15th October, 2010
Decorum was thrown to the dogs yesteday at the public presentation of the Biography of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when aides of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala disrupted the event.
The aides comprising serving commissioners and local government Chairmen launched verbal attacks on former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.
The confusion started midway into the public presentation of the Biography of one of the foremost Yoruba Traditional rulers, the Olubadan of Ibadan, when Senator Tinubu, the chief book launcher who arrived in an helicopter was reading his address.
Tinubu apparently incurred the anger of Governor Akala’s supporters while praising the Olubadan for checkmating the excesses of some politicians in Ibadanland. “When Kabiyesi mounted the throne in 2007, Ibadan, the political capital of the Yoruba was in the throes of conservative political forces,†Tinubu said.
Tinubu further declared: “To the best of his knowledge, the Olubadan is not a partisan politician. But he came to the throne when reactionary politics was threatening the moral fibre of our society and where Yorubaland was becoming the political land of anything goes’’.
Tinubu, while praising the boldness of the Olubadan, emphasised that “when most people in the land were playing safe, anxious and fearful not to offend the powers that be, the Olubadan launched a full scale campaign on such vile politicking, and why it dirtied the traditional institution.â€
But, angered by the remarks by Tinubu, as well as the loud ovation that greeted his comments, serving commissioners and local government chairmen in all the eleven councils in Ibadan as well as other political office holders under Governor Akala’s administration sensed that Tinubu was indirectly attacking their boss and started chanting praises of Governor Akal a as well as singing abusive songs against Tinubu.
Without wasting much time, the political office holders led by a local government chairman in Ibadan threw decorum to the wind by moving towards Tinubu and asking him to keep his mouth shut and leave the venue of the book presentation.
It was at this juncture that the few supporters of Tinubu launched a counter attack.
Efforts by the former governor to continue with his prepared speech was resisted by Governor Akala’s supporters who shouted Tinubu down.
With the rowdy situation, Tinubu was forced to end his address abruptly after which he quickly departed the venue amidst tight security as Akala’s supporters trailed him and his entourage while they were leaving the stadium.
Few minutes after Tinubu departed, the Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, the immediate past governor of the state Senator Rashidi Ladoja and former Special Duties Minister, Elder Wole Oyelese also moved out of the venue with Governor Akala’s supporters immediately shifting their attention on them.
The departure of Senators Folarin, Ladoja and Tinubu nearly marred the programme as the majority of invited guests including traditional rulers sneaked out of the stadium to avert possible embarrassment.
In his speech read after the departure of Tinubu and other guests, Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala said his government is at peace with all traditional rulers in the state.
Akala who kept mute over the behaviour of his supporters declared that his administration had cautioned traditional rulers in the state especially the Olubadan “to be mindful of politicians, especially those who use the hallowed palaces of our fathers as a guise to create the impression that their actions are supported by our kabiyesis,†adding, “this is an abuse.â€
—Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan