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Akintola’s Daughter : ‘Our family is not begging for honours’
DR. ABIMBOLA AKINTOLA, daughter of the 13th Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland and the last Premier of defunct Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, in a chat with Mega Icon Magazine shortly after the 2018 edition of Ladoke Akintola memorial anniversary lecture in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital stated emphatically that the family was not begging for honours.
She, also recalled how her father was martyred by the military.
Excerpts:
Can we know the importance of what we are doing today?
I have been very pleased and I thank God for today because it’s a day I have dreamt about, I have thought about but it has not happened. I was not in Nigeria when my father was martyred. I was in Dublin, Ireland reading medicine and I have two years more to go when the incident happened.
At that time, the papers in Europe were writing that there wasn’t a soul left in the house, everybody there was killed. So, you can imagine how I felt then. And it was only myself, and my late brother, Victor Ladipo Akintola who was at that time sitting for his exams to become a chattered accountant which by God’s grace he became and lived to use it for sometimes before he passed on.
We used to think and say to ourselves then in Dublin, that Ladi, it could be you and I that are only left as the papers reported in Dublin. Because my brother, Akintola, who is late too and the first Africa to go to Hilton College, he too was in the house with my father, my brother Abayomi Akintola was in the house before my father went out and he was shot by the Military people.
But, we thank God uncountable times for seeing today, for seeing that my father can be appreciated again, for seeing that people can realise that he did something for this country, for people seeing and noting that he was a nationalist, a man who did not care weather you are Yoruba, Igbo or Hausa. All he cares to know is, if you are human being and he was his brothers’ keeper.
Political observers are not happy with the way the family is projecting Akintola. As one of the foremost nationalists, they expect he should be ranked with the likes of late sage, Awolowo. What is the family doing to upgrade his status?
I am a Christian, a sound Catholist. I tell you, we don’t expect begging for honours. Give honour to whom honour is due. Today is one of it, it starts somewhere. We now realised that he was the one who moved motion for the independence. Before, it was attributed to Enahoro. If you leave everything to God , in the end you will get what you want, that’s what the family is doing. We are not going to cajole anybody, we are not going to beg anybody. A lot of things are there that should be done for him that was never done.
You are trying to put a finishing touch to the country home in Ogbomoso, what exactly informed this decision?
You see, the country home, as people came and went no one was interested in it. But suddenly we said to ourselves we have to do something about it and we started renovating it. We intend to put a library, a museum, put his clothes , his books and my mother’s things. All the things that would bring memories, reactivate people’s memories that’s what we are doing there.
Today, a lot of dignitaries paid glowing tributes to the late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, how do you feel?
I am somebody who believes in the truth. So, I believe that all those who spoke glowing about him know what he has done for this country and we are very proud of him and they are also proud of him.
Why is Akintola’s children shying away from politics?
Don’t say that! My brother, Abayomi Akintola was and still in politics. I am not in politics but I was given a political appointment by Alhaji Sheu Sagari. What I would want to see now are the younger ones. I am not a spring chicken anymore, I want to see the younger ones getting good positions, the younger ones being made ministers, the younger ones being made administrators, so that we can look at them in the future and they have somebody to look back at and say yes, we are going to emulate you .
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Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo South Senatorial District have endorsed a member of the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, as their consensus candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
The endorsement was announced on Wednesday at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Alice Hall, Ibadan, with party leaders, stakeholders, local government chairmen and state executive members from the nine local government areas in attendance.
The councils represented at the meeting are Ibadan North, Ibadan North-East, Ibadan North-West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan South-West, Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North and Ido.
The stakeholders expressed satisfaction with Oseni’s aspiration, describing it as timely, credible and anchored on tested leadership and grassroots appeal.
Those present at the meeting included Chief Timothy Jolaoso (Ibarapa East); Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajisafe (Ido); Chief Abdulrauf Bello (Ido); Alhaji Muili Oluokun (Ibadan North-West); Alhaji Mufutau Adisa (Ibadan South-East); Alhaji Bello Oladeji (Ibadan North); Prince Gbade Lana (Ibadan North-East); Engr. Olatunji (Ibadan South-West); Comrade Wale Gbadamosi (Ibarapa North); and Alhaja Moji Adetona (Ibarapa Central).
Other party officials in attendance were the senatorial chairman, Alhaji Mojeed Adebayo; the secretary, Fatai Adesina; Welfare Officer, Sunday Babalola; Deputy Women Leader, Alhaja Fatimah Hassan; Auditor, Alhaja Tinu Adigun; Youth Leader, Lekan Adebayo; Ex-Officio member, Kola Amoo; Treasurer, Lateef Ajiboye; and Senatorial Youth Leader, Olalekan Olowe.
