More people have risen against some people who accused celebrated writer, Bayo Adebowale, of raping his daughters.
Apart from Mrs Titilayo Olaleye, the first child of the associate professor, a pillar behind the Adeyipo Library, Ibadan, Yeye Akilimali Funua Olade, and a man who identified himself as an ‘intellectual son’ of Adebowale, Malachy Igwilo, said the allegation was a lie.
The rumor that was promoted on social media was sparked by a whatsapp message from a lady who claimed her father raped her and her three sisters.
Although the WhatsApp message did not reflect Adebowale’s name, some people invoked his identity in the course of the hot debate that followed, especially on Facebook.
They started by insinuating at one ‘professor of creative writing’.
He too has, however, denied the allegation.
Reacting to the issue, Akilimali said that evil would not triumph over the scholar and writer.
She said in a WhatsApp message: “No weapon that is formed against Dr Bayo Adebowale shall PROSPER and every tongue that shall Rise against Dr. Bayo Adebowale in JUDGEMENT, GOD SHALL CONDEMN”!
These evil people shall be overrun and be shamed by Almighty GOD”
Also reacting, Igwilo said in a statement (sic):
The grievous Sin of Calumny against one of my intellectual and moral mentors,
Dr. Bayo Adebowale, is a great intellect not properly celebrated in Nigeria. But I celebrate him and his idea that the sound intellect is the moral intellect!
His candor and fatherly advice make me adore him and respect him immensely!
The faceless devils (names an online newspaper) in their usual penchant to peddle lies and calumny have smeared the personality of Bayo Adebowale and they have steered the honest nest!
They abandon all ethos of journalism are in the business of appropriating the mores of fake news and we read them and laugh! But to now spread fake news on such a literary figure as Bayo Adebowale is the Devil’s play!
They accused him of having carnal knowledge of all his daughters begetting children from the unions and then aborting the children in a ritualistic orgy!
This accusation is clearly designed to destroy.
As a person who has known Dr. Bayo Adebowale, I attest that the accusation is sheer STUPIDITY! All of Bayo Adebowale’s Children are well loved by him and they are all married. A person who wishes to know the truth can easily contact these children and ask after their father!
The writer in Bayo Adebowale must be weeping at the irony of it all. The very thing he condemns in his many novels and poems and journals is what he is calumniated about!
His writings are always about progress! Progress as a moral idea, about transforming self and transforming society through the resuscitation of positive aboriginal culture!
His book African Melody is full of poems about progress, about valor, about morals, about beauty, respects, togetherness, forgiveness, love, children, music, Africa, strength, etc. That book represents his moral rigor and his intellectual candor!
His other books, Lonely Days, The Virgin, Out of his minds, The River Goddess, Perdition, Talent and other writings of short stories and hundreds of poems bear testimony to Bayo Adebowale’s support for human progress especially for moral soundness.
His huge UNESCO-recognized Library in Adeyipo village, just outside Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria, stands out as a testimony about the extent of his generosity!
He personally invests his resources to hold this library to offer unbridled African studies to ANYONE who may need serene country atmosphere to study, write and think! His library holds volumes we thought are extinct. He opened that library to help bridge the gap between the city and the village! This library remains a shining light for intellectual discussions and development and the monsters of gossip do not like this?
Who is angry about this and thought that calumny is a way out? These faceless bigots of morality will regret their actions!
We the intellectual children of Bayo Adebowale testify to his moral sense and refuse to be intimidated by wickedness of the faceless!
We invite aLL well-meaning Nigerians and friends from abroad to disregard the wickedness of this accusation and go ahead to continue to celebrate Bayo Adebowale, as usual, as a father of African literature and a Father of many children!
Long Live Bayo Adebowale, Long live African Storytelling and SHAME on the Monkeys at Sahara Reporters as they swallow back their poisoned banana!
By Malachy Igwilo, intellectual Son of Bayo Adebowale
