By Bolaji Tunji

OLABISI Ajala. The name may not readily ring a bell to the younger generation of Nigerians, but the older generation would certainly
remember him as the happy-go-lucky bearded globe-trotter and socialite who put the nation on the world map, as he traversed the globe on his motor scooter. Ajala explored the unexplored and charted the hitherto uncharted areas of the world. He wined and dined with heads of state and leaders including the late Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, first Republic Prime Minister of Nigeria; the late Paudit Nehru of India; the late Abdel Nasser of Egypt; the late Golda Meir of Israel; the late Marshall Ayub Khan of Pakistan; the late President Makarios of Greece; the late General Ignatuis Acheampong of Ghana and the late Odinga Oginga, one-time vice-president of Kenya. The list, indeed, is endless.

But on the February 2, 1999, the man fondly known as "Ajala travel" died. He died in penury. The world famous Ajala died unsung and
unrecognised. His grave in central Lagos is no different from any other. For more than a year, Ajala suffered. He had a stroke which paralysed
his left limb. But his army of children were not there to give him succour. He only had two of them around, Olaolu Ajala, a 20-year-old
student of Baptist Academy, Lagos, and Bolanle Ajala, his 17-year-old daughter who had just finished her senior secondary education at the
Baptist High School, Bariga, Lagos. With him also in his last hour was another teenager, 14-year-old Wale Anifowoshe. Wale was especially fond of him. He kept all Ajala's money, the little there was.

Some of his children who could not be with him include Dante, Femi, Lisa and Sydney all of whom are based in Australia. They are the
children of his Australian wife, Joan. Some of his other children are also spread around the globe. There are Taiwo and Kehinde in the United States as well as Bisola in England. But all were not around to bid their father a final goodbye except Olaolu and Bolanle.

Indeed, it is a sad end for a man whose scooter is now a national monument. None of his numerous wives was around to bid him goodbye to
the world beyond. His first wife, Alhaja Sade, could not find time during the year-long sickness of her husband until he finally died.
She lives in Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos. "We told her that he was sick and she told us she would come, but we never saw her," Olaolu said.

He was not sure whether she is aware that her husband is dead. Joan, only got in touch with him through correspondence. There are also Mrs.
Toyin Ajala in England and Mrs. Sherifat Ajala, mother of his last daughter, Bolanle. But they were not around to tend to the man when he was battling with his sickness. A neighbour in Bariga who spoke on condition of anonymity said: "He
could have survived if he had had adequate care." Adequate care was indeed far from the late globe-trotter. In no other place was this manifested than his residence, a rented apartment in a two-storey building on Adenira Street, Bariga.

Climbing two flights of stairs to the top floor, one is immediately confronted with the way life had treated Ajala. A passage leads into a 16-by-12 feet sitting room. The sitting room, devoid of carpet has a table with about five locally made iron chairs in a corner. This, the reporter gathered, serves as the dining table. An old black and white television set sits uncomfortably in all ill-constructed shelf. The cushion on the sofa hurts the buttock as it has become flat. The curtains on the windows of the two bedroom flats show signs of old age. It is indeed a story
of penury.

But his two children in Nigeria still hold fond memories of their father. They eagerly answered questions and consulted calendars to give precise dates which they had marked on the calendar. The mantle of responsibility falls on Olaolu who printed the poster that gave the
details of his father's death. Narrating the last days of his father, Olaolu told {The Guardian On Saturday} that he had a stroke on June 18, last year. "On that day, I had gone to school. When I came back, he told me he fell down on the balcony. We went to call a doctor about three blocks away. It was the doctor who told us that he had a stroke."

According to Olaolu, medications were prescribed. "We bought the drugs and we followed the doctor's instruction that we should allow him to
rest." The doctor, who came from a private hospital further advised the children to get their father a physiotherapist. "We got one for him at
the Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital and he was always coming home to give him therapy. And we noticed that he was getting better."

But the picture changed after three months of home medication. "After three months, we realised that he had relapsed. He was able to walk if
he held on to someone. But this suddenly stopped. He could no longer walk." That was when divine intervention came from a family friend, Morufu Ojikutu, who arrived from Germany. "He advised that we should take him to the hospital when he saw his condition. He also gave us money for his treatment," Olaolu said.

