There is nowhere and no how the socio-political intrigues of the old Western Region during the period leading to Nigeria’s Independence in 1960 will be discussed, without due reference to the dynamic contributions of the late Sir Adegoke Gbadamosi Adelabu (1915-1958), who’d earned himself the famous sobriquet-Adelabu Penkelemes.
Adelabu Penkelemes, to academicians, as well as political historians, was an embodiment of intellectualism, a nationalist, journalist, businessman, mass mobiliser and a firebrand Ibadan politician, who soared majestically in youth with unparalleled distinction all through his academic career to being the first indigenous Manager of the United African Company (UAC), a former British company, founded in 1929; to the Chairman of the defunct Ibadan Divisional Council, Opposition Leader in the Western Regional Assembly, member of the House of Representatives, national party executive and the Minister of Social Services in the country’s pre-Independence.
Penkelemes, the nickname which was affectionately stereotyped on the irrepressible Adegoke Adelabu, had sourced from the adulterated pronunciation of ’Peculiar Mess,’ by his non-literate Ibadan supporters, the phrase which he had used to descriptively lampooned the inquiry by the opposition in the Western Region government into corrupt allegations, levelled against his person in 1955, when he served as the Chairman of the defunct Ibadan Divisional Council.
Attesting to the exceptional brilliance of Adegoke Adelabu in the condolence register of his transition, on March 25, 1958, his secondary school mate, late Professor Saburi Biobaku, a historian and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, had reportedly remarked:
“As one who was his contemporary in school, I have known him from his boyhood. At the Government College, Ibadan (G.C.I), he was known as Joseph Adegoke Sanusi and was undoubtedly the most brilliant boy to have passed through that school so far.”
57 years after his death, on the 3rd of September 2015, at his posthumous centenary birthday, which also witnessed the launch of his Foundation, the Adegoke Adelabu Foundation, along with a book written by him in 1952, Africa in Ebullition, the Executive Governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had described him as “a man of great ideas” who “lived before his time.”
The outgoing, first Governor to win a re-election in the Pacesetter state, further referred to his book as being “more of a manifesto of social welfare programmes of the people,” adding that the embodiment of intellectualism had used “his position as the leader of opposition to the Action Group (AG) under the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to offer such robust political direction that kept the government in power to be constantly on its toes to provide better services for the people.”
It wouldn’t, however, be unphilosophical to say that Adelabu Penkelemes, the ‘man of great ideas,’ who Governor Ajimobi believed to have lived before his time, whose death on the old Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the 20th century, at the age of 43, has resurrected in this 21st century, through his lineage, in no other person than his direct grandson, Adebayo Abdulwaheed Adelabu, the immediate-past Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland, who clocks 48 years today, September 28, 2018, and who, as the Oyo State governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is set to succeed the outgoing Governor come 2019.
Besides the fact that Bayo Adelabu, as today’s birthday boy is simply and fondly called by friends and close associates, shares September as the same birth month with his grandad, whose 103 posthumous birthday was celebrated 25 days ago, the former CBN chieftain also exhibits similar academic per excellence and had begun his working career in an international private sector in his early 20s, with enviable meritorious service before he finally ventured into partisan politics, just like the Penkelemes originator.
The late Adelabu Penkelemes, had maintained the first position in all classes of the three tiers of his educational career. Winning scholarship from UAC to study Commerce at the Yaba Higher College, Lagos and from there, became the first indigenous Manager of the company at the age of 21.
Bayo also, like-grandfather-like-grandson, at the age of 21, graduated from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, as a distinguished First Class holder in Accounting. That was after completing his elementary and secondary school education, which he had at Ibadan Municipal Government Primary School, Agodi Ibadan, between 1976 and 1982 and Lagelu Grammar School, also in Ibadan, between 1982 and 1987 respectively.
He likewise began work with an international firm like his grandad, PriceWaterhouse, now PricewaterhouseCooopers, an international firm of chartered accountants and management consultants, where he acquired professional training for seven years. There, Bayo was exposed to managing and leading various audit and consultancy engagements for large banks and non-banking financial institutions within and outside the country.
