SAKIN BABALOLA in Ibadan writes on the intrigues trailing the death and burial of Chief Kolapo Ishola, former governor of Oyo State.
Williams Shakespeare, it was, who says in Julius Caesar that when beggars die, there are no comments seen but “heaven themselves blaze forth the death of prince”. This literary allusion is not far from the truth considering the noise that surrounds the death and burial programmes of the former governor of Oyo State, Chief Kolapo Olawuyi Ishola. In every event, there is politics and perhaps the dead themselves may find it difficult to distance themselves from the political drama.??
On August 8, this year, Ishola departed for the world beyond after 77 years on earth. It was, as usual, a field day for the politicians, reporters and members of the public considering the personality of the late politician. If Ishola was a man of straw, definitely his death would attract neither headline nor attention.??
Apart from his involvement in partisan politics from the late 1970s and 1983 when he fully came into limelight as the state Chief Executive, Ishola was a chartered Surveyor of repute and a community leader of Pade and Akinyele Local Government Council in general.??
The announcement of his death, no doubt, brought the crème da la crème to his Ikolaba residence in Ibadan. His turned to a tourist centre to many politicians in August as they fall on one another to register their presence on the condolence register.?
The first callers after his demise were the immediate governor of the state, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala who with his former commissioners stormed the residence of the deceased to commiserate with the Isholas. Former Lagos State Military Administrator, Brigadier General Raji Rasak was also there.?
Former minister, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo as well as Dr. Dejo Raimi a former ecretary to the state governor were not left out of what analysts now call the politics of Ishola’s death. All these men are PDP stalwarts, the party which Chief Ishola defended till he breathed his last.??
The state government through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Dr. Festus Adedayo reacted to his demise. He described the death of Ishola as a great loss to the country in general and the state in particular.??
Also in his condolence letter, the Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Company, Mr. Adebayo Jimoh condoled the state governor Ajimobi over the death of Ishola.? Jimoh pointed out that Ishola would be fondly remembered for his sterling qualities such as integrity, humility and purposefulness.??
The Odu’a Boss said “there is no doubt that late Kolapo Ishola had left his foot prints on the sands of time which I believe the present and coming politicians should emulate. Dr. Yemi Farounbi a veteran Broadcaster who is also a chieftain of PDP described Ishola as one of the formidable pillars of the nation’s politics. He concluded “as a philanthropist, he left indelible signs in the heart of too many.? He equally pointed out that he was a good team leader, a great team player, a loyal and dependable friend and indeed a true brother. ‘’What gladdens my heart most is that this great Nigerian died as a true Christian Evangelist” Farounbi added.?
But few days to the burial of Ishola on October 7, the two prominent parties in the state have politicised the burial programmes of the late governor, a developed analyst consider a taboo and likely to make the politician turn in the grave.??
The family of Ishola with the full support of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has now joined issues with the state government on one hand and the ACN on the other hand regarding the burial programme of the septuagenarian.??
Mr. Kunle Ishola, former Commissioner of Agriculture under the government of Alao Akala and incidentally the spokesman of Ishola family was not favourably disposed to the publicity given to the proposed assistance of the family by the state government. Kunle has written to Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle, Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matter where he registered the disenchantment of the family to government. He denied the claim that the Ishola family requested for a sum of N25 Million for the burial of their father as reported by the media .He advised against politicising Ishola’s burial. “We take serious exceptions to the statement that our family requested for assistance from the state government and same was approved as requested by us. No such request was ever made, but, rather, the state government resolved by itself to offer the said sum as its contribution to the burial ceremony, after the family had completed arrangement for a befitting burial for our late father.??
The former commissioner added that the family has “resolved not to accede to the request to use Lekan Salami Stadium for interdenominational service but Liberty Stadium as originally intended on October 7, 2011 “and hereby reject the offer of N25 million made to us as the government’s contribution to the burial.”??
The state government being controlled by the ACN was not happy with the development. The government said its offer to participate in the burial of Ishola was borne out of respect for him and its appreciation of his contributions to the state. Government in a statement signed by its spokesman, Jimoh said after the demise of Ishola, a committee was constituted to give him a befitting burial. He added that the committee met with? Ishola’s family and both deliberated on the budget of N58 million brought by the family. “The government thus offered to contribute the sum of N25 million paid directly to the Ishola family and another N5 million for logistics and contingency of the burial like printing of invitation, posters and protocol”. Jimoh explained.??
In a swift reaction Jimoh’s explanation, Prince Dotun Oyelade the Spokesman for Alao -Akala alleged that the government wanted to portray the Ishola’s family as beggars by “issuing false statement to gain political advantage”.??
Oyelade submitted that the N25 million was a gratuitous Greek gift while its rejection was the most honourable step under the circumstance.??
The Alao- Akala’s spokesman further argued that the publicity given to the state government’s position and its financial involvement were unnecessary. Oyelade referred to how Alao – Akala on January 18, 2011 released funds for the burial arrangement of former Deputy Governor, Chief David Adeniran Abinusawa without any publicity adding that “what we have today is a wide range of orchestrated publicity, even before the release of funds”.
Contentious as both arguments are, Ishola is a leader whose life and death are news worthy. Watchers of Ibadan politics advised politicians to desist from politicising the death and burial programmes of the former governor? But will politicians ever learn??