Meet the most popular and powerful man in Oshogbo

 

Taiwo Abiodun with Esuleke 

…….Politicians should swear with god of iron

…….As a Councilor  I didn’t steal money 

…….. I finished reading Bible and Koran in 1955

………Why they call me The Boy

HIS RESIDENCE

In Oshogbo , Osun State, he is one of the most popular Community leaders .He is loved, feared and respected because of his faithfulness, truthfulness, humility and sincerity .To liars and dishonest people the  Community leader is not loved after all the Yoruba proverb says Olooto eniyan ko n’leni. He is fearless, blunt and speaks the truth , according to him, Esu Deity  does not love a liar and unfaithful person. He care less  about  worldly materials .He assists the needy and in his own way a Philanthropist .That is the life of a six footer  Pa Omokayode Idowu Esuleke  .Esuleke who worships Esu in Oshogbo. He is the Baale of Esu . He professes Esu as his religion. He worships Esu as a god  .His mien and his manners continually expresses    him as an important personage.

Esuleke lives in a  bungalow with his family. On his table are various  books he has published . In some corners of  his house are oil lamps burning , and these lamps  must not quench!.

Going round the the compound is a botanical garden where he planted  shrubs, herbs and roots meant for his profession . There are some    clay pots  on fire where he  produces some of his traditional medicine because he heals as a Traditional doctor .

As he was strolling around on that day  with this reporter the  shouts of The Boy! The Boy!! rent the air, as both the young and the old greeted him. In response, the  highly respected septuagenarian  responded by waving  back. In Oshogbo Community he is loved, respected and honored.  He is   versatile in his field and     the academic  community  had  honoured  him  with the titles of Professor and Doctor. He is and loved by his community. He is  popular and humble .He is kind and a man with large heart. He does not  believe  in lying  or deceit no wonder he is feared by unscrupulous  and people with shady character and loved by honest and sincere people. That is the man, the Baale of Esu in Oshogbo, Pa Omokayode Idowu Esuleke who is the Baale Esu Agbojeniyi of Oshogbo land. He  is the head of all Esu and Egungun worshippers , and   Chairman Board of Traditional Council in Oshogbo. He is well respected and revered .   While everybody was swearing an oath with Holy Bible and Koran Esuleke who was to be sworn in as a Councillor sworn with Ogun , the Yoruba god of Iron .

Esuleke showing his Clay pots and shrubs ,  discussing with Taiwo Abiodun  

 MY  FATHER HAD 23 WIVES

Pa Esuleke said his father  had 23 wives while his mother was the last wife , however Esuleke whose mother was the last wife (23rd) emerged to be the first and only surviving child of the large family.
Esuleke said  his parents were traditional  worshipers , he said ” my father was  powerful  physically and spiritually .He too was the Baale Esuleke , he worshiped Esu . He  married 23 wives and my mother was the last wife. While I am the first and only  surviving child .My late father was so powerful that if  he sent  any of his wives  on errands to fetch water and the woman  felt reluctant  she would have a miscarriage .Or when my father was   angry and only say  ‘Ha! me?’ to any of his wives the woman would suffer miscarriage. But when my mother conceived , a powerful Juju man was consulted and he revealed to them who and the manner of human being I would be. The man asked  my  parents to  give me the name , Esuleke .I inherited the worshiping Esu from my father , he was the (Spiritual head)  Baale Esu , and  Esu worshiper”.