The Oyo APC candidate in the March 2, 2019 governorship election, left PricewaterhouseCoopers as Audit Manager and Senior Consultant in year 2000 and toured through the banking sector. He joined First Atlantic Bank as the Financial Controller and Group Head of Risk Management and Controls and was promoted to Chief Bank Inspector of the Bank in 2002 and the Group Head of National Public Sector Business in 2003.
From one financial institution to another, Bayo Adelabu moved to Standard Chartered Bank. There, he was the Group Manager, West Africa Regional Head of Finance and Strategy (Consumer Banking Business) with dual offices in Lagos and Accra. In 2009, at the age of 39, he became an Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Nigeria’s largest bank, First Bank of Nigeria Plc (FBN).
Prior to his appointment as the CBN Deputy Governor in 2014, by former President Goodluck Jonathan, he had for a year in 1999, while on a temporary transfer from duty at PricewaterhouseCoopers, led the Financial Team on the CBN re-engineering and corporate renewal project, tagged: “Project Eagles.”
On the 9th of April, 2014, the day he officially assumed office as the Deputy Governor of CBN, in charge of Financial System Stability (FSS), after confirmation by the Senate two weeks earlier, Bayo eloquently assured that his wealth of professional experience would give him the leverage in performing his duties diligently, adding that, “I don’t believe so much in activities. It’s more of productivity. I do more of the work than talk. I don’t believe that we should talk too much. If you have a work to do, do it well and everyone will see that it is a success.” And while pointing out that his appointment had come at a time many youths between 40-50 age brackets are seen around the world to be holding key leadership roles in business and in governance, the fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), had pointed out that, “it’s not so much about age these days, but what you bring to the table. It has to do with experience. When you have youth in positions of responsibility, you have the strength and vigour to face the rigours of the job.”
The quintessential banker had reiterated his belief that the most productive period of one’s life is within the youthful stage in a chat with insideoyo.com, an online news medium, expressing that, “the global trend is that the youths have either taken over or fully involved in business and governance. The age bracket of 30-50 years now rule the world or play prominent roles, be it in business, governance, policy formulation, execution, technology entrepreneurship and so on. So why should Nigeria be an exception. At this age, your mental alertness, intellectual agility is at its best, so why wait till later.”
However, life wasn’t that rosy for the broom party's 2019 gubernatorial candidate while growing up, despite his hailing from the highly celebrated Adelabu Penkelemes background. Like his grandad, it had been through hard work and diligence from a humble home under his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Aderibigbe Adelabu, and his paternal granny that he built himself into a phenomenon in the banking sector before he became a chieftain of the country’s apex bank.
“I know where the shoe pinches for all categories of people because I have also been there before now.” The young Ibadan Chief had hinted in a press interview in September 2017, while explaining to insideoyo.com how he’d grown up hawking pepper, onions, bread, soft drinks and other food items for his paternal grandmother during the years he lived with her, at Oluyoro-Oke Adu, an indigenous area of Ibadan North East local government, shortly after he lost his father, who was also a senior banker before he died in 1975, then Bayo was 4 years old. It was during this period while he was living with his granny that he met his darling wife, Mrs Oluseyi Omolara Adelabu.
“I can conveniently call myself an all-rounded Ibadan man as my background and growing up traverses the length and breadth of Ibadan metropolis, with a little slip into a couple of the less cities. I have the map of the larger Ibadan metropolis and less cities on my palms.” The Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland had added.
Notably, before Bayo Adelabu, the 2019 governorship candidate of the APC in Oyo state finally tendered his letter of disengagement as the CBN Deputy Governor, he had within his 4 years of committed public service to his beloved Nigeria, headed the Corporate Services of the apex bank to its Operations after being in charge of Financial System Stability.
In a formal acceptance of his disengagement letter, President Muhammadu Buhari who is also running for his second term in office on the APC platform, had warmly thanked him for his services and wished him best of luck in politics.
“While appreciating your services in the Central Bank of Nigeria since 9th April 2014, I wish you the very best in your future ambitions and continued commitment to public service in our country and specifically, as you seek to play a more active role in politics in your home state.” The President had stated in a letter personally signed by him, dated May 24, 2018.
