How Ibadan Stood Still In Remembrance of Lam Adesina

Monday 11th November will go down in history as one of the days members of the Progressives Family in Oyo State put all their differences aside and came all out to honour a departed leader. All the Lamist, SENACO sentiments were neither heard of nor spoken of all through the maiden edition of the Lam Adesina Lecture Series. Interestingly, members of the different progressive camps were in the Jogor Centre venue of the event. 

The Anchor Online serves you the gists as per who did what at the event. 

The Impressive Roll Call 

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin was gracefully represented by the Asaaju Olubadan, Chief Ademola Odunade, Chief Akin Oke, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Oyo State was there as a Leader, so was Alhaji Olaide Abass, the Acting Chairman. Otunba Niyi Adebayo a former Governor of Ekiti State was there as one of the 1999-2003 Governors, the class Chief Lam Adesina belonged to. Senators Teslim Folarin and Fatai Buhari were there, Senator Femi Lanlehin too graced the occasion, so did Barrister Iyiola Oladokun who was Lam’s Deputy. The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes was also represented, Chief Bayo Oyero, the former President-General of the umbrella body of all Ibadan indigenous groups was present too. Others included Professor Adeolu Akande, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Oloye Lekan Alabi, the Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Ismaila Fijabi, the Agbaakin Olubadan, Chief (Mrs.) Bolajoko Doherty and Mr. Kabiru Aregbesola who represented his dad, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. 

Honourable Remi Oseni, Senator Soji Akanbi, Honourable Saheed Fijabi, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Abduganiyy Agbotomokekere, Professor K.K Oloso, onourable Abass Aleshinloye and two-time Minister, Elder Wole Oyelese were there too. 

Bayo Adelabu’s Grand Entrance 

The tremendous energy that heralded Bayo Adelabu’s entrance into the auditorium was simply indescribable. It sent the elderly ones into reminiscence of the days of Adegoke Adegoke Adelabu ‘Penkelemeesi’, the Lion of the West and it was quickly concluded that only his grandson was capable of such display. It was with pomp and pageantry, drums rolled, trumpets and vuvuzelas all at the same time accompanied by loud shouts of “Penkele” disturbed the airwaves for long until he appealed to his supporters to stop. 

Of T-Pain and P-Gain: Bayo Adelabu’s Extraordinary Optimism  

After explaining his unavoidable absence and delivering the goodwill message of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was the Special Guest of Honour, the Minister for Power, Hon. Adebayo Adelabu who represented him disclosed that the man Nigerians now call “T Pain” has embarked on reforms that will make things better on the long run. While urging Nigerians to be patient with the President and his team, the Minister averred that T-Pain only means “Temporary Pain” and that by the time the efforts start paying off, we would all award the President another sobriquet which would be “P-Gain”. What that means? “Permanent Gain”. 

After the P-Gain statement, Adelabu demonstrated an exponential sense of optimism when he described himself as Lam’s grandson by political association. According to him, “Lam Adesina was Governor, he gave us Senator Abiola Ajimobi who is my father and I came through Governor Ajimobi”. People in the audience could not but steal glances at one another, especially those who could decipher the coded message being passed across by the Minister. 

The Scale Tipping Lecture 

Though the Senate Majority Leader was not there physically to deliver the lecture, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu of the Ogun Central Senatorial District did a good job on the lecture titled “Improving Nigeria’s Governance: Lessons From The Past, Strategies For The Future”. Extolling Lam Adesina’s virtues, the Lecturer posited that he (Lam) belonged to the crop of politicians who refined the South West politically. He also urged politicians to note that whatever people do will live after they have long gone, as he recalled that most of those who dubbed Chief Adesina a “Prisoner of War” have long been forgotten. 

In his attempt to proffer solutions to the country’s challenges, the Lecturer stated that “no society thrives without a driving ideology” and therefore advised that the South West should have a concept of “omoluwabi” which had hitherto been jettisoned in many places. While noting that, with the creation of a Regional Development Ministry, power is being devolved, people would have to be measured with the roles given to them. 

He therefore urged Nigerians to see things from the view of a horticulturist rather than a sanitary inspector. According to him, a horticulturist would see the caterpillar, centipede as well as the grass and flowers as essentials for a lively garden while a sanitary inspector would not see things the same way. 

Delving into the lessons of the past and citing the likes of Chiefs Rotimi Williams, Lateef Adegbite and Adekunle Ajasin as examples, Senator Bamidele pointed out that the quality of participants in politics was great. He also posited that in the Second Republic, all the five Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) Governors were “accomplished in their individual respects as they all had something to their names before joining government”. 

Speaking about ideology, the Guest Lecturer recalled that “the UPN was identified with free education while the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was known for housing”. He also reminded the audience that party supremacy existed in those days. “At party functions, the President would wait for the arrival of the National Chairman of the party but now, party chairmen have become appendages of the Government House”, he said. 

Lessons according to Senator Bamidele could also be drawn from the strong moral values that existed then. He recalled that Alhaja Simbiat Abiola contested for the Ogun Central Senatorial position in 1979 and lost because money was not a factor then. He went on to note that healthy rivalry was one other thing that helped development as he recollected that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria were established around the same time in the First Republic. He also reminded the listening audience that the likes of Olabisi Onabanjo University and Lagos State University were established around the same time too. 

Senator Bamidele refreshed the memories of his listeners with the fact that true Civil Society Organisations were hallmarks of the past when people like Chiefs Olu Onagoruwa, Gani Fawehinmi and Professor Wole Soyinka served as conscience of the society, holding the government to account. 

Speaking about the present however, he pointed out that “there is a decline in both participation and quality. And there was progressive lowering of the standard every time the military struck, so people got used to not asking questions from their leaders”. He went on to aver that values have been degraded. “There is monetization of the political process, we now care about how big your pocket is and not how big your idea is. Today, Lam may not win the House of Reps ticket because people will say ‘Baba, ki lo ba de?’ (Baba, what is in it for us?) Offices are now given to the highest bidder. No matter the quality of a debate, if you fail to distribute motorcycles and tricycles, you won’t get a party ticket. 

Other problems he mentioned included the opportunistic elite and the disconnection between the governed and governors. He however concluded that “in the face of despair, you should believe there is hope”. 

The Iyin Ekiti Connection 

Only those who want to deliberately dissemble the place of Ekiti in the scheme of South West politics would feign ignorance of the political consciousness of indigenes of the state that prides itself as the “Fountain of Knowledge”. 

Iyin Ekiti nonetheless took the centerstage as Senator Opeyemi Bamidele who was the Guest Lecturer and Otunba Niyi Adebayo who represented the 1999-2003 Governors both hail from Iyin Ekiti. Both are also lawyers. 

The Exclusive Media and Publicity Committee 

Though many Committees were set up to ensure the success of the event and they all synergized to achieve the purpose, the Media and Publicity Committee had men who had worked on Lam Adesina’s team. The quartet of Kehinde Olosebikan, Wale Sadare, Yinka Agboola and Rasaq Olubodun all gave good accounts of themselves. 

How Does Senator Lanlehin Manage To Retain His Youngish Looks? 

Though he turned 71 last July, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin is not looking so different from what he looked like when he represented Oyo South Senatorial District in the 7th Senate. He has been able to retain his handsome, youngish looks: he appeared every inch distinguished.