The attention of President Bola Tinubu, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu and other well meaning Nigerians, including members of the civil society organisations has been drawn to the plight of Mrs Kehinde Ola-Oni, the widow of great socialist, late Comrade Ola Oni, and her twin sister, Taiwo Adesida, who celebrated their 80th birthday on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
Making the call, the convener of the birthday lecture, Comrade Awa Bamiji, the President General of Grand Council of Yoruba Youths, via a paper presented during the birthday lecture at the Bodija residence of the late social crusader and political activist, lamented the neglect of Ola Oni family by the successive government in the south west, despite huge contributions of the freedom fighter to the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.
Both Mrs Ola-Oni, and her twin sister, Mrs Adesida became blind as a result of teargas when Nigeria’s police invaded a political gathering, at Ola Oni, Bodija residence in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
According to Mr Bamiji, lots of money have been expended on their medical treatment here in Nigeria, to no avail, therefore strongly making a case for overseas treatment of their eyes treatment.
“Our frantic appeal for medical support that was made across the Southwest States has not yielded till date,” Bamiji said, while making reference to a letter from Mrs Ola Oni, soliciting help for their treatment abroad.
Read below the full speech as presented by Comrade Awa Bamiji
OLA ONI: THIRD MAJOR POLITICAL CASUALTY IN NIGERIA AFTER MKO ABIOLA, BOLA IGE, MALTREATMENT OF HIS FAMILY, LEADING TO THE BLINDNESS OF HIS WIFE AND TWIN SISTER, SETTING ABLAZE OF THE HOUSE BY DAREDEVIL POLICEMENF
BEING THE TEXT OF SPEECH DELIVERED BY COMRADE AWA BAMIJI PRESIDENT – GENERAL, GRAND COUNCIL OF YORUBA YOUTHS, ORGANISER OF KEHINDE OLA ONI, TAIWO ADESIDA @ 80 LECTURE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF OYO STATE (BCOS), HELD SATURDAY, 05/08/23, AT COMRADE OLA ONI HOUSE, 6, ODEKU CLOSE, FAVOURS BUS/STOP, SECRETARIAT/UI ROAD, BODIJA, IBADAN, OYO STATE
# LESSONS FROM KEHINDE OLA ONI, TAIWO ADESIDA @ 80, WITH A LETTER CALLING ATTENTION OF TINUBU, SANWO-OLU, GENERAL PUBLIC TO THEIR PLIGHT.
The Successor of Comrade Ola Oni as Leader of Apapo Omo Odu’a, Comrade Baba Omojola, sat me down one day and made me realised how painful it was for Apapo Omo Odu’a and other notable Yoruba self – determination Groups for our Leaders of Thought in the Southwest Region not to continue with the Celebration Yoruba National Day after the 1st Celebration in Ibadan, in the year 2000, by the Yoruba Congress under the leadership of Senator Abraham Adesanya, Leader of Afenifere, where they unanimously chose September 23, which is the end of 16 year Kiriji war, when the peace treaty was signed, as Yoruba National Day. Therefore, he said having studied my Group’s structure, longstanding capacity in mobilisation, resilience and network across the Region, he believed we have what it takes to be coming out annually against all odds and celebrate Yoruba National Day on behalf Yoruba Leaders. I looked at myself and thought of so many things, such as regular sponsorship that is not guaranteed, our tight schedule for various events year in, year out, do we need a rotational venue or Ibadan only, as the Southwest Political Headquarters?
We later thought of using our annual Edition of Yoruba Youth Leadership Summit to mark Yoruba National Day, September 23, yearly. To God be the glory, since 12 years ago, we keep flag flying. The 2021 Edition held inside Lagos Airport Hotel, the last Edition was held in Ibadan and by God’s grace, this year Edition is going to be Akure 2023. Please, kindly watchout!
In June, I opened Comrade (Mrs) Kehinde Ola Oni WhatsApp Page to listen to her voicemail lamenting the death of our late Leader, Comrade Laoye Sanda, who they relied so much on, to help them organise a befitting 80th Birthday Programme and in his absence, they said they had singled me out for the epic role based on our effective network
It was a big challenge for me because I never prepared for such and event holds in the less than 2 month. In fact, it was supposed to be last week but was shifted in honour of Comrade Laoye Sanda funeral ceremony.
Lesson 1, when somebody dies, his role unexpectedly falls on another person. You may be the next in line, how prepared are you for the emergency role like this that will be demanding? May God help us!
Lesson 2: This was the same way late Comrade Baba Omojola, who took over the leadership of Apapo Omo Odu’a from late Comrade Ola Oni, saddled me with responsibility of championing the continuity of Yoruba National Day Celebration in 2011 after we were through with Adebayo Faleti @ 80, and to the glory of Almighty God, we kicked – off in 2012.
He was the Chairman, June 12 Coalition in Lagos State and doubles as Chairman, Beko Ransome – Kuti memorial Committee and I, as the Secretary of the Beko Ransome – Kuti memorial Committee, worked closely with him for years.
During the June 12, 1993 Struggles, as we had Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN; Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, and others in Lagos State, Comrade Ola Oni was an Ibadan based Leader of Civil Societies, alongside Chief Bola Ige, SAN; former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adeshina, and notable others.
