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Every great institution has a founding story. Some were born in royal palaces. Some emerged from ancient universities. Others grew beneath the shade of an iroko tree. But one of Lagos’ most enduring institutions began inside what could only politely be described as a gidan kpanu—a modest shack roofed with corrugated iron sheets at Araromi-Odo, Onikan, Lagos. It was, to every unsuspecting passer-by, merely an eatery. Or so everyone thought.
The famous Iya Eba Place has travelled a remarkable journey over the last four decades. From that humble beginning at Araromi-Odo, it graduated to rented premises on Berkeley Street before finally occupying its present business-owned premises on the same street. Economists would describe the journey as capital accumulation. We simply call it the reward for hard work, excellent food and God’s extraordinary favour. Officially, the establishment serves food—exceptionally delicious food. Unofficially, however, it has spent more than forty years feeding appetites far greater than hunger. It has nourished friendships, incubated business ideas, interpreted court judgments, analysed politics, criticised governments, celebrated victories, comforted the grieving and solved problems that never appeared on any government agenda.
Lunch was merely the first sitting. The second sitting began after work, when professionals whose offices surrounded the Lagos courts and commercial district discovered a timeless truth. Rather than surrender themselves to the daily punishment called Lagos traffic—especially those heading towards the Lekki axis—it was wiser to retire to Iya Eba Place, enjoy a cold drink, exchange ideas and wait patiently until the roads recovered their sanity. Nobody realised they were creating history. In those relaxed evening gatherings, an accidental think tank was born. It became known simply as The Iya Eba Table.
Long before Lagos embraced the fashionable language of executive education, entrepreneurship hubs, leadership institutes and business schools, there already existed on Berkeley Street what history should generously recognise as Lagos’ first unofficial dedicated business school. Technically speaking, The Iya Eba Table predates them all. Albeit, tjwnhere were no admission forms, no tuition fees, no prospectus, no accreditation, no graduation ceremonies and certainly no certificates.
Yet every evening, senior lawyers, judges, chartered accountants, bankers, senior civil servants, entrepreneurs and business owners assembled for what can only be described as an advanced masterclass in Practical Nigerian Survival Studies. Negotiation was taught without PowerPoint. Leadership was learnt without lectures. Corporate governance was debated over steaming bowls of pepper soup. Political science came free with every bottle of drink. Economics was analysed with greater realism than many university classrooms, while business strategies were exchanged freely without anyone worrying about intellectual property rights. Harvard may have its celebrated case studies; The Iya Eba Table had Nigerian realities. More often than not, The Table’s conclusions proved remarkably more accurate.
At the centre of this remarkable institution sat its legendary unofficial membership. Its membership is extensive and includes personalities whose names would surprise even the most seasoned Lagos social observer. Yet there is no Constitution, no elections, no Annual General Meeting, no membership register and no induction ceremony. Still, everybody instinctively knows where to sit and, more importantly, who has earned the right to speak.
For decades, the leadership of The Iya Eba Table has never been inherited or imposed; it has always been earned. That honour has rested effortlessly on the shoulders of the irrepressible Jide Aminu, a chartered accountant, fondly known simply as Jide Aminu tiwa. Calm in temperament, measured in speech and formidable in intellect, he presides without noise and leads without announcing that he is leading. He is living proof that true authority does not always arrive with a title or a gavel. Sometimes it is expressed through wisdom, patience, fairness and the rare ability to allow every opinion a fair hearing before quietly bringing every debate to its logical conclusion. Under his understated stewardship, The Table has remained orderly without written rules, disciplined without sanctions and intellectually vibrant without ever losing its humour. Without a single election, he has become the undisputed Chairman of one of Lagos’ finest unofficial assemblies.
Membership has evolved over the years, but quality has never been compromised. The fools, interestingly, never needed to be excluded; they naturally excluded themselves. After one or two visits, they usually discovered that intellectual poverty was considerably more expensive than paying for lunch. Lawyers, judges, bankers, chartered accountants, civil servants, entrepreneurs, and ladies and gentlemen of distinction have all occupied those humble plastic chairs. Many have since become captains of commerce and industry, distinguished jurists, accomplished professionals and respected leaders across Nigeria. The unwritten rules of engagement remain universally understood. National issues are dissected with surgical precision. Court judgments are reviewed before they appear in the law reports. Governments are formed and dissolved before the second bottle arrives. Cabinet reshuffles are recommended free of charge, while visitors at neighbouring tables innocently assume these are ordinary customers discussing football. Little do they know that another unofficial Federal Executive Council meeting was in session.
The greatest irony, however, is the identity of the proprietor. Her real name is Alhaja Fausat Abike Adebayo, a proud Lagosian with ancestral roots in Ado-Odo, Yewa, Ogun State. The world simply knows her as Iya Eba. Providence possesses an extraordinary sense of humour. The woman whom destiny appointed hostess to one of Lagos’ finest gatherings of lawyers, judges, bankers, accountants and accomplished professionals never enjoyed the privilege of formal education. She would readily admit that elegant English was never her strongest subject—her immortal expressions such as “Nylon Building” instead of “Lion Building” have become part of The Table’s oral tradition. Yet while schools award certificates, God awards wisdom, and in that examination Iya Eba graduated with First Class Honours. What formal education denied her, life compensated with uncommon emotional intelligence, generosity, warmth, humility, memory and the extraordinary gift of making every customer feel like family.
She knows our triumphs as though they were her own. She feels our disappointments with genuine concern. She celebrates our weddings, rejoices at our promotions and mourns our losses. Whenever family members are invited to stand during social occasions, she instinctively joins the line—not as the caterer, but as one of the family. She has become everybody’s mother, and certainly mine. She also happens to be my favourite banter partner. Our playful exchanges have entertained the table on countless evenings.
At eighty, Iya Eba has accomplished what many celebrated public figures spend a lifetime pursuing. She built an institution without intending to. She founded a think tank without writing a proposal. She established what was arguably Lagos’ first unofficial business school without ever realising she was its proprietor. She united generations without campaigning, nurtured successful men and women without standing behind a lecturer’s podium, and proved beyond doubt that character remains the highest qualification for leadership and kindness the most enduring investment.
As family, friends, patrons and the distinguished members of The Iya Eba Table gather on 1st August at the venue we all know—isshh!—we shall not merely celebrate an eightieth birthday. We shall celebrate four decades of friendship, laughter, robust debates, unforgettable meals, mentorship and an accidental think tank that quietly educated generations of professionals. Above all, we shall celebrate one remarkable woman who demonstrated that the most influential people are not always those who occupy high office, but those who quietly create spaces where friendship, humanity, wisdom and hope are served daily alongside a steaming plate of eba. While some restaurants earn Michelin Stars. Iya Eba earned something infinitely rarer—the affection of generations, the gratitude of countless lives, and a permanent reservation in our hearts.
Happy 80th Birthday, our beloved Iya Eba. May the Almighty continue to preserve your health, strengthen your days, enlarge your joy and reward you abundantly for feeding not only our bodies, but also our minds, our friendships and, quite unknowingly, the finest unofficial business school Lagos has ever known.
Long may The Iya Eba Table remain occupied..
SB E-news.
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