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  • Coalition, an association of strange bedfellows, says Adelakun

    Coalition, an association of strange bedfellows, says Adelakun

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Kunle Adelakun, has dismissed a newly formed political coalition in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as an association of “strange bedfellows” who meant nothing good for the country.

    Adelakun, who is the son of Busari Adelakun, the late strongman of Ibadan politics in the Second Republic, popularly known as ‘Eruobodo’, made this assertion while speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday.

    The former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar-led National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement, with some aggrieved APC leaders, last week adopted the ADC as a platform to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

    Since this announcement was made, a couple of opposition politicians, especially from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party and others have declared support for ADC.

    Adelakun, however, questioned the credibility of key figures in the coalition, asserting that the past actions of the likes of former Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Rauf Aregbesola, and Rotimi Amaechi have contributed little to Nigeria’s democratic progress.

    He accused the ADC promoters of reviving discredited political models and mocked the alliance as a gathering of “strange bedfellows” bent on continuing their hold on power.

    “Nigerians are not on amnesia, and even if we are, the dose is already expired from our system.

    “Nigerians are not fooled. These are the same individuals who held sway for decades and left the country in a sorry state,” Eruobodo said.

    Adelakun said that that those behind the coalition lacked the political weight and moral authority to challenge the growing support base of Tinubu across Nigeria.

    “At a time when the nation is witnessing bold reforms and sustained infrastructure investments under President Tinubu, it is unfortunate that certain individuals seek to distract Nigerians with recycled rhetoric,” the APC chieftain said.

    He added that the landmark achievements of the Tinubu administration had rekindled hope in national development.

    “The economy, though challenged by inherited deficits, is showing signs of recovery through targeted interventions such as fuel subsidy removal savings redirected to key sectors, palliatives to states, and aggressive investments in food security.

    Read Also: Expect gale of defections in southwest, says Adelakun, lauds Oborevwori, Okowa

    “The recently passed Tax Reform Bill represents a major step forward, optimising revenue collection, reducing leakages, and enable more sustainable investments in infrastructure and social services

    “So, no amount of political meetings or emergency alliances among failed politicians can stop the will of the people. Tinubu is on course for 2027, and his achievements are the loudest campaign.

    “The irony of all this gang up is that after the 2027 general elections, the same people would still find their way back into the ruling All Progressives Congress,” Eruobodo said.

    He commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for restoring sanity to the nation’s capital and his commitment, leadership skills and unwavering support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration

  • Adelakun, Adefarasin, Oke, others for leadership conference

    Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Oyo State branch, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun, associate pastor of Guiding Light Assembly Olaolu Adefarasin and Dr. Victoria Oke of Sword of the Spirit Ministries are some of the ministers slated for the annual End Time World Leadership Holy Ghost Conference.

    Gospel artiste Tope Alabi and Apostle Dwan Jackson from USA will also minister at the conference.

    It holds from March 7-10 at Faith Plaza behind CMS Grammar School Bariga Lagos with the theme Occupy till I come.

    The convener, Dr. Adewale Adeyeye, said the focus of the conference is “raising men and women for end-time revival and harvest of souls”.

    He stated that registration, accommodation and feeding will be free for all participants.

  • Ajimobi hails Adelakun for integrity, impact

    Ajimobi hails Adelakun for integrity, impact

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has appealed to religious leaders to set good examples of honesty, love and fairness for peace and progress to reign in Nigeria.

    He spoke at the 53rd birthday ceremony of the Presiding Bishop of Victory International Church, Pastor Taiwo Adelakun in the Rehoboth Cathedral, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    Guests, including public servants, activists and clerics were at the ceremony where Adelakun gave out scholarship of N25, 000 to 20 indigent students and N5, 000 stipends to 100 widows in the state.

    Ajimobi said since Nigeria is a religious nation, religious institutions play key roles in shaping the values, orientation and perception of the people.

    According to him:  “It is high time our religious leader set godly example that would bring about peace, love and understanding among Nigerians no matter their language, religion, tribe and social class.

