Senator Kola Balogun has described the late former governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, as a courage in leadership.
The senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District said this while speaking at “A Day of Tributes”, an event held in Ibadan in honour of the former governor who died on January 12, 2022.
The event, organised by the Oyo State Political Class, is part of the one-week programme put in place for the burial of the late former governor.
Senator Balogun said the late Otunba Alao-Akala was able to succeed as the governor of a complex state like Oyo because of his courage and good human relations.
Going down the memory lane, the senator, who twice served as a commissioner in the administration of Alao-Akala, said he was fortunate to serve the state under the Ogbomoso-born grassroots politician.
“I was fortunate to serve as a commissioner twice under the leadership of the late former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala. I was privileged to serve under him.
“It was a tedious period but he succeeded in governing a complex state like Oyo because he was a courage in leadership. He served with purpose and with a sense of mission.
“The last time we spoke was a few days after the demise of the late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso I. I called him, he didn’t pick. But he called me back two days later.
“We shared some jokes. I told him that I want to be the next Soun of Ogbomoso. Oga, told me that I should mind myself; that ‘your brother wants to become the next Olubadan and you too want to be the Soun. Is it you and your brother that we came into this world to serve?’
“I didn’t know that that would be our last conversation. If had known, I would have loved to speak with for more than three hours,” Senator Balogun said.
Senator Balogun, who was at the event with his wife, Mrs Gbonjubola Kola-Balogun and the president of Providence Coalition, Prince Niran Adeyoju, admonished the children of the late former Governor Alao-Akala to keep up his legacy.
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of the organisers of the event, Chief Wale Ohu, said the “Day of Tributes”, the first of its kind, was put together to celebrate the late Chief Alao-Akala who he described as a very unique man.
Ohu said Alao-Akala “was a political Titan; a man of exceeding generosity and epitome of politics without bitterness. He traversed different political platforms.
“[This was] a trajectory that subjected him to relating with all prominent political actors in Oyo State and Nigeria at large, thereby creating an uncommon experience of a man with a large heart.
“To this end, the political class in Oyo State, cutting across all party lines, unanimously agreed to come together to celebrate this unique man.”
Ohu further said the event “will bring all politicians together under a common cause, devoid of schisms, wranglings, inter-personal mudslinging and manifested superiority claims, but united for a just and common purpose.
“The death of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala and its aftermath that gave birth to this event has given us a better understanding that politicians can be united, even in diversity.
“The expected goal of this event is to make this a monumental activity that will bring together the political class, irrespective of political parties once in a year under a banner of no tension, no rivalry, but to foster the practice of politics without bitterness which Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala stood for.”
