– Agsoba Ayotunde Okunowo, DA, 9602 Secretary-General, AGSOBA Global
Can we meet You?
My name is Ayotunde Okunowo. I was in Abeokuta Grammar School between September 1996 and July 2002 therefore a member of AGSOBA Club 9602. I am proud to be a product of our sartorial, eloquent and charismatic Principal F.O Ogun from whom we took so many good virtues of life aside education. I am the convener and the pioneer president of my Club, AGSOBA 9602. AGSOBA 9602 is the youngest club to convey in the history of AGSOBA. I am the author of the book Thirty Things You Must Do Before You Are Thirty and on which impact, I was honoured and awarded by the Immediate Past Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, CON FCA as the Outstanding Personality in Education. Prior to that, I was appointed by late Ambassador Segun Olusola, OFR, mni, as the Honourary Consultant to African Refugees Foundation (AREF). AREF is into the rescue, re-habilitation and re-integration of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. AREF has similar objectives with Journalist Forum for International Migration (JIFORM) which I am also a member. I am a product of Quality Academy in Technical & Vocational Education Training (TVET) of the City & Guilds Institute of London. I am an Under-Secretary at the National Secretariat of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and have served in one or two committees. I am currently a pioneer student of the School of Politics, Policies and Governance (SPPG) established by the Former Minister for Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; a school which prepares young Nigerians for public leadership.
How active were you before Sec Gen, and what led to your nomination and subsequent election as Sec Gen?
After the launch of my book, I was approached by some eminent Agsoba to start warming up for responsibilities within AGSOBA. In 2013, I was elected at a relatively young age as the Secretary of Abeokuta Branch and I served under Agsoba (Honourable) Justice Bode Popoola, JP, FIMC, DA as the President of the Branch. For some strange reasons, we ended spending Six (6) years even though the constitutional limit was four (4) years. All along, I equally served as the Secretary of the 107th, 108th, and 109th Founders Day Anniversary Committee with the kind and unassuming Agsoba W.A Shogbamu (D.A) as the Chairman. I was a member of the Merit Award Committee for six (6) years and a Correspondent to AGSOBANEWS for three (3) years. Permit me to mention that after I relinquished power as the Protem-President of my Club, I became the Chairman of the Education Committee and my Committee was always in the School organising Career Summit for the SSS3 and JSS3 students. We equally organised leadership summit for all the prefects annually. We brought resources persons all across Nigeria to enlighten the students on matters of leadership and career. At this Juncture, I must indeed appreciate my mentor, the then Principal and later Principal-General of Egba Block, Agsoba (Chief) Funsho Olayiwola Ogun DA for giving us the enabling environment. I floated a Prize Award for the Best student in English, English Literature & Government at the valedictory service and was instrumental to the resuscitation of AGSOBA FUNAAB Chapter & Federal Polytechnic Ilaro. In fact, I spoke at some of their Annual Symposia pro bono. This endeavour really gave me and my club a leverage and projected us as the most active young AGSOBA Club. On the account of our activity, my club projected me for the Award of Distinguished Agsoba under the leadership of my President and bosom friend Agsoba (Engr) Samson Akinola Akinrombi. In fact, we started the Agsoba Journey together but he has since relocated to the United State of America. How did I become the Secretary-General? We were at an AGSOBA function sometimes 2015 that the immediate past President-General, Late Agsoba Olatunbosun Lampejo DA called me aside and told me that I will be the next Secretary-General of AGSOBA. This was two (2) years before the AGSOBA National Election. I stylishly countered it with animated eloquence! It happened that while serving as the Secretary of Abeokuta Branch and Secretary of the FDA Committee, I was under close watch. I have this private philosophy that I must put my best in any endeavour. Whilst as the Secretary of Abeokuta Branch, I meticulously ensured that most of my minutes were error-free, and were delivered on time. Punctuality was my watchword! A good Secretary should be the first to get to a meeting and the last person to leave. Later on, I was approached by the Immediate Past Secretary-General, Late Agsoba Taofeek Ola Opaleye DA on the same matter. Agsoba Biodun Durojaiye DA, Diasi Ogunsola DA and Agsoba (Honourable) Justice Bode Popoola, JP, FIMC, DA also called me separately on the matter. Then I knew there was no point contesting my nomination anymore.
You’re the youngest DA yet, how does this make you feel?
Ordinarily, it doesn’t make me feel anyhow. I have this very private opinion that Cucullus Non Facit Monachum (the hood doesn’t make a monk). There are lots of intrigues attached to that honour in the first place. It was a period that Agsoba (Hon) Lanre Laoshe led administration decided that the Award was no longer going to be a la carte. I served as the Secretary of a 5-man Committee that was constituted to look into the Award issue. While some individuals were of the opinion that I was too young to be conferred and should be deferred till sometimes in the future, some other individuals were moved by my imperishable records of service to AGSOBA. On that note, I must indeed appreciate Agsoba (Barrister) Sunday Olurotimi Oduntan DA, my amicus curiae who stood his ground throughout the nomination process knowing fully well the extent of my contributions to Abeokuta Grammar School & AGSOBA. He was also awarded as a Distinguished Agsoba at a relatively young age but he made sure I surpassed his records making me the youngest Distinguished Agsoba both in age and years of leaving Abeokuta Grammar School. I got acquainted to Baamofin Sunday Oduntan through Principal F.O Ogun in one of his visits to Nigeria while serving as the President of the UK Branch then and I have been like a younger brother to him since then. I must also thank my PresidentGeneral, Agsoba (Hon) Lanre Laoshe DA for the overwhelming support too. It takes a lot of hard work to serve a bad boss but serving under him has been quite easy because he was always at his best. My relationship with Agsoba (Hon) Lanre Laoshe DA had been extremely pleasant and cordial. I benefitted largely from his rational views on issue which also made by duties easier and more liberal. He is by far one of the most generous individuals I have ever come across. No money was too big for him in pursuit of his visions for AGSOBA.