    “As a governor, I believe and support mutual respect and together of all religions which made the Oyo state peaceful and progress achieved in the last five years of my tenure.”

    The governor, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Public Corporation Commission, Bunmi Babalola, stressed that Nigeria has the capacity and resources to be great again.

    This, he however said, requires working together as one big family pursing the same goal of making the nation better than we met it.

    The governor, who also commended the celebrant for his commitment for touching lives for God and the benefit of the society, said: “I have not heard any scandal about Bishop Adelakun.

    “He is indeed a pride to the nation and a pride to our generation. He has contributed so much to humanity and his position in the Christian community is assured.”

    He promised that the state government will continue to support the church at every given point in time, saying “the state will support you as we have seen that you have imparted positively on the lives of the downtrodden in the state and other parts of the world”.

    Adelakun, who was full of praise and gratitude to God, said: “I am happy to be alive today as God has been faithful to me and my household.

    “He took me from the village to sit with the kings of this world. I am very grateful.”

    He urged Nigerian to keep hope alive in God as there will be light at the end of the tunnel no matter how hard the times may be.

     

  • I didn’t hire faulty aircraft for Eagles – Adelakun

    I didn’t hire faulty aircraft for Eagles – Adelakun

    Tunde Adelakun may mean so many things to some Nigerians, especially those that have followed the five years’ corruption charges levelled against former chieftains of the NFF led by Sani Lulu Abdullahi.

    Adelakun was said to have chartered the aircraft that was to lift the Super Eagles from their training camp in London to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. The aircraft developed a fault before take off at London’s Heathrow Airport.

    SportingLife caught up with the Oyo State-born Chartered Surveyor in London recently and he took time to explain the incident that led to the cancelation of the flight, accusing the powers that be of overblowing the issue.

    “My name is Tunde Adelakun, I hail from Ibadan in Oyo State. I stand for the development and progress of football in Africa. I started for African football in 1996, and this is contrary to what many Nigerians have been made to believe. I have no journalistic experience. I have not worked in any newspaper house in Nigeria. I only send some personal opinion stories to newspapers in the country, which, out of every ten, one is published.

    “I am a Chartered Surveyor. It was after the exploits of Nigeria in Atlanta that I approached the BBC for internship to enable me practice a little journalism, while I do my regular job as evaluation officer at the inland revenue office. They were so excited because Nigeria just won the Olympic gold medal in football, and it got bigger than I expected. That was my interaction with sports.

    “My passion to give back to sports that made me what I am. That is what I stand for, and that is what I have been doing over the years. I do my work with CAF, where I am in charge of African Football Museum and African Football Hall of Fame via a letter signed by CAF Secretary-General Hicham El Amrani dated May 29th, 2012. I also do some jobs for FIFA and the English FA”.

    Continuing, the official biographer of CAF President, Issa Hayatou, said: “I can say little about the aircraft issue because it is still a subject of litigation in court in Nigeria. But what I can say is that everything about hiring of the aircraft was done totally above board. The documents are with the British Home Office, British High Commission in Nigeria and every legal person that has something to do with that case.

    “There was nothing wrong with the aircraft issue, rather what I would call decision-making by the powers that be. As you know, everything is machine-operated, and things can go wrong at any point in time. That is exactly what happened in this case. The aircraft developed a fault, they put it in order, and were ready to go, but the people refused to go. So, if they refused to go and the pilot gave them the assurance that the aircraft is in order, what is my own fault there? I have to thank SportingLife for giving me the opportunity for the first time to talk on it. Even the investigative body that was constituted wanted facts, and I told them the facts were ready. They said they wanted to come to London to meet me, so I could take them to the airline company. I accepted, and even facilitated their visa to Britain but at the end of the day, they did not come. I have all the facts, and nobody is asking for them,” he said.

  • Adedibu: In the mould of Adelakun?

    Adedibu: In the mould of Adelakun?

