Born into a family whose bread winner was then in active service to Nigeria as a policeman, BF went through the normal life of the police barracks, manifested through transfers and deprivations. It was this experience that took him to Stella Maris College, Okitipupa, where BF excelled and towered above all others. This was where he became part of my root too, being close to Ilaje, my native land. I met BF in Ife, at a meeting of Pacesetters, a radical students group in control of the Students’ Union, at the time. He and Speedy, now His Royal Highness, Oba Fola Odidiomo, the Olu of Igbokoda, were on the panel that interviewed me, as a candidate for the office of Public Relations Officer, of the Students’ Union, on the platform of Pacesetters. I noticed then that his questions were very probing, not willing to trust such sensitive position to a relatively unknown person. But Speedy was able to prevail on him, to give me a chance. And that chance was never forfeited, until Monday, July 7, when he called me, on his health condition. BF was a man of many parts, who endured all manner of deprivations and neglect, because of his faith in his principles of life, of transparency, honestly and the common good of the common man. He just had this strong belief that leaders must of necessity, place the interest of the follower, over and above himself. This pitted him against the authorities in many ways, as the latter was always meant to preserve the status quo. At the Pacesetters, the opportunity presented itself for us to practice exactly what we believed that leadership entails. So BF championed and insisted on absolute transparency, 110% loyalty at ALL times and truthfulness. He had a special disdain for lies and dishonesty and fraud, that he will immediately confront you at any given moment. And this impacted positively on the student leadership. When we got closer, he was later to reveal to me his secret collections of Marxist texts and how he became inspired early in life, by these theories. This also led him to become an atheist, at some point in his life. So, throughout our leadership days, he will always insist that religion is an opium for the masses, that our leaders use to silence dissent and perpetuate corruptions and other vices. So it was that whenever we had occasion to declare a protest or shut down the school, our first port of call was always the Sports Centre, where we were sure that SUs will gather to pray against us. So we made it a point of duty to first drive them away and compel them to join us in the “struggle”, little knowing then, that God was just preparing both of us for His great work, eventually. Then came the Anti-SAP riots. BF was appointed the Mobilisation Officer for the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, nationwide. So he was always on the road, day and night, with Opeyemi Bamidele, then NANS President. My duty then was to ensure that all notes and hand outs of all our law courses, were kept intact for him, upon his return. And he had this uncanny excellence in his spirit, that upon his return and a little study, he would later be revealing to us, the secrets of the otherwise difficult courses, the lectures of which he never attended. He was a genius. BF was liberal hearted, humble to a fault and always willing to concede the superior argument. He would easily persuade us to suspend any protest, if we could not convince majority of the students, on the viability of our cause. And what endeared us all to him was his love for education. He made it clear as crystal at Pacesetters and indeed the Students Union, that unionism was never a substitute for a degree. So on many occasions, we had cause to suspend protests and resume our end of year examinations, a day or two after, never willing at all to disrupt the academic calendar. He was a man of peace who opposed violence and anarchism of any sort. Once he could not be convinced on the peaceful nature of any venture, he would opt out. But also, he had a heart of steel, very rigid in the things he believed in and would go to any length to achieve it, including threat to his very life. So it was that himself and Opeyemi Bamidele landed in detention for over six months, on account of the anti-SAP protests. BF was very unassuming, that hardly do students really knew him in Ife, always preferring to work in the background, all the time. He would hardly agree to address the Students’ Congress, except on occasions when we insisted he had to. He led a very simple life, could survive any condition, and he endured all the deprivations that can ever be imagined. He would spend days alone in the room, never travelling for any holidays, as other students. He had this popular navy blue French jacket, with his black sandals. And he could wear it and go any place, for days. He told me he didn’t want to be a burden on his parents, whom he wanted to spend the little they had on his younger ones. His reasoning was that since he