Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Director-General of National Youth Service Corps NYSC has paid a courtesy visit to the ailing Professor Oluwole Adetiran, who composed the scheme’s anthem in 1984.
Baba Adetiran, as he is commonly known, was serving as the General Music Director of the Celestial Church of Christ, CCC, until he was brought down on his knees and bedridden for chronic prostrate cancer and some other ailments.Leading a high-powered delegation of the NYSC to the residence of Professor Adetiran, who recently turned 74, at Ibafo in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun, after learning through the social media on Saturday that he was seriously ill. “I just got to know about five days ago through a Good Samaritan who posted the message on the social media. I decided to follow up on the phone number that was dropped on the social media report, made my investigations and decided to come here from Abuja to visit him”, Shuaib Ibrahim reportedly said, stating that the he thought that the man deserved to be honoured with a visit.
Ibrahim described Adetiran as a patriotic Nigerian whose contributions to the scheme through the composition of the anthem could not be quantified in monetary terms and which would live beyond him. According to him, the wordings of the anthem were quite philosophical and had continued to be a source of inspiration to serving and past corps members that they should put the nation first wherever they found themselves. He then urged the corps members to continue to meditate on the wordings of the anthem so as to be propelled continually to render selfless service and be agents of unity for the country. “The wordings of the anthem have been so inspiring to our corps members and you will observe that they are everywhere serving the nation. The corps members are always involved in the conduct of elections and population census, while their contributions during the heat of COVID-19 pandemic and other national assignments have been tremendous. This visit is partly to encourage our corps members and our youths that when you serve and honour your country, your country will not forget you”, he said.
Ibrahim reportedly presented an undisclosed cash gift to the ailing Adetiran, assuring that NYSC would not abandon him in his trying period. He also pledged that Adetiran’s photograph would be conspicuously placed in the newly-built NYSC museum in Abuja.
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In response, Pa Adediran, who betrayed emotions, said that his heart leapt for joy at the sight of the powerful delegation from NYSC. He explained that he had been battling multiple diseases including hypertension, diabetes and prostate cancer since 2018, and appreciated God for remembering him after years of his labout of love. “I thank God for opening a book of remembrance concerning me for my labour of love,” he said.
Pa Adetiran, who rendered the anthem with a special choir, then commended the D.G for the visit which he considered as a mark of honour.Wole Adetiran had served in various capacities for decades. In 2010, he facilitated the birth of the Celestial Church of Christ Academy of Music and Music Technology, being the first Monotechnic in Nigeria. The Academy was born out of necessity and intention of the Rector, Dr. Oluwole Adetiran of having a Music Academy for the Christendom, and has since graduated over 500 students. Students who graduated from the Academy, also continued in other Universities to study Music in their department. Apart from training student to be Musicologists, the Academy also encourages them to write professional exams in Royal School of Music, London and at the Muson Centre Lagos, Nigeria.
Professor Adetiran was Jamb Music-Examiner for about 15 years, and an official Musicologist for both Oyo State and Federal Governments between 1987 and 1997.