Family Who Owns 40-Year Old Whiskey Wants Nigerian Government To Come For It (Photo)

This is the story of a jumbo giant bottle of whisky that has
survived untouched for four decades. Passed down from his late father, Taiwo
Abiodun speaks with son, Adeyinka Williams on the old bottle of whisky and how
they have kept it unopened for decades.

It’s a jumbo giant bottle, and heavy, as one can hardly lift
it with one hand. For a lover of liquor, the brown liquid content looks
attractive and ‘tempting’ as well. The 40-year old bottle and its content is
sealed and packed in a brown carton, with an iron metal holding it. A look at
the big heavy bottle could be a little irritating due to the rustic iron handle
and cork and the peeled paper pack that has carried it for decades, but its
content nevertheless remain enticing, if one is to go by the saying that
considering the saying that ‘old wine tastes better. Still, one can make out
the inscription on the pack: Walker Red Label. SCOTCH WHISKY, ONE IMPERIAL
GALLON WITH WIRE CRADLE AND POURER. This therefore is a relic; something
befitting for the museum

According to Adeyinka Williams, the custodian of the relic
bottle, the Whisky has been in the family safe since 1977. “There were two of
them, which were gifts to my father in 1977, when one of my sisters was getting
married. I was a little boy then, but I remember vividly that occasion.

“My late father only opened one to entertain his guests
then, and kept this one for remembrance. Now my sister, Esther, who got married
on that day, has many grown-up children. My father could have drank it, but he
was only used to taking Stout, so the bottle gradually gathered age. He also
begged us to keep it intact and show it to people as a relic. It was kept in
his Oyingbo family house for years, before it was brought down to Agbelekale in
Ekoro Road (Lagos) here, where we live.”

Wading through the temptation to sell

According to Adeyinka, “My late father once told me how
somebody bargained 1.5million naira for it in 1985, but refused to sell because
he was looking for a bigger and better offer. Even after his death some years
ago, some of my friends offered me 2 million naira for it, yet I declined
selling it because my father did not ask us to sell it but to preserve it. Many
have attempted to steal it from here, but we kept it in a vault, no-one knows
except me. To tell you the truth, it has become an antiquity for us.”

Asked if he would release it if the government expresses
interest in it, Adeyinka smiled and said “Yes, that is what I want. I want the
government to come for it and put it in the museum, such that it would be for
record purpose and our family would have its name written in gold.”

Looking at the background of the fairly old man, Adeyinka,
one could infer that his parents were averagely rich, and he confirmed it: “My
father was a wealthy man who held a chieftaincy title, while my mother was the
Iya  Alaje of Egbaland in the 80s.My
mother was into business like transportation and also had a block industry. She
died several years ago due to an accident. She tripped on a banana peel and
fell, which led to her breaking her leg and hand. She was then rushed to
D.Bailey Hospital where they wanted to amputate her leg and hand but she
refused and was flown to America for medical treatment. She came back without
being amputated. She died later in 1985.”

Adeyinka revealed that his father died in 2009 at the age of
85. The pictures on the wall are also evidence that the parents were of notable
means and affluent. One of the pictures was of the late Chief Williams and the late
Oba Alake of Egbaland. There were also some with personalities and the old
man’s one and two story buildings in Oyingbo.

Said Adeyinka, many of his siblings are not here in Nigeria,
“Out of 12 children, my two sisters and I are the ones here in the country,
while the rest are in America and Europe working as pilots, medical doctors,
engineers. Amongst them are Asojo Williams and Lekan Williams.”

Adeyinka who is a technician prays to the Lagos state
government or the federal government to come and acquire the drink and put it
in museum. He said “I don’t need the money and I am not in a hurry to make it
in life. How much will I sell it that will give me honour and dignity? .I don’t
even drink alcohol, and our family members are not hungry to sell it either; so
we’ll rather keep it in a museum, where it will be well-preserved”

The Nation