Three writers have rallied round seasoned writer and scholar, Associate Professor Bayo Adebowale, whom some people linked with a rape case recently.
A lady was said to have noted that her father raped her and her and three other sisters, with some insinuating that the man was Adebowale.
Reacting to the issue, Ibadan-based writer, Jaye Ajayi, said the Adebowale he had known for a long time would not indulge in such immorality.
Also, two Yoruba poets, Bukola Adeleke and Sarafadeen Arigbabuwo, in separate poems, tackle those peddling such rumours, using rich Yoruba metaphors to defend Adebowale.
Below are Ajayi’s statement and the two poems:
RAPE Allegation against Dr Bayo Adebowale: Another reason for more control of the social media
For a brief period now, the media space has been agog with an allegation that a man purported to be Associate Professor Bayo Adebowale raped his four daughters with two of them got pregnant in the process. Believing you are already familiar with the details. I’m putting in a few words here on this matter for three reasons mainly. First, my knowledge of and interactions with the person concerned, Dr Adebowale, did not suggest that he could be anywhere near the allegation levelled against him.
Second, the publication further shown the unfortunate level to which pseudo-journalese has degenerated at least in this clime.
The third reason for my intervention is on the damage this sort of allegation does to the humanity that we share.
Dr Adebowale that I know is a moralistic and sensitive individual among other attributes of his. I began to notice this from the not so friendly encounter we had on the first day of our first physical contact. This was in the Library of the defunct Sketch newspaper. The meeting had been arranged for us to meet because he felt bad about my review of one of his novels published by Evans Brothers. He felt that I was too critical while I felt that he was too sensitive to a positive criticism of his work. We later drew closer to the point of knowing each others’ residences etc.
For about 30 years that I have known Dr Adebowale, he has always come across as an easy-going, highly moralistic and honest person.
Thus, one was highly traumatized when the news of the rape allegation broke out. It was therefore a thing of big relief to read the rebuttal of the allegation by his daughter, his brother and himself – in addition to testimonies by those who know him. Testimonies that affirm his uprightness.
There are lots of takeaways from this unfortunate happenstance. One of them is the need NOT to rush into believing every thing that one reads or hears – especially on the social media.
A corollary to the above is for us to be mindful of messages or information that we forward or re-broadcast.
I remember that a lot of ire was drawn last year when attempts were made at checking what is regarded as ‘hate speech’. This Adebowale saga is another point for those who are calling for stringent measures against who assassinate other people’s characters.
It is gladdening that the family is considering legal actions against those who have been peddling the unfounded allegation. They must be apprehended and prosecuted.
Egbon, congrats on regaining your health. As you indicated, it was good, Providential indeed, that you survived it otherwise detractors would have gone to town with stories that would not be so good for the family.
As you have won many battles in life, this too shall pass with you coming out of it stronger. E Ku amumora!
Jare Ajayi
ÈGBÉ NI FÚN ABANIJẸ́
By Bukola Adeleke
Orin; “Abani jẹ́ ti yín ló jù
Abanijẹ́ ẹ kú ọ̀fọ̀
Ẹ kú ọ̀fọ̀, ah!
Ara yín lẹ ṣe.”
Ọjọ́ kan nìrìn òótọ́;
Ń bá aré ogún ọdún irọ́
Bẹ́ẹ̀ ẹ̀tẹ́ bàǹbà lèrè apurọ́ gbayì
Bírú wọn bá fojúmọ́ níyì,
Agbádá ẹ̀tẹ́ ni wọ́n á yí mọ́ra lálẹ́
Ìfọ̀kànbalẹ̀ wọn á ràjò àìdé
Wọ́n á sì máa bánú fuu
Àyà fuu kiri bí olè agbéwúrẹ́ onígbe.
Kò kúkú sẹ́ni tí í fì wọ́n lẹ́nu láti bàjẹ́
Ẹni wọ́n bá ri í pó ti ṣiṣẹ́,
Tí wọ́n ri i pó ti ṣe làálàá,
Ni wọ́n ọ́n wárọ́ bàǹbà sí lẹ́sẹ̀
Wọn ó sì dẹrẹ̀ sáṣọ olówó iyebíye
Láì náání egbò òun ọgbẹ́ tó leè dà fónítọ̀ún.
