The persona, the exploit and the unexpected fall-out were stuffs myths are made of.
For one, Muibi was a name almost unheard of.
That he found N5million naira forgotten in his Taxi and returned it was ‘cock and bull’.
And that as a result of this his exploit; he was rubbished and not celebrated was unbelievable.
None of the above rang real. More like fiction. Stranger than fiction you would say. Only that it happened here in Ibadan in 1971, the year of our Lord!
Muibi Shonubi as strange as he and his story sounded was no myth. He lived and he is still living…
My generation ‘woke up’ to the then ‘infamous’ radio commercial of the ‘Muibi o je’gun mo’yan, o gb’owo ohun fun’joba’ in Alabi Ogundepo’s unmistakable high-pitched voice.
But each time the infomercial was played you heard people around uttering expletives. Olori-buruku was the least of it.
If you behaved slow or stupid beyond your allocated ration, they nicknamed you Muibi! Over time, what stuck was; you are an irredeemable fool if you behaved like Muibi. Sad!
We were confused. My generation was confused. How can somebody do something so valiant and reap so much opprobrium. It was in search of our mental sanity that my generation conveniently ‘mythify’ the Muibi reality. Or do we call it conundrum.
Muibi.
Yet Nigeria was and yet is in dire need of an icon like Muibi!
Thankfully last month, the ace broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat and his Agidigbo FM unearthed Muibi and after 50 years dressed him in his deserved clothe of honour and dignity.
It was at the occasion of Agidigbo FM anniversary celebration. The governor of Oyo state Seyi Makinde was on hand to hand the valiant Muibi an award. Oriyomi Hamzat placed the man on a monthly salary for the rest of his life!
Very commendable.
The BBC ran a documentary of his life. His exploit was properly situated and projected. Alas Nigeria has moved on.
Such story no longer resonates with us. It didn’t resonate in the 70s, much less now! Nigeria is irredeemable. We hate such stories!
We love our stories of overnight wealth. We love wealth without labour. We worship the rich. And it doesn’t matter how.
Get rich or die trying…
We adore our corrupt politicians. Our reprobate businessmen. We condone the money ritualists and their yahoo boys counterparts. We honour them with awards and titles.
They are our Baba Ijo and Baba Addini.
Whosai! When money talks, virtue takes back seat. ‘Olowo ni a ku’re’. More so, ‘oro t’owo ba se ti, ile l’o n’gbe’, goes some of our most popular street talks or are they proverbs?
Yet we are in this ditch as a nation in desperate need of redemption. But we remained irredeemable!
According to the BBC documentary; Simply on the account of this noble act, himself and his wife were beaten publicly many times on the streets and in the markets. Muibi and his wife was hounded out of town. Their lives became hell. They had to sneak like fugitives into a village in Ijebu to safe their hides. Nigeria!
As it was in the 70s, it is now.
How would you ask your Presidential candidates to cough out a whooping N100m to buy form (possibly the least of all electoral requirements) and expect him to rule in righteousness and not be highjacked by his financial backer.
No wonder we are here. A failed nation!
Not until Muibi and his exploits became acceptable as a national moral pointer; not until we stopped worshipping money and sudden wealth. Not until our mosques and churches began to reject odious tithes and offering are we ready to rise from this gross ash of our self inflicted destruction.
Not until we bring Muibi Shonubi back!
Then we can conquer banditry, kidnapping, robbery, money ritual and yahoo enterprises.
Or until we all become MUIBI!
*Kayode Adejumo-Bello,*
Professional Biographer and Creative writer.
Member, Biographers International Organisation
