BODE THOMAS!

When 2025 started, you told yourself you were going to add knowledge, but this is the last day in the month of January, and you’re still there, smiling and satisfied, despite that you know nothing new or fascinating yet. But not to worry, that’s about to change.

Pay attention!

I’m sure you must have heard or been on the popular street in Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria called Bode Thomas Street. Well, Bode Thomas street was named after a man, obviously called Olabode Akanbi Thomas. He was a Nigerian politician, lawyer, statesman, and traditional aristocrat who lived from October 1919 to November 23, 1953. He served in many capacities in the colonial government. He also served as the first Transportation Minister for Nigeria and later became the Minister for Works also. He was the Balogun of Oyo. He owned a flourishing law firm called “Thomas, Williams and Kayode”, with Chief Rotimi Williams and Chief Remi Fani- Kayode. He was very prominent and had so much impact in the socio-political development of Nigeria then.

He was said to be a very proud, arrogant and hot- headed man, and this would later be his death.

History has it that Bode Thomas and Alaafin Adeyemi II had conflicts in the past, when they were both members of the Oyo divisional council. The Alaafin was the head of the council, being the King, while Bode Thomas, as mentioned above, was the Balogun of Oyo. Some years later, the monarch was a council member and Thomas eventually arose to the position of the chairman.

Alaafin Adeyemi II

It so happened that when Thomas arrived at a council meeting in November 22, 1953, all the other council members aside from the Alaafin, Oba Adeyemi, rose to greet him. He aggressively  told the king, “why were you sitting there when I walked in?” “why won’t you treat me with respect?”

Mind you, the Alaafin was in his 60’s, while Thomas was 34 years old. The events that would happen afterwards remain a shock and challenge till date.

Bode Thomas

The Alaafin, Oba Adeyemi II, out of extreme embarrassment and the feeling of being insulted, exclaimed in Yoruba,

“shey emi lon gbo mo baun?” (Is it me you’re barking at like that?),

“Emi lon gbo bi aja mo baun? Ma gbo lo” (Youre barking at me like a dog? Continue barking then). 

That was all the Alaafin said to him.

After the scenario, Thomas went home, and suddenly started barking. History had it that the very prominent and intelligent man barked through the night till the early morning of the next day of his demise on the 23rd of November, 1953, which happened to be his daughter’s 2nd birthday.

There you have it! The story of how Chief Bode Thomas, the popular lawyer and politician died at 34 years old.

You’re welcome!