Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the life and times of the consummate Akure lawyer and politician, Hon. Alex Adedipe, former member of Ondo State House of Assembly, who passed on in an auto crash 28 years ago.
It was a sad day in Akure. The monarch, the late Oba Adelegan Adesida Otutubiosin, chiefs and townspeople were disturbed. But, reality dawned on them when the corpse was later brought to the capital of Ondo State.
Grief enveloped the family house. Old and young were wailing. A pall of gloom descended on the land of ‘Ajampada.’
Statesmen, politicians, captains of industry, representatives of the traditional institution, and associates later converged on the House of Assembly for a farewell ceremony for its former Majority Leader, Alex Adeniyi Adedipe. It was the end of an era.
Tall and dignified, Aleco was a great teacher. He always advised the youths to go to school to have a secured future. A patriot, he was always defending the interest of Akure. Townspeople recalled that he was kind. He was a lover of truth and justice.
Adedide’s demise robbed Akure of his diligent and patriotic services. He was not wealthy, but he had integrity. He identified with township affairs and developmental priorities.
Community elders recall that he played a positive role in the emergence of the humble and likeable Prince Adelegan as Deji.
The political history of Akure will be incomplete without mention of him. In post-Adedipe period, the city has not been able to resolve three challenges.
The state capital has not produced a governor. Also, Akure city has remained a one-town local government. From 1980s through 90s, the debate on the breaking of Akure Council into two or more local governments raged.
It was said that chiefs and elders objected to the proposal by former Secretary to Military Government Chief Oluyemisi Falae, Olu of Ilu Aabo, who could not push it further with his boss, military President Ibrahim Babangida, because his people were opposed to the creation of more councils from the old council.
What would have been the reaction and position of Adedipe on the contentious issue?
Akure city also has one seat in the House of Assembly and a single seat in the House of Representatives. In the delimitation of constituencies, a fair treatment eluded the state capital.
Adedipe was in his late forties when he passed on in 1992, following injuries he sustained in an auto crash along Ife-Akure road.
Many people could not even remember how he died. They only remember it was an accident. Others said the eminent politician was rushing home to give a helping hand to the former Finance Minister, Falae, who was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the banned Social Democratic Party (SDP).
It was on the eve of the historic primary that was later cancelled. As the exercise was holding, Adedipe was in the mortuary.
He had high hopes. But, he died suddenly, unable to realising his potentials. Since then, he has not been immortalised, despite his contributions.
Adedipe, fondly called ‘Aleco’ by admirers, was a prominent political actor in Akure. A graduate of English Language from the old University of Ife, where he later studied law, he was a councillor in Akure Council in the early seventies.
However, he rose to stardium, following his election into the House of Assembly in 1979 on the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
He did not return to the parliament in 1983. But, he left an indelible mark in the House. He was not a bench warmer, but a great debater; vocal and highly knowledgeable about governance, public expectations and the import of electoral democracy. The promising politician was full of grace and magnetism.
Adedipe earned respect from the progressive family because of his fidelity to the platform during the crisis foisted on the state by the rabid ambition of the deputy governor, the late Chief Akin Omoboriowo, Balogun of Ijero-Ekiti.
He was fiercely loyal to Governor Adekunle Ajasin and the party leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He suffered for his dedication.
His colleagues, majority of who belonged to the Omoboriowo Group, removed him from the position of majority leader. To him, the survival of the party was more important than personal survival.
Adedipe was a student of Akure local politics. He had a political background; his uncle, the late High Chief Bolanle Adedipe, Elemo of Akureland, having been elected into the Federal Parliament where he was appointed as minister by Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in the sixties.
Besides, he may have also been influenced by the circumstances that threw up Pa Adinlewa as a local colossus and council chairman, and the charismatic and wealthy Chief Adebowale, Aro of Akure, who became a senator when he teamed up with Premier Ladoke Akintola against Awo’s Action Group (AG).
Adedipe’s leader in Akure was the gentle, but firm and highly principled Chief Reuben Fasoranti, successful educationist and political leader of the city from 1970s to date. When Aleco was a legislator, the old man served as Commissioner for Finance under Governor Ajasin.
