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IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA – Veteran journalist, Chief Lekan Alabi, has called for greater recognition of the late Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, who passed away 67 years ago. Speaking in Ibadan on Monday, March 24, 2025, Alabi emphasized that Adelabu deserved to be honoured in a more significant way, including the possibility of a state honour.
“For a man who achieved so much at a young age, having an ‘Adegoke Adelabu Month,’ an ‘Adegoke Adelabu Week,’ or an ‘Adegoke Adelabu Day’ would not be too much,” Alabi stated.
He noted that in societies where heroes and patriots are genuinely appreciated, such a recognition would have been enshrined in law long ago.
In honour of Adelabu’s 67th remembrance on Tuesday, March 26, 2025, Alabi organized an event to celebrate the late leader’s life and contributions.
Adelabu, popularly known as “Penkelemesi,” lost his life in a motor accident on the old Lagos-Ibadan Highway.
“Adelabu was the best student of his time in Nigeria and Africa. He later became the first African Manager of the United African Company (UAC) and Nigeria’s first Minister of Natural Resources and Social Welfare Development,” Alabi recounted, highlighting some of the late politician’s groundbreaking achievements.
Alabi shared a personal connection to Adelabu, noting that his paternal grandmother, the late Mama Asma’u Odunola Alabi, was the pioneer Woman Leader of the now-defunct NCNC in Ibadan under Adelabu’s leadership in the 1950s.
“She always spoke highly of Penkelemesi,” he said. “Incidentally, his death occurred during Ramadan that year. May his valiant soul continue to rest in perfect peace.”
As part of efforts to ensure Adelabu’s legacy is not forgotten, Alabi announced the launch of a media campaign titled “Forget Not Adegoke Adelabu Penkelemesi”, set to commence on March 26, 2025.
“We must wake Nigeria and Nigerians up to remember this great man,” he stated. The campaign, also referred to as NEFAAP (Never Forget Adegoke Adelabu Penkelemesi), aims to reinforce Adelabu’s historical significance.
Beyond the media campaign, Alabi disclosed that a major film project depicting the life and times of Adelabu is in progress.
The project involved the Adegoke Adelabu Family, former Oyo State Governor Oba (Sen.) Rashidi Ladoja, and the Imodoye Media Group, a consortium of technocrats, historians, and UK-based professional filmmakers.
“This epic film will capture the brilliance and vibrancy of Adelabu’s political career and legacy. We expect it to be released worldwide by 2026, marking the 68th anniversary of his passing,” Alabi revealed.
Alabi, who founded the Adegoke Adelabu Foundation in 1996, reiterated that the media campaign and film project are not in competition but part of a broader effort to ensure Adelabu’s contributions are properly recognized.
“This is about doing what is necessary to honour a worthy Nigerian who should never be forgotten,” he concluded.
Alabi, a seasoned journalist and Public Relations consultant, served as Chief Press Secretary to four governors in the old Oyo State from 1983 to 1989.
