Alao akala at 69, a reflection

A former governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao Akala clocks 69 on June 3, 2019. The ex-wpolice Officer had a lowly beginning but fortune smiles at him and he rose to the peak of his career in the Nigeria Police before venturing into politics where he soared like an eagle. Akala distinguished himself as a policeman in the Nigeria Police, where he rose to the position of an Assistant Commissioner of Police before his retirement. While in the Police, he served as an ADC to Chief Sunday Adedayo Adewusi, former I.G. Nigeria Police.

Upon retirement in 1995 and in furtherance in the service of his fatherland, he joined the murky water of the Nigerian Politics. As a matter of fact, if his career in the Nigeria Police was a turning point in his life, his political career is a watershed. As a matter of fact, destiny smiled on him and he attained the position of the Chairman of a Local Government, Deputy Governor and Governor. There is no doubt that his stint as a Chairman prepared him for the position of the Deputy Governor and later Governor. His becoming the Governor of Oyo State on January 12, 2006 was controversial and this won many enemies for him. This is because of the manner his erstwhile boss, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja was impeached. Oyo State later embraced him due to his populist programs, and his humane disposition to all and sundry. As a matter of fact, it was he that let people know that the government is actually meant to benefit the large segment in the society. He later contested the governorship position in Oyo State under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party in 2007 general election and won.

His tenure as the governor was a watershed in the annals of Oyo State. For the first time, developmental efforts of the government were spread to all sections of the state. For instance, he established Oyo State College of Agriculture in Igbo-ora and constructed or rehabilitated in Ibarapa are New Eruwa-Lanlate, College of Agric Access road and Agbaye-Okeho roads. In Oke Ogun, he opened up inter regional roads like Sepeteri, Igboho, Alaga-Shaki, Iganna- Iwere-ile-Samo, Ado-Awaye-Ilua-Okeho, Otu- Igbojaye and Shaki-Ilesa Bariba Roads. In Oyo his government rehabilitated Iware-Akinmorin-Akunlemun roads. In Ibadan, some of the roads he equally rehabilitated include Ijokodo-Apete-Awotan,Omolayo-HousingEstate,Awotan Akufo,Alegongo-Exide-Wofun, Eleyele Ido-Eruwa,Ayepe-Ayegbami and Molete roads. In addition, he rehabilitated the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan after years of neglect, ditto for the Ancient Atiba Hall at Oyo. In the field of health delivery, he renovated Adeoyo Hospital and built multi-billion LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine in Ogbomoso and Oyo. We can go on writing about his lofty accomplishment as the governor but for space.

It is equally imperative to state that Akala’s tenure was not without its dark period. This is incessant feud between the drivers union especially in Ibadan. There were violence in major garages which led to maiming and killing of innocent citizens. In actual fact, the ugly event gave Oyo a bad name as a center of the brigandage. However, a critical analysis of the crisis reveals that Akala had no hand in the crisis. It was an outcrop of the power struggle between Ibadan political stalwarts, which was inherited by their foot-soldiers in the NURTW. In other to outshine one another and control the garages with its perks, violence ensued.

Beside violence, armed robbery incidents were witnessed in the state. However this was due to the flushing out of armed robbers from Lagos by Fashola administration. These robbers crossed to neighbouring states to unleash terror. However, Akala brought his experience as security tsar to bear in curtailing the menace. He procured five Armored Personnel Carriers for the state police command to beef-up security. This simple act forestalled armed robbery incidents in the state. The peace and security flaunting by former governor Abiola Ajimobi as his administrations accomplishment was in actual fact an outcrop of Akala’s sagacity. The only area that Ajimobi can be said to have surpassed Akala in terms of security is curtailing the violence among the NURTW gangs and this is due mainly to the fact of Ajimobi being an Ibadan man.  In addition, Akala had running battle with the state workers over his failure to pay N18,000 minimum wage due to the financial drought in the state. Save the above, Akala’s era brought prosperity to the state and people hardly forget. There was sufficient in the land and people were happy.

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His efforts to come back to power in 2011, 2015 and 2019 were futile not because he lacks track records of achievements but conspiracy among members of a political class bent on keeping the political power in Ibadan in. As a matter of fact, he had to leave APC which he was persuaded to join because Ajimobi told him pointedly that non Ibadan man can rule Oyo. He also pulled out of alliance with Lanlehin, Seyi Makinde and Sarafadeen Ali which was coordinated by Senator Rashidi Ladoja because Ladoja maintained the posture of Ajimobi. Unfortunately, Ibarapa, Oyo, Oke-ogun save Ogbomoso were in tandem with Ibadan hegemony may because of lack of competent people to vie for the post.

In spite of his failure to stage a comeback, Akala is a force to reckon with in Oyo politics because his supporters cut across the state. Not only that his people in Ogbomoso cherished his contributions to the upliftment, not only of Ogbomoso but Oyo state in general. This is why he always bank on the support of his people each time he vie for political positions or sponsored candidates. He dictates where political pendulum shifts in Ogbomoso.

Adewuyi Adegbite wrote through [email protected]