The lawmaker from Akure was visible on the floor of the House, led by Speaker Bola Akingbade from Ekiti West Constituency. His firebrand colleagues included Olorunnimbe Farunkanmi, who later became a senator(Akure 2), Samuel Kolawole from Ijero who became a commisioner for the second time in 1983, Bode Babatola from Ekiti West (Ekiti West/Efon), Adebayo Jeje, Deputy Speaker Olu Atiroko (Ikale), Deputy Chief Whip Joel Fapohunda (Ekiti East 3), Olu Ogidan (Akoko North 1), Janet Adeotoye (Ondo 2), former Wema Bank chairman Lawrence Agunbiade, Tunde Agunbiade, a lawyer, Olu Mafo (Ilaje/Ese-Odo) and Smart Omodunbi, a lawyer (Akoko).
Later, when the House was polarised by Ajasin’s second term bid and Omoboriowo’s plot to displace him, Akingbade was shoved aside and Richard Jolowo became Speaker.
Also, Olu Adesina became deputy speaker, S.k Kolawoke ceased to be chief whip and Adedipe lost his House position. The motion for their removal was moved by Bode Babatola, seconded by Chief Akin Omoyajowo (Akoko 3).
Henceforth, the House was not the same again. Every move, motions, bills, budgets, screenings, andcproposals for more local governments were influenced by calculations towards 1983.
It was to the credit of Fasoranti, Farunkanmi, Adedipe, Wumi Adegbonmire, Majasan and other party members that the Omoboriowo group could not penetrate Akure, despite the efforts of the venerable defector from UPN, House of Representatives member and influential publisher Olaiya Fagbamigbe, an Akure leading light, who switched camp to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
In his report on the prospect of retaining popular support for Ajasin at the primary in Akure Division, his field assistant, Akin Ijabiyi, in a survey, stated that the governor’s camp, “under the leadership of these grassroots actors, had naturally been exploiting the power of the majority to hold the fort against the other group(Omoboriowo camp).”
However, Omoboriowo had the majority in the House of 58 members. Two members-elect-Taiwo Abe (Ero 2) and S.A. Oloketuyi (Ekiti Central 5), and another member, Theophilus Olaniyan (Ekiti West 4) had died; there members- Olufemi Ilori (Ekiti East 2), Michael Babatunde (Ekiti Central 3) and Olawumi Falodun (Ekiti North 2) were appointed commissioners; another member, Steve Famodim (Ekiti West 2), deserted the House, shortly after resumption.
In the UPN-dominated House of Assembly, Ajasin could only count on Adedipe, Farunkanmi, Dr. Akerele Adu, Kayode Iwakun, Dr. Fola Ebisemiju, Atiroko, Alley-Obalokun, S.F Ogunbodede, S.K Babalola, Omodunbi, and Akingbade.
But, as Ajasin reflected in his memoirs, the pro-Omoboriowo forces in the House were weakened by lack of public support.
More importantly, the masses could not abandon Ajasin because they strongly perceived him as a dependable associate of the party leader, Awolowo.
In particular, supporters of the former deputy governor turned the heat on Adedipe and Farunkanmi, who was suspended from the House without justification. Adedipe may have encouraged Farunkanmi to resist the affront by refusing to vacate his seat in the state legislature.
Indeed, Adedipe became a victim of the internal opposition propaganda machine, the Peoples News published by Oni Ororo, and later, the Premier newspaoer edited by Idowu Odeyemi, a respected journalist.
Ahead of the primary, which Omoboriowo contested against Ajasin, the party was enveloped in tension. There was controversy over party cards, which were critical to the shadow poll.
In his book, ‘House of war,’ Dare Babarinsa, an accomplished journalist, stated that, on November 4 (1982), five days to the constituency meetings, a drama was played out in Akure as “a group of Omoboriowo supporters caused two members of Ajasin group, Mr. Alex Adedipe and Mr. Olorunnimbe Farunkanmi, both members of the state assembly, to be arrested for allegedly being the brain behind the illegal printing of cards.”