A chieftain of the party in Ibadan North Local Government, Hon. Shina Alabi, moved the motion for the lawmaker’s endorsement, which was seconded and unanimously adopted by the stakeholders.
Alabi said Oseni’s decision to abide by President Bola Tinubu’s directive to step down his governorship ambition for the senatorial race underscored his loyalty and commitment to party unity.
He said, “Hon. Oseni has demonstrated uncommon commitment to the welfare of the people. His leadership style is inclusive, responsive and development-driven. We are convinced that his emergence as the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District will strengthen the party’s chances and guarantee effective representation.”
He also urged party members to remain united and rally behind credible aspirants with proven capacity and electoral value.
In his remarks, Hon. Aderemi Oseni said his decision to pursue the senatorial seat followed the presidential directives, noting that he accepted the decision in the interest of party cohesion, progress and stability. He recalled that he had earlier prepared for the Oyo South senatorial race in the 2023 general elections, having already purchased the nomination and expression of interest forms as part of an arrangement reached, before stepping down following appeals by party leaders.
The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), said the party must close ranks to reclaim political dominance in the senatorial district.
According to him, “There is a huge task ahead, especially with several House of Representatives seats in the district currently held by the opposition. We must work together, mobilise effectively and secure victory for our party and leader, President Bola Tinubu”.
Oseni thanked party leaders and stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and assured them of his commitment to advancing the interests of Oyo South Senatorial District.
The meeting also had representatives from all nine local government areas, with about 10 leaders from each council in attendance.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of violence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) state secretariat, describing claims that he assaulted a party member as false and politically motivated.
An online platform, IMPARTNEWSNETWORK, had alleged that Akinmoyede assaulted one Gafar Oyebade during a meeting convened by the state chairman of the party, Alake Adeyemo, to resolve issues surrounding the executive list of the APC in Lagelu Local Government Area.
However, Akinmoyede, in a statement on Tuesday, said the meeting was peaceful and attended by key members of the state executive, including the chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary, who witnessed the proceedings.
He clarified that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the state leadership recognised him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to the lawmaker, following the clarification, the state executive directed the Lagelu Local Government chairman, Fatai Awoyoola, to proceed with the swearing-in of other party officials.
Akinmoyede also faulted attempts to link the incident with the 2019 killing of a former federal lawmaker, noting that a court of competent jurisdiction had already ruled on the matter.
He said, “In Suit No. I/70c/2019, delivered by Justice Mufutau Adegbola on January 23, 2020, all those accused were discharged and acquitted.”
The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, alleging that Oyebade, a public school teacher under the Oyo State Government, should not be involved in partisan politics.
He described the allegation as a “recycled script” aimed at tarnishing his image ahead of political activities, urging constituents to remain calm.
Akinmoyede also called on journalists to verify information before publication and urged security agencies to take action against individuals who file false reports.
“These tactics surface every election cycle. Those behind them should learn to accept the outcomes of political processes. They failed before and will fail again. Power comes from God,” he added.
The lawmaker representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has denied allegations of assault levelled against him by a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagelu Local Government Area, Mr. Gafar Oyebade.
Akinmoyede described the allegation as “false” and “a lie taken too far,” insisting that no physical altercation occurred.
The denial was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Legislative Aide, Dr. Isiaq Akintunde.
Oyebade had alleged that he was hospitalised following a confrontation during a meeting held at the office of the state party chairman in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, convened to resolve a leadership dispute in the local government.
But the federal lawmaker maintained that the meeting was peaceful and attended by top party officials.
“The meeting was convened to clarify Mr. Oyebade’s position within the local executive, and it was attended by the State Party Chairman, his deputy, the secretary, the publicity secretary, and other key state executives, all of whom witnessed the peaceful proceedings,” the statement read.
He added that contrary to Oyebade’s claim of being the party secretary, the official list presented by the Lagelu Local Government Party Chairman, Hon. Fatai Awoyoola, identified him as the Public Relations Officer.
According to Akinmoyede, the state executive thereafter directed Awoyoola to proceed with the swearing-in of the remaining members of the local government executive.
The lawmaker accused Oyebade of fabricating the allegation to advance political interests.
“I wonder why Mr. Gafar Oyebade, a secondary school teacher, would claim he was assaulted in the presence of the State Executive. This is an attempt to justify money allegedly collected from an aspirant to tarnish my image,” he said.
Akinmoyede further claimed that Oyebade was seen walking freely after the meeting and was not hospitalised as alleged.
He also raised concerns over Oyebade’s involvement in partisan politics, noting that civil servants are restricted from active participation in political activities.
The lawmaker called on security agencies and the media to investigate the incident at the party’s Oke-Ado office to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
Efforts to reach Oyebade for comments were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
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