It would be recalled that Bayo Adelabu's entry into full-time politics in his home state, have long been expected and much-talked about by many in and outside the state, before he finally let the cat out of the bag with a visit to the state party secretariat, along old Lagos bye-pass road, Ibadan, on the 20th of June 2018, in a classic jamboree of family and friends, APC members, youths and beneficiaries of his Adegoke Adelabu Foundation.
The common talk among keen watchers of political developments, as well as people in and outside Oyo state for months then, had it that once the accomplished banker joins the governorship race, his ambition would have the blessings of prominent personalities of the state; that his political background and many of his positive handwritings on the socio-economic walls of the state all through his career, would be another formidable advantage for him in his political aspiration.
Some even said then that, Bayo Adelabu, as the apple of the eye of the influential sons and daughters of the state, especially from Ibadan, who were said not to be card-carrying members of any political party, have long been called upon to contest for the governor’s seat, based on his remarkable qualities in his working career and impressive service to humanity in his forties when life is popularly said to truly begins.
These dignitaries in the Pacesetter state were said to have held the conviction that with the wealth of professional experience of Bayo Adelabu in his youth to the peak of the country's apex bank, there’s no need to consult any oracle that if the governorship position is entrusted to him, his manning of the political ship of the state would facilitate the desired accountability, adequate and efficient controls of government departments, as well as positive innovations to established policies and operational procedures of governance.
An example of such groups of personalities in the state is the Council for Oyo State Indigenes (COSI), which pride itself as a body of enlightened Indigenes of the state from all walks of life.
COSI had at a news conference held at Bestab Luxury Suites, Ikeja Lagos, in October 2016, tipped Bayo Adelabu as the 2019 Governor of Oyo state and called on the citizens of the state to throw their weights behind the gesture.
“We will require more than a lifetime to applaud the life of an iconic bank mogul, who with no doubt has contributed a lot amidst personal sacrifices to the financial and social-economic development of our dear country Nigeria and most ultimately the State of Oyo.” Mr. Olalemi Abiodun, the Convener, COSI, had expressed.
More also, Bayo Adelabu was viewed by political observers months before and after he joined politics as one of the very few His Excellency, Governor Abiola Ajimobi once claimed to have found to be worthy and in possession of the kind of qualities he wants in his successor.
“Many of those who have shown interest in becoming the next Governor are qualified, while some are not qualified to be members of Honourable Assembly,” Governor Ajimobi had opened up in May2017, during a media interactive session to mark his 6th year in office. He’d added that, “I want a leader who can envision, be courageous. Oyo needs someone who is intellectually passionate, not afraid to take tough decisions, has interest of the people at heart, not interest of the few,” and capping it, the governor pointed out that he'd “found at least five of them” aspiring with potentials, who are “worthy in character and in learning.”
However, the 'Shehu' of Oyo APC had further made it known then that, by May this year, he would have a clearer picture of his likely successor, who he’s confident “will also be the people’s choice.”
Although the Pegunrun (jinx-breaker) governor didn’t come out with his choice of a successor till he led the party to its governorship primary, held three days ago, on September 25, 2018. The governor and the party had opted for internal democracy in a free-for-all contest for the fittest in the Oyo APC to show their strength and popularity within the party through the indirect primary. And it was crystal clear that Bayo Adelabu, who emerged as the greatest of the fittest and the darling choice of the broom party in the Pacesetter state for the 2019 governorship election, duly possess all the qualities and the potentials Governor Ajimobi had talked about.
Apart from his Penkelemes background, Bayo had already created a niche for himself within the socio-political circle of the society at large and does enjoys enormous goodwill among both young and old across the country right before he even ventured into partisan politics.
It wouldn’t also be disputed that Bayo Adelabu, the Oyo APC flag bearer in the March 2, 2019 governorship race, shares many values together with Governor Ajimobi besides age. These includes, hailing from similar respected Ibadan family with sound political background, being alumni of Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, touring of the private sector and having held sensitive positions, along with display of managerial skills as seasoned professionals in their chosen fields before joining politics.