Taiwo Abiodun with Esuleke

DRAMA AT THE SWEARING -IN CEREMONY

Some years back , the old man , Esuleke caused a stir ; when he was to be sworn- in as a Counsellor  in Oshogbo, while other political officers – to – be demanded for the Holy Bible and Holy Koran to swear an oath with but Mr. Omokayode Idowu Esuleke’s case  was different as he shocked everybody when he demanded for cutlass which symbolizes Ogun , the Yoruba god of iron , this was at the swearing -in ceremony of  public officers  when he was among the Councilors  to be sworn -in , in Oshogbo , Osun State few years back .Esuleke rejected the  Holy Bible and  Holy Koran when he was asked to pick , he then opted for  a cutlass .He told this reporter  ” I believe in the Yoruba gods that are effective unlike Holy Books that are slow to react , punish or easily forgive  so  when we were asked to swear an oath I demanded for Ogun the Yoruba  god of Iron , and I was given a cutlass to swear with to the amazement of others .Throughout my tenure in the Council in Oshogbo I  did not steal a kobo while my action forced others to be  loyal, and money was not missed or  reportedly got lost .The record is there  , you can ask”, these were the words of a Septuagenarian who also bears a fearful name , Esuleke ( from Esu) as he said he worships Esu and he is the Baale Esu in Oshogbo.

WHY I AM CALLED ‘THE BOY’
For Esuleke ,his hair had covered his facial marks which could not let him be easily recognized .Esuleke is popular   among his colleagues and among the youths In Oshogbo , he is known and called ‘ The Boy’, but in real sense of it he is a grandfather but  because he plays with everybody thus  his humility earns him the nickname ‘ The Boy‘, he is a man of the people and  like a drama  as he goes about one could see young men and women greeting him and calling him ‘ The Boy’ which did not annoy him but instead thrills him as he would wave his hands  in response .Asked why he called himself ‘The Boy’, Esuleke  said he does not believe he is old , ” whoever claims to be an old man will not enjoy the support of the people, and whoever is looking for his mate should go to the cemetery”, he stated with a laughter .

    WORSHIPING  ESU
In his bungalow which is made of mud-bricks are burning oil lamps that will never quench as the flames go up in all the corners and rooms , he said , pointing ” This is one of the Shrines of Esu , we also have that of Masquerade .While we have other pots where we prepare our herbs too. My compound is full”, he said as he was showing this reporter his  Botanical garden .

To be continued ……

I’ve been sleeping for one hour a day since 2015-Solomon Akinyemi

 

He was in tears and  groaning in pain as he spoke on phone ” I am in pain. I am living in hell. When I visited LASUTH on my appointment date two weeks ago the doctors sent me back home and gave me two months appointment to come back. They accused me of going to the press .Now I need help!”.

I go out  covering this with my cloth  everyday

...LASUTH DOCTORS HAVE MERCY ON ME

……..LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT COME TO MY AID

……… I AM DYING , NIGERIAN LAWYERS, NGOS AND DOCTORS COME TO MY AID

 

For  Solomon Akinyemi  life has become difficult for him as he  has been in pain for the past five years after going through     prostatectomy ( prostate surgery). According to the 63 year- old- man and father of two ,he is asked to pay another 1.2million naira for the fourth surgery. He cried ”where will I get this money? These  doctors made mistake in the first surgery and had  corrected  it two times without success .Now I am going for the fourth    surgery in order  to correct it ”.

 

I am dying

MY FIRST SURGERY

My names are Akinyemi Solomon , I live at 4, Julius Oladele Close, Arigbagbowo  Phase 2, ,Mowe -Ibafo, Ogun State. I had prostatectomy surgery   in Gbagada General Hospital ,Lagos on 26 April, 2016. After the surgery faeces and urine were coming out from where I was cut  , and the doctor asked me to be on admission  for good three months  while I  was  paying the medical bills .  I was  later referred to Lagos State University  Teaching Hospital (LASUTH ), Ikeja  , where colostomy was done for  me , they asked me to pay 180k and I struggled to look for money .

 

 I overheard these doctors  accusing one another   for not doing the correction as early as possible . They pushed me around and were dodging me , shifting responsibility  to one another .

SECOND SURGERY

In June 2017  colostomy surgery was performed on me .I stool through my side ,and catheter was  put on me. I  cannot eat when going out until I come back no matter the time for faeces  would be coming out along with urine. When going out I would wear pampers because urine and faeces could come out at the same time. I wore pampers for two years and when it got to a stage I could not afford to buy it again so if am going out I would not eat but anytime I  get home I would take little tea, and at two o’clock I would eat little till the following day, that is all  .They told me they wanted to correct the surgery”’.

