Wale Ojo- Lanre must be crazy by Gabriel Adedeji Olayinka

Wale Ojo-Lanre is Crazy! By Gabriel Adedeji Olayinka Walahi He is not a normal Nigerian. He goes against the norms! He scoffs at bureaucracy, submitting to the unconventional. In our world where artificiality is like a diadem, Wale still hankers after originality! Can you imagine Omo Iya Oniru still echoing his pristine years of foot-walk across 3 to 4 rural communities, with a wooden tray poorly balanced upon his teenage pate, calling like the town-crier for potential buyers of his grandmother’s mounds of iru-Pete (a traditional Yoruba spice)? No one expected such an unprivileged loafer to go beyond his rural vicinity. The crazy guy didn’t just venture out, he got the education like any of his peers who had long left for the urban centres. He marched up to them and overtook many, carving out a niche for himself in journalism and the world of tourism. Today, Wale can be said to have practically conquered the world. It is unclear if any corner of the world remains where he hasn’t stepped foot upon. At this time when many give everything to acquire foreign citizenship, Wale wouldn’t need any JAPA assistance to be a citizen of any part of the world. Wale must be crazy to hold on tenaciously to Oniru Chamber, by Upper Ogudu River, Irede Estate, at Temidire Street, in Usi-Ekiti. If you see any sporty, brand new car clothed in (not a half yellow moon’) a shiny, attention-catcher, yellow colour (like the full moon), that is Wale - and he must be on his way to Usi-Ekiti or on his way back from there. If, perchance, you spot the car on the highway to Abuja, perish the thought of the maverick going for a cruise in the federal capital city. He certainly must be visiting the National Assembly or other government agencies to remind them of his long-standing proposal to create a ministry of tourism. Okay, The tourism ambassador is also a cultural icon. Anyone who visited his Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture office in the early days of the second term of Governor Kayode Fayemi will confirm the unorthodox approach of Wale. But isn’t he crazy? While others would seek the mundunmundun in the office, Wale put his heart, soul and mind into nurturing a fledgling Council for Arts and Culture into the status of a Ministry! As Wale marks his birthday, he reminds me of many crazy Nigerians of his mould: the Solarins, Soyinkas, Kutis Fawehimis’ etc. Usually described as radical, eccentric, and cranky, we need more like them. Wale, Happy birthday, Congratulations and best wishes.