Monday 12 November 2012
The last moments of Lam Adesina(1939-2012)
Gbenro adesina/Ibadan
Former Governor of Oyo State and leader of Action Congress, Oyo State Chapter Alhaji Lamidi Onaolapo Adesina took the final bow Sunday morning in Lagos.
His death was confirmed by Dr. Tobi Bamgboye of the St. Nicholas Hospital on Lagos Island, sending shock waves around political circles, most especially his native Oyo state, where he was Governor between 1999 and 2003.
Lam Adesina(1939-2012)
He was said to have slipped into a diabetic coma sometime in September and was rushed to the University College Hospital, (UCH) where he was recovering until the family decided to move him to St. Nicholas Hospital for further medical attention.
He did not survive it, to the astonishmnet of associates and family members who thought he had recovered and were expecting him to return home.
His body was brought to Ibadan in an ambulance of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) with registration number LA 156 AO8.
Immediately the Muslim clerics finished praying on his body in front of his house, the body was immediately taken for burial within the compound of his residence.
Hundreds of sympathisers thronged his home in the ancient city of Ibadan to pay their last respects, with security operatives composing of policemen, Men of State Security Service (SSS), Civil defenders and members of YES-O having a hectic time controlling the crowd.
Former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba disclosed that he was with Lam Adesina yesterday saying that they played, laughed and watched football together on a television channel.
“He said that he would soon be at home. He was okay. I felt nothing should be keeping him in the hospital. Honestly, I was really expecting him back home until this morning when I was called and told that he had passed on. I cannot believe it”, Osoba explained.
Corroborating Osoba, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarunmi, said that they both discussed together yesterday on phone and it was quite unbelievable to hear that he was dead.
He said: “On the telephone yesterday between 10:30 and 11am, uncle Lam told me that he would be back at his home very soon. He was very fluent and consistent in his speech. We have lost an eminent politician, nice man, bridge builder, and a politician of good standing”.
Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sumonu described the deceased as a great man, a leader that had passion for people.
Former Minister of Power, Elder Wole Oyelese said that it was not the time to miss a man like that saying, “Nigeria still needs him”.
To the Commissioner of Information (designate) in Oyo State, Pastor Taiwo Otegbeye, Lam was a selfless leader.
Abiola Ajimobi, governor of Oyo State in declaring a seven-day mourning for the departed elder statesman, said all official state functions will be suspended and the national flag flown at half staff.
He described the deceased as a dedicated patriot, foremost defender of democracy and human rights, and political war-horse who had always stood on the side of truth.
Other dignitaries at the burial were: the former Governor of Lagos and ACN leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his successor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, former Ekiti State Governor, Niyi Adebayo, ACN National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, Oyo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Alake, Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Arisekola Alao, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide and the Osun State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Planning, Muyiwa Ige.
Lam Adesina was born on January 20, 1939 and became a governor in Oyo State on May 29 1999 under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) party.
An alumnus of Loyola College, Ibadan, Lam Adesina attended University of Nigeria, Nsukka between 1961 and 1963 as well as University of Ibadan in 1971. He was a teacher before he ventured into politics.
He was survived by a wife and children among whom is the current Oyo State Commissioner for Youth and Sport, Dapo Lam-Adesina.
He is survived by wife and children among whom is the serving Oyo State Commissioner of Youth and Sport, Dapo Lam-Adesina.
Lam Adesina was born on January 20, 1939 and became a governor in Oyo State on May 29 1999 under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) party.
An alumnus of Loyola College, Ibadan, Lam Adesina attended University of Nigeria, Nsukka between 1961 and 1963 as well as University of Ibadan in 1971. He was a teacher before he ventured into politics.
Since his death, tributes have poured in from fellow politicians and associates.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remarked that his death has robbed Nigeria of a vibrant voice of democracy.
Atiku noted that Lam was never hesitant to speak the truth to power, despite the potential dangers of official intimidations and harassment.
According to Atiku, the best tribute Adesina’s admirers could pay to him was to practise his virtues of service with integrity.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the ACN National leader spoke of Lam Adesina, as an astute progressive, a democratic warrior who never gave up in the face of intimidation, detention and manipulation.
“He led the democratic struggle against the military that led to the triumph of the people and the brightening of hope and opportunities for the mass of our people”, Tinubu said.
“He was a courageous NADECO hero who with his leader, Bola Ige was paraded on the streets of Ibadan as ‘prisoners of war” for having the temerity to oppose Abacha.
He praised Lam Adesina for serving Oyo State to the best of his ability. “This is the exit of one of the titans of our time, a proven progressive of the Awoist stock”.
Lam’s party, the ACN also issued a tribute in a statement signed by the publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed.
The party described his death as a devastating blow to the party in particular and a big loss to the nation in general.
Lai Mohammed said with the demise of the former Governor, Nigeria has lost an irrepressible voice of conscience.
”Lam Adesina has remained a constant fixture in the nation’s body polity for over three decades, either as a newspaper columnist, member of the House of Representatives, social and political critic, prisoner of conscience, state governor, or an elder statesman.
”Though deceptively meek, he was a political lion who was ferociously effective. A perfect validation of the saying that all politics is local, Lam Adesina never lost control or confidence of his people. Even during the locust years when the PDP captured the body of Oyo State politics, the soul of the people remained with the former
Governor,” it said.
Governor,” it said.
ACN said it was remarkable that even after he was rigged out of the state’s governorship, he remained in his Molete residence in Ibadan, right in the midst of his people, instead of migrating to the GRA or other elitist areas of the city as many in his class would have done.
”From that modest abode, he influenced political discourse and direction in Nigeria. There is no better attestation
to this than the fact that he never lost touch with the ordinary people during his rich and purposeful lifetime,” the party said.
to this than the fact that he never lost touch with the ordinary people during his rich and purposeful lifetime,” the party said.
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