THIRD SURGERY

”In February, 2020  this year again and I was taken to the theatre  and was operated on  but urine was coming out from my anus , it didn’t pass where it should pass. I spent another three weeks in the hospital  and was instructed not to come down from the bed. So I was in the bed for three weeks .I was discharged again but before I got there the  hospital had closed due to COVID 19.  They said they would send a text to me, and promised   they would correct the surgery again ”.

WAITING FOR THE FOURTH SURGERY

Akinyemi said “I had an  appointment  for another surgery on the 26th of October  and I was  asked  bring over one million naira  to do it. .When I got to the hospital  two weeks ago the doctors were avoiding me like plague. They accused me of going to the press to expose them, and in annoyance without mercy gave me another three months of appointment!”

”There was a time   I overheard these doctors  blaming one another   for not doing the correction as early as possible , they pushed me around and were dodging me , shifting responsibilities on  one another .

”The catheter has been in my body   since 2015 when it was passed into my body .The doctor who operated on me in Gbagada was said to have traveled out

PAINS, INSOMNIA AND …

Solomon said he hardly sleep, and had not been comfortable for the past five years. His words “I  can’t sleep ,I only sleep for  one or two hours , the rest hours would be pains , and pains .I would sleep for one or two hours then wake up listening to the radio by force because of the pain. I have vowed not to commit suicide for God will blame me. The sight of my openings are gory for me to see not to talk of others seeing it. My wife is a school teacher ,and her salary  is nothing to write home about as she teaches in a private school”.

 

He displayed the hospital cards .” I have all the hospital cards. I am bringing the cards for they could deny seeing me. When I get there in the morning I would leave by 6:30 pm , it’s not that they are going to give me drug. I have been taught how to treat the wound and  I  am treating it at home ..”.

WIFE

” My name is Adenike Akinyemi  I am the wife of Solomon .We were first advised not to go to government hospital because of some instances like this which were either not reported or underreported  but believing we have experts and experienced doctors we opted for the government hospital aside that we  cannot afford the bills of  private hospital for the surgery as and  for fear of quacks and believing that Government hospital has the equipment and medical experts in the area made us go to Gbagada General Hospital for the prostate surgery. Imagine the fatal error , after the operation he spent three weeks in the hospital where the doctor tried to correct the surgery, and we still paid!. This man does not sleep at night, he cannot do any work not to talk of the excruciating pains he goes through everyday since 2015. I am begging the Lagos State government and the LASUTH  management to come to our aid .We have no money again .We have exhausted our savings. We have sold our landed property in Lagos cheaply n order to use it for his surgery But see what happened now. .Our children are not working .

DAUGHTER  CRIES OUT TOO

Miss  Olayinka Solomon  who is the daughter of the  man said ” it is disheartening to see my father crying everyday like a baby at night . He cannot eat or drink water like any other human being. It is almost five years  he has been on this, his prostate is not cancerous according to the doctor’s report but see what they have done to my father, from surgery to complication .I  am pleading to the LASUTH to call experts in surgery ,good surgeons and correct this error .Yes , I know doctors bury their mistake but this one is not yet buried , so therefore they should correct the mistake .We have no money to pay, the LASUTH should find solution to it .We are not suing  anybody but please we don’t have over one million naira to correct the surgery again” She pleaded to the Lagos State government and Commissioner for Health to wade into this matter. She said ” I am not accusing anybody ,We are not saying they did this or did that but here is a human being groaning in pains everyday. Have a look at the gory pictures when he is not dead .I am jobless and my sister is a Youth Corps Member. Please help us . We are poor and we cannot afford the bill LASUTH asked us to pay again .

Mrs. Duni Akinwale who is a sister to the patient said ” we have borrowed and borrowed money . Does it mean the poor has to suffer  and pay for  the negligence of the doctors?. Is this how he would be abandoned by these doctors who caused damage on him?”. 

Lagos State Government  Hospital Registration  card number 246739              ( Urology Unit)

Lagos State Teaching Hospital , Ikeja Registration  card number: 382463

Please help

 

Solomon Akinyemi Bejamin

GTB 0463114798

Phone number is 07038489154