    Like a lion, Chief Lamidi Adedibu roared till death in the Oyo State, Southwest and the Nigerian political climate. A member of the Alhaji Busari Oloyede Adelakun political family, Adedibu, had a firm grip on players of the game in his own time, reflecting the dominion of his political leader, Adelakun.

    Adelakun, affectionately called Eruobodo or fearless by political supporters, friends and foes alike, hailed from Ejioku, a less city in Ibadan.

    He was a formidable politician whose support was almost enough to win elections, at least in Ibadan in the Second Republic. He was a strong pillar of support for Second Republic governor of old Oyo State, late Chief Bola Ige in their days together in the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).He served in the government of Ige as a commissioner, before political differences in the run up to the 1983 general elections led to his defection to the opposition National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He remained a political juggernaut even in NPN where his influence helped the party to topple Bola Ige and UPN in the 1983 gubernatorial election.

    Adelakun left the legacy of deep, victorious political practice to Adedibu who hailed from the main city Ibadan. His grip of politics in the old Oyo State, particularly Ibadan, in the Second Republic was unique.

    Just like Adedibu, his competence and leadership acumen traversed the entire state at the period. His opposition to the then Governor Bola Ige, following their dispute, revealed his political strength across the state.

    Adelakun’s movement to the then opposition party in the state, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), largely led to the victory of the party over Bola Ige’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). Mathematician Dr Omololu Olunloyo emerged the successor to Bola Ige.

    His political exploits earned him the alias: “Eruobodo” (River fears no one -a description of Adelakun as a valiant man).

    Reflecting on Eruobodo, the current Baale of Ejioku, Chief Yekini Adelakun, described him as a great, courageous and valiant politician. The Baale is the immediate younger brother of Eruobodo.

    The 70-year- old Baale recalled that Eruobodo used his political influence to bring development to the Ejioku community.

    According to him, Eruobodo was a peaceful man who was loved by, particularly every member of the Ejioku community.

    He said: “When he was alive, this town was lively and progressed. It witnessed development – he helped in getting employment for indigenes in the civil service, helped in bringing electricity, uninterrupted power supply, to the town and also provided pipe-borne water. He also established the Ejioku Community High School and a technical college. But since his demise, the technical college and other projects were abandoned. I had to covert the technical college to St Anthony Primary School II when there was no hope again.”

    He identified some of his followers as Adedibu, Dr Busari Adebisi, Chief Ayo Eniade, Supo Akinwale and Elder Wole Oyelese.

    One of his political sons, Chief Ahmed Oladosu, also reflected on Adelakun’s activities and praised his exploits.

    According to him, Adelakun had a dispute with Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Bola Ige which led to his removal as the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. He was later made the Commissioner for Health. But he resigned after a while to join the NPN.

    He said Adelakun was feared as a tough politician due to the controversial death of his two successors in the two ministries he headed. While his successor in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was beheaded by his own brother, his successor in Health Ministry where he resigned suffered stroke.

    According to Oladosu, people believed that Adelakun’s vowed that no one would be able to occupy any seat he vacated in anger, and that made them to believe that he was behind the death of the two commissioners.

    A major difference between Adelakun and Adedibu’s style, according to Oladosu, is that while the latter sat at home to control how elections went on elections days, the former used to visit polling centres with his lieutenants on the election day. He added that Adelakun used to monitor election in the domain of the opposition, pointing out that with his presence, voting often went in favour of his party and candidate.

    However, not a few would be quick to point at the violence that rocked old Oyo State in the run up to the 1983 polls and the role played by Adelakun and his group which had Adedibu as a prominent player. The series of violence that also erupted in the state when Adedibu held sway as the undisputed leader , some would argue were indicative of the kind of politics the two played in their time.

    The names of the two politicians, no doubt, would continue to occupy a huge space in the annals of Oyo State and Southwest at large.

    In Adelakun’s epitaph was inscribed: “A philanthropist, businessman, politician, Bada Balogun of Ibadanland, Basorun Musunlumi of Oyo State, Defender of the rights of the masses. (Eruobodo).