Of course, Bayo Adelabu’s possession of competencies in finance, accounting, taxation, budgeting, as well as credit risk management, weren’t dissimilar to the experience Governor Ajimobi acquired all through, as a B.Sc. Holder in Business Administration/Finance from the State University of New York, Buffalo, USA, and MBA in Operations Research/Marketing, with concentration in Finance at the Governors State University, University park, Illinois, USA. From where, he began work as a certified underwriter with the 2nd largest insurance company in America, the Equitable Life Assurance, to Senior Consultant with a managerial and industrial consulting firm, to Finance and Administration Controller of Modulor Group, an architectural firm, and progressively to Nestle Foods PLC where he held the position of Operations Controller/International Marketing Controller till he joined National Oil, now Conoil, where he was the youngest to occupy the post of Consumer Product Manager, as well as Divisional Manager up till he finally got to the peak by becoming the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the oil industry, having about 30 years working experience before his voluntary retirement and joined full-time politics.
In addition, Bayo Adelabu, today’s 48 year old birthday celebrant had been close to the workings of the state government months before his full entry into the political circle of the state.
In September last year, he was appointed by the current Ajimobi-led administration as the Chairman of the state Security Trust Fund (STF), and also rendered assistances in other sectors of the state while he was with the apex bank, such as the financing of the Technical University, Ibadan, through the CBN intervention programmes. The university, is an initiative of the incumbent Ajumose administration and is the first Technical University in Nigeria and West Africa.
Without mincing words, there’s not one aspect in the life of the people of Oyo state that hasn’t felt the benevolence of Bayo Adelabu, the 2019 gubernatorial candidate of the APC in the state.
Through his NGO, the Bayo Adelabu Foundation (BAF), which has long been merged with the Adegoke Adelabu Foundation, the happily married iconic banker with blessed children, has over a decade, been involved in various humanitarian activities.
“My current focus is to continue to give back to the society where I have benefited so much from. My platform is my 12 years old NGO, Bayo Adelabu Foundation (BAF). We have been doing this for almost 12 years without making noise.” The financial heavyweight had told insideoyo.com when he was still with CBN.
Adegoke Adelabu Foundation operates on five pillars which are: education and health financing; artisans and traders’ empowerment; care for windows, orphans, aged and special needs people; communal basic infrastructure and youth engagement and rehabilitation.
In just a tip of the iceberg of the activities of the Adegoke Adelabu Foundation, on May 27, 2017, while hosting more than 1000 children from 25 public schools to a full day celebration, in commemoration of the Children’s Day in Oyo state, the Foundation expended the sum of N10m in scholarships for 150 public school children to pursue their academic careers up to the university level, with similar opportunities given to more students who have demonstrated excellent academic performance in the state this year.
As a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Bayo Adelabu is also a member of distinguished metropolitan social clubs, like Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, the prestigious Ikoyi Club, 1938, Ibadan Golf Club and Jericho Business Club. At the same time, Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland is an ardent employer of labour in the real estate, farming, as well as in hospitality and entertainment industry.
Chief Adebayo Adelabu Penkelemes is the Group Chairman of Bayse One Hospitality and Entertainment Ltd, which is under the management of his heartthrob, Mrs. Oluwaseyi Adelabu. The industry owns and runs Bayse One Group of Hotels, including a 4-Star world class hotel, the Best Western Plus, located at 25 Jibowu Crescent Iyaganku, GRA, Ibadan.
In addition, the meritorious public servant who’d adorned himself with professional courses in various international business schools, such as Harvard Business School in Boston, USA, Wharton Business School in Pennsylvania, USA, University of Columbia Business School in New York, USA, Kellogg Business School, USA, and the University of London Business School, London, UK, is proudly the founding President of De Clique, a philanthropic club in Surulere, Lagos state, which has been involved in various programmes such as scholarships, school renovations, environmental rehabilitation and provision of food and amenities to foster homes for years.
