–Prof Adedibu, eldest son of late strongman of Ibadan politics

The death of Chief Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu a decade ago has indeed eclipsed political merchandising and thuggery in Ibadan; a legacy of the acclaimed strongman of Ibadan politics.  But only few people knew that he left behind a Professor of Chemistry, who happened to be his first son.

Aderemi Abass Adedibu is the first son of the late “Garrison Commander” of Ibadan politics and he bagged his Ph.D in Chemistry from  the Indiana Christian University, Indianapolis in 1981, and became Associate Professor in Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Unvivesity in 1999.

Before retiring from public service, the 64-year-old Adedibu had lectured at the Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Federal College of Education, Obudu, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi and the Federal Ministry of Education.

Now an author of several books in Chemistry, Education, and Mathematics, Professor Adedibu in this interview with JAMES OJO, like a chip of the old bloc opened up on his father, family problems and politics.

Not many people ever believed your father, the late Lamidi Adedibu had a son who is an academic.

Yes, you are correct, only very few people knew me, but let me tell you that I am Professor, Aderemi Abass  Adedibu, the first and eldest son of late High Chief Lamidi Adedibu who died almost ten years ago. I am 64 years old.

How many are the biological children of the late politician?

We are not too many that my father gave birth to, we are only 19 in number, both male and female. All of us came from six women he married and my mother was the first wife, the late Alhaja Misitura Adedibu. We are just two from my mother. I have a sister, who is my junior.

As the first son, how have you been able to keep the family together after the death of your father?

I will say that it has been the work of God, in this life, you must have wisdom and with my educational background, it gave me the opportunity to over look certain things that could have created a lot of enmity within the family. There are certain things I have to overlook, and they are many because of the kind of life our father lived.

Like what and what ?

If I am to continue poke-nosing into certain information and things that I have seen, particularly after his death, things would not be able to work smoothly till today. This is a polygamous family, when he was alive, everyday, people trooped into the house, some practically lived there, some you can hardly say are not Adedibu’s children because they were ever present in the house, some even claimed to be Adedibu’s children, whereas, we know the biological ones.

What is the present situation of things among the children, are you still united as a family?

Let me be frank with you, there is what we can call disunity amongst the children. Like I said earlier, we are not too many, we are just like 19 in number. But the major problem is that my father has no will and for him not to have will, that has created a lot of problem among the children, particularly on how we are going to share his estate. My father left behind vast estate; land and buildings.

Is it not strange that you, a Professor and your brother, a Senator allowed your father to die without a will?

Baba knew the essence of writing a Will, I think it was in the later part of his life anyway, but before he died, he said his Will should be done by his brother, the late Arisekola Alao, who knew him inside out. You know what, Arisekola was trying to do all his possible best to handle the issue of the Will so that it will not breed animosity within the family, unfortunately he too died before he could execute the Will. Right now, it’s only God that will intervene for us to share the estate because of what I am seeing.

What is it that you are seeing?

I can see desperation in the actions and attitude of some of my junior ones, particularly, those claiming to be closer to Baba when he was alive, they are claiming to be part of the acquisition of his vast estate and are holding on to some documents, some others have come to complain to me, but we shall resolve every thing very soon.

Does this worry you?

Really, I am worried because I am the first son of Late Lamidi Adedibu. If I am to go through all his estates and properties, there are so many people who are closer to my late father, who might have sold some of his property without our knowledge. We are already noticing it, and again, my father didn’t have proper records. Even if he wanted to buy a land, he would not take any of his children to the place, he would rather go with people that move around with him to buy the land. So how are we sure such people would not be able to take over the land when he is no more alive, as such, there is no way we, the children can give accurate account of the records of the properties he left behind for us to share. This kind of attitude is now our albatross.

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The name ‘Adedibu’ signified terror to many people when he was alive, both in politics where he was a colossus and outside politics when it comes to land issue. How did you, the children cope with such an image?

Well, it depends on how you look at the image and your encounter with him if there was any, but I know that as a journalist who had practiced in Ibadan, you must have had an encounter with him, you must have interviewed him. To some people, Adedibu was a terror and to some he was not a terror. To we the children especially myself, I don’t believe he was a terror because I do understand my father than anybody, even more than some of his close political associates.