Following a report to Awolowo by Senator David Oke, the leader ordered an investigation, promising to punish the culprits. Consequently, Mr. J.F Oresegun, the party’s assistant national administrative manager, visited Akure for the probe.
As recalled by Babarinsa, Oresegun’s findings and conclusions were as dramatic as the event itself. The investigator reported that “Farunkanmi and Adedipe knew nothing about the printing of the cards.”
Indeed, it was the Omoboriowo group that arranged the printing of cards. But, thinking that Ajasin’s men had uncovered the plot because of Adedipe’s unexpected presence at the premises of the Allied Printers in Akure, Omoboriowo’s men schemed a plan to blackmail and embarrass Ajasin, Farunkanmi and Adedipe.
Worried by the protracted crisis in Ondo State UPN, Awolowo visited Akure thrice to reconcile the warring camps. There was a peace accord signed by the two groups.
Yet, peace did not return to the chapter. Other peace delegations, including the one led by Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo, deputy governor of Lagos, were fruitless. Both camps were prepared for a battle to finish.
The Omoboriowo camp intensified their attacks on Adedipe. Reflecting on Adedipe’s ordeal in his book ‘Awo and Nigeria: Setting the records straight, Ebenezer Babatope, stated: “One member of the Akin Omoboriowo group was quoted to have said while offering a defence for their illegal actions in removing Alex Adedipe as majority leader of the Ondo State House of Assembly that blackmail and lying were necessary weapons in politics.
“Ayodele Morakinyo was, of course, speaking the obvious, given the character and traits of his fellow companions in the vicious Omoboriowo group.
It was the Morakinyo crudity of a statement that created the famous statement of Alex Adedipe in one of the reconciliatory meetings called by Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he (Alex) had declared: “My reputation and character have been dented even beyond panel beating.
“Everyone present laughed when the statement was made by Alex, but it was a real humour in tragedy.”
The die was cast between the governor and his erstwhile deputy, who had defected to the NPN to contest for governor.
He had lost to Ajasin at the UPN primary. Unfortunately, the masses refused to back Omoboriowo at the general election.
Ajasin camp succeeded in labelling the former deputy governor as another Akintola, who was desperate for power. Ekiti people knew that Omoboriowo was fighting for their interest. But, they could not abandon Awo’s party.
On governorship poll day, Adedipe and Histoty Professor, Senator Banji Akintoye, were Ajasin/UPN agents while Dr. Bode Olowoporoku and Morakinyo were Omoboriowo/NPN agents.
To Adedipe’s consternation, the Returning Officer, Joseph Alibaloye, declared the winner, Ajasin, as loser and Omoboriowo, the loser, as winner.
Hell was let loose. Akure was in flames. The Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) office was the first casualty. It was burnt by a mob. Fagbamigbe, Chief Agbayewa, and Agunbiade, a lawmaker, were killed by protesters. The police declared some UPN chieftains, including Adedipe, wanted.
To Adedipe’s delight, Ajasin recovered his stolen mandate at the Supreme Court. But, since he was no more in the House and he did not make the list of commissioners, Adedipe’s role in the three months that followed before the military coup of December 31, 1983 was that of a loyal party stalwart, confidant and dependable ally of Governor Ajasin.
After the military takeover, Adedipe returned to his law practice and community work. He was, until his death, the toast of his community.
Paying tribute to him, 79 year old Adegoke, former Information Commissioner and Ondo State UPN Publicity Secretary, said: “Alex was a very principled person; honest, as bold as a lion, an orator, a powerful speaker, good family man. His loyalty was hundred per cent. He adored friendship.”
He added: “The three of us-myself, Alex and Farunkanmi- did not allow Omoboriowo to disgrace Ajasin.
Unknown to Omoboriowo, Ajasin planned to spend two years in his second term and handover to Omoboriowo. I and Akex hated intrigues and lying. So, we were soul mates. Alex was straightforward.”
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