Many times, you deliberately ignore using the DA title in your correspondence, what are you afraid of?
Like I said earlier, I have a private resentment for titles but as a Secretary I have an obligatory duty not to joke with other people’s title. I must not mistakenly write OFR as OON. Such mistakes are collateral. I have seen people reject a letter because their names and titles were not properly written. Different strokes for different folks. In my building up, I came across a book titled Standing Naked in the Shower by Nathan Bryce. It changed by perception to life and titles. The total measure of a man is not when he is in his full regalia but when he is naked (in his true element) in the shower. Like Shakespeare wrote “Give me the man, but you can take his clothes. But with the insistence of members of the AGSOBA community, I have adjusted considerably.
Everyone agrees you were such a fast and active Sec Gen, what is your secret?
What was the motivation? My only secret is prioritization – no procrastination! I have a whole lot of responsibilities and I treat them swiftly as they come. My position as the Secretary-General denied me so many things. There are always demands and I am always on the move – that is if really you want to do it well! I am the Chief Messenger of the Association. If my phone rings Forty times a day, AGSOBA is Thirty-Two out if it. I practically have no time for other things. I am always jumping from one meeting to another even though the meeting shouldn’t concern me in the first instance. The fact that I am young added more to my responsibilities. The work of a Secretary-General should be a full-time job like we do with our District-Governor in Rotary. AGSOBA is a large organization with varying interests and temperaments. You just have to cope with all. You have invitations you must honour. I am always at Abeokuta Grammar School that some people even think I am one of their teachers. There are issues, projects, and developments that will necessitate your presence. I have walked the entire boundary of the school (nearly 30 Acres) thrice. I lost friends because I could no longer hang out with them as expected. One day, a friend thought I was only being melodramatic with the schedules of my office, I told him to come along one day and we together attended to issues one after the other for that day. By the time we were done in the evening, he was exhausted, frustrated and became irritable.
Younger ones don’t get involved in Agsoba beyond the fun and reunions of Founder’s Day, how can this be resolved?
The Spirit of service is largely on the decline. People are only interested in fun and economic forces. As the Secretary-General, I have never lobbied for any contract within the fold but the few young ones who came around were merely interested in getting something. We are in a fast generation.
As a young man yourself, what would you say to fellow younger Agsoba about the Association to encourage more active participation from that bucket?
They should look beyond the immediate gratification. As we grow up, we should be building our name and goodwill. These are what will bear witness for us in the future. What looks as a barren land may indeed be a land full of milk and honey. But until we dig to the aquafer, we may not necessarily know what is underneath. AGSOBA has connected me to people from all walks of life. That alone is an asset because it may have future economic benefit. People think as the Secretary-General, I should have made more money but I do not see it that way. I have my own personal challenges but in creating a reputational asset, one must learn to carry his cross with dignity. One thing I know for sure is that service is the pathway to greatness. I encourage us to use our time, talent and thinking for the development of the school. We enjoyed the benevolence of some old Agsoba, the coming generation should enjoy our own too. AGSOBA goes beyond having 1000 messages and winning recharge cards on our Class WhatsApp Group. It calls for higher and dedicated duty.
What are your most memorable moments as the Sec Gen?
Sometimes in July 2020, we had a virtual Central Executive Meeting which dragged into 2am the following morning. Barely One hour forty-five minutes after, the Eight (8) pages minutes of meeting were ready and circulated! This wasn’t the first time but the fastest. Members were flabbergasted, and I received comments in superlative terms. Somehow, out of the litany of encomiums came that of my English Teacher in Junior Secondary School, Agsoba Moneye Soneye DA, and from whom I took over as the Secretary of Abeokuta Branch. His private message to me really moved me to tears. There is no joy as making your teachers proud. Secondly, after the Late PresidentGeneral, Agsoba Olatunbosun Lampejo, the President-General, Agsoba Hon. Lanre Loashe DA nominated me into the Burial Committee set up by His Family. As the only AGSOBA in that Committee, the full weight of the wake-keep service was on me from planning to execution. The Programme really went well and many Agsoba were proud and commended the the execution of the event. Few days later, we rendered the Account to the minute kobo. Yet again, the house was flabbergasted and really commended the report. Looking at these two instances, I feel justified.
What are your lowest moments?
Indeed, there are no lowest moments only that some people use the fact that I am young to insult me and use me as pawn in the game of Chess all in the name of politics and power. But in all these, I have been advised not to contest but maintain my obvious cool. Sometimes it could be hard but that position is more fulfilling and rewarding. This virtue was impressed on me by Agsoba (Pa) W.A Akinbami, a nonagenarian of AGSOBA Club 1945 while still serving as the Secretary of Abeokuta Branch.
Any regrets?
Honestly there are no regrets. Life is an admixture of joy and sorrow. But the fact that older Agsoba are not interested in the welfare and development of the young ones breaks my heart. For any organization to have a sustainable future, it must take care of its man, material, money and machineries.
What next after Sec Gen?
I am still at the service of the Association. However, some people said I will be a better administrator if I have an additional degree in Law. I privately believe too myself because it will give me a better leverage. Although, I have a medical science background but luckily, I have O’level result that qualifies me to study Law. I will like to give it a trial but of course I will be needing sponsors or scholarship. Maybe someday, I could become the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (smiles).