had been educated once at Adeyemi College of Education by his parents, his second degree in law, was at his own option and he must bear the cross alone. And the second degree was really not by choice. As a result of the encounter he had with the then Military Administrator of Niger State, Col Lawan Gwadabe, when he turned down the prize for the best corper, his NYSC discharge certificate was withheld by the government. And since he studied Physics Education as his first degree, hardly could he get any job without the NYSC certificate. The only option then was to go back to school, and he was willing to make that sacrifice, by enrolling to study law at Ife, where we met. We became very close, after he was convinced with my performance as Public Relations Officer of the Students’ Union, sharing the same room and virtually all things. He encouraged me to aspire to become the President of the Students’ Union, eventually. So it was, in 1992, that students nationwide decided to oppose the IMF World Bank Loan, being contemplated by the Federal Government. And Ife was chosen as the base of that struggle. Of course, it led to a massive protest, resulting into the closure of the university and other universities, for months. In the course of the closure, myself and BF remained on the campus. A panel was eventually set up by the University, which tried over 60 student leaders in absentia and dismissed us all, from the University. I couldn’t go home to tell my parents that I had been expelled and BF was naturally used to staying back on the campus. So it was easy to bond at that moment. It was purely a co-incidence that one of the young men that participated in that heroic struggle was one Adewale Sadiku, whom we didn’t know too closely then. Given the publicity that followed our trial and subsequent expulsion, his name was the first on the list. And so it was, when Chief Gani Fawehinmi launched his legal assault on the university, the first name in the court case was Adewale Sadiku. This forced the young man to become more fervent and active, in student union activities and he was eventually admitted into our meetings. One cool evening, after our re-instatement, a young lady stormed our meeting place at Room 56, Fajuyi Hall, demanding very angrily, to see Mr Bamidele Aturu. She spoke with so much venom in her voice. When she noticed that we were not willing to allow her see BF, she bursted out in great anger. What was I (Big Sam) in particular doing to her younger brother, Adewale Sadiku, that we brainwashed him into abandoning his career, his faith and his parents. It was then we got to know her well, as Miss Adebimpe Sadiku. She had come to warn us to “release” her brother from our group of never do wells and disgruntled radicals. She left in anger, promising to call back, as she insisted on seeing Mr. Bamidele Aturu, to speak with him and to confront him. And she kept coming, to the extent that we had no choice than to allow her see BF. And the story changed. We noticed suddenly that she stayed so very long with him, alone in the room, which was very very unusual with BF, as he didn’t tolerate any female friendship at the time. These meetings became repeated, long lasting and personal. They were taking BF away from our meetings, and Bimpe away from her Christian fellowship. Until one day, just one day like that, when BF told us that he was going for fellowship! You can imagine our amazement. This fragile, young lady, had caught us napping and had broken this heart of steel. BF eventually became a born again Christian and got married to Adebimpe Sadiku. And a new phase started in his life. When we graduated from Ife, I was very enthusiastic that we will all just proceed to Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, automatically. We stayed in the same room in the Law School hostel. He told me point blank then that he will not be able to join Gani Fawehinmi Chambers. His reasoning was that Chief Fawehinmi had a lot of respect for him and had hitherto treated him as a son. He knows that the man is very principled on many issues, just like BF, and it is possible that they may both disagree on an important issue that may affect their relationship. And he also didn’t want to take advantage of his relationship with Chief, who may not want to enforce his usual rigid rules, against BF. So he opted to sacrifice his own career opportunities, for that relationship, even though he eventually got into another productive chambers. BF never discarded or abandoned his earlier philosophies of life. Rather, he maintained that Jesus Christ was and is still a revolutionary, and that Christianity was another opportunity for him to practice loyalty, transparency, fidelity, truthfulness and service to humanity. He took the faith with the same zeal that he had practiced Marxism and was later to inspire me in this line too. I was born a Christian and grew up as one but Ife had taught me that my faith was just an opium, so