By Ologeh Joseph Chibu
Nigerians are set to mark the 10th Anniversary of Brigadier Banjamin Adekunle’s death.
The event will take place at Ogbomosho, the birthplace of the war hero known by the name Black Scorpion.
Adekunle was the mystery man of the Nigerian civil war whose leadership of the Third Marine Commando led to the eventual surrender of Biafra.
Irohinodua was informed that this will be the first time the general’s anniversary will be celebrated by diverse groups, reflecting on his complex legacy as both a war hero and a figure linked to mass killings of Igbos during the Nigerian Civil War.
The key event of the anniversary will be the inaugural Benjamin Adekunle Memorial Leadership Lecture, scheduled to take place on September 18, 2024, at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. Dr. Olayinka Oyegbile, a renowned journalist, playwright, and media scholar, will deliver the maiden lecture under the theme, “Ogbomoso Military Gallantry and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
General Adekunle, who commanded the formidable 3rd Marine Commando during the civil war, played a significant role in recapturing territories in the Southeast and South-South that had fallen under the control of Biafran forces. He passed away on September 13, 2014, at the age of 78 in Lagos.
In addition to Dr. Oyegbile, notable speakers at the lecture will include Professor Omotoye Olorode and Rear Admiral Jacob Ajani (rtd). Special guests and hosts for the event will be the Chairmen of Ogbomoso South and North Local Governments.
According to a statement by Mrs. Busola Olagunju (née Adekunle) on behalf of the family, key dignitaries expected to attend include Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the Soun of Ogbomosoland Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, former Oyo State Governor General Oladayo Popoola, and Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, among others.
The week-long remembrance activities will begin on Friday, September 13, 2024, with a private Anglican service for family and close friends, followed by a Golf Kitty on Saturday, September 14, at the Ogbomoso Recreation Club. On Sunday, September 15, a service will be held at St. David’s Anglican Cathedral, Ogbomoso, with a commemorative lunch hosted by Sir Olusegun Adekunle, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary, on behalf of the Adekunle family.
As a tribute to the philanthropic legacy of their late father, the Adekunle family has planned a ‘Support our Vulnerable Initiative’ for Tuesday, September 17, where palliatives such as food, clothing, school bags, and exercise books will be distributed to vulnerable groups, including widows, the blind, and the elderly, at the Soun’s Palace.
The anniversary celebrations will conclude with a novelty football match on September 18 between the Black Scorpion FC and the Valiant Football Team at the Soun Stadium, Ogbomoso.
