Abiodun, Oyo Politicians Celebrate Akala in Ibadan

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun yesterday joined politicians from major political parties in Oyo State to bid late former state Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, farewell.

Alao-Akala, who was the governor of Oyo State between 2007 and 2011, died on January 12, 2022.

The late governor, an indigene of Ogbomoso, was elected as governor of the state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007 and later re-contested on the platform of Labour Party (LP) in 2015 but lost.

He also re-contested as governor on the platform of Action Democratic Party (ADP) in 2019 before he later moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

Prominent political gladiators from the major political parties in the state at the event tagged: ‘A day of tributes in honour of Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala’, as parts of the activities for his final burial, and organised by a group, ‘The Oyo State political class’, which consists of all major politicians in the state, jettisoned party affiliations to celebrate the life and times of the deceased.

Present at the event include politicians from APC, PDP and LP, family, friends and associates of the former governor, among others.

Those at the ceremony were Governor Abiodun, who was represented by Chief Tunde Oladunjoye; Senator representing Oyo South, Dr. Kola Balogun; Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); Alhaja Bose Adedibu, Kunle Ishola, and Oyo State APC Chairman, Mr. Issac Omodewu.

Others were Senator representing Oyo North, Abdulfatai Buhari; the guest Speaker, Prof. Tunji Olaopa; Prof. Soji Adejumo, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, Alhaji Kehinde Olosebikan, among many others.

The Chairman of the Burial Planning Committee, Chief Wale Ohu, in his welcome remarks, said Alao-Akala means different things to different people, adding: “I welcome you to this event to celebrate the life of Chief Alao-Akala. His death was a rude shock to the political class in Oyo State and Nigeria in general. He is a man with large heart. Today, political class gathered devoid of party affiliations to celebrate the man that means different things to different people.”

Olaopa, in his lecture titled: ‘Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala: The Lifetime of a Humane Politician’, described the former governor as a man that battled to rise from the heap, grass, a humble beginning and determined to raise as many as he could, stating that he was a compassionate soul who had no apologies for his desire to reach out to those in need, a desire molded in the fire of his affliction while growing up.

He maintained that he was an exceptional figure in all respects who contributed his parts to the political development in Oyo State, noting that the coming together of political alliance across the parties to celebrate him was a testimony of his practicing politics without bitterness.

According to him, “No one would, however, deny the capacity of Alao-Akala as a bridge-builder and a master-negotiator, who understood the technique involved in high-politics. And a testament to this is the coalition of politicians gathered here today in a posthumous seminal reflection on Oyo State political future, all to honour the broad-mindedness, accommodativeness, and exemplariness that he was dedicated to in his lifetime.”