January 1955 – April 23, 2017
The news of the death of His Excellency, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, in the early hours of April 23, 2017, was shocking to me and remains difficult to come to terms with. I found it hard to believe that I had truly lost a friend, a brother, a political teacher and a leader.
What first came to my mind was his strong opposition to hero worship and what he regarded as political slavery under the influence of godfatherism. Even today, his passing sometimes feels like a dream.
Senator Adeleke was the first civilian governor of Osun State, elected on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the aborted Third Republic.
His victory was achieved without the level of rancour, violence and thuggery that often characterised politics at the time.
He served as governor from January 1992 until November 1993, and, in my view, gave people around him a sense of equal opportunity regardless of their place of origin.
Senator Adetunji Adeleke emerged at a time when the political culture of godfatherism was deeply entrenched. He built his political base by bringing together young people and other previously marginalised groups across the old Oyo State, seeking to create a different approach to political organisation in the South-West.
His political ambition reportedly brought him into conflict with some established political leaders of the period. Among those mentioned in this regard was Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, who, according to the writer, opposed Adeleke’s political activities and was alleged to have threatened his life.
Adeleke, however, remained undeterred. His growing political influence continued until the creation of Osun State, after which he emerged as the state’s first elected civilian governor following the party primaries and general election.
During the approximately 20 months that his administration lasted, I observed a commitment to due process in government business.
This, in my assessment, contributed to his acceptance beyond the boundaries of his immediate political constituency.
By this, I mean that one did not necessarily have to come from Osun West Senatorial District to receive his attention or seek his assistance. His defining qualification, as far as I was concerned, was simply being a fellow human being deserving of respect and consideration.
He later joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), carrying these qualities and principles with him. His political activities within the party generated strong reactions among some party leaders, according to the political climate of the time.
There was also a widespread belief among his supporters and political associates that, had he lived, Senator Adeleke would have remained a major contender for the governorship of Osun State. However, his death on April 23, 2017, brought an end to those political possibilities.
Today, as we mourn his passing, the ideals and memories associated with Senator Adetunji Adeleke continue to live on in the minds of his admirers.
He was a leader who commanded affection and loyalty, and the vacuum created by his death will be difficult to fill.
Signed
Hon. Soji Adagunodo PDP Chairman Osun State Chapter
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