Politics
Oyo: Adedibu’s widow wants Makinde to immortalize late husband
Wife of the late strongman of Oyo State politics, Alhaji Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu, Alhaja Modinat Abosede Adedibu on Tuesday announced her plan to encourage the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to immortalize her late husband.
Alhaja Adedibu also appealed to those he offended while alive to forgive him, as there is no human being that does not make mistakes.
Adedibu’s widow added that since he is now late, those who offended him too must have been forgiven.
She revealed that Governor Makinde is her godson in politics and that in addition to having a cordial relationship with him, she does offer him invaluable pieces of advice.
Yeyelua Adedibu made these revelations while featuring on a radio programme, Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
She maintained that her Late husband was a good man, humble, generous and filled with milk of human kindness, so much that he never liked anyone to be cheated but would rather come to the aid of that person.
In her words, “His detractors had so many unfavorable things to say about him. I don’t have any problem with that. You see, for example, most of the time, people would just go and hang a sign post on their landed property, saying ‘this land belongs to Baba Adedibu, my late husband. They were only doing this to protect their property. They knew nobody would dare deprive them of their hard-earned property by doing this. Some of the times, Baba would even assist such people to complete the house.
“Baba would take time to listen to both parties whenever issues were brought to his attention and he would make sure an amicable solution was arrived at. Baba was a good man.
“He hated cheating. It is just that people do not show appreciation for good deeds in our society. They like going about peddling rumors about Baba. He is no longer with us. I have already asked for the forgiveness from people he may have offended on his behalf. Nobody can walk without his head not shaking. We will all take our turns to die. It is inevitable. We must learn to forgive one another.
“I am working on how the governor will immortalize Baba. I will say it here and always that Baba did his best for the state while alive. I do not see why he should not be immortalized. An estate or something more than that should be named after him”, she submitted.
Speaking on how he met her Late husband, Mrs Adedibu said that Baba was just passing in front of her house one day when he saw her standing outside her parents’ home.
“You see the person Baba sent was one of my brothers. It took almost one and half years for me to agree to his proposal as he mounted pressures through some senior family members.
“I was afraid initially as I did not know him. Eventually we got married. I became his fourth wife”.
Furthermore, she stated that Alhaji Adedibu was a romantic husband who never allowed politics to be in the way of spending quality time with wives and children all together.
“Our marriage came about because it was ordained by God. It was destined. He was young then. He was a principled man even in politics and in family life and all relationships. He liked to treat people well. But he didn’t like being put under unnecessary pressure”.
When asked about the time some of Adedibu’s followers forcefully dragged a sitting Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Chief Adeniyi Akintola to the Molete residence of the top politician, she responded “the issue was not like that. Baba needed him to be on his side and he invited him.
“Those people sent were just being overzealous. Adedibu never told them to treat him roughly. And when he eventually got to Baba, did he announce what Baba did for him? In fact, there was a time the then President Ibrahim Babangida invited Baba too. He needed Baba to support what he was doing as President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces. We first thought Baba would be killed. But he was returned to us , nothing was done to him.”
Asked about her relationship with Governor Seyi Makinde, she said that it is all cordial.
“I know His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde is doing well for Oyo State. The positive signs are there. Ask the people. I pray for him to achieve two terms as Governor of Oyo State”.
She further confirmed the perception that she is a kind of ‘godmother’ to the governor.
“I am proud to be seen as the godmother of the Governor of Oyo State. Yes, awa ni iyaa Governor”.
Alhaja Bose Adedibu averred that she is not looking for any political appointment, nor hoping to contest for any public office in the future adding that her children are old and qualified enough to contest and occupy any office in Nigeria.
On her much-reported plan to remarry, she said “that is the work of rumour mongers. And by the way, it is not a bad idea for me to remarry. It is my prerogative but it is not my priority presently. You Baba’s children will have to wait a long time for that to happen.”
She, however called on all politicians to shun do-or-die politics, saying that “I cannot fight them whether they are in APC, PDP or whatever. Many successful politicians in Nigeria passed through Baba and myself. All of us should see each other as brothers and sisters”.
Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Ibadan outer city zone of Oyo State have expressed profound grief over the tragic stampede that occurred during a Christmas fanfare last week.
The incident, organized by private individuals, led to the deaths of over 40 children and left many injured. The stakeholders have called on authorities to prevent a recurrence of such a calamity.
The meeting, which brought together party members from Akinyele, Egbeda, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole, and Ona-Ara local government areas, was held at the APC Secretariat on New Ife Road, Egbeda. It was attended by party leaders, stalwarts, and Hon. Aderemi Oseni, Chairman of the House Committee on FERMA and the lawmaker representing Ido/Ibarapa East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly.
Demands for Accountability
In a communiqué signed by Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Chief Lekan Adeyemo, Alhaji Sule Suara, and Bashorun Billy Ogundele, the stakeholders condemned the circumstances surrounding the deaths. They accused the Oyo State government of negligence and demanded justice for the victims and their families.
