... Ooni, Olubadan, Soyinka, Aregbesola, Ajasin, Bolanle Awe, Erubami, Aborisade, Others presence add glamour to the event.
It was encomiums’ galore as the widow of the firebrand Nigeria human rights activist, Comrade Ola Oni, Mrs Kehinde Ola-Oni, together with her identical twin sister, Taiwo Adesida, marked their 80th birthday in Ibadan, with a public lecture.
The event, which took place at late Ola-Oni’s Bodija residence, had in attendance dignitaries from all walks of life, including the immediate past Minister of Interior and former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Comrade Femi Aborisade, as Guest Speakers, while Comrade Moshood Erubami and Comrade Awa Bamiji, are the Chairman of occasion and the Convener respectively, among others in attendance
The Speakers at the event described the late Ola Oni as a radical pan-Africanist, and a fearless defender of the masses, a revolutionary leader for socialist liberation and justice who lived a selfless and sacrificing life while he was alive.
The chairman of the occasion, Comrade Moshood Erubami congratulated the two celebrants and commended their doggedness in the fight for democracy.
He also expressed glowing tribute to late Comrade Ola Oni legasse as an icon of social justice and good governance during his lifetime.
Speaking on national issue, Erubami, told the gathering that with the recent withdraw of fuel subsidy by Tinubu’s government, he expected the government to urgently address the situation by cushioning the effects of the harrowing distasteful social economic pains that accompanied the situation.
“Subsidy on its own is a cushioning palliatives being paid on behalf of the Nigerian consumers of petroleum to mitigate the rising effects of petroleum prices. Since the shocking withdrawal, Nigerians have been living harrowing lives which had subjected them to grounding poverty with accompanied social -economic denials that had manifested in variants of poverty and hunger,” he said.
The human right activists added that the main solutions to the pains from inflicted poverty of material well- being is to fight the growing corruption in the petroleum sectors and liberate the hidden resources being pocketed by the Cabals in the sector.
According to him, “all abandoned refineries must be immediately resuscitated to start producing refined crude oil into like Cally consumable petrol.”
He advised government to use safed revenues from the withdrawal of subsidy to cushion pains in other areas of the economy across the country like buying multiples of accessible and affordable Buses to be distributed to states and local Government areas and for the use of transportation Unions on University, Polytechnic, other tertiary institution Campuses, and Cooperative Society.
“Government must spread the gains saved from the subsidy withdrawal to increase the transport and housings allowances of workers in trade unions including informal workers and trade Associations.
“Government should immediately announce income allocation as some states in kwara, Ondo, Ogun and Bayelsa have done to their workers and Pensioners.
“Government according to its promises, should arrange with banks to grant concessional loans to farmers, Medium/Small scale businesses at single digit interest rates.
“Government for now, must place embargo on any efforts by any higher colleges and Universities to increase their fees.
“Government should quickly set up the commodities and prices control Board to maintain prices stability, purchase essential commodities to be sold at very low prices and open borders for inter border trading.
“Finally, the government should immediately release the tonnages of promised grains and rice from the National reserves to cushion the painful effects of food insecurity in the country.
Speaking on behalf of Ogbeni Aregbesola, Engr. Abimbola Daniyan, described Mrs Kehinde Oni as a woman with total commitment to truth, equity and justice, pointing out that Mrs Kehinde Ola Oni’s and her twin sister’s depth of dignity, simplicity and humility is highly commendable
In his remark, Comrade Abiodun Bamgboye (a.k.a Abbey Trostky), who spoke on behalf of Comrade Femi Aborisade, said the celebrant’s husband paid attention to the revolutionary movement while alive, noting that Comrade Ola Oni would have made a lot of good changes in Nigerian political space were he still alive.
Pastor John Ajayi, in his sermon, described the celebrants as good mothers and backbones of their husbands adding that they have learned how to count their days and applied wisdom.
Meanwhile, the celebrant, Comrade Mrs Ola-Oni in an interview with journalist said she felt happy for the attainment of the ripe age, pointing out that what her husband stood for as a true democrat while alive still stands.
She however drummed up support for more women’s participation in politics and positions of power so that they can fight for themselves when the need arises.
Recall that the late Comrade Ola Oni was born in Ekiti in 1933 and died in 1999. He was a Marxist political economist, socialist and human rights activist.
See more pictures at the event
