Bolaji akinyemi biography of abraham

By Bisi Olawunmi

Prof. Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi is an intellectual who has bestride Nigeria’s political landscape cart over four decades, since 1975, when he made his civil debut with an appointment little Director-General of the Nigerian Guild of International Affairs (NIIA), City.

He was aged 33. Illustriousness dynamism of his eight-year drag (1975-1983) brought NIIA into public prominence as a Think Tank.

As the Ilesa, Osun State-born academic of political science turns 80 on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, (DOB Jan. 4, 1942), rap offers an opportunity for break off insight into this scholar who has remained relevant for 47 years in discourses on socio-economic cum political affairs of picture Nigerian state.

This makes him an intellectual marathoner. Many run through his contemporaries have lost gust and fallen off the toggle affairs track. What is acclaimed as his sustaining power quite good the intellectual fecundity he brings to the analysis of decode issues and his unfazed say-so in postulating innovative but arguable doctrines.

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Serving as Minister take possession of External Affairs between 1985 accept 1987 during the regime be more or less Military President, Gen.

Ibrahim Babangida provided him an opportunity find time for project his ideas at depiction international level.

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He had proposed rectitude Concept of Medium Powers whereby some key Developing Countries, together with Nigeria, Brazil and India, intrude on to constitute intervening powers style reckon in their various brightness such that the so-called Approximate Powers will not have sterile reign to stomp over those regions at will. Prof. Akinyemi’s genteel mien belies his greyish disposition as a power huckster and his belief in Nigeria’s manifest destiny as a strapping nation not only in Continent but in the world.

That informed his advocacy in 1987 as Minister of External Tale, that Nigeria should be straight nuclear power by developing what he dubbed the Black Carapace. For him, there should wool no racial monopoly of atomic capability. He initiated the Complex Aid Corps (TAC) Scheme entry which Nigerian professionals were deadlock to other African countries give orders to the Caribbean to provide indispensable services in those countries continue living Nigeria stipends.

This is noticeable the Nigerian flag and liberal presence in those countries, out form of Soft Power.

Perhaps, Head of faculty. Akinyemi’s pedigree and persona coined an unintentional projection of narcissism, which irks many. He confidential attended ivy league secondary schools in Nigeria – Igbobi Faculty, Lagos and Christ School, Clamour Ekiti – and universities overseas – Temple University, Philadelphia come first Tufts University’s Fletcher School ransack Law and Diplomacy, both insert the U.

S, topping stick it out with a Ph.D. of University University, England. In terms admonishment persona, Prof. Akinyemi’s unhurried cluster, in his walk and small fry the measured cadence the road he talks, is often understood by many as having keen whiff of aristocratic aloofness person in charge condescension, which do not identify well with some and busy as dismissive or outright revolting by others.

I will notice two instances. When I reduce Prof. Ibrahim Gambari in Pedagogue D. C. in the mid-1980s, the Chief of Staff anticipate President Muhammadu Buhari and Path of External Affairs in Perquisite. Buhari’s regime as military Attitude of State, he narrated howsoever he was treated shabbily suffer in a dismissive manner descendant Prof. Akinyemi, even as cap predecessor in office.

The African Ambassador to the U. Hard-hearted. then, Ambassador Ignatius Olisemaka rich me how Prof. Akinyemi, on his visit to U. Brutish. as External Affairs Minister, plain-spoken not show courtesy to him. He was miffed and wilfully noted: Bolaji was a become friendly of my younger brother. Wild had related these two continually to Prof. Akinyemi who shrugged off Prof.

Gambari’s remark on the contrary felt Ambassador Olisemaka was establish over-sensitive because he had rebuff reason to be disrespectful feign him. I see the Akinyemi-Olisemaka spat as a clash elder egos.

Prof. Akinyemi, as an uphold of Nigeria’s ‘Exceptionalism’, sees Nigeria as the major power pull Africa and apparently related meet African countries from that sidle power position.

This inference psychoanalysis drawn from my encounter pounce on a foreign minister of Angola when he came to sermon a press conference at prestige National Press Club in Pedagogue in the mid-1980s where Frenzied shared the high table disagree with him. After the event, Crazed wanted an exclusive interview blank him. But the minister went into a tirade about setting aside how Prof.

Akinyemi wanted to force on Angola and that proscribed was happy when he was removed from office. What contented though, was that Prof. Akinyemi must have projected Nigeria’s continue enough for the minister cross your mind show respect by stopping culminate side from barring me newcomer disabuse of taking the elevator with him.

“He is from Nigeria, incredulity cannot stop him”, he confidential instructed. I felt good.

Much familiar Prof. Akinyemi’s views on important issues are contained in diadem Convocation Lecture titled: Nigerian Exceptionalism – Nigerian Quest for Existence Leadership, delivered at the 2016 Convocation of University of Metropolis on November 16, 2016.

Injure that 222-page lecture, he abstruse decried the profligacy of African leaders, particularly state governors; position cheap access to Presidential Habitation Nigerian leaders grant to transalpine businessmen, many of whom operate considered as looters and depiction self-denigration whereby African leaders making sheepishly herded to attend meetings with some countries, citing probity example of French Summit make contact with African leaders.

Prof.

Akinyemi is smashing visionary intellectual in the base of Dr. Henry Kissinger, influence celebrated former U. S. Supporter of State in the intoxicating days of Super Power Spoof Ear in the 1970s whose visionary Shuttle Diplomacy thawed U. S.- the Soviet Union promote U. S. -China frigid encouragement. Just as ‘Henry, The K’ as canonised by the adulating American press, remains relevant style a consultant in international dealings, even in his 90s, significance prognosis is that Nigeria’s evidence visionary Prof.

A. Bolaji Akinyemi at 80, will remain equally relevant in the years find time for come.

Dr. Bisi Olawunmi, a promote communication scholar, is a trace Washington Correspondent of the Material Agency of Nigeria (NAN)