Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa: What is in a Name? by Nafisat Bello
Nigeria is a diverse nation with over 250 ethnic groups, each with its own unique culture, language and tradition. Many of these ethnic groups including indigenous cultures around the world place great importance on the names given to their children as names often reflect historical, cultural, or religious significance.
Naming is a very important tool used among various African cultures to convey certain messages, either to an individual, family members or a community. Hence, cultures across the world possess naming systems that say something about their identity, history and epistemology. Over the years, naming is often inspired by significant cultural events, bedtime stories, supernatural beings, or prominent ancestors. This pushes many parents to express their religious beliefs through names while some take it further than others.
While it is not possible to provide an exact count, as there are various factors that influence the importance of names within different tribes, here are few tribes that prioritise and place significance on names:
· Yoruba: The Yoruba tribe strongly values names and their meanings because names they believe reflect cultural heritage, family lineage, etc. Yoruba names often have spiritual or symbolic associations and may convey blessings, aspirations, or character traits.
· Igbo: The Igbos also attach great importance to names. They often derive meaning from personal experiences, family history, cultural references, etc. Each name has specific significance and tells a story.
· Hausa: The Hausas hold names in high esteem because it often reflects the Islamic influence and may have religious significance. They often convey wishes for good fortune, blessings or attributes that parents desire for their children.
· Kanuri: The Kanuri also considers names significant as it often reflects their cultural heritage, Islamic influence or family history.
· Efik/Ibibio: This tribe places importance on names as they reflect family connections, historical events or notable traits.
Africans believe that children are blessings from God and are capable of attracting or bringing them more blessings. At the same time, it is a common belief that names affect what a child becomes and how they behave. Therefore, parents sometimes name their children based on what they wish them to become. While some believe that children are a continuation of the parent or a reincarnation of an ancestor.
Goodluck Jonathan: The Case of Special Luck
Many years after he left office, people still marvel at Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s meteoric rise to fame. Jonathan rose to prominence as a result of fortuitous circumstances. One among his names which has both a symbolic and literal meaning is “Goodluck”. It is widely believed that his parents named him Goodluck to signify their hope for prosperous and fortunate life. And luckily, the name has been relevant especially throughout his political career as he often found himself in advantageous positions due to unexpected turn of events.
Jonathan’s entrance into Nigerian politics came through his stint as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State in 1999 when his principal, the then-governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha ran for governor under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and chose him as his running mate. Later, he became the Governor of the state when Alamieyeseigha was impeached on charges of corruption, money laundering in the United Kingdom. This sudden rise to power was indeed a stroke of good luck, as he hadn’t initially aspire to hold such a high position. He was just an education inspector, a lecturer and an environmental-protection officer.
Furthermore, in 2007, during the presidential elections, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua also chose Jonathan as his running mate. Then along the line, his name gained more significance when Yar’Adua’s presidency was marked by health problems thereby leading to frequent absences in the country for medical treatment. Yar’Adua couldn’t survive the illness, which led to his untimely death in 2010 and propelled Jonathan into presidency. He therefore became the first person from the Niger Delta region to hold such an office.
After Jonathan’s rise to stardom due to what some believe to be the significance and importance attached to his name comes another political juggernaut whose names – not just one as in the case of Jonathan but the three names – are so powerful and carry positive connotations.
Meet Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa
The above names hold important and significant meaning. They suggest good fortune and scream uniqueness which can help distinguish him from other politician. The last two names have a Nigerian origin, which can also resonate with the local population in terms of cultural identity. We all can understand the meaning of ‘Lucky.’ ‘Orimisan’ means my head, my being, became successful, while ‘Aiyedatiwa’ means the whole world has become our own, we are now in charge. Based on his recent fortune, we can all say that he is indeed living up to his name.
Aiyedatiwa was a Commissioner of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), a businessman and then a politician who served as deputy governor of Ondo state from 2021 to 2023 under Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and rose to becoming the governor of the State late in 2023.
Prior to this, Lucky joined active politics in 2011 as a card-carrying member of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which was later merged with other political parties and became the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was one of the National Delegates from Ondo State at the APC National Convention held in Abuja in 2014. Lucky also contested for the House of Representatives for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency in 205.
Akeredolu chose Aiyedatiwa as his running mate for his re-election after ditching Agboola Ajayi, his first-term deputy, following an irreconcilable conflict. Then on the 11th of October 2020, the duo were pronounced governor and deputy governor of the State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and on 25 February 2021, they were sworn into office.
