Last Sunday, September 30, this year, marked exactly the 35th year
that the first civilian governor of the old Oyo
State , (present Oyo and Osun States
 |
| *Bola Ige |
Foggy in the sense that happenings preceding
the gazetted end of his government were fraught with threats, betrayals, back
stabbings etc. I intend, by this article, to recall history, but more importantly,
to pull the ears of present-day enfant terrible in Nigeria
As I said earlier, Friday, September 30, 1983,
35 years ago, was the last day in office of Chief Ige, as the first Governor
(present day ‘Executive’ prefix was not a fad then) of the old Oyo State. The last statement made by the late Chief Ige, inside the same Governor’s
Office, Secretariat, Agodi,
Chief Ige, popularly called “Uncle ‘Bola,”
having won the governorship election in old Oyo State in August 1979, was
sworn-in on October 1, 1979, for a four-year tenure, like his counterparts in other
states of Nigeria. Thus, his four-year term ended that Friday, September
30,1983.
A year before the 1983 governorship election,
former Governor Ige, had had to contend with internal and external political
and social challenges from his former deputy, Chief Sunday Michael Afolabi (now
late) his former Commissioner for Local Government, the late Chief Busari
Oloyede Adelakun, alias “Eruobodo,” and others, who either resigned or were
fired from Chief Ige’s government.
They all defected from the Oyo State
The main cause of their defection was the
declaration by Chief Ige to contest for a 2nd term as the UPN governorship
candidate, the ticket, which he won eventually, in very tempestuous
circumstances.
Aside from the internal party wranglings, some
forces within the NPN at state and Federal levels had sworn that Chief Ige
would not last a day longer after September 30, 1983, as the Governor of Oyo
State, even if heaven must fall. It was in the midst of these political cum social challenges that Governor
Ige, his cabinet and party, made strategic moves to triumph over the serious
threats.
Among the steps taken was the rejuvenation of
Governor’s Ige media/pr portfolios, with the appointment of the world-class
broadcast media manager, Professor (then Mr.) Y’emi Farounbi, as the Special
Assistant (Information, Television and Radio Matters) to Gov. Ige.
This was followed by the secondment of my
humble self on February 1,1983, from the state government-owned Television
Service of Oyo State (TSOS) now called BCOS-TV, where I was a Principal Editor,
to the Governor’s Office, to join Gov. Ige’s original Press Secretary, Dapo
Aderinola, perhaps Africa’s best print reporter, of the Daily Times fame, and
Femi Mapaderun, also seconded from the state-owned Radio O-Y-O.
We thus formed a media/pr triumvirate under
the Chairmanship of Mr. Farounbi. Dapo handled the print media, while Femi and
I were in charge of the radio and television arms respectively of Gov. Ige’s
publicity organ.
I produced and presented a weekly 30-minute
television news programme, “INSIDE SOURCE,” which never failed, not even once,
until we left government on September 30, 1983.
Despite its dynamism and the people’s love for
Gov. Ige’s government, his administration, as plotted by many forces, came to
an unfair end. Our last assignment in office that Friday, September 30, 1983,was a live world
press conference by Gov. Ige at the Executive Council Chamber of the
Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan
“I thank God that at the end of four years. I
am able to come before you today.
The purpose of this broadcast today is to make
some remarks on my stewardship so that through such it would be possible to
reflect upon the present state of our affairs, our achievements, prospects
before us, and the choice we have to make as from tomorrow.
“At this point, you are all aware, we are
passing through unusual times and events that will be unfolding during the next
few months defy precise prediction.
It is my belief, however, that the course of
history cannot be short-circuited.
Truth will triumph over falsehood, and light
will banish darkness. Some people have stolen our bugle; we will wait and see
where and how they will blow it.
“I have already left the Government House this
morning, and by midnight today, my four-year term will end. I go back to
Oke-Ado, Ibadan
“As I go away, I want, again, to thank God for
having used me as an instrument of His purpose for change in this state and for
preserving our life.
I thank Him for everything that has happened,
because, I have assurance that He will hear the prayers of you the ordinary
people of Oyo State
My song is one of victory and thanksgiving:
Ope lo ye o, Baba Olore”.
The national anthem was played, curtains were
drawn and an era thus ended. Everyone left for their various destinations and
destines.
The ‘principal’ took his student aside and
said emphatically, ‘We shall return. Meanwhile, bye for now.’
Dear Uncle ’Bola, your prophetic words
re-echo. The song remains that of victory and thanksgiving; “Ope lo ye o, Baba
Olore.”
Immediately the conference was over, Gov. Ige
led us, his three press secretaries, to his office. He prayed and thanked us for our performances, courage and loyalty to him and
his administration. Drawing one aside, he confidently predicted, “WE SHALL
RETURN”.
One never doubted him, but as a human being,
the mind wondered how and when the predicted return would come to pass!
The following day, Saturday, October 1, 1983,
Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, the NPN Governor-elect of old Oyo
State , was sworn-in at the former
Liberty Stadium (now Obafemi Awolowo Stadium) Oke Ado, Ibadan
His first acts were the sack/transfer of all
public/civil servants perceived by his government/do-gooders as loyalists of
Chief Ige, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the UPN.
Quite expectedly, I was a victim of the unfair
NPN government action.
From October 1, 1983 to December 31, 1983,
when Generals Muhammadu Buhari, (Nigeria’s current President) and Tunde
Idiagbon, of blessed memory, toppled the Federal and States civilian
governments, I, on principle, was jobless, as I refused to crawl on my belly,
to beg for my reinstatement, by the Dr Olunloyo-led NPN OYSG.
It was, therefore, a triumphant re-entry by
me, along with many other Nigerians, into public/TSOS service in January
1984,when the new Federal Military Government, decreed that all civil
servants/public officers, who had been sacked/transferred by the ousted
civilian governments, return to our former posts. Miracles still happen! Barely a month after my reinstatement into the service
of TSOS, the new Military Governor of old Oyo State, Lieutenant-Colonel Oladayo
Popoola (now a retired Major-General) appointed me his Press Secretary.
Thus fulfilling the late Governor Ige’s September
30, 1983 prediction of “WE SHALL RETURN”.
I went on to serve three military successors
of Gov. Ige till March 31,1989, when I was appointed the pioneer Public Affairs
Manager of the Yoruba economic patrimony, ODU’A INVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED,
from where I voluntarily retired in 2006,as the group pioneer General Manager,
Corporate Affairs, even though I had six more years to serve.
Chief Ige, the predictor also returned, albeit
to a much higher position in 1999.
First, as Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Power
and later as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, the position he was,
until his assassination in his home on Bodija Housing Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State
of Nigeria, that sad Sunday, December 23, 2001.
We, indeed, returned, as light triumphs over
darkness.
Dear Uncle ‘Bola, may your valiant soul
continue to rest in peace. Amen.
*Lekan
Alabi is Agba Akin Olubadan of Ibadanland
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