The reporter gathered that what really stopped the ailing Ajala from going to the hospital was the lack of funds. Says Olaolu: "When he got
sick, he did not have money but later my sisters and mum sent in some money for his treatment. And it is this that we spent to keep
ourselves together." But Bolanle chipped in that at times, money sent to their father doesn't get to him. "Brother Femi (his second son) sent him £500 but he never received it and that was what he was harping on until he
died", she said.

In spite of the lack of funds, Olaolu believes that he died because he did not get quick medical attention. "When Mr. Ojikutu came, it was
already too late. I think he also knew he was about to die and he did not want to die at home. That was why he insisted that he should be
taken to the hospital." Ajala eventually ended up at the General Hospital, Ikeja. "He was there for 11 days. Prior to his death, his younger sister also deposited money with an aunt at the hospital to take care of him," Olaolu said. It was gathered that before his death, Ajala had demanded that his relatives should bring a more comfortable chair, radio and orange
juice. "But when the things were taken to him on February 2, he was already dead," Olaolu said.

According to Wale, who was with him in the hospital, Ajala had been restless since the weekend before his eventual death. "When he first
got to the hospital on January 25, he was always playing and joking with the people in the ward. But from Sunday, January 30, he could not
breathe very well. He was always breathing through the mouth until he died on Tuesday, February 2," Olaolu said.`

`Ajala explored the unexplored and charted the hitherto uncharted areas of the world. He wined and dined with heads of state and leaders including the late Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, first Republic Prime Minister of Nigeria; the late Paudit Nehru of India; the late Abdel Nasser of
Egypt; the late Golda Meir of Israel; the late Marshall Ayub Khan of Pakistan; the late President Makarios of Greece; the late General Ignatuis Acheampong of Ghana and the late Odinga Oginga, one-time vice-president of Kenya. The list, indeed, is endless.`

Well to everyman, there is an appointed time to be born and to die. Let us have plans for our lives. He had alot of women in his life probably from the hay days of globe trotting. Accumulating women can never assure you of commitment from them. He wasn't loyal to them, picking them one after the other like oranges, that was why they didn't see the need to be with him.

Why should I judge him? Every man has his own destiny.

hmmm, what a great man, maybe thats how he is destined to die

R.I.P. OLabisi.. 'AjaLa Travelled All Over the World' I remember Juju Music Commander Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi,sang Ajala's Praise in the '70's.Hmm..after all he's pioneering travel/tourism work,our Nig'& Lagos state Govt's could have EMPLOYED he's Services,as a Knowledgeable,Tourism Adviser/Cosultant? Late OLabisi Ajala,Travelled to,FarFLung Countries,like AustraLia,isreal,Middle East,etc in the 60's & 70's when Middle Class Westerners (whiteys) didn't have the Cash or CLue,to go fort..Hmm..O.AjaLa!..SLeep in the Bossom of the Lord.Just Like my Mentor FeLa-the Mercurial Maverick (Abami.1) 'You made your Mark,on the sand of Times' ReaL Recognise & Reespect ReaL! LLaKoJa Esq.

dealslip:
Well to everyman, there is an appointed time to be born and to die. Let us have plans for our lives. He had alot of women in his life probably from the hay days of globe trotting. Accumulating women can never assure you of commitment from them. He wasn't loyal to them, picking them one after the other like oranges, that was why they didn't see the need to be with him.

I agree. It would seem like a lot of one-time celebrities fail to manage their fame well enough in anticipation of the unforeseeable future, be they in sports or entertainment. Such is life. Smh. All the same RIP.

rip... great lession to d living...investment as an igbo man

Ajala Travel

The dynamics of existence is very sublime. Irrespective of who or what we are, we will eventually go the way of all mortals. Hence, it is important that we all plan and make the most of our limited time on earth. Also, his story should be a lesson for us on personal wealth management. Hoes aint loyal. It's a shame that many guys spend bulk of their money just trying to get laid when their mates are building houses and investing into their future. A word is enough for the wise

The poster above me has said it all..Life is a huge mystery.. we never can tell of what tomorrow v for us regardless of any flamboyant life we live today..

What did he gain at the end with all the travels and siring of children with different women?
Men living lives that they later regret in old age.A lesson to the boisterous youths.