“The number of children who died and those who sustained varying degrees of injuries is alarming, regrettable, and lamentable. There is more to the incident than what the public has been told. Gov. Seyi Makinde and some of his officials have made frantic but futile efforts to cover up clear cases of ineptitude, negligence, and incompetence. We demand justice for the victims while urging the government to ensure the safety of lives and property at all times,” the communiqué stated.
Party Leadership and Reforms
The stakeholders also celebrated the confirmation of Alhaji Olayide Abas as the substantive chairman of Oyo APC by the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje. They expressed confidence in his ability to reposition the party for success ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Oseni Reassures Nigerians
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Aderemi Oseni highlighted the rationale behind President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms. He assured attendees that the current economic challenges would soon pave the way for widespread prosperity. Oseni also presented a comprehensive report on his 18-month tenure, earning a standing ovation for his exceptional performance.
Notable Attendees
Prominent APC leaders present at the meeting included Hon. Kunle Jenrade, Hon. Ibrahim Bolomope, Hon. Dauda Lawal, Prince Ayodeji Abass-Alesinloye, Barr. Yemi Aderibigbe, Alhaji Bello Labankadi, Hon. Wahab Oladejo, Hon. Ambali Abiola, Alhaji Morufu Lamolo, Hon. Lasun Oguntade, Alhaji Yinka Folarin, and Mrs. Esther Olaleke, among others.
Call to Action
The APC stakeholders urged the government to take immediate steps to address lapses in public event management and safety, emphasizing that such tragedies must never happen again.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticized the alleged forceful conversion of public reading and learning facilities in Dugbe, Ibadan, into shopping malls and lock-up shops by the state government, describing the development as shameful, ill-conceived, and unacceptable.
In a statement released over the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the APC also raised concerns about the alleged sale of the modern motor park facility at Wema Area on New Ife Road, Ibadan, built during the administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
According to the party, the motor park has been sold to a pastor who presides over a popular church near the facility.
Residents of Ibadan, the state capital, were reportedly stunned when they noticed the sudden erection of massive private business complexes within the premises of the Oyo State Library Board.
The facilities, built by the defunct Western Region government, had served as public libraries and archives for decades, benefitting students, researchers, and tourists until recently.
“It is a sad reality that the buildings which used to serve as public libraries and archives in Dugbe axis of Ibadan have now paved the way for the development of commercial and business structures,” Sadare said.
“The implication is that education and research development have been relegated to the background in the state by an administration that has done little to address the poor reading culture among young students.”
The APC expressed alarm over what it termed the erosion of public heritage under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, alleging that public properties are being sold or leased to private individuals and groups under questionable circumstances.
“How can a government wake up one day and convert public reading facilities and archives into lock-up shops in the name of making money, thereby subjecting society to the dangers of illiteracy and ignorance?” the statement queried.
The party also cited other instances of alleged mismanagement of public assets, including the concession of OYSADEP Guest House in Saki and Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to the state’s socio-economic development.
“Sad enough, the ignoble activities of the governor and a few other characters around him as they involve mismanagement of land and other resources belonging to the state have paved the way for a surge in land grabbing cases in most parts of the state capital. There are many cases involving appointees of the governor, PDP lawmakers, local government officials, and party chieftains,” the statement added.
The APC called on well-meaning individuals and stakeholders in the state to demand accountability from the Makinde administration and halt what it described as the systematic erosion of public resources and heritage.
Over 300 constituents of Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in Oyo State benefitted from a skill acquisition and empowerment programme organized by their representative in the National Assembly, Hon. Akinmoyede Olafisoye.
The event, held at Faith Joe Event Centre, Alegongo, Akobo, Ibadan, aimed to address the challenges of unemployment and economic hardship by equipping participants with practical skills and financial support.
The programme focused on empowering youths, students, and unemployed graduates to become self-reliant. Each participant was provided with a certificate, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal, an umbrella, and ₦100,000 as a startup grant to kickstart their businesses.
The tools and financial aid were designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable sources of income.
Participants received comprehensive training, gaining hands-on experience to ensure they could effectively utilize the tools provided. The POS machines were configured with the personal details of the recipients, ensuring proper use and discouraging unauthorized transfers.
Addressing the participants, Akinmoyede who is the Chairman House Committee on Nigeria/ Mexico Parliamentary Friendship enjoined the beneficiaries to explore the opportunity for their benefit by ensuring that they use the machines for the purpose it was meant for.
He added that all the machines have been configured with the documents of individual beneficiaries which will make it very difficult to transfer to another person.
In his goodwill message, the Oyo Central Senatorial chairman of APC, Hon. Joshua Oyebamiji said comparing what the lawmaker has been doing in the area of dishing out empowerment and palliatives to his constituents, it is difficult to tag him a first-timer at the national assembly.
While appreciating Akinmoyede for his gesture at the event, former APC Deputy State Chairman, Alhaji Isiaka Alimi, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, and Hon. Akinbode Emmanuel said they were yet to discover the magic wand being used by the lawmaker for his constant and habitual empowerment programmes.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke at the end of the training, Afolabi Kuburat, Akinropo Akindotun, Ajala Abisade Iyabo, and Grace Anuoluwapo Ayinde lauded the lawmaker for giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant at this time when Nigerians are facing economic hardship.
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