me that I have the traits of a Catholic Priest and that she will be glad to celebrate me as the first Catholic Priest from Isanlu in those days, she followed up with my Mum praying that I yield to the call until I was married.
My heart goes to Mama Adesanmi, the Professor’s wife, his Daughter and the entire family in this trying time. May God grant you the grace to bear this global and monumental loss. Isanlu has lost an illustrious son, the eagle has departed, the elephant has fallen, ashes for ashes and to the cloud beyond, like a shadow he went through the skies and until eternity comes; he was a promoter of our culture and a mentor of our youth, he was a global icon that projected our origin and a gem that came, lived and died in fame without blemish or scandalously mingling with the corruption of the land, he did not dilute his oratorical prowess with influence from people in the affairs of governance in Africa. Hah! Erin Wo, igbe ta ni'lu (the elephant has fallen and a loud cry in town)! Late Professor Pius Adesanmi will be well remembered by many of us he mentored without knowing, many of us he motivated without having a clue that his rising from the dust and his going back to the dust is a story that the world till eternity comes will read. There lived a Professor, so goes the story.
Adieu Professor Pius Bola Adesanmi. Your death has just reminded me of a vow to that local Church where we both took our root! My mind is frozen and tears freely springing out of my eyes as my tear gland responded to an emotional outburst from my subconscious, my consciousness could not contain it, a deep breath instead of calming it is brewing to tempest profusely even as I write this untraditional tribute which is like a semi-story of a man that was ready to change Africa but now has been called home. At midnight, I had a schedule to do but this expression of emotional pain I have deferred since my brother broke the news of your death to me reigned in my mind.
It was the hope of the Professor that Africa will not be the same and Professor Pius Adesanmi looking down from the gallery of eternity tomorrow should see that young Africans that he struggled for are 'risen' to make changes happen and that young people without hope will arise with enterprise strength to build courage to change Africa and the World for Africa. The best posthumous award that will be best accorded this genius of change in Africa is 'a Changed Africa'.
Rest in Peace Professor Pius Adesanmi!