Ishaq Abiola Ajimobi, Five Years Away From Us | Prince Akeem Adeyemi

The other side of Your Excellency that people didn’t aware was  succumbing to superior arguments.

Late Chief Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi, the Governor of Oyo State, and Hon Prince Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi,(Skimeh), then Chairman of Atiba Local Government.

This came to the fore in 2012, in one of the meetings of Joint Allocations Account Committee,(JAAC) held on monthly basis with its statutory members as:
The Governor,
Deputy Governor,
SSG,
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters,
PS Ministry of Local Government,
Director In the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters,
33 Chairmen of the Local Governments in the State.

In this particular meeting, the  Federal Government decided to procure three (3)Commuter Buses for each of the (774)Local Governments in the country.The fund would be deducted from the allocation of each Local Government. For ease of payment, the Governor in each State served as a surety/guarantor to enable deductions from the monthly statutory allocations accrued to Local Governments. The  National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) who were the beneficiaries would later pay back via the Local Government. It was aimed at evacuating rickety buses out of the road with a view of ensuring ease of transportation by commuters.

His Excellency, Governor Isiaq Ajimobi directed that each Local Government must deliver a bus to the central pool for use at his discretion.

I perceived that if the governor could go away with his plan, and I was allocated two buses and made to pay for three buses, in line with the arrangement, it meant that my local government would be shortchanged and paid for a bus not allocated.

I waited for his endorsement of the required documents which enabled the distribution before I raised up my hand to air my view.
I said, “Your Excellency, my reaction to your instruction was that, the file you have signed, i have to say, yes and no”? My”yes” was to appreciate the lofty vision of the program while my “no” was to rescind your decision on bringing a bus to your office for use at your discretion.

I made passionate appeal to him to forestall committing such an innocent costly mistake, because unknowingly, you might distribute the 33 buses in your care unevenly oblivious of the fact that the buses weren’t a free gift, they carry compulsory payment from the beneficiaries. I posited that if a bus allocated to Atiba was given to someone else in Ibadan South West, Federal Government would deduct the money from Atiba Local Government. I emphasized that with humility and obedience, Your Excellency could take the 3 buses from me but should be given to whoever pleases you in Atiba Local Government.

Ajimobi after listening to my submission, rescinded his earlier stand and asked all the Chairmen to go home with the three buses each.

Governor Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi was a listening leader…”I love you, even in death”. You were loved and will always be remembered.

Some Chairmen were bewildered by my audacity. In fact,Hon Soji Ojoawo, the then Chairman Oyo West Local Government who sat beside me was murmuring that “whatever you say, you are the son of Alaafin, the Governor can’t remove you”.

My living witnesses at the meeting are:
Hon Wasiu Olatubosun, the present Commissioner for Art and Culture in Oyo State,Chief Mrs Hannah Ogunesan, then PS Ministry of Local Government, Prof Joseph Olowofela,  to mention but just a few.

In his wisdom, Governor Ajimobi replied that:
“Go with the three buses, i don’t need them again”. He went on to say “Akeem Adeyemi, you are very intelligent, I love you”

This is another side of late Governor Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi that is obscured to many. He succumbed to superior arguments.

This showcases a listening and responsible leader who understood and adopted inclusiveness in decision making.

Ajimobi was a consummate politician, a shrewd administrator whose oratory prowess was unique.

I beseech Allah to continue resting your soul with soothing peace till eternity. Amen.

Hon Prince Akeem Adeniyi Adeyemi ,
Chairman House Committee On South West Development Commission.