Lesson 3: Turning their request down would be monumentally painful, not only to them at all, but to myself, who know them so well having served in various Civil Societies under Comrade Ola Oni, Comrade Baba Omojola, from whom late Comrade Laoye Sanda took over due to death, and have the mobilisation capacity which both of them believed it is enough to arrive at this juncture. It’s a vote of confidence and a rare opportunity for me and my ever formidable team members to stage 2 big events within a month, just as we did May 27 and June 12 World Press Conferences in Abuja and Lagos respectively, as the 12th Edition of Yoruba Youth Leadership Summit celebrating Yoruba National Day, holds next month in Akure, Ondo State, Saturday, 23 September, 2023, by God’s grace.
Lesson 4: They both lost their sight to canister and tear gas fired by the dare devil Policemen deployed to dispatch the members of Comrade Baba Omojola led Apapo Omo Odu’a holding regular meetings here in this Ola Oni House, after the demise of their Patriarch, Comrade Ola Oni, in 2001, and a lot have been spent on their medical treatment to resuscitate them but they both need to be flown abroad for further medical treatment, our frantic appeal for medical support that was made across the Southwest States has not yielded till date but I must thank Mr President, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN; Comrade Baba Omojola, Comrade Laoye Sanda and few other notable Leaders in the Civil Societies, for their past and individual interventions on the health and welfare of this noble family. We are half way fulfilled Today for celebrating them @ 80 but will be totally fulfilled, the day they both regain their long lost sight through medical support from a God sent Angel in human flesh.
Lesson 5: They are twin Sisters, who started making names at their tender ages. Kehinde ended up in marrying Comrade Ola Oni from Otun – Ekiti, but resided in Ibadan while Taiwo married to late Prince George Adeyemi Adesida in Akure, Ondo State. They are 2 female Stars married 2 male Stars, which is very rare. Congratulations Ma!
Lesson 6: Nobody will read the attached copy of their letter sent to and duly received by former Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, in 2017, on their plight without being emotionally touched. Therefore, COALITION OF PRO – DEMOCRACY GROUPS FOR BETTER NIGERIA, which is the Umbrella Body of Hundreds of Youth Organisations within and outside Nigeria, had asked me to make the letter go viral until it catches attention of Their Excellencies, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive President, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Executive Governor of Lagos State, respectively, as their unfinished job, as former and present Governors of Lagos State, in the Civil Societies’ Community. We chose not to write any letter to avoid similar treatment melted on them via the attached copy by non – response of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State because it will be so difficult to understand bureucracy of the system. The more you look, the less you see, because this is the same former Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, that sponsored Ayo Fasanmi @ 90 Lecture organised by the Grand Council of Yoruba Youths inside Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, held 23rd September 2015; Bola Ige @ 16 Symposium in 2017 at Nelson Mandela Square, Osogbo, Osun State, and donated N2 million medical support to replace a complete pevic guide of one of our key members, who has been suffering for a very long time from the ailment. In summary, God didn’t send him to Comrade Ola Oni family
Lesson 7: The People in various positions of Authority Today should always remember the past Leaders of Thought, most especially the Casualties of Nigerian turbulent Democracy, like LATE PRESIDENT MKO ABIOLA, GCFR; CHIEF BOLA IGE, SAN, FORMER MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION; COMRADE OLA ONI; OTHERS, AND THINK OF WHAT COULD BE THEIR OWN FUTURE, WHICH IS ONLY KNOWN TO GOD ALMIGHTY. It doesn’t matter how much wealth you amass when you in power because there’s end to everything and we would all become history, one by one at our various destinations and different dates. This same Ola Oni House had hosted African Revolutionaries in the past including Dr Nelson Mandela, others, imagine?
8. This is the usual way that a highly rewarding opportunity like this does come our way, if you are focused with what you know how to do best, you will surely be fished out. Whether they clap or not, keep your dream alive.
Lesson 9: They both ran to me and as their Aluta Son, I ran to God Almighty. After fishing me out, I am here today addressing this August Gathering in my capacity as Chairman, Organising Committee, a very rare privilege. I am proud of everyone in attendance here today, who have come far and near to celebrate these 2 prominent female Activists, 2 Heroines of Yorubaland and Nigeria at large, the first twin Sisters to contest and won the crowns of the most Beautiful Ladies in the whole of Southwest Region, MISS WEST, in the year 1965, organised by the NTA, Daily Times and other Corporate Bodies, featuring Deji of Akure as Chairman, Panel of Judges. At this particular period, Comrade Kehinde Ola – Oni was working as Secretary Typist to the Deputy Premier of Western Region, Chief Remi Fani – Kayode, of blessed memoryy. It’s a case of Arugbo s’oge ri. The Law of diminishing return must set in as long as we sleep and wake up daily. The 1965 MISS WEST is Today celebrating 80th Birthday. Therefore, let us continue to remember old age and embrace the aged that comes our way. “We will not be old in penury”. “A ko ni di Agba Iya o”.
Lesson 10. Your participation today is being recorded by the Media. Almighty God will always be meeting you at every point of your need. Thank you all, for being part of history. Olubadan, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Tokunbo Ajasin and Comrade Barrister Femi Aborisade are represented here by Princess Olayinka Balogun, Daughter of Olubadan or Ibadanland and the Chief of Staff to Olubadan; Engr (Comrade) Bimbo Daniyan, Comrade Wole Aina and Comrade Abbey Trostky in the same other while the Chairman of occasion, Comrade Moshood Erubami and Head of Bishop Derek Ehizele, Swifam GNi, taking care of Windows in Oyo State are here with us.
Greatest Nigerian People! Ever dynamic Nigerian People! Ever Progressive Nigerian People! Please, kindly join me in singing my favourite Aluta song, “A ti’gba ta l’aye ti da Aye, ko s’omo Aluta to s’ori buruku (3ce)”.
Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta!
