Pentouch 
As preparation gears up towards marking the 10year anniversary of the Late Olu Makinde, the son of the journalist, Oluseyi Olutade Makinde (II), said the committee will posthumously honour Alaafin of Oyo, Iku Baba Yeye, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi (III), Arisekola Alao-Azeez, Adeseun Ogundoyin and Akanni Aluko, on 16,February 2025, at a book launch taking place in Trenchard Hall University of Ibadan, for their unreported roles in helping Makinde activate a musical competition in Ibadan in 1977.
The book reveals that if not for the financial support of the three businessmen, the crowning wouldn’t have taken place and the landmark event would have been forgotten about.
The book titled “Olu Makinde: Master of His Game”, also reveals how Makinde revived the career of Shina Peters, how both parted ways, and the many travails of the doyen of entertainment journalism in Nigeria.
“When we talk in terms of numbers, the amount put into the crowning; which set up Sunny Ade for greater heights in his career, should be about N300 million now. “Without their support, Alaafin wouldn’t have done what he did”, the author said.
“It will be a long time for Ibadan to find people like Arisekola, Ogundoyin and Akanni Aluko, popularly called the Three Musketeers then. Without them, Ibadan social gatherings were not complete. These days, except for very few individuals who actually prefer to support the entertainment industry from behind, but then, the tree friends boldly showed their faces, encouraging other philanthropists to do same.
“Makinde didn’t have to lobby them before they helped him. That was how the three freely helped others who deserved it. He knew only Aluko, who later introduced him to the two, and they agreed to help a journalist in need.They all deserve to be remembered for what they did to help others.
Although Makinde didn’t say much about the book planning, Ambassador Dr Yemi Farounbi and Princess Aderonke Rahmat Adedoja are involved in the planning of the book launch.
Details of how the 1977 musical competition changed everything for Sunny is revealed in the book which will be launched next month in Ibadan, while reservations for seats will begin in three weeks. It is a strictly by invitation event.
Dr Farounbi will also unveil a foundation in honour of the journalist, as well as supervise the giving of awards to a few others.
Makinde worked with Morning Post, Sketch Newspapers, Published his own Entertainment Magazine, Variety Entertainer, and was famous for his punchy views in Odessa File column in Saturday Tribune.
He died in Ado Ekiti in 2015.
