Encomium
ON Friday, April 25, 2014, ENCOMIUM Weekly had an exclusive interview with late Iyalode Adunni Bankole on life at 55 when we visited her at her Praise Court in Agura Gberigbe, Jatoland, Ikorodu, Lagos. The likeable socialite spoke excitedly on many issues including her political ambition.
On Saturday, March 29, 2014, you clocked 55. How does that feel?
It feels beautiful and awesome. I feel particularly good about it. Every year that one sees is a bonus from God, especially with the trend of things. If the Lord makes you add years, you just have to be thankful to Him. And things are just getting better. If you live a life that as you advance in age you can only record better things, I think one has to be grateful to God. It’s gratitude and I will be very thankful to God about it. I was very happy because the promise of God as one advances in age is very clear in the Bible and I believe that God is being faithful about all His promises to me about life. I look back and forward, I only had a cause to thank God. I get better every day. Things are getting better for me every day. I am happier and more relaxed. Things are generally going the way they should for me. So, I just have to be thankful to God.
What’s the significance of 55 in your life?
There is no major significance about 55, and as you’re also aware that it is customary for me to celebrate every birthday because every birthday is very significant to me. As we read in the Bible and as we also grow to learn about life, every day is a bonus. When you hear people die, people are victims of terrorism and all that, and you still have a day, month or year more, it calls for celebration. I don’t know how other people feel about it but to me it’s worth celebrating. It’s not about being 55, it’s just about adding another year. And the World Health Organisation (WHO) life expectancy for Nigerians is 43. It’s done country to country and region to region. The rating for us in Nigeria is 43. These days, you just hear that people slightly above 40 just die anyhow. You just realize that you move away from death every day. Things that kill people, you survive them. A lot of things that others were not able to survive, you have survived them. Even, sleeping at night and waking the next day is like death and waking the following day which is also the grace of God. So, I celebrate every year I add, and I give thanks to God. And I don’t mind what it costs me every year to do that.
What were the targets that you set to achieve before 55 that you’re yet to achieve?
So far, so good. I think I am happy with the progress I am making. I like to think about life not from the material point of it but how much I am able to affect my immediate surroundings, my society and people generally. So far, I believe these are the set goals I am able to achieve one by one. I believe in the emancipation of people, I believe in helping people, making things go round for people. I believe in contributing to people’s progress. And so far, so good, I am making a considerable progress about that, which is very important. I have not set hard and fast goal for myself. I only know that what I have set out to do is to impact people as positively as possible, and I do that. If you had been here some minutes ago, you would have met some people from villages around here. They came with some matters they want me to settle. They look up to me. In fact, I do a lot of counselling almost every day. I believe I do quite a lot of things I derive joy from. To me, life is not about how much money, what you do returns to you. It’s not about how much dollars or euros or pounds you have, it’s not about your fat account in the bank, it’s just all about fulfillment and self satisfaction.
Can we now say you’re fulfilled at 55?
I would say yes and no. I am only fulfilled about the type of things I want to do, and my contribution to life. But I am not rich. How I wish I had more money than I have. But people don’t believe that I am not rich. I have only been able to package my life the way it is now, without money. It’s ironical but I had made rules for myself that I keep without anybody prompting or telling me do this, don’t do that. I have just made such rules, and I have been able to keep myself disciplined. The irony about my situation is that I grew to know that the people that are extremely famous and accepted, if you look at them, they are wealthy. It’s a phenomenon because I am not rich in anyway, but I am able to keep friends. I am very
popular. Just like someone said to me, “Iyalode, you’re already a brand.” I can say I am branded, and I am known internationally. Anywhere I move to, be it in Europe, America or Asia, people are always happy to see me among them. There was a time I was flying economy class, someone came to me and said, “Haa, Iyalode you can’t sit in economy, I have to give up my seat for you in first class and I will take your seat in economy.” And I said no, I chose to fly economy because that’s what I can afford this time. I won’t do what I can’t afford. I have been in the same flight with ministers who left their seats in first class and came to sit with me in the economy. We all chatted throughout. I told them to go back to their seats, they said no. If I Iyalode can occupy economy seat, why won’t they? I am happy about my life. My life is paradoxical in a way. And I have been living it. One of the significance of turning 55 is that I have lived through all the difficult spots for 55 and I am still undaunted, I am still on my feet. I still remain the household name that I am despite all the challenges which I am sure you’re also aware of. So, that’s one of the things. The fact is that I am not rich but I don’t go looking for money where and when and where I should not. I accept my life like that. The only thing I am hoping for is one day I will become very rich. Maybe those who know me will now say, “Oh! This woman, let’s share some of her intelligence.”
What do you still want God to do for you at 55?
There are quite a lot. I want the Lord to see all my children through. I still want to be happier. Also, I still want to be able to contribute my quota to the progress of this country in my peculiar way. I equally want my name to be written in the sand of time concerning the things that the Lord will use me to do for mankind and this country. I want to be a part of the transformation of Nigeria to a better Nigeria. I want to be able to affect the lives of women and children in this country.
A lot of people believe you have withdrawn from social scenes, why?
Maybe yes, to a great extent. When you advance in age, your interest in certain things diminish and some other interesting things take off from there. You don’t grow living a particular type of life all through. Like I told you, I am Iyalode, and I was made Iyalode again. I am the National Grand Patron of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). I am this and that. All these are big responsibilities. And then you want to see yourself as a mirror. I go to parties and functions only as a sort of duty call. And I never spend more than two hours in any party. Some people will say if Iyalode is not at your party, that means it’s not worth it. Okay, I have succumbed to that for a long time. But I just withdrew now. I go more to corporate events. It has nothing to do with anything abstract. It’s just got to do with advancement in age. So for you to have advanced in age, you think of retirement. Normally, I have a full house almost every day. As early as 7 a.m, I have started attending to people. People will queue here, rifts to settle, some counsellings to do and a lot more. I always have a lot of people around me. Even, how many times do I go to my shop? I am always very busy here at home, and I am happy about it.
The last time we had a chat with you, you told us you’re nursing a political ambition. People have been expecting you to roll out your banner now that 2015 is around the corner. What’s actually happening? Have you jettisoned that?
Don’t worry, just keep your fingers crossed.
Does that mean you’re still interested to run in 2015?
If my people call me, why not?
What’s your greatest joy so far?
My greatest joy is that I have been able to affect people’s lives positively, which gives me a lot of joy.
– TADE ASIFAT
