By Sanya Oni
Nearly a week after the official handover of the 550-seater architectural masterpiece that is now the Olatunji Bello Auditorium at the Epe Campus of the Lagos State University (LASU) to the officials of the institution, quite a lot has certainly been written about the rare philanthropy of my dear friend and brother, Olatunji Bello, the executive vice chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to fill a book of tributes. While much of the story has run in bits and parts of which the running threads in the various accounts is the exemplary generosity of the donor, the timeliness and uniqueness of the sacrifice, the public spiritedness that have come to define not just his chequered private and public life, I believe yours truly couldn’t but to preface this piece with an innocuous detail which I consider as bearing the imprimatur of Divine approval on the initiative as yours truly, and my colleague Tunji Adegboyega (Cyclone) undertook the 127-kilometre journey to the venue last Wednesday morning.
We had arrived at the venue early enough – that is some few minutes after the 10 am kick-off time to meet the venue nearly packed full. It turned out a roll-call of who-is-who in public service and the professions; time to reconnect with old time buddies, friends and colleagues. The governor was there, so also was his deputy, Femi Hamzat, and the chair of the occasion, the minister of education and Tunji’s namesake, Tunji Alausa. It was in every way, Tunji Bello’s day with past and present Lagos State executive council members represented.
However, just before the event proper kicked-off, the skies suddenly became pregnant with the foreboding of a possible disruptive rain. Given that the event was an outdoor one, the prospect was somewhat troubling. In fact, the cultural troupe brought in to perform actually staged their performance under the light showers.
By the way, with yours truly and Cyclone seated in a position that was particularly vulnerable, he on his part couldn’t but wonder aloud if the donor had thought of the minor rite of African logistics of putting the rainmakers on the standby particularly with nearly one-score traditional rulers clad in their traditional regalia seated on the front rows!
While any thought of such question popping up was not only bizarre but also late in coming, yours truly could only chuckle that the light showers which had become somewhat threatening at the point could only be a sign of blessing; or better still, a note of approval from the celestial realm which only the discerning could interpret; which probably explains why the blue skies soon after receded to give way to the clear sunny skies that would provide the much needed warmth to the event and thus put the stamp of Divine approval on the exemplary offering from a noble heart! In the end, it was like the elements had determined that being Tunji Bello’s Day, they would ensure that nothing would be allowed to mar its success.
Call it an awesome moment in which the anxieties and not least the endless wonders of the nights, would melt into a beautiful testimony. It was a sight to behold.
Of course, the story behind the auditorium story is already in the open. So are the lessons. Indeed, the story that began some 14 years as an annual prize in five disciplines of Law, Mass Communications, Social Sciences, Engineering and Medicine for brilliant but indigent students offers great lessons in the power of the small but silent beginning, of commitment and the perseverance to see worthy causes through. For while 14 years might seem like nothing given TB’s blessedness, yet, in a clime where showmanship has become something of popular culture, it is certainly a big deal that the seed of those years has not only survived but thrived. Seen in that context, the 550-seater auditorium would seem a mere icing on the cake, a natural progression of a life constantly in the purpose – an attestation to the character, something in the DNA of the dreamer that is beyond the ordinary.
To those who somehow conceive of giving as something of a painless art, Tunji would offer two pragmatic counsels: nothing good comes easy; the other, a reminder of the Biblical parable that “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God”.
For Tunji, the moment came when he had to sell a prized property so the work could go on.
Also worthy of note is that the project actually predated the vice chancellorship of his dear wife, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello. In fact, a huge dose of the credit deservedly belongs to her. As Tunji himself is wont to testify, the idea of giving back to the university was originally hers. However, on receiving what could only be the tiny mustard seed, his was to mull on the idea until it found concrete expression in the gigantic project that became the auditorium.
Call it a divine arrangement: an idea conceived in the womb of our doughty professor being fertilised by the spouse and delivered during her tenure as vice chancellor. I love the coincidence!
My colleague, Segun Ayobolu has written on the Tunji Bello phenomenon and the grace of selfless giving just as Tunji Adegboyega has in his Sunday column echoed the same sentiment of the cheerful donor.
Let me add that the Tunji Bello that I have known since 1986 on the Features Desk of the Concord newspapers actually embodies the truth about giving as life itself! However, while it is no surprise that names like the late Bashorun MKO Abiola and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu feature among those that inspired and continues to inspire him, those close to him, particularly those who have benefitted from his generosity, including yours truly, cannot but testify to the uniqueness of his persona, particularly his innate propensity for charity and charitable causes.
Let me end this with a simple takeaway: the fact that one does require a big pocket to start giving. I love how Tunji elliptically puts it: If God gives you a dream or an idea, he will somehow avail the means to bring it to accomplishment!
