Fortunate Orimisan Aiyedatiwa: What’s in a Identify? by Nafisat Bello

Fortunate Orimisan Aiyedatiwa: What’s in a Identify? by Nafisat Bello

Nigeria is a various nation with over 250 ethnic teams, every with its personal distinctive tradition, language and custom. Many of those ethnic teams together with indigenous cultures all over the world place nice significance on the names given to their youngsters as names usually mirror historic, cultural, or spiritual significance.

Naming is a vital instrument used amongst varied African cultures to convey sure messages, both to a person, members of the family or a group. Therefore, cultures the world over possess naming methods that say one thing about their identification, historical past and epistemology. Over time, naming is commonly impressed by vital cultural occasions, bedtime tales, supernatural beings, or outstanding ancestors. This pushes many dad and mom to specific their spiritual beliefs by names whereas some take it additional than others.

Whereas it’s not doable to supply a precise rely, as there are numerous components that affect the significance of names inside completely different tribes, listed below are few tribes that prioritise and place significance on names:
· Yoruba: The Yoruba tribe strongly values names and their meanings as a result of names they imagine mirror cultural heritage, household lineage, and so forth. Yoruba names usually have non secular or symbolic associations and will convey blessings, aspirations, or character traits.
· Igbo: The Igbos additionally connect nice significance to names. They usually derive which means from private experiences, household historical past, cultural references, and so forth. Every identify has particular significance and tells a narrative.
· Hausa: The Hausas maintain names in excessive esteem as a result of it usually displays the Islamic affect and will have spiritual significance. They usually convey needs for luck, blessings or attributes that oldsters need for his or her youngsters.
· Kanuri: The Kanuri additionally considers names vital because it usually displays their cultural heritage, Islamic affect or household historical past.
· Efik/Ibibio: This tribe locations significance on names as they mirror household connections, historic occasions or notable traits.

Africans imagine that youngsters are blessings from God and are able to attracting or bringing them extra blessings. On the similar time, it’s a frequent perception that names have an effect on what a baby turns into and the way they behave. Subsequently, dad and mom typically identify their youngsters based mostly on what they need them to grow to be. Whereas some imagine that youngsters are a continuation of the father or mother or a reincarnation of an ancestor.

Goodluck Jonathan: The Case of Particular Luck

A few years after he left workplace, folks nonetheless marvel at Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s meteoric rise to fame. Jonathan rose to prominence because of fortuitous circumstances. One amongst his names which has each a symbolic and literal which means is “Goodluck”. It’s broadly believed that his dad and mom named him Goodluck to suggest their hope for affluent and lucky life. And fortuitously, the identify has been related particularly all through his political profession as he usually discovered himself in advantageous positions as a consequence of sudden flip of occasions.

Jonathan’s entrance into Nigerian politics got here by his stint as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State in 1999 when his principal, the then-governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha ran for governor beneath the platform of the Individuals’s Democratic Social gathering (PDP) and selected him as his operating mate. Later, he grew to become the Governor of the state when Alamieyeseigha was impeached on expenses of corruption, cash laundering in the UK. This sudden rise to energy was certainly a stroke of excellent luck, as he hadn’t initially aspire to carry such a excessive place. He was simply an training inspector, a lecturer and an environmental-protection officer.

Moreover, in 2007, throughout the presidential elections, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua additionally selected Jonathan as his operating mate. Then alongside the road, his identify gained extra significance when Yar’Adua’s presidency was marked by well being issues thereby resulting in frequent absences within the nation for medical remedy. Yar’Adua couldn’t survive the sickness, which led to his premature loss of life in 2010 and propelled Jonathan into presidency. He subsequently grew to become the primary individual from the Niger Delta area to carry such an workplace.

After Jonathan’s rise to stardom as a consequence of what some imagine to be the importance and significance hooked up to his identify comes one other political juggernaut whose names – not only one as within the case of Jonathan however the three names – are so highly effective and carry optimistic connotations.

Meet Fortunate Orimisan Aiyedatiwa

The above names maintain necessary and vital which means. They recommend luck and scream uniqueness which might help distinguish him from different politician. The final two names have a Nigerian origin, which might additionally resonate with the native inhabitants by way of cultural identification. All of us can perceive the which means of ‘Fortunate.’ ‘Orimisan’ means my head, my being, grew to become profitable, whereas ‘Aiyedatiwa’ means the entire world has grow to be our personal, we at the moment are in cost. Primarily based on his latest fortune, we are able to all say that he’s certainly residing as much as his identify.

Aiyedatiwa was a Commissioner of Niger Delta Improvement Fee (NDDC), a businessman after which a politician who served as deputy governor of Ondo state from 2021 to 2023 beneath Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and rose to changing into the governor of the State late in 2023.

Previous to this, Fortunate joined energetic politics in 2011 as a card-carrying member of the then Motion Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which was later merged with different political events and have become the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was one of many Nationwide Delegates from Ondo State on the APC Nationwide Conference held in Abuja in 2014. Fortunate additionally contested for the Home of Representatives for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in 205.