The homebred, globally-travelled Bayo Adelabu, who has attended various local and international conferences, seminars, workshops on different developmental issues all around the world, including his organization of various public lectures on youth mentorship in leadership and self-reliant qualities, also serves as the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Nigeria Interbank Settlement Systems (NIBBS). He has presided over the board of Financial Institution Training Centre (FITC) and likewise a serving member of the board of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC). Furthermore, an investment club, known as 1C25 Investment Club, which is involved in retirement benefit scheme for its 25 members, is one out of his many initiatives.
In 2010, at the age of 40, Bayo was conferred with Ibadan Distinguished Award by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) and in 2012 at 42, a Chieftaincy title, the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland was conferred on him by the then Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Odulana Odugade.
It wouldn’t, however, be inappropriate to say that the emergence of Bayo Adelabu, as the Oyo APC 2019 governorship candidate has indeed changed the status quo of Oyo politics, as this will be the very first time in the political history of the Pacesetter state, that a 48 year old chieftaincy-titled youth, with such a sound and solid political background, who's distinguished himself among his peers with a phenomenal CV and reputable track records that is of equal standards with that of respected men of letters of all ages all over the globe, would be one formidable contestant for the exalted seat of the state governor. This is quite reminiscent of his grandad’s political dynamism in the Western Region towards the country’s Independence in 1960.
Perhaps this was why Bayo Adelabu’s gubernatorial ambition has been unsettling some political rivals in the state. For it could be recalled how a campaign of calumny was spread all about by some character assassins sometime in August 2017, not too long after the news of the possibilities of his leaving the CBN and joining the 2019 governorship race began to filter out.
It was claimed then that Bayo Adelabu, then still CBN Deputy Governor (Operations), had been arrested and questioned by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), over what was said to be the role he played in the financial corrupt practices levelled against the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison Madueake and former Chief Executive Officer of First Bank of Nigeria, Mr Bisi Onasanya.
But the good loving people of Oyo state later found out that the story was purely a ‘peculiar mess,’ unfounded and concocted by those who were only gripped by fear of the coming into politics of the accomplished gentleman of the CBN. So, they’d resorted to smearing his hard-earned reputation and integrity.
In a swift rejoinder sent to the print medium (names withheld) that published the concocted story, a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the Pacesetter state, Barrister Adebayo Ojo, who’s a close associate of Bayo Adelabu, described it as a return to dirty politics in the state and the handiwork of some politicians who are also eyeing the governorship seat in 2019, with the aimed of denting the “rising profile” of Adelabu, as well as his “increasing popularity” in the state. The state ex-CJN however, made it known then that his close pal was busy attending a legislative retreat with House of Representatives Committee on Banking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, along with his colleagues in the apex bank, during the period he was alleged to be quizzed by the EFCC.
According to Barrister Ojo, the fabricated story was hatched not too long after Bayo Adelabu was appointed by Governor Ajimobi as the Chairman of the state Security Trust Fund (STF) and his becoming the Chairman of the Governing Board of his Alma mater, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan.
However, before Bayo became the Chairman of the Governing Board of Lagelu Grammar School Old Boys Association (LAGSOBA), he was the pioneer Chairman of his Set (1982/87) Alumni and was once the Treasurer of the Lagos branch of the school's National Alumni Association. In 2012, while his Set was celebrating its 25th graduation anniversary, Bayo was financially prominent in the giving back by the good old boys to their alma mater, in terms of renovation of 2 blocks consisting of six classrooms, donation of 500 units of students’ chairs and tables, 10,000 pieces of big exercise books and 10 computers.
In corroboration of Barrister Ojo's reaction to the 'jankara' story, the CBN, through its acting Director of Corporate Communication, Mr Isaac Okorafor, had also debunked the report, saying it has no merit.
“The attention of the CBN has been drawn to a report alleging that one of its deputy governors has been arrested and made to forfeit some amount of money to the EFCC. We wish to say categorically that there is no iota of Truth in the said report and it is, the figment of the writer’s imagination.”
While appealing to members of the media to “always exercise caution and endeavour to verify their stories before going to the press” the CBN had further pointed it out to those “bent on disparaging the Bank or its officials” to “note that legal options would be explored to protect its reputation from being tarnished in any manner.”
