Family Life

He provided for both his nucleus and extended family through his wages and maintenance of relatively large farms at Onemoba, Uten and Emayin. He cultivated the lands for both cash and food crops. While the cash crops except palm produce were for commercial purposes, the food crops were mainly grown for subsistence reasons.

He was fond of his children. he cared for their growth and all-round development. He never failed to discipline them when necessary.

He was loved by his immediate and distant relatives most of who simply called him Baba, in recognition of the father figure that he represented to them. He named all children born in the palace and placed everyone on the annual list of anko (uniform clothes) he made for all palace children and of his brothers and sisters every Christmas.

Whenever he was returning from a trip out of the town, children would flock and trail him to the palace at the sound of the vehicle that brought him back. Others at the sound of the chanting of "ooru Baba" (welcome father) rushed to the courtyard. Every one of them was sure to get a slice of the Kabba-baked bread which he brought with him unless s/he arrived after he had gone into his parlour. The number of children at the moment of arrival determined the size of what each child got.

No matter how hungry he was; no matter how delicious, no matter how small the food he was served at a meal, he never failed to leave some over, with pieces of meat, for the kids to finish up. Usually, we waited in a corner, sometimes humming a song, real or fake, to remind him that we were there, although that was not necessary. Once, Demiloye was naughty, but he happened to be the only one around at the conclusion of Baba's lunch. For his punishment, Baba deliberately asked that the table be cleared, not allowing him to have the "epere". The scream from Demi saw Ofe (Bawa's mother) running from her house with the shout "Idodo, wa ka wan mo ogben go"; meaning Idodo (Flower- the name she called Bawa) you will kill my child . And without wasting time, she smacked Baba at the back to appease the screaming child. It was great fun when Ofe and others, who saw her on that rare mood, discovered what actually transpired.

One thing we have never seen Baba do is complain about food. His best dishes were "ekpase-ofufuwa" and "ifo" (pounded yam) with okra soup. He also liked "igila-oogben" cooked without pealing it. His favourite yam for such meals is "osilokpo".

Baba ensured that every child of his received sound education. They were sent to school as soon as they reached school age. His aim and plan for them was that they should be given education to the highest level possible. No wonder his children thought that the greatest way to remember him was to train the younger siblings. The result of these efforts is that most of Bawa's children are highly educated and are professionals of different fields of endeavour.

All palace children, in fact, benefited from his educational policy directly or indirectly.