A man who walks in righteousness will always find his flanks guarded. But when mischief, greed, and raw desperation collide, what follows is not strategy; it is chaos exposed in broad daylight.
The so-called conspiracy against Governor Seyi Makinde was nothing short of a midnight ambush by agents of political darkness – clumsy, desperate, and ultimately doomed. While decent men slept, a cabal schemed. But they forgot one thing: rot always reeks, and this one stank to high heaven.
What exactly does Tinubu want? Total domination? A one-party state dressed up as democracy? Or perhaps a grand imperial fantasy. Nigeria reduced to a personal estate under a self-styled emperor of West Africa? Because at this point, the pattern is no longer subtle; it is brazen.
What unfolded in Ibadan was not politics, it was a failed coup. A disgraceful spectacle that has now dragged the traditional institution into murky, partisan waters. Royal fathers are meant to be custodians of culture, not brokers of political treachery. Yet, troubling allegations suggest that the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, opened his palace as a marketplace for betrayal – where conscience was allegedly priced between ₦100 million and ₦1 billion.
If true, it is not just scandalous, it is an assault on the very soul of tradition.
Traditional institutions must shield themselves from partisan politics. They are neutral umbrellas where the people converge for coverage. They must be neutral in political affairs, as custodians of the People’s cultures and traditions. The Olubadan stool is a sacred heritage which must not be tainted by political maneuvering.
Also dragged into this swamp is former First Lady Florence Ajumobi, who has denied involvement, and Senator Sarafadeen Ali, whose political record remains as dim as the non-functional streetlights he reportedly installed. These are the characters assembled in what can only be described as a ragtag coalition of ambition without substance.
Yet, here lies the irony – the target of this grand conspiracy is a governor whose singular focus has been development. A man whose record speaks loudly enough to drown out the whispers of conspirators. A man whose work, not words, has built loyalty that money clearly could not buy.
Because when the moment came – when billions were allegedly dangled, not everyone was for sale.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, reportedly rejected offers that would have compromised both his office and his integrity. Others followed suit. One by one, the house of cards collapsed. What was meant to be a surgical political strike became a public embarrassment.
Even more laughable is the role of Ayo Fayose, the ever-reliable town crier of falsehoods – who, sensing failure, resorted to his usual tactic; noise, lies, and theatrical outrage. His claims about the removal of the Olubadan are as hollow as his credibility. When schemes fail, he howls. That is his only consistency.
This vulture, wandering rag tag and scumbag of Ekiti, will not stop until he is thoroughly disgraced out of Ibadan land. With this latest diabolic utterances on our land, he must know the Ibadan people have spat him out. He is a persona non grata in our land. It is only Tinubu that can mingle with a nuisance whose own Oba threw into his car booth and locked it. A political relic, forever scavenging for relevance, Fayose has once again exposed himself as nothing more than a megaphone for failed plots.
His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde, will not dance to the pagan drum beats of the anti-democracy Tinubu. Oyo is going to be Tinubu’s Waterloo. Mark that today.
I wish to restate my unshaken loyalty to the real democrat of our time, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo. We want to assure him that the good people of Oyo State are proud of him and will continue to stand up for him. His achievements which remain indelible and unmatched are a voice with which the people are emboldened to stand in the face of tyranny. We will mobilize all forces possible to ensure that Tinubu’s evil plan for Oyo never materializes.
We will deploy every means possible, visit every nook and cranny of our constituencies, to every ward, to every home to sensitize the unconquerable people of Oyo State, whose blood still carries the DNA of their warrior ancestors.
Let it be clearly stated that Oyo is not a playground for political adventurers. It is a land with history, pride, and memory. Just as the old Oyo Empire stood firm against invaders, so too will its people resist modern-day political opportunists dressed in borrowed influence.
Governor Makinde stands today not just as a political figure, but as a beneficiary of both goodwill and the collapse of a poorly executed conspiracy. Loyalty, it turns out, cannot always be bought; especially when leadership has already earned it.
As for those who plotted in shadows, traded in whispers, and gambled on greed, their moment has come and gone. What remains is the stench of failure and the certainty that Oyo will not bow.
As for Oba Ladoja, he must recuse himself from politicking and recognize that the institution of Obaship mustn’t be partisan. I strongly advise all our Obas to live above board.
The Olubadan cannot deny that he met with the Oyo house speaker at his Ikoyi residence. According to Tawfiq Akinwale’s revelations in Ọ̀YỌ́ M’ÈSÌ Ọ̀RỌ̀, Ogundoyin was offered a ticket for the Federal representative for Ido/Ibarapa East and a promise of N3bn. He was to take N1bn and share N2bn among other assembly members.
As everyone can see, despite the billions allegedly dangled, despite the pressure, despite the orchestration, the plot failed spectacularly.
In that failure lies a powerful message – not everything in Nigeria is for sale.
Tinubu and his cohorts have tested the waters. They have found resistance. Just as they failed in the 2019 elections…they will fail again.
- Dare Adeleke writes from Ibadan
