Alhaja Bose Adedibu in this no holds bared interview with Ayo Esan and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan, speaks on the life and times of her late husband, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, the strongman of Ibadan politics, who fi ve years after his death still remains a phenomenon. Excerpts:
It is five years that Chief Lamidi Adedibu left this world, how have you been coping?
Well, Alhamdulilahi robi arahim. I have to thank God for everything. Though it has not been easy, the Almighty Allah has been there for me and He is with the family. We thank God.
When Baba was alive, many people usually thronged here for food, for money and other materials. How has the family been meeting their needs because we know some people have still been coming for such?
Honestly, I cannot even explain it. All I know is that God is there for me because I cannot explain how I am coping . When Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala was there as the governor, I would say he was trying his best. The Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland , Alhaji Azeez Arisekola-Alao is doing his best. But since Alao-Akala is no more there as the governor and our party, the PDP is not in power, I just know that I have been doing it and God is helping me.
Chief Adedibu must have left some businesses, who is managing them and how have the workers been faring?
Business! Business? You know him very well; he was more pronounced in politics than in business. So he did not leave any business behind.
Baba was an astute politician but with what we see here this morning , there is no big politician around. In those days, politicians would have been here especially as 2015 is around the corner. Have politicians been coming, especially those that have been assisted by Baba to get one post or the other in the past?
You are putting two questions together. You are talking of 2015 and you are talking of politicians not flocking here as before.
What I mean is that with election in 2015, if Baba were alive, this place would have been bubbling with activities . But nobody is here today, how do you feel?
That is life. Every soul must taste death. And you know people, they worship human beings and people in government or people that have influence on government. And when that person is no more, hardly would you see them around. It is those that know God that you will see. Many would hardly come. We are all human beings and that is the nature of human beings.
Before Chef Adedibu’s death, he determined who becomes what in the politics of Oyo State. What has happened to his political empire, the group that was under him before his death?
Well, I will say, with his death five years ago, things have fallen apart and the centre could no longer hold. You know, so many things happened and it made things to fall apart and the group is no longer united.
Like what?
During the last regime when PDP was in power in the state, so many things happened. That is why I said things fell apart then and the centre could not hold anymore. But now, God in His mercy is helping us to bring Adedibu Group together. And He is bringing us together so that we can speak with one voice.
How is God doing that?
That means you want to know the handiwork of God. You just need to wait and see.
Are you saying by 2015, the Adedibu group would have come back together?
Even before 2015. The Group is regrouping already. It pains 5 years after Adedibu’s death me you were not here during the fifth year anniversary of Baba’s death; you would have seen that things are coming back. And we are praying.
Many believe that if Adedibu were alive, PDP would not have been at the state it is now in Oyo State. I saw you along with Chief Yekini Adeojo, and other Ibadan politicians in Chief Bode George’s house in Lagos where you came for a meeting . We thought such a meeting should have taken place here at Baba’s residence
That meeting that you talked about, we were invited . I didn’t know that another meeting was held in Ibadan until I got there.
What I am saying is that this place is supposed to be a rallying point for all politicians, not only in Ibadan but in Oyo State generally.
That is true. And if I am to talk about that one, it is going to be a long story. We are trying and we are planning that this place ( Adedibu’s Molete residence) should be a rallying point. We are trying to do that, but at least pending the time, a tree cannot make a forest. We are trying to mend the fences . But before that happens, you know there must be so many interactions. So we are on it. But even if this place is a rallying point, it does not mean that if we are invited to a meeting anywhere, even if not Lagos or Abuja, we will not go.
With Baba’s death, who is now leading the Adedibu political group? Are you the one leading the group because we know you were very close to Baba when he was alive. You were an insider.
You know, you don’t choose a leader, a leader emerges. So we are praying that God would bring out a leader.
How soon will that be?
We are on it and a leader will emerge before 2015.
With the present state of PDP in Oyo State, do you think the party will achieve unity before 2015?
By the Grace of God, yes, and I believe you have belief in God. Let’s wait and see. Nothing is impossible for God and that has been the legacy of my late husband. He always put everything in the hands of God. And you know, when he was alive, God was always there for him. You know, there is a proverb that says the owner of the town will not want the town to disintegrate. I will not open my eyes and see the legacy of my husband die . I am doing my best and have been going up and down to talk to them, to beg them that whatever be the case, we have seen what happened after the demise of Baba. So if we are truly party persons, because it is a party that bring government, If we are all truly members of the PDP, why can’t we come together? We have seen what we lost and everybody is regretting now. If there was no fight among us, what happened would not have happened. And everybody has learnt his lessons. All of them have learnt their lessons. And I don’t think they are going to make mistakes again.
