I was President of the Students Union at the university that year. I set out on a trip together with a few members of my executive team. One person I remember very clearly was my General Secretary, Edward Eddy Vijay Femi Adekunle, popularly known as Eddy Okonta, who is now a Professor of Mechatronics at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti.
Eddy was an exceptional driver. He could drive almost anything, including trailers and trucks, so he naturally became the driver of our Students’ Union bus, which we proudly named Aluta Missiles.
I don’t know why we chose to set out at night. The roads were much safer then, though. It must have been around 11pm when the bus developed an electrical fault and the headlights suddenly went off. We brought out our torchlights and kept moving. We were on the old Oyo–Ogbomoso Road.
I don’t know why we chose to set out at night. The roads were quite safer then, though. It must have been around 11pm, but the bus developed some electrical problems and the headlights went off. We brought out torchlights and kept on driving. It was on the old Oyo-Ogbomoso road. After a while, the bus developed a mechanical fault around Ilora and came to a complete stop in the middle of the expressway. We managed to push it to the side of the road and, believe it or not, we spent the night sleeping inside the bus while trailers whirled past us.
I recall some of the demonstrations (Aluta) we had during those times. On one occasion, my Vice President climbed a police vehicle and stomped on the bonnet. I salute the restraints of the Area Commander of the Nigerian Police that day. A few of the things we did bordered on recklessness and I guess we were truly lucky to have gotten away most times unharmed.
There are some risks you can only take when your responsibilities are few and your courage is high. Don't wait until life convinces you to play it safe. Share on XAn incident I will remember for the rest of my life was during the Abacha days. MKO Abiola was in custody and there were demonstrations all over the nation. I led students to demonstrate in LAUTECH. The mobilisation was effective and we brought Ogbomoso to a halt while cutting off the traffic northbound on the main expressway linking the North of the country to the South.
The demonstration went on for days. Abacha deployed soldiers to quell the riots. We had just set up a bonfire at a point in an area close to Kara in Ogbomoso. We sang all manner of songs. I was right at the forefront and engrossed when suddenly I felt everything went quiet on me. I looked up and saw a soldier with leaves on his head. His gun was pointed at my chest. He was barely 20 metres from me. I looked back and saw all the students I led had fled in various directions. Even Eddy had driven off our Aluta Missiles bus. I was alone with the soldier with his gun pointed at me.
In times of danger, nothing works faster than the brain. I never paid so much attention to logic when we were taught but this was one situation I knew that I understood that subject. I knew I couldn’t afford to be arrested by the soldier. Arrest meant I might disappear for life. It was a catch-22 situation. At that time, I felt helpless. All my aluta was based on our collective might. I decided to make a run for it knowing that I could be shot. I turned my back and ran. But I ran in a zigzag manner, half-heartedly hoping that the soldier would miss his target if he took a shot.
Now, this is where it becomes almost unbelievable and I kid you not. Eddy Okonta had left me behind as he drove the bus but I ran and caught up with the bus. It was the race of my life. It was a race of life. It was a race for life. As I jumped on the bus while in motion and hung on the bus, I looked back, and to my chagrin, I saw the soldier seated in the middle of the road, clutching his belly and having a good laugh. The soldier laughed at me!
We went to another location. I shouted a few “Great Nigerian Students!” and then disappeared into the crowd. I remembered my father’s counsel:
“If you’re faced with an elephant and you have the support of others, take a risk by firing a shot, but if you’re alone, rethink your strategy.” (Bí ó bá kọ ojú sí ọ, kí o tá; ṣùgbọ́n tó bá ku ìwọ nìkan, tún èrò rẹ pa).
I went to a secluded location to have a good sleep.
I could go on and on about the kind of risks I took when I was younger. We did so many things without batting an eyelid. We behaved as if we had extra lives. Nothing was too difficult. Nothing was impossible. We lived as if we owned the world.
I look at my life now and I discover I dimension risks before taking them. I follow logic rather than following my heart. I now consider those who depend on me. It’s no longer about myself alone. I’m certainly not risk averse but I am more calculating. I am no longer impulsive. I take time to consider my options. Sometimes, I over-analyse.
When you're young, you often believe nothing can stop you. Years later, you realise life has taught you to calculate every move. What happened in between? Share on XIt is not entirely my fault. I just read a random article which explained my situation and that of many others. One’s dopamine levels decrease with age. The older you get, the lower it gets. According to an online article, “Dopamine controls risk-taking by shaping how the brain processes rewards, uncertainty, and motivation. It acts as a chemical signal that drives reward-seeking behavior, alters how people weigh potential wins against losses, and influences choices under pressure.” So it is not entirely the fault of the older generation if we are not as responsive in many situations. Don’t blame us. Blame dopamine.
I, however, encourage people to set out early. Take your risks early. Fail early. Try that business early. Love early. Take a chance on life as early as possible. Before your appetite is gone. Don’t postpone living. Laugh. Love. Live. Make your mistakes early. When you make mistakes early, you often have the opportunity to correct them and a lifetime to learn from them. You have a higher chance to succeed if you start early. Before dopamine decline kicks in.
Ecclesiastes 12:2-5 New Century Version:
“When you get old, the light from the sun, moon, and stars will grow dark; the rain clouds will never seem to go away. At that time your arms will shake and your legs will become weak. Your teeth will fall out so you cannot chew, and your eyes will not see clearly. Your ears will be deaf to the noise in the streets, and you will barely hear the millstone grinding grain. You’ll wake up when a bird starts singing, but you will barely hear singing. You will fear high places and will be afraid to go for a walk. Your hair will become white like the flowers on an almond tree. You will limp along like a grasshopper when you walk. Your appetite will be gone…”