As political campaigns and related activities peak in Oyo State towards this month’s elections, Correspondent BISI OLADELE weighs the dynamics of the campaigns against the era and style of the late ‘strongman of Ibadan politics, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, and how residents are responding.
Politicians in Oyo State, like their counterparts in other states, have been on the hustings, trying to convince the electorate to back them.
From Ogbomoso to Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa to Oyo and all across the length and breadth of Ibadan, the state capital, politics is in the air as candidates and their parties bombard the airwaves with their messages. Billboards and posters adorn strategic places in the towns, cities and even hamlets. Open spaces have been turned into campaign grounds for rallies, drawing people in their hundreds and thousands.
But hard as the candidates and their supporters try to electrify the crowds at the campaigns, the atmosphere seems to lack drama and razzmatazz associated with such events in Oyo State, especially in Ibadan, the political capital of the Southwest.
Regarded as the heartbeat of Yoruba politics, Ibadan stands tall in the politics of the Southwest, thanks largely to the number of colourful politicians who have come out of the ancient city, who in their own unique ways defined politics and politicking in the state.
From the First Republic through to the present dispensation, the city has thrown up many renowned gladiators, chief among who were Chiefs Adegoke Adelabu (Penkelemesi), Busari Adelakun (Eruobodo) and Lamidi Adedibu, all late. As campaigns and other political activities get hotter for this month’s elections, the flambouyance that marked the approach of the trio of Adelabu, Adelakun and Adedibu (all godfathers of Ibadan/Oyo politics in their time) to politics seems to be gradually fading.
Political headquarters
Five major gladiators from different political parties are in the current race to the Agodi Government House. They are Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Accord, Senator Teslim Folarin of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala of Labour Party (LP) and Engineer Oluseyi Maknde of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In spite of each of them commanding large followership, no residence of anyone of them or office can be referred to as the headquarters of political activities unlike in the days of Chief Adedibu, the last of the godfathers.
As the most experienced politician in Ibadan and the state, during his time, Adedibu’s Molete, Ibadan residence played host to crowds of party faithful, budding politicians, aspirants, candidates and political elders all day long. At the expansive palace, Adedibu also received some of the most notable national political figures, captains of industry, top Islamic clerics, opinion leaders as well as emissaries of traditional rulers.
Ordinary folks, itinerary drummers, beggars and all sorts also thronged his residence in search of alms and daily bread which they never lacked once they found their way into the compound.
But the shine is gone in the present time. Though the houses of the four governorship candidates of Ibadan origin also play host to many visitors daily, none presents the strength of Adedibu’s Molete palace, which looked like a market every hour of the day.
If Adedibu were alive, his Molete residence would have been the first port of call for the presidential candidate of his party, the PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders of the party during their recent campaign in Ibadan. They would have also visited the residence regularly to perfect strategies on how to win all the states in Southwest Nigeria.
Influence/money-for-ticket factor
Adedibu was a master strategist and consummate politician. In his lifetime, he either played a major role in who became the governor of the state, since the second republic, or singlehandedly chose who occupied the government house at Agodi. Because politicians, particularly members of his own party naturally surrendered leadership to him, he practically decided the party’s candidates in all the previous elections in the state. The major factor in his decision, according to one of his followers, who preferred anonymity, was money and the influence each aspirant wielded.
This accounted for why, in 2007, Adedibu produced two senators within his large extended family. He played the leading role in the emergence of Senator Rashidi Ladoja as governor in 2003 and singlehandedly produced Chief Alao-Akala as governor in 2007.
The same cannot be said of any living politician in Oyo State today. In fact, since Ladoja contended with Adedibu, a dispute that led to his illegal impeachment in 2006, Ladoja emerged as a new political bloc in the state but initially struggled to gain acceptance and strength. But today, Ladoja’s bloc is a force to reckon with in Oyo State politics. However, it cannot be safely said that money and political influence determine who picks ticket for offices within Ladoja’s camp.