I became aloof. But Christianity did not stop BF from participating actively in street protests, from attending meetings and planning revolutionary engagements. He didn’t on that account abandon or disdained his comrades. That was his nature, to work with all cadres of people. He was so very humble. When I eventually got to know that he was close to all the big names in the struggle, like Professors Olorode, Awopetue, Fashina, Fawehinmi, Falana, Agbakoba, Ayo Obe, Chima Ubani, Adams Oshiomole and so many others, I was wondering whether this was not some Anjonu that I was befriending. He never for once mentioned them at all in all our discussions. BF joined Professor Itse Sagay, SAN, while I proceeded to work with Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN. He set up his practice before me and had become totally immersed in the faith. I had to set up my practice in 2000, when I left Gani Fawehinmi Chambers. I was confused initially, until I met BF again. He opted to help me set up my practice, up to the point of registration. Then one day I went to him again, to narrate my frustrations, about how I was getting old and had not secured a life partner and indeed that I had no clients with big money, to sustain my practice. He said that was how he felt when he first set up his chambers, until he went to the Redemption Camp and had a word of prophecy from one pastor, called Enoch Adeboye. He then invited me to attend the July 2000 Holy Ghost Service at the camp. Reluctantly, I followed him and Bimpe. And everything in my life has changed since then. BF is a replica of Christ, in his gentle spirit, easily forgiving, not willing to hold any grudges and so he will confront you on any issue at once. Very courageous, with the heart of a lion and yet so very gentle and harmless, with the disposition of a dove. BF will never hurt a fly, in all his lifetime. So it was not a surprise that he set aside a day in the year to discuss social issues affecting Nigeria. He devoted his practice to the working class, and was always available to defend the oppressed. We had cause to work together on a case, in which I introduced him to my clients as a co-counsel. I negotiated his fees, in millions and collected the money on his behalf. So I insisted that he must come to my office to collect the cheque. As he sat in front of my desk, I was grinning inside of me. He wasn’t sure what I was up to, as I could see some uncertainty on his face. I handed the cheque to him and requested for his attention. I told him that I could never ever pay him back for all that he has done for me. In this particular case, I told him that I had been paid my own fees by my clients and that the reason why I invited him to my office was not to discuss the usual sharing formula of fees, to demand a percentage of his own fees, but to celebrate him and appreciate him. I told him that he had raised me as a faithful and loyal comrade, not a corrupt lawyer, all out to share legal fees. He looked at me and was speechless, small tears rolling down his eyes. I was rejoicing within me, that at least for once, I was able to show this man, that he had not labored over so many of us and indeed Nigerians, in vain. In August 2013, I again invited BF to my house at the Redemption Camp, just him alone, on the day of my ordination, as a full pastor. It was time for celebration, but BF knelt down and said I should pray for him first. I was humbled. I told him that the reason I had invited him only (and Bimpe too), was for him to know that his labour over my faith had not been in vain. He was so very happy and I saw a sense of fulfillment in him. BF dedicated his life to the good of others. Little wonder therefore, that Tobi and his children are excelling, in their various schools. He was so proud of Tobi when last we spoke. In the short time that he practiced law, BF made his indelible marks, in Labour Law, Elections Petitions and Industrial practice. He was surely an all rounder, combining so many things and excelling in them all. The most outstanding of these all, is his contributions to Victory Mega Parish of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, where BF spearheaded evangelism, church project and building development, human resources and empowerment, and virtually turned himself, family and practice over to the work of God and ministry. My joy in these all, is that, that little, smallish girl of those days, has now risen to become Pastor (Mrs.) Adebimpe Aturu, in whom we now see a total reflection and image of Comrade BF, who never for once, dropped the mantle, either of the masses, or of Jesus Christ. Glad that he is now resting in the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ, BF has now left the mantle, for the rest of us, either as comrades, or believers in the faith. And we should do this by supporting Sis Bimpe and all the children and the dreams that BF left behind. Adieu, my comrade brother. Source: thelawyersdigest]]>