Akeredolu’s CoP died on OFFICIAL assignment, not on a PRIVATE visit to Uncle in Ibadan -Sowore

The estranged media aide to the embattled deputy governor of Ondo State, Allen Sowore has faulted the report attributing the death of the Governor Akeredolu Chief of Protocol, Tosin Ogunbodede to a private visit to his sick uncle in Ibadan as a blatant lie, saying the loyal CoP died in active service to the state.

It could be recalled that, Barrister Tosin Ogunbodede died in a car accident on his way back from Ibadan, the second day of new year.

Sowore said the state government lied about the circumstances that sorrounded the death of the CoP
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According to the write up released to the social media by Agboola media aide, he stated that the late CoP went to Ibadan to brief the governor of government assignment and itinerary for new year, contrary to a statement released by the Commissioner of Information, Donald Ojogo that, Late Ogunbodede went on a private visit to his sick uncle residing in Ibadan.

He also lambasted the state government for not showing empathy to the death of Mr Leke Ajiboye, the CoP driver who also died in the accident.

The full text read:

Òkú Egbeyin By Allen Sowore

Immediately after Tosin Ogunbodede Esq, Chief of Protocol to Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN died on the 2nd January, 2021, in a fatal road accident while returning from Ibadan, where he had gone to brief the governor on assignment and government’s itinerary for the new year, Governor Akeredolu callously issued a statement through the Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo, attributing the death of Tosin Ogunbodede to a private visit to Ibadan to see his sick uncle.

In Ojogo’s words: “Tosin Ogunbodede a lawyer by profession, died in a ghastly car crash after a private visit to an uncle in Ibadan, Professor Benjamin Ogunbodede who has been ill for sometime. He died alongside his driver after the private Toyota Corola car that conveyed them rammed into a trailer.”

In one paragraph, Donald Ojogo emphasised on the word ‘PRIVATE’ twice – “a private visit to his uncle in Ibadan, Professor Benjamin Ogunbodede” and “private Toyota Corola car”. This is needless but telling!

Telling the whole world that a man who died in the active service of his fatherland met his untimely death on a private visit was the most irresponsible and indecorous way to announce the untimely and painful death of a man of Tosin Ogunmodede’s status and service to Ondo State.

As you all know, the Ondo State Governor is seriously trying to hide the very fact that he celebrated the NEW YEAR in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital while he lackadaisically allowed refuse, dirt and debris to take over major streets of Akure, the state capital and other major towns.

The official statement became too clever by half, when in another paragraph, it did mention that Tosin Ogunmodede stopped by at the governor’s Law Hub, Ibadan, to greet his Principal while returning to Akure.

More painful is the fact that, the statement failed to mention or recognise the name of the Government driver, Leke Ajiboye, who died in the same fatal accident. To Donald Ojogo, Leke Ajiboye was a son of nobody.

Hmmm! Òkú Egbeyin.

Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because regret is stronger than gratitude. The same governor who couldn’t honour the people he governs with his presence on the 1st day of the year, rushed back to Owo on January 3rd to deliver tributes to his late Chief of Protocol.

Regrettably, no one was there to tell Aketi as Martha told Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

But who could have believed that Akeredolu would dance on the grave of his Chief of Protocol like he did to the Olufon of Ifon?

Aketi and his entourage went to Abuja to dance on the blood and grave of Oba Adeusi, Olufon of Ifon by receiving an award just few days after his demise.

Hypocritically, the same governor who cancelled christian cross-over services on 31st December,2020, held prayer meeting with the entire state workers at the premises of Governor’s Office, Akure on Monday, January 4, 2021.

Yesterday January 5, 2021, again, Arakunrin Akeredolu SAN, mendaciously presented a factional Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Samuel Aderoboye, a 2020 model of Prado SUV and a Toyota Hilux in absolute disregard to the fact that the process of his election as Deputy Speaker is a subject of controversy and litigation. As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Governor Akeredolu should have observed the principle of ” Status quo ante bellum”. But there are SANs and there are SANs.

The action of Mr Governor is sub judice and tantamount to the usurpation of the power of the judiciary to abdjudicate and determine disputes between parties. His intention was to spite the authentic Deputy Speaker, Rt. Honourable Iroju Ogundeji but he ended up spiting on the dead.

Àfòpiná tó ní òun ó pa fìtíla ara ẹ̀ ni yó pa.

If only Tosin Ogunmodede can look back to see how scornful the man he served meritoriously is treating his demise, perhaps the world will be a better place.

But as my people would say, Òkú Egbeyin.