•President, Hon. (Barr.) TAJUDEEN JAIYEOLA AGORO
Eko Club is one of the pre-eminent social clubs in Lagos. It started out as a socio-cultural club made up of successful Lagos indigenes (Omo Eko) in 1974 in Isale Eko, and since then, the club has grown in leaps and bounds to become the great club it is today.
In this interview, with City People Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE, the current President of Eko Club, Hon. (Barrister) Tajudeen Jaiyeola Agoro reveals a bit about the story of the club. Below are excerpts.
What has your experience been as President of Eko Club?
I say Alhamudulliai! Alhamudulliai! Why do I say this? Because we started on a very rough note, precisely on the 1st of March 2021, when I was sworn in as the 21st President of Eko Club. Before my swearing in, there was a protracted crisis in the club, a crisis that was unnecessary. Why did I say it was unnecessary?
Because the man that benefitted from the ammendment of the constitution of Eko Club, to the effect of having a body, that Great Body, that revered body, called The Guardian Council, was the 1st person to take steps that was almost bringing down the club, having been so elected by them, as the 19th President. So, many things happened at that time. But God being a merciful God, supported us and was with, and is still with, the founding fathers of this great club. They are 93. I am talking of the 93 of them. Those 93 wise men that Almighty Allah gave the wisdom, the knowledge and the understanding to be able to put things together when they were in their late 20s, early 30s when this great club, Eko Club was started at my Uncle’s shop, late Alhaji Sikiru Agoro, a.k.a. Father, a.k.a. Boy Liverpool, on Bishops Street in Lagos Island. May God continue to bless his memories and of course, those of them that started the club together, that are no more today.
But because God was with them when they started, God is still with them till today. Dead or alive, those of them who started the club, they were able to overcome those challenges.
When we came to power, we were locked out of the club for about 2 months, for no just reason. Remember that we went to court to challenge the sealing of the club, the illegal sealing of the club, by the Nigeria Police, and Akeem Odumosu as The Commissioner of Police.
We got a judgement against the Nigeria Police, yet the judgement was not respected until God intervened on the 24th of April 2021, when the club was opened and by 25th of April, 2021 we had a Ramadan Lecture. It was during Ramadan period and we had a statutory programme of having Ramadan Lectures Tabil on a yearly basis during Ramadan. By 25th of April, 2021, we had our first Ramadan Lecture which I took responsibility for. That was the dark days of Eko Club. Watch my choice of words: Dark Days of Eko Club and I pray that Almighty Allah, in his infinite mercy will never allow us to witness such again. It was a very needles crisis.
You were elected for a 2 year tenure, you have completed your 2 year tenure, you are not supposed to stand for another election, but because of their magnanimity, the Guardian Council, allowed you to stand for another election. You contested the election and you lost. Yet you still wanted to do abracadabra, to do 3rd term. Everybody knows all over the world that whenever you think of 3rd term you want to cause destraction to that organisation, or society.
But, I will continue to say it, the founding fathers of Eko Club started on a very positive, and with clean, clear mind, hence, what Eko Club has turned to today, is an edifice to the envy of a lot of people. I make bold to say that.
I joined Eko Club over 20 years ago and since I joined Eko Club, I have lost count of the values that Eko Club has added personally to me, Tajudeen Jaiyeola Agoro. There are a lot of people that I know. Those great values.
Who do we thank? Its God that made it possible, using those 93 people that started the club, who had the foresight to start the club.
It is a pity we have lost quite a number of them. I just continue to pray for them that may their memories continue to be blessed. And in fact the Almighty Allah should continue to bless those of them that are still alive and keep them for us in good health, because they love this club. This club is a very significant, and integral part of their lives. They put everything they had into this club. I mean Everything, I know what I am talking about. I will speak like this because of where I am coming from.
Without being ungrateful to Almighty Allah, I happen to be the only person, a member of Eko Club, that has been the Secretary of the club twice. And by my professional calling, I love reading. I associate a lot with the elders. I drink from their fountain of knowledge. I discovered that, not a single one of the founding fathers of Eko Club, did not pay one price or the other to get Eko Club to where it is. They paid a lot of price. If they sit you down and tell you the price they had to pay, you will then appreciate where they are coming from, and why they protect it jealously, like a new born baby.
Since Eko Club started in 1974, the club has never gone to anybody to borrow one kobo, talk less of a bank. Look around Eko Club and see the edifice that we have. It is always through joint and collective efforts that Eko Club has got to where it is.
I am the 3rd beneficiairy of the Guardian Council. The 1st man I told you about him, is Chief Rasheed Babatunde Fanimokun. I pray that God will touch his heart to see the reason why he has to retrace his steps. Let me repeat myself. I pray that Almighty Allah will touch his heart to see the reason why he needs to retrace his steps. It was after him that we had Dr. Sharashideen Ade Dosumu.
That was the 20th President. Then, my coming in. And by the Grace of God, all things being equal, by 28th of February, I will be out of this place as President. By the Grace of God, I will continue to use this club, because I enjoy every part of this club. Whenever I am in Eko Club, I feel at home. I feel relaxed.
I take away all these pressures of work. I do what is called real unwinding. I will have things to laugh about, smile, joke, dance, discuss issues that can add value to lives.
Don’t forget we are very religious people here. We appreciate what God has done for this club. That is why we do not only hold Ramadan Lectures, but Christian Carols of 9 Lessons.
The last one we had was sponsored by a member.
That is one thing about Eko Club. Most of the activities of the club, somebody will just come and say I want to sponsor it.
I want to do this. I want to do that. That is what happens in Eko Club.
All of them, from the founding fathers to the new members. What I am I trying to say?
We don’t have anything to say, as far as I am concerned, as the 21st President of Eko Club, appreciating where we were coming from, but to continue to say Alhamudulliai. Thank you God. Thank you God.
I then pray that Almighty Allah who has always been the one guiding The Guardian Council will continue to guide the Guardian Council, so that the choice they will make, after my exit as the 22nd President of Eko Club, will be a choice that will be commensurate to the expectations of people and even far beyond the expectations. So that we would continue to have positive trajectory of the Growth and Developmental Progress of Eko Club. That is my prayer. And I know that Almighty Allah will make that happens, because he is the one that has the power to make things happen. We just make efforts. That is what I will say for now.
