By Bayo Ogunmupe
In the seventies, there was identity uncertainty in the public
service of the federation of Nigeria. There is the sagacious Moscow
educated socialist, well known in leftist communities of Southern
Nigeria with the name Dr Samuel Olusegun Osoba. In accordance with the
prevailing anti-colonial culture of the time everybody was dropping
their English names. So he kicked Samuel out of his names. There is the
second Osoba, a vivacious journalist, well known in Lagos circles and
the corridors of power. This one is an unalloyed Olusegun Osoba who is
younger and so never had an English baptismal name. But when one was
chosen to represent the academia at the Constitution Drafting
Committee, it was clear Osoba the socialist they meant.
This stalwart of the left, popularly called Dr Segun Osoba turned
85 on January 9, 2020. He was born at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State of Nigeria
in 1935, attended Ijebu-Ode Grammar School; Nigerian College of Arts,
Science and Technology, Ibadan and the University College, Ibadan. He
taught at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School from 1959 to 1963 before proceeding
to the Moscow State University, Russia from 1963 to 1967 where he
obtained a PhD in Nigerian History. Then, he did research and taught
social and intellectual history of modern Nigeria at the Department of
History, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife between 1967 and 1991.
By his lectures at OAU, Ife, Dr Osoba established a tradition of
historical research methodology grounded in sound Marxist dialectical
materialism. He didn't belong in the school of mechanical Marxism, with
mindless repetition of trite phrases but scholarship in pristine
tradition of empirical research and thoughtful consideration of Nigerian
and African reality. In this way Osoba challenged students to
conceptualize their knowledge such that it became a way, not only of
understanding society, but also of using it to change society for the
better.
Osoba's deep knowledge of, and
contempt for the Nigerian bourgeoisie was at the heart of his
scholarship and this continued to be his central intellectual concern.
His work at Ife inspired generations of scholars who look up to him for
elucidation and scholarly inspiration. Above all, his profound
knowledge, his integrity and humility make him a model for our
emulation. Now 85 years old, unlike many renegade socialists, he has led
his entire life without deviating from unrelenting struggle for the
emancipation of the masses from exploitation and slavery.
Last year, he wrote a new introduction to the work he co-authored
with the late Dr Yusufu Bala Usman. In 1976 when both of them were
members of the Constitution Drafting Committee which was set up by the
then head of state General Murtala Muhammed. The committee was to
produce the 1979 Constitution. That time the duo disagreed with the
majority of the CDC members who later produced the Nigerian Constitution
1979, a document that enshrined a deeply unjust, anti- federal and
undemocratic practices that have been enslaving Nigerians till today.
Then, Osoba and Usman jointly wrote the Minority Report & Draft
Constitution for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1976. After 43 years,
the book was finally published in 2019.
In
his New Introduction to the book titled: The 1979 Constitution and its
Legacy of Catastrophic Succession of Governments 1979-2018, he produced a
Minimum Agenda For Change. It is an implementation plan for fundamental
changes in the Nigerian society. Among the five points on offer are:
one, "There shall be one and only one Nigerian citizenship. Two, the
need to demystify the colonially derived legal system so that the
Constitution and laws are written and accessible and understandable to
ordinary citizens. Three, in a new constitutional order, the fundamental
rights and duties of citizens and the directive principles of state
policy must be justiciable in law, as this is the only way citizens can
hold their government to account.
Four,
there is the need to abrogate the immunity from prosecution granted the
executive arm so that no official should be above the law. Finally, to
ensure that political parties are responsible to the electorate, they
should only be registered if they have national, non- sectional and non-
religious programme of activities. And if they are funded exclusively
by the financial contribution of their individual member, none of whom
may contribute in any one year more than the national minimum wage for
one month." The financial records of each party should be subject to
comprehensive auditing by the regulatory body. And political party
should be forbidden from charging members any fees for seeking
nomination or making a statement of intent to run for public office
through the party.
Last year he assumed the
chair the Yusufu Bala Usman Institute , an organization established by
the colleagues of his departed friend. The Institute is dedicated to
carrying on the work begun by the two Marxists with the aim of creating a
new Nigeria where democracy reigns. On the restructuring of Nigeria, Dr
Osoba made it clear that the call is a scam to create avenues for the
thieving Nigerian ruling elite to steal pubic funds. He said that at the
public presentation of the Minority Report at the University of Lagos
in May 2019. He said fake apostles of ethnic and regional separatism are
hiding behind their mendacious banners of restructuring to steal public
funds. He recommends continuing the struggle for justice in Nigeria.
Please join me to wish our icon long life and prosperity.
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