Posted by By AKEEB ALARAPE, Ibadan on
Embattled strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, has kicked against the directive of Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugbade 1, that all the 11 members constituting the Olubadan-in-Council should quit partisan politics.
Embattled strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, has kicked against the directive of Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugbade 1, that all the 11 members constituting the Olubadan-in-Council should quit partisan politics.
Olubadan had on Monday issued a code of conduct to all his High Chiefs that would exclude them from playing partisan politics. The undertaking is expected to be filled and returned by Friday.
Although, Adedibu, who is the Ekarun Olubadan (fifth in rank) and Balogun Olubadan, Chief Albert Olunloyo, were not at the Monday meeting, the Olubadan directed that copies of the undertaking should be made available to them to sign.
But during a chat with newsmen in his Molete residence on Wednesday, Adedibu vowed not to sign the undertaking, saying Olubadan and other members of the council were all politicians while Olubadan particularly was one time his political leader.
"I am surprised that Baba Olubadan is now saying that we should not participate in politics, many people don't know that Olubadan has been in politics since 1951. He was my leader, we started together, so why is that directive coming out now?" Adedibu asked.
The 80-year-old politician insisted that the directive was targeted at him, saying it was out of the brief of Olubadan to issue such code of conduct on his chiefs. He said he would, however, not be distracted by the development as he would continue to impact positively on the people.
On the allegation that he was the one that instructed some council chairmen in Ibadan not to pay Olubadan's salary since August, Adedibu dismissed the allegation, explaining that he would be a prodigal son to have done that.
'The Olubadan is my father; I can't do such a thing. How can I stop his salary from being paid? Maybe, Baba wants to see me. I know that it has been a long time we saw ourselves. I know what to do. I will arrange a meeting between both of us," he added.
He maintained that he would never do anything that would create a discomfort for the Olubadan, adding that 'he is my father, I am his son. So, there is no problem."
On the lingering crisis over the demolition of the statue of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his replacement with the statue of an unknown soldier, Adedibu explained that although he knew nothing about the demolition, he accused the former governor of the state, Alhaji Lam Adesina, of deliberately erecting the statue to cause confusion.
His words: 'All of us love Chief Awolowo. Lam just erected the statue to create confusion, 11 days to the inauguration of Senator Rasidi Ladoja as the governor.
I am planning to erect a befitting statue for Chief Awolowo in Molete here, so that honour will be given to whom it is due."