The same development plays out in the camp of the current governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who emerged as another political bloc since 2007. As years roll by, Ajomobi political bloc, formerly dubbed ‘Senator Abiola Ajimobi Campaign Organization’ (SENACO), and which has dissolved into the APC, is unarguably the most popular and strongest political group in Oyo State today. Unlike Adedibu’s style, however, money and influence are not the primary factor determining who becomes what in political schemes. As it happened in the December primaries of the party, only popular aspirants emerged as candidates. In the process, even Farouk Alao, the son of the late Ibadan business mogul and Islamic leader, Aare AbdulAzeez Arisekola Alao, failed to pick the party’s ticket for the Ibadan North Federal Constituency during the popularity test. So were the renowned unionists and pro-democracy crusaders, Hon. Ibrahim Bolomope and Mashood Erubami respectively. In the days of Adedibu’s reign, no one would go against baba’s choice. Losers were also compensated with appointments, however.
The same can be said of Alao-Akala’s, Teslim Folarin’s and Seyi Makinde’s camps. No aspirant needs to grease the palm of these political leaders to pick the party’s ticket.
Godfather and defection syndrome
Because of the improvement in the polity and influx of more educated and middle-class people into partisan politics, Adedibu’s exit marked a watershed in the godfather factor in Oyo State politics.
Once any budding politician enrolled in his Molete ‘school of politics’, his decision was final on their ambition. Anyone that challenged his verdict risked political persecution, together with members of his household. He also risked political oblivion because Chief Adedibu knew all the tactics and wielded so much influence.
But in today’s politics in Oyo State the political godfather concept has given way to political leader concept. Followers now tell political leaders to their face that they would rather dump the party than settle for what is on offer – and they do just that! That was a taboo in days of Chief Adedibu. Baba’s was the supreme voice in the party and only top, experienced members could differ with the Ibadan high chief. Even at that, they would only stay away, not fighting from within. Such was too dangerous to dare.
Campaign: Frivolities against important issues
In the present dispensation in Oyo State the incumbent governor is being tackled on his policies and projects in the last three and a half years during campagns. He is being criticized on his urban renewal project, infrastructural development initiatives, welfare packages for traders, civil servants and management of followers, among others.
Ajimobi is also hinging his campaign on his outstanding performance, always emphasizing that he outperformed all his predecessors, two of who are in the 2015 race.
But in the days of Chief Adedibu, development issues were not the priority in campaigns. The high chief anchored his party’s campaigns on the dirty aspects of the opponent’s life. As he led his party’s campaign across the state, Chief Adedibu, who would have carefully dug out the negative sides of the opponent’s life, rolled them out with glee while the crowd of party supporters hailed him and saw the need to reject the opponent.
This was an area of Adedibu’s dexterity. People loved to listen to him during campaigns. He was a crowd puller and he could be predicted on the content of his campaign.
His sophistry, rendered in embellished Ibadan dialect, also made a great difference whenever he mounted the podium. The crowd would be silent to hear him while residents rushed to their television set or radio to listen to what Adedibu said at the campaign. The content of his campaign was usually the talk of town for days, weeks and sometimes for years.
But today, issues confronting residents, communities and groups are the focus of campaigns. Debates are being organized for candidates where issues of developments are addressed. Party manifestos dominate debates and content of campaigns at rallies.
Thuggery and the commercial drivers’ factor
Chief Adedibu was the Grand Patron of the Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) until his death. His grip on the union was firm and his influence great on commercial drivers. He understood their needs, thinking and he spoke their language. This made him enjoy good followership among them. The union’s chairmen paid homage at Molete and sought his advice.
With this huge strength, members of the union were always available tools in Adedbu’s hands during political campaigns and other activities. He used them as party supporters and they followed him to wherever he went for campaign. The presence of the commercial drivers, most of who were thugs, formed a huge part of the crowd of supporters at campaigns and also helped him gain control of the crowd while giving his address. They responded with enthusiasm and were on ground to silence anyone that might want to express a dissenting voice against Baba’s position.
On the other hand, their presence at campaign grounds made many decent people stay away from such places but they stayed glued to their radio and television later in the day to enjoy all Chief Adedibu said at the campaign.
But in a recent interview with The Nation, his Personal Assistant, Alhaji Hakeem Gbolarumi, described the hoodlums as members of the party. “Those people were all members of the party. Baba never recruited thugs. They were members and they loved Baba to the core. That was why they could do anything for him.” He said.
But today, even though some thugs are following politicians to campaign grounds, they do not enjoy such freedom and prominence as in the days of the late Chief Adedibu. In fact, any revelation that a candidate is rearing thugs will make him lose support in the state because people have gone through terrible experiences in the hands of the NURTW members in the build-up to the 2011 elections.
One big breakthrough for the Ajimobi’s administration was how it succeeded in making NURTW members to conduct their activities peacefully. Since he banned activities of the Union on June 6, 2011 following the gruesome murder of many commuters at Iwo Road interchange, he succeeded in stamping out violence among commercial drivers.
Again, the ruling APC is always hammering the violence and thuggery that marked the era of Ladoja and Alao-Akala from 2003 to 2007 as a reason voters should reject them again in this month’s election.
Ajimobi’s campaign is wound around the concept of sustaining the peace and development he started three and a half years ago. The twin evil of violence and thuggery has become an albatross for both Alao-Akala and Ladoja.
Music and food factor
While politicians talk about stomach infrastructure today, Adedibu adopted the idea early in his leadership period. One of his popular saying was: “For you to survive as a political leader, three quarter of your income must be spent on your followers.” This was the concept that made him gain fame as an ‘amala politician.’
Because of the low level of most of his followers, Adedibu understood the need to feed them and meet their other basic needs. He did this with gusto and what he gained in return was an army of loyal followers.
But today, politicians have made the idea a corporate one, packaging raw food in potable bags and offering a pittance to their supporters. Amala is no longer on offer though supporters and needy people still throng homes of political leaders.
In the corporate stomach infrastructure, however, some supporters get contract for purchase of raw food, packaging and distribution, giving them a decent income.
Yet, political loyalty has waned unlike in the days of Adedibu.
Also, while itinerary drummers led Adedibu’s team to campaign grounds, releasing tunes disparaging and abusing opposition candidates, today’s politicians employ the service of musicians who mount the stage at campaigns grounds.
The musicians, aside eulogizing the party and the candidate that engage them also sing against their opponents. This has been the experience at at Mapo Hall and stadia in the Ibadan. The parties engage popular Fuji musicians in order to draw huge crowd to their rallies.
While the APC has King Wasiu Ayinde and Rashidi Ayinde on its side, the PDP and LP have Abass Akande (Obesere) on their list. Saheed Osupa plays for the SDP and Accord.
But at rallies in other towns, parties employ the services of local fuji musicians who they believe will also pull crowd, foster identity with locals and as well reduce cost.
Speaking on the two eras, a chieftain of the PDP in the state and a governorship aspirant, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan said: “Adedibu has come and gone. He was a gem with his own style of politics. The situation today is different. Adedibu would organize elections all by himself. He did everything all alone. He didn’t believe in structures or election process because he set up his own and he controlled it.
But he was a good planner, energetic and a master strategist. He did everything on his own with the assistance of his supporters.
“Adedibu knew how to stoop to conquer. He knew how to get aspirants to support certain choices. The vacuum he left is very clear today. We don’t have any strong leadership again. There is nobody to actually look up to in ability to handle all tough political issues. That is why it has become extremely expensive to run campaigns today. In his days, Adedibu used to assess well. He knew how to bring up candidates that are able to defeat the opponent”.
Gbolarumi, slightly corroborated Olaosebikan’s position on lack of leadership and insisted that PDP campaigns would have been better handled if the high chief was alive. He said: “When Baba was alive, he assigned me to accomplish all the tasks. But those in the saddle now are troubled with ego. They see me as a threat. Leadership is a problem in the state’s politics today. But we will soon work it out. We shall reach an understanding in the process of time.
“ If Baba was alive, we in the PDP would have gone far into all nooks and crannies of the state for campaign. But today, there is no clear-cut overall leader. Those assuming leadership still have one thing or the other to learn. But there is the question of whether or not they want to learn.”
Overall, the colour and glamour in Oyo politics have either changed or faded due to exposure, quest for better ways to handle politics and the passage of the late politician.
