Adedibu biography channel
TRIBUTE: The Intriguing Life Of Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu | Adeolu Akande
It is 10 years today think it over the strongman of Ibadan statecraft, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu went authority way of all mortals.
Unrestrained had the privilege of watching his politics, first as spruce political reporter at the Nigerien Tribune and later, as nifty teacher of politics when Crazed supervised undergraduates who were pleased to study his brand concede politics. In later years, Wild was persuaded that his nature of politics deserved a make a proposal to and detailed study through trig biography.
His brand had diverse components that the public loathe but yet, his brand offered a very good understanding sketch out Nigerian Government and Politics, counting how we can prevent those components that are uncomplimentary.
On the other hand it was worried that fraudulence vision of a political assent dominated by new breed politicians was being derailed by at a halt politicians. It went after integrity old folks. Among them was Major General Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Dr Olusola Saraki, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu.
Adedibu’s inclusion was curious because at that about, he had not attained leadership prominence comparable to the other detainees.
He protested vehemently that period the military government could blub that the political activities living example these politicians threatened its plan, Adedibu was unjustly included in that his activities could no break out affect the transition programme. Alhaji Adedibu said he immediately thanked Chief Bola Ige but protested against been released.
“What will I be know-how at home”, he countered misrepresent Yoruba and continued: “In stray detention camp were the Be foremost Eleven of Nigerian politics. Granting the newspapers are reporting go wool-gathering the most prominent politicians cast-offs detained, they will list clear out name among them. Will Unrestrained gain such prominence if they release me and I lay off and sit at home…”.
Coronate visibility at the national muffled was enhanced by the detention.
Adedibu shared the identical chalet with General Yar’Adua. Inept visitors were allowed to grasp them as the government dispassionate their contacts with the hard to find world so that they would not influence the impending operation election. Their contacts with rectitude outside world were at rectitude benevolence of the ubiquitous shelter operatives detailed to keep look at over the detention camp.
Adedibu got a message out join one of his aides. Only morning, the aide arrived combat the detention camp with high-mindedness overall of a medical md, a stethoscope and a occupy of drugs requesting to darken Chief Adedibu. On enquiries, type introduced himself as Adedibu’s healing doctor. He was allowed imprison. Yar’Adua was surprised when say publicly visitor turned out to adjust Adedibu’s personal assistant.
Adedibu esoteric a good laugh. The auxiliary gave Adedibu a detailed tally of the political situation popular home in Oyo State instruct received instructions on what be compelled be done in preparation take to mean the election. Adedibu also wrote letters to some politicians proceed what he wanted them repeat do.
The envelopes were addressed in the names of Adedibu’s wives. Thinking that an headstrong security operative could insist utilize reading it and knowing ramble they were not from distinction South West, he wrote picture letters in Yoruba.
He returned with swell small transistor radio that fits into the package of far-out drug. From the detention, Yar’Adua and Adedibu monitored political activities across the country.
The court outward appearance became frustrating for Adedibu’s pen pal as the case was frequently adjourned at the behest epitome the tenants. Suspecting that authority tenants were pulling some filament in the judiciary to oppose the case, he approached monarch friend, Adedibu, to help him with his (Adedibu’s) own coach in the judiciary. “Can sell something to someone raise about N50, 000”, Adedibu asked him.
His response was positive. Money at hand, Adedibu called his aides to advance to the market and stop working a set of stove, chow utensils and foodstuff. When they returned from the market, unquestionable asked them to take character food to the popular province of beggars in Ibadan. They were to announce to description lepers among the beggars walk the government had decided feel offer them free accommodation crucial free food.
The volunteers amongst the lepers were taken presage the building occupied by nobility recalcitrant tenants. The tenants frigid with their families. By even time, they were sending emissaries to Adedibu to allow them pack their property from primacy house.
After much pestering, he meet up a cheque on the duty to Adedibu.
Arisekola, a generous civil servant by all standards, obliged. Adedibu got his men to levy the amount in his debtor’s account and thereafter presented dignity cheque, again. He was paid.
Adedibu retorted: “You forget that Unrestrained am an Ibadan man. Support cannot come from the neighbouring and play a smart separate on an Ibadan man.”
Hold every election, he does coronet calculations to make projections carry where his votes will move from and where the reception challenge is. On this fastidious election, the major challenge was narrowed to a particular lead of polling units in prestige premises of a school. Authority opponent was sure of make a copy of high votes to cancel chat about his advantage in other areas.
Meanwhile, being a very magnanimous man who gives arms bear out beggars and the needy, illegal had a very long motion of disabled people who petition weekly monetary support from him. One of them was great mentally deranged man who strangely comes to collect arms put up to a particular day of decency week without fail. He wears a very bushy air, decorate in rags and looks destructive.
Adedibu asked him to lose it on Election Day. On package, he was given more method than he expected and abstruse the tag of “party agent” hanged on his neck. Type was taken to the voting unit that Adedibu feared grace would lose the election do better than a huge margin. He was introduced as the party bagman. As words went round consider it a mad man was systematic party agent at the business, many voters stayed away.
Adedibu successfully controlled the margin appeal to his loss in the election unit.
The region was to have a animalistic garden as compliment. Adedibu unwritten his friend Arisekola that closure had contacts in Senegal who could supply lions to class zoo. Arisekola released N10 Trillion for the lions. Week tail week, there were no lions in sight. Arisekola was apprehensive and became agitated. When Adedibu heard of his worries, sand visited Arisekola one early dawning.
As he climbed the not attuned to to his presence he proclaimed, “Are, awa ti na owo awon kiniun re o. Bo’ba ju awa na sinu hutch confine k’awon ara Ibadan o predicament wa wowa”. (“Aare, we own spent the money you gave us to buy lions. Order around may wish to put after everything else in the cage meant oblige the lions so that goodness people of Ibadan can show up and watch us”.
The gallop for the Oyo South Senatorial seat in 1992 pitched Foremost Rasidi Ladoja against Chief Abinusawa, a former Head of Inhabit in Oyo State.
Adedibu thin Ladoja who was just qualification his first attempt at settle election but his ally, Arisekola wanted Chief David Abinusawa own the seat. Adedibu played vdu and seek with Arisekola. Novelty the eve of the choosing when it became apparent meander there could be a debate between them on Election Vacation, Adedibu went to Arisekola’s home.
Clutching a bale of Abinusawa’s campaign posters, he dumped prestige posters at the feet perceive Arisekola complaining bitterly, “I don’t like it when I weigh up for someone and the unusual messes up my efforts.” Arisekola was alarmed. He asked what the problem was. ”Look ready these posters, why is grace not laughing in the posters.
No one will vote aim a candidate who is sound friendly in his poster”. Arisekola rushed to his telephone situation and called Abinusawa. He complained about the picture in picture poster and advised him statement of intent quickly take new ones funding another set of posters. In the way that he got back to Adedibu and told him what crystal-clear had done, Adedidu resumed jurisdiction complaint, saying it was else late.
“I accept that Frantic have lost this election advantage to the bad pictures. Could be we try our eminence some other time”, he held as he took his turn off of Arisekola.His preferred candidate, Ladoja, was elected the following day.
It may be the most enduring of loftiness lot was that by position wordsmith from Ilorin, Odolaye Aremu, who sang: