The late Bola Ige, SAN

Where are Ige’s killers?

NINE years after, the killers of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige (SAN), are still at large.

PERHAPS, the greatest tribute to his memory is that a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor is no more calling the shots from the Bola Ige House, Osogbo, capital of Osun State.

The Government House, built by his associate and former Governor Bisi Akande, was named after him when it was completed.

Observers agreed that, since 2003, the exalted seat was desecrated by the symbol of the conservative bloc, who gained access to the throne, following the political earthquake that shook the Southwest, almost eight years ago.

For this to happen, James Ajibola Ige, prominent lawyer, former Oyo State governor and Leader of Alliance for Democracy (AD), which held sway in the geo-political zone, was removed from the scene.

Since his cap was removed at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, by hoodlums allegedly sponsored by political foes, his days were numbered.

The Cicero’s life was on the line. According to his family, he had planned to resign from Obasanjo’s government to enable him strengthen AD in preparation for the 2003 polls.

When the election day arrived, he was already out of circulation.

There were cries and wailings in Esa-Oke, his home town. Grief enveloped Yorubaland following the demise of the most colourful politician in post-Awolowo era.

The pain of the December 23, 2001 gruesome murder continues to linger. Even today, the scars have not faded.

It also remains a puzzle that justice has also eluded the justice Minister and Afenifere deputy Political Leader, for his killers still walk as free men on the street.

Memories of the life and times of the fearless politician, who was nicknamed ‘Arole Awolowo, were recalled with fondness at the weekend in his native town.

Ige’s Esa-Oke’s residence, Solemilia Court, hosted the faithful disciples of the fallen hero who came to pay tribute.

They were not in the Ijesa territory to mourn, but to tell the world that he did not die in vain.

The chief host was Akande, his deputy in the Second Republic who now leads the Action Congress of Nigeria , the party that produced Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The large presence of loyalists was a soothing balm for Ige’s children, Funso Adegbola and Muyiwa, an architect, who reckoned that their beloved father lived in the hearts of many admirers.

The governor led the remembrance prayers at the tomb of the deceased, singing the familiar mobilisation song: “There is victory for us. In the struggle for Africa, there is victory for us”, which was chorused by all.

The tomb of the polyglot is another tourist centre. It is decorated with marble tiles on which the Latin quotation was inscribed.

Paying tribute, Aregbesola said: ”Uncle Bola Ige may no longer be physically present here with us, his spirit is alive. His ideas are living. Uncle has proved to us that even in death, there is victory.”

He added: “There is victory in death and that victory is scored when an individual devotes his life to the development and advancement of his people, his community, his country.

Whenever he drops dead, the world will always remember him. That means he is victorious even in death”.
Aregbesola recalled the some of the battles fought by Ige, describing him as a believer in the advancement of the Yoruba.

“The victory is even now being rekindled by virtue of the fact that such legacies are being re-enacted with the proposition by the governments of Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states that are now coming together to achieve success in the execution of projects like the Great Western Rail System”, he said.

Ige’s grace and magnetism have endured. Even, in death, he has continued to dwarf his rivals within the Afenifere and bitter opponents in the conservative fold.

Like his leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Ige shone with brilliance, boldness, sagacity and self-confidence.

He was a successful lawyer, political author, orator and effective campaigner.

But he is missed in the now dull political theatre as an espouser of ideas germane to nation-building, national rebirth and revatalisation.

He was a great debater, with a head full of facts and figures. His knowledge of political history, sheer wit, bravery and devotion to principle stood him out from the crowd.

Ige studied Classics at the University of Ibadan, where he became an Awoist, and later, Law, at the University of London.

He learned politics at the feet of Awolowo, his mentor and role model, who detected and built the qualities in the promising disciples.

In the 60s, he handled two assignments successfully, to Awo’s pleasure. As the National Publicity Secretary of the Action Group (AG), Ige was an able propagandist, like Sam Ikoku, who gave Akintola a tough time in the old Western Region.

When tribulation arose, he was one of the counsel mobilised by his leader to defend the hapless leaders of Joseph’s Tarka’s United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) hounded into detention by the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC).

After the second military coup, Awo had recommended Ige for a ministerial position in Gowon Administration.

Although he could not make the list, he was appointed commissioner by the Military Governor of Western State, Major-Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo. In I977, he became a member of the Constitution Review Committee set by the Military Head of State, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, to produce the 1979 Constitution.

In 1979, he contested against his former Vice-Principal, Ven. Emmanuel Alayande, for the governorship of Oyo State and won.

He defeated his colleague at the bar, Richard Akinjide, at the general election and was sworn in as governor on October 1, 1979.

He fought many battles. He won many, he lost some. At the Yola Congress of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in 1982, he escaped the hammer of expulsion dangling on his head.

His offence was that he allegedly hobnobbed with Gen. Obasanjo, who was perceived as an enemy of the party.

Then, Obasanjo had offered to broker peace between Ige and his deputy, the late Chief Sunday Afolabi.

Ige lost the governorship to Dr Omololu Olunloyo of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1983 in a controversial manner.

He was detained and later jailed by Buhari/Idiagbon Regime for allegedly enriching his party. But, following a review of his appeal the Akinola Aguda panel set him free.

Throughout the Babangida years, Ige abstained from the porous and prolonged transition programme based on Awo’s counsel to his followers to wine with the devil with a long spoon.

When the Military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, teleguided five political parties to endorse him for the Presidency, Ige dismissed them as five fingers of a leprous hand.Toward the end, he joined the June 12 struggle.

In 1998, Ige, a member of G 34, was reputed to have written the constitution of the PDP and later All Peoples Party (APP). Both however, failed to meet his expectation because of invasion by Abacha politicians.

The AD was hurriedly formed by Ige and his colleagues after the closing date for party registration. The party won sin the ix Southwest states.

However, post-primary crisis marred its presidential shadow poll at D’Rovans Hotel, Ibadan. Ige, as aspirant, lost to Chief Olu Falae. When he was informed abroad, he described it as the second fall of man.

Apparently to spite his colleagues who preferred Falae to him, he joined Obasanjo Government as a minister.

He did not return alive. After his demise, a protracted leadership succession crisis broke out between his two lieutenants-Akande and Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa.

The party did not survive the internal crisis.

In post-Ige years, PDP overran the progressives in the Southwest. Many attributed the ride to his absence.

He left behind political orphans and associates scattered across both progressive and conservative platforms. But his ideas survived him.

Ige was at the forefront of the search for a truly united Nigeria, although he was branded as a Yoruba irredentist.

Justifying the clamour for true federalism, he had said that a system of centralised administration was inimical to the health of a diverse and plural society amalgamated by foreigners who did not seek the opinion of the natives in the forced union.

Ige supported the call for national debate on the future of the country. “Do we want to cohabit as members of the same country?”, he once threw the question at a public lecture.

If yes, the next question is how,” he also asked. Answer to the better question could resolve the national question tearing the country apart.

His death was sudden; unbefitting of an old man. That the killers have not been found attested to the illusion of justice in the country.

“If they say they don’t know the killers, they are deceiving Nigerians’, lamented Wale Oshun, Third Republic House of Representatives Chief Whip, who added: “No murderer is ever found in Nigeria”.