By Babatunde Odubanwo
The death of foremost politician and seasoned administrator, Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, is the end of an era within the Nigerian political space. No doubt, the demise of this distinguished Nigerian leaves a vacuum in public administration throughout Africa. To a keen observer, the passing on of this colossus to the great beyond on a Thursday, a day regarded in the Yoruba orient belief as ‘’Ọjá»Ìbá»â€˜â€™ loosely translated as the day of creation suggests that the erstwhile Oyo State governor lived a fulfilled life. Though, his death no less underscores the essence of our mortality, Abiola Ajimobi was an iconoclast of unparalled stance.
Permit me to deify this fallen hero for a little longer. His family name, pronounced in native dictum as ‘’Ajimobi-Ifa’’ (the one with premium intelligence as the Ifa deity) coincides with the African mythology of the Ifa deity being the wisest, and a divine pathfinder. With this in mind, one gets a clue about Abiola Ajimobi’s respectable background and a vivid insight into how this man scored a first in nearly all his endeavours, leaving behind a legendary track path for others to follow.
Born a little while above 70 years ago in Isale-Ijebu, Oja Oba in the ancient city of Ibadan on December 16, 1948 to Alhaji Gani Ajimobi – a trader and councilor of Ibadan Municipal Council in the Old Western region in present-day Oyo State, and Alhaja Sikirat Abeje Ajimobi, a frontline trader who died eight years ago. No wonder he made a feat in life. He was educated at St. Patrick Primary School, Oke-Padre; Ibadan City Council Primary School, Aperin and later Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan. This brilliant son of the Ajimobi dynasty proved his ancestral mettle by an outstanding academic records when he studied Business Administration and Finance at State University of New York and, Operation Research and Marketing at the State University Park, Illinois, Chicago bagging B.sc and MBA degrees respectively.
Upon his return to Nigeria, he was employed as Marketing Manager by Chief Lai Balogun – a leading industrialist in Ibadan. He later joined the employment of National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company where Alhaji Moshood, his mentor, was then the Chief Executive. Before the demise of the National Oil Chemical and Marketing Company, he enjoyed patronage at the top by way of frequent and organized transfer to many departments and branches. A chance meeting with Alhaji Moshood was the catalyst of his meteoric rise in the multinational oil company.
At age 31, he got married to the love of his life, Florence, who was born in Benin City on the 5th of April, 1959, to the Hajaig family of Lebanon and grew up in the ancient city of Ibadan.
After Ajimobi retired from National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company in 2002 as its MD/CEO, he joined partisan politics as a member of Alliance for Democracy. He was elected as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Oyo South Senatorial District in 2003; Executive Governor of Oyo State in 2011 on the platform of Action Congress (AC) and re-elected as the ‘’first man’’ of the Pacesetter state on 11th April, 2015 as a member of All Progressive Congress (APC).
As a true democrat, he upheld the values of democracy and obeyed the dictates of the rule of law. However, like anyone in his position, who must take certain crucial decisions, step on toes in the process, soon found himself mired in allegations and conspiracy theories that nearly impugned his hard earned reputation. Infact, a section of the conspiracy theorists believe strongly that his alleged misrule of the state must have stalled the chances of the possible emergence of his successor on the ticket of the All Progressive Congress (APC) losing to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and his own re-election into the hallowed seat of the Red Chambers – the Nigerian Senate.
Owing to the ‘’halos-and-horns’’ that characterizes political terrain of the Nigerian State, Abiola Ajimobi was embroiled in a number of near image-dashing returns, yet he took the snide remarks with such rarity of decorum. Unlike his predecessors, he ruled Oyo State for two terms and achieved quite a lot in terms of infrastructural developments, educational improvement programmes, landscape transformational projects amongst others.
To some, Abiola Ajimobi is recognized as an appendage to the foremost June 12 Hero – Late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale ‘’Abiola’’. On one hand, the similarities of their names; and the wittiness of both Abiolas especially in public policy is second to none. On the other hand, the Abiolas were men of figures and both worked in American companies here in Nigeria.
A man whose life characterized unshaken faith, courtesy and charms. It is on record that during his tenure as the Governor of Oyo state, crime in the state was abated and the horrendous activities of the league of disputants otherwise known as ‘’Area boys” was grounded to a halt.
Ajimobi was one who lived by the principles he taught, a characteristic that garnered for him more foes than friends within and outside his immediate circle of allies. He was damn too forthright! Not many knew that ‘’Koseleri’’ was a close friend of Ganiyu Haruna- Ishola, the eldest son of the Late Apala maestro – Haruna Ishola.
He acted in the capacity of the Deputy National Chairman of the ruling Party, All Progressive Congress (APC) and was appointed as the acting National Chairman of the party on June 16, 2020.
No thanks to the ripper of lives, the affable Septuagenarian gave up the ghost on June 25, 2020 at the First Cardiologist and Cardiovascular Consultants Hospital with complications resulting from ‘’multiple medical complications’’.
At this time, overflow of emotions and deluge of tributes affirm the fact that this illustrious son of Ibadan made positive impacts on so many lives. His transition to higher planes by the late Ajimobi leaves a scar on a nation recuperating from wounds of an unhealed past.
A GALLERY OF TIMELINE PICTURES
THE REMAINS OF THE LATE GOVERNOR ISIAKA ABIOLA AJIMOBI WILL BE COMMITTED TO MOTHER EARTH TODAY IN IBADAN. FAREWELL, SCION OF IBADAN LAND, ỌMỌ