The Prophecy
Basking in the euphoria of their smooth relationship, the Owo-born lawyer-politician once predicted what had come to pass in the state. According to him, “It is the person whose head is good that can become deputy governor.”
Also during his second term inauguration ceremony, the governor said: “The name we give to our children matters a lot. I want to congratulate this man. When they gave you ‘Lucky,’ they knew you would be lucky, now you are lucky. You are also given ‘Orimisan,’ only the fortunate get chosen to be deputy governors. You’re fortunate. Even your parents’ name speaks volumes, ‘Aiyedatiwa’ (Life is good for us). Your life is good now. You have been consistent.”
Akeredolu celebrated Aiyedatiwa, praising his parents for giving him good names which, according to him, providentially propelled him to become the deputy governor of the state. He then proceeded to prophesy that Aiyedatiwa was in pole position to take over the administration of Ondo State after the expiration of his second term.
“You are worthy of this position and I want to thank you for accepting to complete this journey with us. I have a maximum of four years; maybe you can proceed from there. It is for me now to calm down and for you to grow. I must calm down for you to grow, I have done my little bit. So I congratulate you and your wife,” he said.
These are striking words that propelled Aiyedatiwa to the position where he is today. Many will term it fate, while others will consider it as luck, but notwithstanding, Aiyedatiwa’s govt may just be a starting point to another successful story in the Sunshine State.
Triumph After Trials and Tribulations
While Aiyedatiwa’s name may have opened doors and influenced perceptions, there were hurdles and challenges along the line before assuming office as the governor of the state.
As the health of his principal deteriorated, activists and opposition parties put enormous pressure on Akeredolu to step down or cede power to Aiyedatiwa, in accordance with the 1999 constitution. Meanwhile, after a medical leave in September last year, a rift began between him and Aiyedatiwa, as the State Assembly served an impeachment notice on the Deputy Governor following allegations of gross misconduct. The impeachment suggested that Akeredolu initiated the process to oust his deputy from office even though the ailing governor was not compos mentis for us to conclude on this.
Somehow, Aiyedatiwa managed to survive the impeachment plot by Akeredolu’s allies when forces from around the world gathered in his favour.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu decided to come in to manage the situation. He then mediated a peace meeting between the warring factions, urging all sides to sheath their swords as a resolution was reached for both sides to maintain their current positions. Governor Akeredolu therefore, decided to inform the state House of Assembly through a letter that he has transmitted power to Aiyedatiwa to act as the governor pending when he returns from Germany on medical vacation.
Even before he became governor, Aiyedatiwa was already behaving like one. Speaking in a statewide broadcast, he admitted that the political crisis that had engulfed the Sunshine State in recent times has challenged the love for the state and democracy, urging everyone to forget the past, come together, and join hands with him to develop the state.
“Yesterday is already behind us. This is the time to carry aloft, with love and affection for one another, the laudable vision and mission of the governor for the state. I appeal to every member of the government of Ondo State for your genuine support, cooperation, and dedication.
”We need a renewed unity to berth the significant and accelerated development clearly envisioned and vigorously pursued by Mr. Governor. My good people of Ondo state, what happened in the past was a temporary delay in our democratic journey. As a government, we have recovered,” he added.
Akeredolu could not make it back to Nigeria as he died of complications arising from prostate cancer, automatically making Aiyedatiwa the next to succeed him.
Akeredolu died at the age of 67, on December 27, 2023.
Last Line
It is an undeniable truth that Africans attach a lot of importance to tribal names. But somehow many fear that this tradition is slowly being washed away by religion. They believe that the introduction of Christianity and Islam to Africa is slowly eroding the African traditional beliefs and culture. This somehow creates the notion that Western names are superior to African traditional names. Could that be true?
But in this case, both western and traditional names have played their vital roles especially in the lives of Dr. Jonathan and Governor Aiyedatiwa. Both have similar stories governing their success and rise to power, one is ‘Goodluck’ while the other one is ‘Lucky.’ The only difference was that President Umaru Yar’Adua never predicted that his deputy would succeed him while in Lucky’s case, Governor Akeredolu predicted it, saw it and even prophesised it.
Beyond his unique names, Governor Aiyedatiwa has a job to do. His boss and predecessor died with a legacy of boldness, courage and tendency to speak and accept the truth. He took the security and welfare of Ondo and southwest people seriously by leading the process for the establishment of Amotekun. The new governor must sustain Akeredolu’s legacy. He must fix infrastructure, boost workers’ welfare, open up the economy to further pave way for industrialisation and job creation.
