By Ola Ajayi

IBADAN—THOUGH Chief Lamidi Adedibu, the strongman of Ibadan politics died 10 years ago, his political stature has refused to diminish. During his eventful years on earth, he pervaded the political landscape like a colossus. His Molete residence was a tourism centre as governors, presidential aspirants, ministers, lawyers, religious leaders and physically challenged people visited there for either political ambition or for some bread to quench their hunger. Since he died, some of his protégés and political associates have continued to appreciate the imprints he left behind on the political scene.

The late Adedibu, though seen as a controversial politician then, is still being applauded by hundreds of people whose lives he had impacted

The late Adedibu, though seen as a controversial politician then, is still being applauded by hundreds of people whose lives he had impacted. While his memory leaves a commendable impact on some people like the former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State, Professor Soji Adejumo, former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Gbolarumi Azeem, Prof. Taoheed Adeoja, former Minister of Sports and Special Duties and of course, his wife, Alhaja Modinat Abosede Adedibu; others like the former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, would never forget him in a jiffy for the ordeal he went through during his unlawful impeachment in January 2006.

I still miss him—Wife

Speaking with Vanguard, the wife of the late politician, Alhaja Adedibu was full of thanks to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo who has stood solidly with the family after the death of Chief Adedibu and also the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola-Alao for the immeasurable role he played.

She said: “Some people have ignored us. I miss so many things about him. You know when someone is very useful and he is no more, you’d miss so many things about him. I personally miss him. Well, you know it can be like that at times. Let me face the reality. But, I thank God because if I start talking about that neglect, it goes a very long way. But, I and the family really thank God for everything. People that know that one day they will go where he went are still with us and people that also know that one day they will go where he went are not with us again.

“That is human beings for you. You know you can’t expect anything from human beings. Since he died, I expected people to reciprocate what he did for them because of the kind of person he was. I tell my children, don’t think because your father did this or that, he was just very generous. If you are still expecting more from them, you will not move forward. Just zero your mind that your father is gone and gone forever.

“I told my children to hold on to God. For instance, one of my children, who finished her university education four years ago, has not been able to get a job. I reminded her about what I told her when her father died. I asked her what next? I told her to learn a skill and start a business and let’s pray. She is doing well now.”

PDP, Oyo State miss him

Speaking further, she said: “Oyo State and the PDP miss him. They are having crisis now. The crisis that led to the failure of PDP in Oyo State, I’m sure that if my husband were to be alive, it wouldn’t have gotten to that extent. That is the truth. You know in politics, there is practical and theory. My husband was a practical politician. He was good at everything. I am very sure that they are very correct. You know when you are a gifted person on your own line, it will be like you are performing magic. He understood politics because he had been a politician for decades.”

Preparation to mark his remembrance day

“When he was alive, he liked prayers. We are organising a prayer session for him, although, we do it every year. When we did his 5th year remembrance, it was significant. This 10 years remembrance, we are trying to organise an endowment to immortalise the name.”

He understood the game of politics—Adedoja

The political ingenuity of the late Adedibu, in the words of Professor Taoheed Adedoja, is unparalleled.

He said; “He (Adedibu) understood the game of politics. Over 80 per cent of politicians in Oyo State have benefitted from Adedibu’s political maneuvering.”

Dismissing the claims that the death of the politician has brought peace to the Pacesetter State, Adedoja said: “It is not Adedibu’s death that has brought peace to Oyo State.

It would be unfair to attribute violence in the state then to Adedibu. It is not correct because that man epitomised peace. God gave him endowment to make political calculations that defied logic. His own type of politics is not about logic or education. His politics was in another level.

“In his politics, two plus two is not equal to four. It may be so in mathematics and logic, but in his politics, it is not. He taught us politics that somebody who is your enemy today can become your friend tomorrow. It is not true to say he only understood money politics,” Prof. Adedoja said.

Another graduate from the school of politics of the late Adedibu, Prof. Soji Adejumo, former Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, said the political experience of the late Adedibu is not the one you can buy.

Adejumo said: “He knew how to manage political crises. The crises that led to the loss of PDP was as a result of his death. If he was alive, PDP would not have lost the election in the state.”

With the enormity of his contributions to politics in the state, the former deputy governor, Alhaji Gbolarumi and Mrs Adedibu said people like Adedibu should be immortalised because people believed in him.