Yet, the disparagers didn’t stop at that. Barely few weeks after the 20th of June of this year, that Bayo finally unleashed his political machinery in a grand and second-to-none gubernatorial declaration of ambition in the Pacesetter state, at the state Secretariat of the broom party, suspected political thugs on July 17, were reported to have attacked his convoy not too long after he left Inalende area in Ibadan, the state capital, where he’d gone for a familiarization tour of the Ibadan North West local government chapter of the party. Although the cause of the mayhem wasn’t ascertained, but political observers had no choice than to add one plus one to get two, that the joining of the governorship race by the weighty Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland had caused panic to other governorship aspirants who obviously lacked the courage to face the process of a mere challenge, where popularity is to be tested. The main reason they out of fear, resorted to the peculiar mess of dirty politics in sponsoring the attacks.
At a time, sometimes in August this year, hack writers were also employed to malign the rising political magnanimity of Bayo Adelabu. It had gone viral then that His Excellency, Governor Ajimobi is no more interested in throwing his weight behind the political juggernaut as his successor.
According to the Political Stew that concocted the story, Governor Ajimobi “has proven political analysts wrong by not settling for the grandson of former Oyo State Governor, Adegoke Adelabu (Penkelesmesi), Bayo Adelabu, who resigned from his position as CBN Deputy Governor to vie for Oyo State Governorship position. That the governor has stated “that he’s not a big fan of Adelabu as his successor because he doesn’t have a number of listed qualities he has attached to his possible successor.”
Whatever were the rest of the jargons written by the fabricator of the inaccurate story then, one thing the sponsors of the negative propaganda deliberately shut their eyes to, was the fact that the APC in Oyo state, since 2015, doesn’t have records of imposition of candidates by one leader or few ones. It isn’t its style at all, as the indirect primary election was employed by the party across board towards the 2015 general elections in the picking of candidates for every elective post, and this process was employed
Now, Oyo APC has spoken through the indirect primary election and His Excellency, Governor Ajimobi, the leader of the party in the Pacesetter state,as well as the first Governor to be re-elected in the state, has rightfully endorsed the emergence of Bayo Adelabu as the man to beat in the March 2, 2019 governorship race in the state for the continuity of his Ajumose programmes, just as, o ni'lu ko ni la oju e sile, ki ilu baje mo lo ri,' literally meaning that, the custodian of a house won’t fold arms and allow his house to be destroyed before his eyes.
So, lily-livered politicians in the state who are already deranged by Bayo Adelabu’s obvious political prowess must be told that there’s no cause for raising more of their slanderous, watery and dirty alarms in their own interests, since the majority of the peace-loving people of Oyo state will determine who the governor’s cap truly fits on D-day. Sure, it’s going to be a contest for the fittest where the greatest of the fittest shall survive as the last man standing.
And furthermore, the enlightened people of the Pacesetter state are already aware of the fact that Bayo Adelabu himself, the 2019 governorship candidate of Oyo APC, hasn’t stopped from assuring them that he'd joined the gubernatorial race out of his own volition of contributing more to the welfare emancipation of the loving people of his state in consolidation of the salubrious programmes of the great achiever of our time, His Excellency, Governor Ajimobi.
“All the acquisitions from the universities, work, knowledge, professional practices, as well as insights from private endeavours would go down the graves at the appointed time.” The 2019 symbol of Oyo APC, had pointed out to a myriad of APC supporters, well-wishers and members of the press who trouped out with him in a remarkable motorcade, first to his grandfather’s house at Oke-Oluokun compound, Kudeti Ibadan, where prayers were offered for him and his political aspiration, before the historical procession headed for the state office of the party where he made his governorship ambition official and donated to the upkeep of the party.
The Penkelemes reincarnate had continued, saying that the possessor of the acquisitions he mentioned “might therefore,” put them “into diligent actions for humanity,” adding that, “the useful man must do something useful if his existence is to have real values,” and submitting, he'd asserted that, “these emotional statements constitute a glimpse into the guiding principles of my desire.”
In his chat with journalists, Bayo Adelabu had described the reason why he left the CBN and all what the people should expect in his administration once they give him the mandate to serve.