Look, there are certain things my father can do which I would not disagree with him. For instance, he may ask somebody to go and bring someone to hear his or her own view on an issue, but if they go there, instead of bringing the person, they can go and start destroying the person’s property. Unfortunately, if they ask my father if he was aware of the incident, he will still say he is aware. Whereas, if people like myself,  who is his son say I saw something in the newspaper which is horrible, how in the world can you ask somebody to go and destroy somebody’s property, he will be sober and these are areas where the two of us always had a clash.

How many of such clashes can you recollect?

There were several instances. In fact, I can say they are countless, we disagreed often when I was around, but he always saw reasons in my criticisms because at the end of the day, he will tow the lines that I suggested by saying ‘Doctor has spoken’.

Considering your father’s roles in Nigerian politics, has the name ‘Adedibu’ opened doors for you?

With my own academic background, it is only God that opens the door for me, a child should not be depending too much on the parents. If I decided to remain under my father’s shadowy, things may not work out.  I was employed by the Federal Government from the United States, it was not through the influence of my father, which some people might think that I got the job through the influence of my dad, no, it was not. Look, If you are capable and competent enough, you don’t need any name or influence to get a job at the federal level, I know things have changed now. If I was not competent enough , my father’s name won’t fetch me the job.

Are you saying that your father’s name has not conferred any benefits on you?

In certain places, the name has conferred honors on me and if you like, call it opened doors. The name opens doors for me in certain places, there are places that  I go and when I introduce myself as Professor Adedibu, the next comment is, ‘we didn’t know this man has a child that has an academic background like this.’

Secondly, there was a time the late Justice Fatai Williams, was to give the keynote address at the UBA scholarship award where I was representing the Minister of Education. He changed his topic when he realized that I was Chief Adedibu’s son, a Professor and went straight to talk about my late father. He said many people in this country believe he did not produce an elite except thugs.

So, how do you intend to change the perception about the name?

All those who know me know the kind of person I am. How we can change the perception about the name Adedibu is to disabuse the notion that because we bear the name, we would act in like manner. I don’t see any of us doing things the way our late father did some of the things ascribed to him. We the children have to change the negative narration about what the name Adedibu stood for in the past. He is no more alive, it is when people are looking at our image and not the image of our late father that that perception would change.

Apart from you, how many of his children are in the academics?

I am the only one in academics, but many of my younger ones are highly educated. For instance, my younger brother who is a senator had a master’s degree  and some other young ones too bagged bachelors degree, some are however in the business world and they are doing well.

You father lived and died politicking, highly sophisticated and crude in methods, which though had produced Ministers, State governors, Senators, Reps, Commissioners, Council chairmen and Councillors, but you are nothing near politics, why?

I grew up in an environment where people drink politics everyday, but I saw beyond politics and that is why I chose to be a scientist because it is the most lucrative and reliable aspect in life, it will not give you too much problem. With science, you are ready to sacrifice yourself on issue of development unlike in politics where you deceive human beings. A scientist should stay in the lab, bring up something creative to help in development and not to be poke-nosing into the affairs of politicians. Some scientists do go into politics, but they end up being like them, that is why I shun politics. Worst are Nigerian politicians, who are liars, including my late father, they are dishonest.

You mean your own father was dishonest?

I watched them when they played their game and I can say without any fear that there is no politician in Nigeria that is honest. Nigerian politicians are liars, they don’t fulfill promises. Most of Nigerian politicians are completely dishonest, they have deceived Nigerians and it is time for Nigerians to sit up. Most of them are greedy, selfish, self-centered and dishonest. 2019 is fast approaching, people should ask questions, ask what they have done for their community. In regard to my late father, when he was alive he used some of his own money to feed people. People would bring money to him, he didn’t keep the money, he shared the money.

It is almost a decade that your father died, can you recall some sweet memories of him?

I remember him with nostalgia, his memory is sweet. You know why, people are still talking about him, not only in Ibadan but anywhere politics is the topic. “Oh, if Baba Adedibu is alive, it is not going to be like this, he would have come up with something different.” If after ten years of somebody’s death and the person is still an issue, I think it is a good memory. Most people who benefitted from his benevolence have not deserted us, they still rally round us whenever we have an occasion to celebrate, some of them are still loyal while others who believe that they paid for what they gained from him have disappeared.