pannigeriannews 
By Adewuyi Adegbite
Death has been reported of Alhaji Yekini of Adeojo, a foundation member of the leading opposition party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Adeojo died in his residence at Iyaganku GRA, Ibadan in the morning of Friday, April 4, 2025. He has since been buried at his residence according to Islamic rites.
Adeojo was distinguished by his political career where he rose to national prominence. Factors that distinguished Adeojo as a politician and which made him shoulder above his peers were his tenacity of purpose, ability to use his resources for political cause, managerial ability, ability to build network of friends across the state as well as his doggedness. He had the ambition of ruling Oyo State as a democratic governor and pursued this ambition with passion and spent formidable resources in order to achieve this. However, unfortunately, he died without achieving it. This is a puzzle for some of us who had studied Adeojo at a close range and worked with him to realize his ambition with the hope that he would be a good leader, how in spite of his efforts, the position eluded him.
One reporter with Sunday Vanguard few years ago interviewed Professor Jubril Aminu, a former Vice Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, a former Chairman of National Universities Commission, former Minister of education, Senator of the federal republic, in one of its editions and raised the issue of Chief Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, the late Aro of Mopa, former Private Secretary to Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and former Premier, Northern Region about his failure to become the chairman of the PDP despite being among the G34 who formed the party and the chairman of the G34.
Knowing fully well the role of Awoniyi in the evolution of Nigeria as an independent entity as well as his role in the struggle to end military rule and the formation of PDP, Aminu told the reporter to have it in his mind and hold it in his left palm that not all he laboured for would be of benefit to him.
I think the elder statesman had Seriki Adeojo in his mind while giving that homily. Our late father and leader, Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala was nicknamed ” Bujebudanu” due to his open handedness. The nickname fits Adeojo more than Alao-Akala. I stand to be corrected on this position. I had the opportunity of being close to Adeojo in the build up to 2003 gubernatorial election in Oyo State as the chairman mobilization committee for Ogbomoso zone. The chairman for Oyo State was Late Dr Jelili Amoloye. Within the little time I spent in the committee and my frequent visits to his house, I can say much about the generosity of Alhaji Adeojo. As a matter of fact, no politician in Oyo State history has spent money like Adeojo for political cause. I don’t know the source of the money, either personal or otherwise, but until the structure of PDP was snatched from him by the combined efforts and shenanigan of Late Lamidi Adedibu and the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Adeojo used to sponsor all the chairmanship candidates of PDP in Oyo except few and sponsored his governorship campaign in 1999.
He joined politics during Gen Ibrahim Babangida’s transition to civil rule in the late 1980s. He was a member of the National Republican Convention and the arrow head of the party in Oyo state. He contested for the governorship in 1991 against Chief Kolapo Ishola of Social Democratic Party and lost to Isola. It was at that time that he distributed motorcycles to all secretaries of NRC at local government level in Oyo State.
During Gen Abacha era, he was one, if not the major financier of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in Oyo State. But for the death of Abacha, that was the time he would have become the governor of Oyo State. In 1999, he was one of the politicians that brought PDP to Oyo state and a major financier also.
Though, there were big wigs in the party like Alhaji Haruna Elewi, Chief Yomi Akintola, Baba Olopoeniyan, Chief Richard Akinjide, Senator Rashidi Ladoja among others, it was not difficult for him to clinch the governorship ticket of the party to slug it out with Alhaji Lamidi Adesina who eventually won the election in 1999. It should be borne in mind that Adeojo sponsored his election in that year. With the PDP at the federal level in 1999-2003, the coast might have been clear for Adeojo to achieve his ambition. However, this was the time Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was bent on wining the South-West for PDP and Obasanjo was looking in the direction of Alhaji Adedibu to do the magic in Oyo.
Meanwhile, Adeojo and Adedibu were parallel lines with Adeojo having upper hand against Adedibu in Ibadan and Oyo politics. Having won Lamidi Adedibu to the party, the struggle for the structure of the party through which the primary election of the party would be fought ensued. Rivalry between Adeojo and Adedibu which was formerly inter party became intra party. One can never forget the movement of the gubernatorial primary election of Oyo PDP to Abuja after it became undecided in Ibadan because of introduction of violence to the process. In the primary election proper where his nemesis and “arch enemy “, Senator Rashidi Ladoja had to contest with him with the backing of Adedibu and presidency, Adedibu/ Ladoja camp won the election for the control of the part structure by 113 to 114 votes. As a matter of fact , one member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State was bought over to l swing the pendulum to Adedibu side. The winning of the structure from him led to his political demise. This is because party primary held on December 21, 2023 was a walk over for Ladoja because many of Adeojo supporters could not access the venue talk more of voting . One factor that I noticed affected Adeojo’s political fortune was Senator Rashidi Ladoja’s ambition that tallied with that of Adeojo. Ladoja was no match for Adeojo but each time they slugged it out in primary election and Adeojo won, Ladoja used to work against him. With the exception of SDP/ NRC era when they belonged to different parties, Ladoja was a clog on Adeojo’s gubernatorial success. Maybe the Oba can defend himself over my position. After 2023 fiasco, Adeojo’s political fortune waned considerably and the structure he built over the years collapsed. In spite of that, he was rewarded being elected as deputy national chairman of the PDP for the South; he was appointed as chairman of the federal board of aviation among other appointments.
One cannot say precisely why Seriki Adeojo was bent on governing Oyo state. But from his disposition as a party leader with open hands , one believes he would have been a good governor who would put smile on the faces of the people. He was unlike Senator Rashidi Ladoja who was frugal, though desirable for a good government but this factor led to the fall of his government. Adeojo was an extrovert unlike his brother and rival who was introvert. Adeojo never suffered fools gladly but when he was furious, you would see the red in his face but that is the end. Aside politics, Adeojo was a military man and distinguished himself in the service to his fatherland. He was a successful business man with interest in flour milling, oil and gas among others.
He was a pious Moslem who spent his fortune on Islamic causes, and was made Seriki Musulumi of Yorubaland. It is heartwarming that though he failed to achieve his ambition to govern Oyo state, he has his children in politics and as a matter of fact, his son is the executive chairman of Ido local government area, Hon. Sheriff Aderemi Adeojo. Another son of his, Elias, is the chairman, Oyo State Water Corporation. I give applause to Engr. Seyi Makinde for remembering Adeojo’s efforts and for rewarding his children with these positions. One hopes his children can go far in politics and like Yomi Awoniyi (a son of S B Awoniyi) reaped the good their father sowed in Nigeria politics when he was made the deputy governor of Kogi State during Wada Nas years.).
Seriki Adeojo has done his bit and returned to his Creator. There is no doubt that he touched the lives of many during his sojourn on this side of the world divide. Though he never realized his ambition of governing Oyo State, but many believe he would have better the lots of the people. Lessons are here for today’s politicians and political office holders. Welfare of the citizens should be uppermost in their minds. Increasing agony of the people under the guise of economic recovery or regenerating is evil. I commiserate with the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, Adeojo family, PDP family and Oyo State at large for the transition of this political guru.
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