Bọ́rọ̀ bá wá bẹ́yìn yọ,
Tẹ́ni wọ́n bà lórúkọ jẹ́ ò dákẹ́,
Tó fẹ̀rí tóníye lórí tako irọ́ọ wọn,
Àwọn oníyẹ̀yẹ́ á wá dalákọrí oko
Èyí táyàn lùlù fún lọ́jọ́sí pé;
“Kò leè bóde
Kò leè bóde
Abanijẹ́ tìlẹ̀kùn mọ́rí
Kò leè bóde.”
Ẹ yàgò fúnwà ìtapo sálà aláàlà,
Ẹ ta kété síwà ìbanilórúkọ jẹ́
Ẹ rì jìnnà síwà ìsáátà akíkanjú,
Ẹni tẹ́ ò bá le kí kúusẹ́ ẹ má tàbùku rẹ̀,
Ẹ jẹ́ ó máa wà lọ́kàn yín pé;
Èèyàn ìí banijẹ́ kó lọ gbé,
Ipò ègbé labanijẹ́ ẹ́ wà.
© Bùkọ́lá R. Adélékè (2019)
***
MI O DEDE BINU!
By Sarafadeen Arigbabuwo
Kii dede binu
Omo ale lo n fa
Awon omo irankiran
Awon omo alailagba nile
Awon omo ajinase
Ti won fe maa jeun ajigbon
Baba oninu mimo na re e
Bayo Adebowale ti o sun ti o wo
Opolo baba o fi igba kan sun
Ojoojumo lo n ko, lo n ka, lo si n wi
Ogbon ti o se royin tan ni nbe ninu iwe won
Awokose fun awa odo ti n bo leyin ni baba
Oun ni awon omo kesari wa n gbero ati tapo si aala re
Won ni o fun omobinrin re mararun loyun o si se fun won.
Aifini peni ni, abi aifi eeyan pe eeyan
Se e o le fi baba yii diwon baba yin nile ni
Omowe, ojogbon Bayo Adebowale le fe ni e o mo ni
Igbakeji giwa poly ti Ibadan ni ko to feyin ti
Baba wa yii lo da ile ikawe gbajugbaja ti abule Layipo sile, nikoja akobo
Eyi ti nje African Heritage Library ti Wole Soyinka fowo si
Aregbesola fonte lu, Afe Babalola lu logo enu
Gbogbo eeyan ni nkan sara si, ti won n tauda pe aje ku ikale
Iwo o ri oun se ju ko fa aso iyi re ya.
Baba mi Adebowale ayo yin o ni baje
Agba yin a tunbo dale, ise owo yin o ni reyin
Ogun ti se, ati reyin odi
Omo Akin ku ni yin, e o fi igba kan sojo
Oju ti ti ota, ojo ti pa eye won o ka gongo
Ibaje won o ku ni ki oyin ma dun
Oyin ti ladun tele tele ri
Wallahi eyi ni won yoo fi se asemo
Won ti n se iru e ri, won a fi eyi jofin
Dandan ni won ti do oko de ile dalemo.
O to ki n binu, abi ko to rara
Lojo ti mo foju kan baba Bayo Adebowale
Mo gbe dansaki fun ise opolo
Ki a yo tegan kuro, ki n tun fi tegan kun
Eeyan bi omo Ayanihun sowon loke eepe
Ati emi ati oga mi Oluwabukunola omo Adeleke to mu mi leyin
Won te wa si bi oba, won ti e se bi pe won o mo mi tele
Gegege ni Yeye Akilimali ara morika ati anti Gbemi n gbe wa
Abule Adeyipo gba alejo wa, ara wa mole
Koda, ti idunnu tayo ni mo fi sun orun laba lojo na
Nigbati mo tun n lo ile, baba tun di eru iwe lopo yanturu fun mi.
Ojo ti ijimere ba maa te a loun o gun igi eleera
Igi eleera ni Bayo omo Ayanbode
Eyin were ti owo n gun, e ti jebi eyi
Ida ofin yoo kun yin wele wele ni
Ewu ori o je dari ji yin laye mo
E o ni be mo, ese ainidariji le da
Baba to n ro ki ojo iwaju yin le to n kowe pamo fun yin
Ni eyin fe ma da erupe si gari, e ti rogo.
Baba mi Bayo Adebowale mo n bo na mi o ti de
Gudugbe ewi si nbo nipa yin lojo iwaju
Eyin elemi imoore, se o gberin, abi e o gberin
Ayan kan ilu si mi ni ibadi ki ori ota o fo yanga
YEGEDE, YEGEDE OJU TI WON
AWoN TI N TU ITUKUTU
OJU TI WON O
YEGEDE, YEGEDE OJU TI WON.
