Former Chairman, Ijebu Ode Local Government, who also doubles as Ogun State ALGON Chairman, Alhaji Emilola Gazal, made some disparaging remarks against my person today. He was, in his words, responding to an interview I granted The Cable, an online newspaper.
Gazal is someone I respect, being one of the very few one often sought advice from. He has also watched my back severally. But I am also aware he is forever afraid of those in authority. Gazal’s almost mortal fear of establishment figures has always made me wonder why a thoroughbred Muslim like him should be afraid of earthly authorities.
For me, it is the admonition of Prophet Muhhamed (SAW), according to an Hadith: “When you sleep at night, do not expect to wake up by morning. And when you wake up in the morning, do not expect to see the night.” The summary of this Hadith in my life’s journey is that my life is in God’s Hands, being the Almighty in everything!
1. Yes, Gazal called me. But I was being respectful as he tried putting words in my mouth. He claimed it was former Chairman of Remo North Local Government, Ogbeni Odunsi, who called me to say a few chairmen had met and there was need to write a letter to Chief Osoba. This is certainly not true. It was Gazal, who called, not Odunsi.
2. The meeting at Abeokuta South Local Government was dramatic. He did not fully explain what happened. Maybe it was the role Odunsi played in exposing the mole among us, which made him want to tie the letter to the Remo North man.
When we were taking a final decision on the letter, Odunsi insisted that we take a simple oath which will ensure that our discussions are not leaked to Mr. Governor. He sought the permission of all to get his driver to bring small sand from the road in front of the local government secretariat. The sand was thus packaged by the driver, which he poured into a bottle of table water. Each of us was to take a sip to the effect that, henceforth, whoever reveal details of our discussions outside the group would be dealt with by Ogun Lakaaye within three days.
We could not take the oath, because the former Chairman of Ijebu North-East Local Government, Badejo, got up to confess that he has been sending recordings of our discussions to Mr. Governor. Everyone was shocked. And that was the end of the attempt to take the oath. It was from this dislocation we rose to go and meet with the SSG and later Mr. Governor.
3. “Sometimes in August 2023, most likely on Friday, 25th August, 2023, I got a call from Mr Wale Adedayo. He told me he had just returned from a trip to Abuja where he met some political dignitaries and that he had written a letter which he wanted to give to Chief Olusegun Osoba. He said he wanted to see me before delivering the letter. He didn’t show up.”
The above is a fabrication by Gazal. He was the one who called to say that five chairmen had met and decided on a letter that should go to Osoba. He now added that, they want me to fine tune it, as the only journalist among them. I did justice to what he said as I also added mine. Yes, others, who apparently were not involved got scared when the letter became public. It was the reason for the Abeokuta South Local Government secretariat meeting.
And, for the avoidance of doubt, it is not the first time the issue will come up. We’ve been on it for more than one year. But in fairness to Gazal, he would always plead patience, saying he would talk to the Commissioner for Finance on our behalf. We often speak on phone, in person and also exchanged WhatsApp messages on it. Being akin to a coup, we were careful not to expand the base of those to be involved. Gazal made sure of that. The senior colleague, who leaked a copy of the letter to the media was one of those we have been talking to on how to go about getting funds since our discussions began.
But, then, lessons are being learnt by son of man in terms of practical politics.
Eni Owo Wale Adedayo,
Okeliwo, Oke Ife, Ijebu Ife.