I am not an ACN member, I am a PDP member and I believe that if we come to government, we can do better . After all, when Alao-Akala was there, he did his own bit. There is no government that will be there and will not do its bit. Governor Ajimobi is doing his best and when he leaves in 2015, we the PDP members will come there and we will do our own bit too.
Are you saying Ajimobi and ACN are leaving in 2015 ?
By the grace of God . I am praying that my own party , Peoples Democratic Party, will win by God’s grace. I don’t know what other person will say but for me, by God’s grace, PDP will win. Insa Allah , God will help us .
During Baba’s lifetime, many politicians across party lines benefi tted from his political leadership. How are those politicians relating to the family now, especially you. Have they been of assistance, financially or otherwise ?
Thank you very much . You know what really happened is that I have never seen any help Adefrom beneficiaries of Baba from other parties. I have never seen any assistance from the people who are not in PDP. But like you said, my husband’s political influence cut across party lines when he was alive. If you were at Alhaji Hassim Gbolarumi’s Rammadan lecture, you would have heard Governor Abiola Ajimobi saying that he is the son of Baba Adedibu. He said Baba Adedibu even introduced his mother to his father, which means we are blood relations. But instead of him assisting me, he took up my land.
Where was that?”
At Alesinloye. Baba’s land was affected too.
Baba’s land, where?
In Molete area of Ibadan here But we can say if you want to do good or do well in your city or state, must you have to step on so many toes. I am not feeling offended but I have not seen any helping hand from him. But for those that are close to Baba, at least they are doing their best. God forbid, I don’t go to them for help. But in the fifth anniversary of Baba’s death we did last time, they all contributed immensely to its success. They did very well. Even the leaders of the Accord Party, they did their own bit because I don’t think there is any politician in Ibadan here that has not benefitted from Baba. So most of them who know that one day they will go to where this Baba has gone, are trying their best.
In 2015, are you contesting for any elective post
Don’t expect me to contest any elective position . Baba’s son is there, Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu. Since my husband has put him in front, we have to follow him.
Are you now saying in 2015, an Adedibu blood will come out to contest election in the state?
Insah Allahu. His name will not be eradicated by God’s grace.
Which post are you expecting an Adedibu blood to go for in 2015
Not lower than Senate , may be governorship
On what platform?
On the platform of the PDP. We are not going to leave the PDP because that was where the man stood before his death. But if the PDP leadership now says we are moving the party into another party, then we will move en masse
How united is the family after Baba’s death?
We are very, very united. There is no problem or division within the family. We are one.
What is the situation with the Baba’s Will. We heard he left behind a Will?
You know you journalists, you know you people now. He didn’t do a Will anyway. You know, he lived his life for poor people. My husband couldn’t sleep with money. It is not possible. You know one thing about him; if he didn’t have money, he would be going up and down looking for money. So he didn’t do any Will. He didn’t have any property. What he has is what you are seeing here. So that is just it. Newspapers are just writing what they are writing.
When he died, a newspaper just flashed it that N500 million was found in his bedroom. I then called Mr. Super because he was the one taking care. I said, ‘come, don’t do that to me . You know I was the one with him, bring out this money and he said ‘which money ?’ We went to the bedroom, searched everywhere, we didn’t see any money .
If he had the money that you people are claiming he had, they wouldn’t have taken his land at NITEL just opposite this house in Molete. He didn’t finish paying the money for the land . That is why the government took up the land. You understand what I am saying . They sold the land for N65 million and Baba Adedibu managed to pay N7.5m or so. So he was planning to pay the balance. Had it been he had money; how much is N65m? He lived his life for the people especially the commoners. Like Governor Ajimobi was saying that he is Baba’s son, he could have invited us and say ‘my wife, my father didn’t pay the balance of the money, how do we pay the balance? Can I give you some days or months to go and look for the money? Or can we give you compensation?’ He can do that … but he didn’t do that; he just took up the land. And no money was paid back to the family.
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