“No sacrifice is too much . I am back at home to serve my good people of Oyo State . My vision is termed the next level to build on the successes of the current administration of Governor Ajimobi and to take the state to the next level by giving special attention to technology , Internally Generated Revenue and people’ s prosperity to restore the glory of the state as a truly pace - setting state.”
“The next level pyramid enunciated earlier,” the young hands that is eagerly ready to serve had stressed, “will have the following as focus points: security , agriculture, food security, housing, social infrastructure, health, education , transportation and environment.”
Likewise in July of this same year, as a guest on Southwest Political Circuit, a popular radio talk show on Fresh FM, Ibadan, Bayo Adelabu had pointed it out to the public why it had taken him some years to pursue his political ambition, claiming it was due to the dirty way politics was being played in the state after the country returned to civilian rule in 1999. He however, said that he was encouraged to come out based on the success of Governor Ajimobi, in his laying of a solid foundation for the future development of the Pacesetter state, just like the emeritus governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu did during his 1999 to 2007 tenure.
“Hooliganism, brigandage and other forms of violence were the order of the day. But Ajimobi has changed that. We know how this state was seven years ago. People like us would not join politics in that condition. Even though I have had my ambition since 1999, I waited for the appropriate time to come out.” The Oyo APC governorship candidate had explained.
While mentioning and commending some of the revivification programmes of the governor, Bayo Adelabu pointed out that, “in infrastructure, the quality of roads constructed by Ajimobi compares with the quality of roads abroad. The restructuring in education, the reform in the health sector, great improvement in the state’s economy, in tourism, night life and improvement in people’s business etc.”
To this end, based on Bayo Adelabu’s consistent exhibition of bold and concise elocutions, combined with his grand antecedents and quintessential career in the private and public sectors, there is definitely no gainsaying to see his entry into full-time politics as a complete reincarnation of his grandfather, Sir Adegoke Adelabu Penkelemess, ‘the man of great ideas who lived before his time.’ And of course, the 2019 governorship candidate of the APC in Oyo state, is already bequeathed with a resource centre, the African Centre of Intellectualism, which his grandfather's house at Kudeti Ibadan, was converted to, on September 3, 2016, to mark the 101st posthumous birthday of the Ibadan firebrand politician. The one-storey building which was said to be originally named 'Taj Mahal' by the Adelabu Penkelemes himself, has since been serving as a monument for tourists, researchers and many others for knowledge enrichment and preservation of the great political thinker’s ideals; ideals which many for instance, in his popular book, Africa in Ebullition, have attested to, to be full of ideas which are still practical solutions to the challenges facing the country today.
Definitely, Bayo Adelabu has warmly received his first birthday gift three days ago from the APC in his state of origin, through his endorsement as the party’s symbol of victory on the 2nd of March, 2019 governorship race.
In other words, what seemed to the people of Ibadan especially, Oyo state, the entire Southwest geopolitical zone and the nation as a ‘peculiar miss,’ through the demise of Adelabu Penkelemes in 1958, to borrow the phrase from What a Peculiar Miss, a tributary article, written by Chief Lekan Alabi, the Aare Alaasa Olubadan of Ibadanland, veteran journalist, Public Relations Consultant and the Chairman, Adegoke Adelabu Foundation, published in the April 9, 1999 edition of the Vanguard newspaper, in commemoration of the 38th anniversary of his death, has unarguably, come back to life as a ‘peculiar gain’ to the people through the young dynamic Ibadan Chief, the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland, the apparent custodian of the Penkelemes Legacy, a fabulous role model, source of inspiration to the Nigerian youths and upcoming generation, Chief Adebayo Abdulwaheed Adelabu, who receives warm felicitation of 48 hearty birthday cheers of the very best of luck today, from family and friends, business and political associates and well-wishers, in his aspiration to succeed the smooth operator, the architect of the new Oyo state, His Excellency, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi in 2019; in order to be able to take his home state to the next glorious level by continually injecting more of his untapped resourcefulness into the continuity of the positive development of the laudable Ajumose programmes the outgoing Governor had initiated.
