By Akinwale Kasali
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo did not hide his feelings and disgust over the criticism levelled on him by former Oyo State Governor, Christopher Alao-Akala.
It was at Akala’s book launch. And some pages of the book contained a few points on the state of the Ibadan-Ilorin road at the time Obasanjo left office.
Obasanjo was one of the dignitaries at the Trenchard Hall of the University of Ibadan. He was the Chairman at the Book Launch, Alao Akala’s Biography, titled, “Amazing Grace”.
Obasanjo commended Alao-Akala for the initiative, saying he exhibited extra courage and discipline needed to write meaningfully, which is both courageous and dangerous to do so.
The former President lambasting Alao-Akala said, “I wonder how you come on page 390 of your book to blame or criticize me for dividing the Ibadan – Ilorin Road to three sections for reconstruction during my second term so that it could be expeditiously completed.
Obasanjo stated further that, Akala as a seating Governor of Oyo State then, who had the privilege to even use one year out of Governor Ladoja’s tenure, noted that up to date the roads are not completed.
He said, “Akala in your biography, you honestly believe that I should be blamed for such, even after I have left office thirteen years ago, but as an Ogbomoso man I can understand how that road is important to you.
“But when I took the steps for that road to expeditiously handled, it was not for your interest as an Ogbomoso man, but for the importance of that road for the economic life of Nigeria and it’s a tragedy that the artery roads remains in the sorry state till today, so it is surprising that you are blaming me for that. All I did was for the interest of Nigeria and not for you, Akala”, Obasanjo stressed.
Alao-Akala in his response appreciated Obasanjo, saying that It is delightful to have powerful people in the country gathered to witness the launch of his Book, entitled Amazing Grace.
“It is even a greater delight to see the creme-de-la-creme of our great country abandon their very tight schedules, just to be part of today’s history-making event”.
Stressing further, he said, “I call this history-making, not strictly for any other reason but for its fulfillment of my long-anticipated desire to codify, so to speak, the remarkable events of my 70 years on earth in a single, accessible copy.
‘This book sets wonky records straight. It properly constructs or even reconstructs some of the tissues of lies spurned about me, especially within the period of my being at the driver’s seat of Oyo state’s administration.
“It situated occurrences, without malice and with an acute presence of mind, in their proper perspectives, carefully appending names of the dramatic personae of events to this critical juncture of history”.
Akala maintained that the book was born out of passion towards fulfilling his desire to bookmark the landmark narratives of his life, how the tragic death of my father in a road accident in 1952 single-handedly threatened to swamp his dream of getting to the cusp of his life aspirations, but how Providence miraculously found for him a path to the top.
Akala maintained that without prejudice to the erudition of the book reviewer who is saddled with the task of dissecting it into pieces, the title of the book, Amazing Grace, is not a happenstance. It is the audacity of Providence to bring me out of the dungeon of a hopeless tomorrow into the fulfillment of a life.
He further said, In Amazing Grace, the reader would pick historical nuggets of police’s recent history and my personal interface with that history. It perhaps would redraw whatever unpleasant impression Nigerians have of their friends in the police and situate the force in the right perspective.
Alao-Akala added that he did not shy away in the tradition bequeathed to him by Iya Alaro, from acknowledging and documenting the strides of the angels that Providence used to push me to the heights I occupy today.
He,however, amply recounted all the angels from late Retired IGP, Chief Sunday Adedayo Adewusi, Late Chief Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I want to thank my Baba, the “Ebora Owu” and the chairman of this occasion, who had to forfeit many prime events and schedules to be here. To the people so numerous to acknowledge your labor of sacrifice, I am highly grateful to you all”.
Speaking at the occasion, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi maintained that Akala speaks many languages and that shows how accommodating he is as a person.
He said, the book should be a must for students of politics in the higher institutions, for the partisan politicians, and also for the media houses so as to serve as a source of factual findings for them.
Fayemi also said that it’s necessary for politicians to write books so it can serve the incoming generation on how to go about politics and governance.
Also gracing the occasion was the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, who openly criticized Alao- Akala for not remembering him and his role played during the time he became the Deputy Governor and Governor of the State.
The event was well attended by Political, royal institutions, and also the business classes of the society, such as the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Ooni of Ife, who was able represented by His Royal Highness, Oba Asoya of Isoya, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Olubadan of Ibadanland Oba Saliu Adetunji, Senator. Teslim Folarin, Senator. Fatai Buhari, Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, Minister of Youths and Sports, Sunday Dare, Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Chief Mrs. Bose Adelabu among others.
