Ondo: Gov Akeredolu, Deputy, Clash Over Gov’s CoP’s Death; Deputy Slams Governor |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

The death of the Chief of Protocol to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state five days ago is generating mixed reactions.

The CoP, Tosin Ogunbodede, died in an auto crash on Saturday along Akure/Ilesha highway along with his driver.

They were said to be returning from a private visit to Ibadan, according to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo.

The statement by Ojogo read in part: “A lawyer by profession, the late CoP died in a ghastly car crash after a private visit to an uncle in Ibadan, Professor Benjamin Ogunbodede, who has been ill for sometime.

“He died alongside his driver after the private Toyota Corola car that conveyed them rammed into a trailer.

The sad incident occured at about 7.45 pm along Ilesa-Akure road on Saturday, January 2, 2020.

However, a statement from the office of the deputy governor of the state, Mr Ajayi Agboola, condemned the manner in which the death of the top government official was handled.

Before his appointment as CoP four years ago, Ogunbodede was a lawyer at the law office of Governor Akeredolu in Ibadan and also hailed from Owo, the Governor’s hometown.

A statement by Allen Sowore, Deputy  Governor Ajayi’s media aide, insisted that the CoP was returning from Ibadan where he had gone to brief Governor Akeredolu about his itinerary for the first week of the new year.

“Immediately after Tosin Ogunbodede Esq, Chief of Protocol to Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN died on the 2nd January, 2021, in a fatal road accident, while returning from Ibadan, where he had gone to brief the governor on assignment and Government’s itinerary for the new year, Governor Akeredolu callously issued a statement through the Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo, attributing the death of Tosin Ogunbodede to a private visit to Ibadan to see his sick uncle.

“In one paragraph, Donald Ojogo emphasised on the word ‘PRIVATE’ twice – “a private visit to his uncle in Ibadan, Professor Benjamin Ogunbodede” and “private Toyota Corola car”. This is needless.

“Telling the whole world that a man who died in the active service of his fatherland met his untimely death on a private visit was the most irresponsible and indecorous way to announce the untimely and painful death of a man of Tosin Ogunmodede’s status and service to Ondo State.

“As you all know, the Ondo State Governor is seriously trying to hide the very fact that he celebrated the NEW YEAR in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while he lackadaisically allowed refuse, dirt and debris to take over major streets of Akure, the State  capital and other major towns.

“The official statement became too clever by half, when in another paragraph, it did mention that Tosin Ogunmodede stopped by at the Governor’s Law Hub, Ibadan, to greet his Principal while returning to Akure.

“More painful is the fact that the statement failed to mention or recognise the name of the Government driver, Leke Ajiboye, who died in the same fatal accident. To Donald Ojogo, Leke Ajiboye was a son of nobody.

“The same Governor who couldn’t honour the people he governs with his presence on the 1st day of the year, rushed back to Owo on January 3rd to deliver tributes to his late Chief of Protocol.”