Excerpts:
You are in politics just like your late husband. Who or what influenced your interest in politics?
I think that is obvious. An adage says “Ti ewe bape lara ose o ma n dose ni “ (Leaf wrappings of soap gets to become part of the soap after a while). I was not born a politician, although my father was somehow in politics before, but he belonged to the NCNC, because we stayed in the Eastern region then.
So, it was not Baba Adedibu that…?
(Cuts in) Left to him, he did not even like me in politics. He did not like me or any of his family members doing it. I just took interest and that was it.
And how has it been like since then?
You know it’s a game of give and take, and also a game of lose and win. So, that is just the way I see it.
You tried to run for Senate then, what happened?
I did not try to run for the Senate then, I was interested. But, immediately my husband told me he would not like it, I said because of his name, he should look for one of his sons. And that was how the whole scenario went.
We understand that it was actually Baba Obasanjo that suggested to him that, given his political clout, he should get members of his family interested, perhaps to sustain the political dynasty.
I am not aware of that. But, I knew that when I wanted to be a Senator, he refused totally. And I said because of his name, we should look for one of his children and that one was in America then.
Why did he not want his family members to go into politics?
The very reason was known to him.
So, what has happened to his political dynasty?
As you can see, you know human beings. When the head is no more, what can the body do? It is only with the help of God that the body will survive, because with God, there is nothing impossible.
Do we say that the political empire died with him?
It did not die. It is only that most of the followers are ungrateful.
How do you mean?
Look at our late sage and father, Baba Chief Awolowo’s followers who stayed with Mama. So, what happened to the people Adedibu was looking after? That is why I said most of them are ungrateful.
Perhaps, you lack the necessary wherewithal to sustain keeping them. You know Baba is reputed to be a generous and cheerful giver.
He was a cheerful giver, but my brother, how do you want me to cope? The children? This man did not have anything. He was not a property person. He lived his life for the masses. You would not believe, he died with may be N1.2 million in the bank and he’s running only one bank account. So, how would you want me to cope?
So all the monies he got, he gave out?
Everybody knows, whenever he had money, he won’t sleep, he would make sure that he distributed everything.
At a time you publicly acknowledged that Otunba Akala was helping the family.
Yes, when he was in government.
Is he still helping out?
(Pauses)…no
So, does it mean that you don’t have any followers of your own?
No! no, no. I have my own people now.
You are leading a section of the followers he left behind.
At least, people that are grateful to him. They are still with me today and we all carry ourselves along with everything.
What will you call their numerical strength? Is it just at the local government level?
No, up to the federal level.
I mean does your support cut across the state or within the local government?
No, it is across the state.
So where is Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu in this picture?
He’s very much in the picture.
How do you mean?
What do you expect of me?
What I mean is, is he helping out in taking charge? Is he still interested in politics as much as his father or he’s in and out?
I cannot answer that. He may be in and out.
What can you say is the effect of Baba’s exit on Oyo politics?
How will I describe it? The effect of Baba Adedibu. I don’t know what to say…it is very mighty o! And you know when things fall apart, the centre won’t gain much hold. A rallying force is gone. It is only God that is sustaining we that he left behind.
Your party, PDP, now is in disarray.
We are not in disarray.
What chances do you think you have in 2015 with the performance of the Ajimobi’s administration and the ACN?
Look, my brother, whatever may be the case, there is no government in power that will not do its own part. Akala has played his own part and Governor Isiaka Ajimobi is playing his own now. So, whoever is coming next will play his own part too.
Adedibu is no longer around to marshal all of you for victory again.
Do you believe in God? Anyone who believes in God will not think that way. All I know is that, by God’s grace, PDP is coming back to Oyo in 2015, Monsha Allahu!
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