By: Òtuńba Oláídé Ęmíolá Òshífęso.
Ain’t I so lucky? I consider myself very. The essence is I knew Brother Jimi Solanke and made acquaintanceship of him, though briefly.
His style of art and dedication to it inspired and awed me on occasions that we met.
He was a great songwriter, musician, dramatist, storyteller, actor and a complete embodiment of what is called Arts and Culture.
Brother Jimi loved Africa his roots to a fault. He had opportunities to excel immensely in the United States during his sojourn there. After his brief introduction of the African nativity to his American audience, he ignored the opportunities given him there for further enrichment of African culture at home. He believed in Nigeria. He believed in our culture and imparted his skills positively to improve the young audiences through the electronic media.
He entertained the adults too with his richly composed lyrics derived from the honeywell of Yoruba culture.
You cannot but admire Brother Jìmí Şólàńkę in his partake of great drama films written by Professor Wole Şóyínká such as Kong’s Harvest, Sango, Death and The King’s Horseman and others where he demonstrated his talents and proved his versatility and creativity.
I remember one of his humours on his endearment to Professor Woke Soyinka. He said “Professor Soyinka taught me how to drink and value wine and I taught him how to eat Àparò (roasted bush fowl) in return.
No doubt that the Professor would miss his dear friend as he too would reminisce on the good times he had with Brother Jìmí at work and leisurely.
The last encounter, that I had with Brother Jìmí on stage was when
he performed for a friend of his, who was a former Minister of State for Water Resources at Osun State during a funeral ceremony at the turn of the millennium.
Brother Jìmí performed his genre of music to the elite audience holed in the air-conditioned tent.
I watched in awe and was captivated to the steady rhythm of his music flow for not less than two hours acoustic performance.
I wondered then how he could just continue to flow endlessly with his brand of music at that age of his.
Well, Brother JÌmÍ had come to the stage of life as an illustrious Ijebu man whose emphasis was pure professionalism of his career above all else.
The curtain on his stage life of life where he performed for 81 years from birth to deceased is drawn.
To his immediate family, my condolence is given even though I know you will wish he is ever around.
To us Ijebu people, Mo kÍ dede ęni fo à kú ara fę ara kù. Ęja ńlá ti lo kúrò nínú omi, Àràbà ńlá ya lo ní ijù. Kí Olórun bá ęni tę woń si afęfę rere. Amin!
To the Ogun State public, this is a moment of grief that doubles as moment of reflection on how best we need to conduct ourselves in the course of the one life given us.
To the nation, Nigeria. My sympathy to compatriots for the demise of the great man who chose to raise us as children with his skills in the media by telling us stories that somehow shaped our outlook to life. In addition, he performed skillfully to put us in lighter mood with his drama and songs.
To our Creator God, it is yet incomprehensible to me sir on occasion as this that we are usually not informed on the days we have left to live before we depart this world. If we are privileged to know, we would always rally round to delight the one who is departing before their departure.
That would have given us time to entertain Brother Jimi before he departed. Nonetheless we are happy that you are our God.
Farewell, Brother Jimi!
Òtuńba Olaáídé Ęmíola Òshífęsò.
Òtuńba ‘Tuńwàşę of Jògá-Orílé, Yéwá-land.