Akeredolu selected Aiyedatiwa as his operating mate for his re-election after ditching Agboola Ajayi, his first-term deputy, following an irreconcilable battle. Then on the eleventh of October 2020, the duo had been pronounced governor and deputy governor of the State by the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) and on 25 February 2021, they had been sworn into workplace.

The Prophecy

Basking within the euphoria of their easy relationship, the Owo-born lawyer-politician as soon as predicted what had come to move within the state. In line with him, “It’s the individual whose head is sweet that may grow to be deputy governor.”

Additionally throughout his second time period inauguration ceremony, the governor stated: “The identify we give to our kids issues so much. I wish to congratulate this man. Once they gave you ‘Fortunate,’ they knew you’d be fortunate, now you’re fortunate. You’re additionally given ‘Orimisan,’ solely the lucky get chosen to be deputy governors. You’re lucky. Even your dad and mom’ identify speaks volumes, ‘Aiyedatiwa’ (Life is sweet for us). Your life is sweet now. You’ve got been constant.”

Akeredolu celebrated Aiyedatiwa, praising his dad and mom for giving him good names which, in keeping with him, providentially propelled him to grow to be the deputy governor of the state. He then proceeded to prophesy that Aiyedatiwa was in pole place to take over the administration of Ondo State after the expiration of his second time period.

“You’re worthy of this place and I wish to thanks for accepting to finish this journey with us. I’ve a most of 4 years; perhaps you’ll be able to proceed from there. It’s for me now to relax and so that you can develop. I need to relax so that you can develop, I’ve finished my little bit. So I congratulate you and your spouse,” he stated.

These are placing phrases that propelled Aiyedatiwa to the place the place he’s right this moment. Many will time period it destiny, whereas others will contemplate it as luck, however however, Aiyedatiwa’s govt may be a place to begin to a different profitable story within the Sunshine State.

Triumph After Trials and Tribulations

Whereas Aiyedatiwa’s identify might have opened doorways and influenced perceptions, there have been hurdles and challenges alongside the road earlier than assuming workplace because the governor of the state.

Because the well being of his principal deteriorated, activists and opposition events put monumental stress on Akeredolu to step down or cede energy to Aiyedatiwa, in accordance with the 1999 structure. In the meantime, after a medical go away in September final yr, a rift started between him and Aiyedatiwa, because the State Meeting served an impeachment discover on the Deputy Governor following allegations of gross misconduct. The impeachment prompt that Akeredolu initiated the method to oust his deputy from workplace though the ailing governor was not compos mentis for us to conclude on this.

Someway, Aiyedatiwa managed to outlive the impeachment plot by Akeredolu’s allies when forces from all over the world gathered in his favour.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu determined to come back in to handle the scenario. He then mediated a peace assembly between the warring factions, urging all sides to sheath their swords as a decision was reached for either side to take care of their present positions. Governor Akeredolu subsequently, determined to tell the state Home of Meeting by a letter that he has transmitted energy to Aiyedatiwa to behave because the governor pending when he returns from Germany on medical trip.

Even earlier than he grew to become governor, Aiyedatiwa was already behaving like one. Talking in a statewide broadcast, he admitted that the political disaster that had engulfed the Sunshine State in latest instances has challenged the love for the state and democracy, urging everybody to neglect the previous, come collectively, and be a part of fingers with him to develop the state.

“Yesterday is already behind us. That is the time to hold aloft, with love and affection for each other, the laudable imaginative and prescient and mission of the governor for the state. I attraction to each member of the federal government of Ondo State in your real help, cooperation, and dedication.

”We want a renewed unity to berth the numerous and accelerated growth clearly envisioned and vigorously pursued by Mr. Governor. My good folks of Ondo state, what occurred previously was a brief delay in our democratic journey. As a authorities, we now have recovered,” he added.

Akeredolu couldn’t make it again to Nigeria as he died of problems arising from prostate most cancers, routinely making Aiyedatiwa the subsequent to succeed him.

Akeredolu died on the age of 67, on December 27, 2023.

Final Line

It’s an plain fact that Africans connect plenty of significance to tribal names. However someway many worry that this custom is slowly being washed away by faith. They imagine that the introduction of Christianity and Islam to Africa is slowly eroding the African conventional beliefs and tradition. This someway creates the notion that Western names are superior to African conventional names. Might that be true?

However on this case, each western and conventional names have performed their very important roles particularly within the lives of Dr. Jonathan and Governor Aiyedatiwa. Each have comparable tales governing their success and rise to energy, one is ‘Goodluck’ whereas the opposite one is ‘Fortunate.’ The one distinction was that President Umaru Yar’Adua by no means predicted that his deputy would succeed him whereas in Fortunate’s case, Governor Akeredolu predicted it, noticed it and even prophesised it.

Past his distinctive names, Governor Aiyedatiwa has a job to do. His boss and predecessor died with a legacy of boldness, braveness and tendency to talk and settle for the reality. He took the safety and welfare of Ondo and southwest folks severely by main the method for the institution of Amotekun. The brand new governor should maintain Akeredolu’s legacy. He should repair infrastructure, increase staff’ welfare, open up the economic system to additional pave means for industrialisation and job creation.