Ladoja Was Ungrateful To Adedibu, Adeojo – Obasanjo

By Seyifunmi Odunuga

IBADAN – Former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed that former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja was ungreatful to the duo of his late political leader, Chief Lamidi Adedibu and Chief Yekinni Adeojo for not accommodating them after his emergence as the governor of Oyo State.

Obasanjo stated that all his attempt to reconciled former governor Rashidi Ladoja with the duo of late political leader fell on deaf ears which Ladoja later paid dearly for.

He said this on Thursday, November 5, 2020 during the launching of former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s book, titled “Amazing Grace”, held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan.

Reacting to page 140 of the book, Obasanjo said, “You pointed out on page 140 that Ladoja picked up a quarrel with me for reason of a non-existent third term. I didn’t know that Ladoja picked up a quarrel that his becoming governor was due to the grace of God and major contributions of two people – Yekinni Adeojo from whom the party structure was wretched and Chief Adedibu who spearheaded the whole programme.

“I pleaded with him to make accommodation for both of them. He told me that they were all Ibadan people and they knew how to deal with

themselves. He subsequently proved himself right as they dealt with themselves and he, Ladoja, came out the worse for it.”

In his address, the celebrant, former Governor Akala stated that he was a product of grace penciled in the hands of the creator who drew the picture of whom he become today, adding that God brought him from junctures where many who had great and greater hope of tomorrow fell.

He pointed out that the title of his autobiography, “Amazing Grace”, was not a happenstance, but rather an audacity of providence to bring him out of the dungeon of a hopeless tomorrow into the fulfilment of a life.

Akala said, further, “I call this history making, not strictly for any other reason, but for it’s fulfilment of my long anticipated desire to codify how the tragic death of my father in a road accident in 1952 single-handedly threatened to swamp my dream of getting to the cusp of my life aspirations, but how Providence miraculously found for me a path to the top.

“How I became Governor of Oyo state are also documented which serve as a reminder to those who may be prone to being quickly swept off by the amnesia of history that God used me and my team of dependable colleagues at that period in time to change the lives of the people in the state.”

He however appreciated dignitaries and eminent personalities who graced the event, saying that he was delighted to have gathered them to witness the launch of his autobiography.

Meanwhile, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi lamented that his impact on former Governor Akala to become the Deputy Governor and later become governor was not credited in the book

Dignitaries at the event include the Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Oyo State deputy Governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, Senator Fatai Busari, Senator Teslim Folarin, 2019 APC guber candidates in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr. Sunday Dare, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Chief Niyi Akintola, Alhaja Abosede Adedibu, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi and former AIG Tunji Alapinin among a host of others.