PROTOCOLS
The Special Guest of Honour and the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, His
Excellency, President Muhammodu Buhari, GCFR, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his Excellency Prof . Yemi Osinbajo the Senate President his Excellency, Senator Ahmed Lawan, the Hon. Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives Excellency, R.T (Hon) Femi Gbajabiamila our National leader in the All Progressives People’s Congress and our own Asiwaju of the Universe, , his Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief Host and Executive Governor of Lagos state, His Excellency Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Executive Governor of Osun state, his Excellency, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, our leader and father, former interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, the immediate pass Governor of Osun State and the Hon Minister of Interior, His Excellency, Ogbeni Aregbesola, the chairman of today’s event, His Excellency Gen. Buba Maruwa (Rtd) and my leader and boss, Chief Akin Olujinmi SAN, CON , the father of today’s event former secretary to the Oyo State Government and a close ally of Chief Bola Ige, Chief Michael Koleoso, the mother of today’s event and immediate past Chief Judge of Oyo State, My Lord, Hon. Justice Badejoko Adeniji (Rtd), My Co Guest speaker and former Minister for power and steel Development, Dr. Olu Agunloye, the Hosts of today’s event Mrs. Funso Adegbola (Nee Ige) and Architect Muyiwa Ige, Gentle Men of the press here present ladies and gentlemen . Good afternoon.
It gives a grace pleasure and the rear priviledge to be here this afternoon. My presentation will be centered on the implication of –Two Decades of injustice on the Nigerian Democracy with particular reference to the gruesome assassination of our revered father, Leader, Mentor and benefactor: Chief James Ajibola Ige SAN.
WHO WAS CHIEF BOLA IGE SAN?
The Late Chief J.A Ige was born in Esa Oke, Osun State on the 13th day of September, 1930. He was a distinguished Legal Practitioner, an astute politician, a prolific writer and an uncommon advocate for civil rights and democracy in Nigeria.
Bola Ige established his law firm known as Bola Ige & Co in the year 1961 and was later admitted into in inner Bar Between the year 1967 and 1970.
Chief Bola Ige was a Commissioner for Agriculture in the now defunct Western Region of Nigeria under the military government of General Yakubu Gowon.
In 1967, he became a friend of General Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, who was then a Commander of the Army Brigade in Ibadan where they both served as member of the Executive Council of the state under General Adeyinka Adebayo of blessed memory.
In the early 1970s during the first period of military rule, he devoted his time to the anti-racism campaign investigations carried-out by the Nigerian Police and their Political Commanders as well as the Nigerian factor.
Up till date, I still find it difficult to believe that Chief Bola Ige could be dealt with in such a manner the system and the country he fought hard to liberate from the shackles of the military dictatorship.
Whenever I drive past his office which about 3blocks away from mine in Ibadan series of unanswered questions flood my mind. While was he killed? Who killed him? Why is it difficult to find his killers? Why is it difficult to bring his killers to book?
How did our state of security degenerate to this level ? What is the faith of the common man in this country ? Why has been difficult for the past and present civilian/ democratic governments to deploy resources to find Bola Ige Killers 20yrs after?
These and many more questions trouble my mind and leave me in a perpetual state of confusion. His assassination in his home at Bodija, Ibadan was definitely the climax of assassinations in Nigeria and Africa as a whole and the foundation for various security challenges that we as a nation have been confronting since then and till this day.
The wife of Late Bola Ige, My Lord, Hon. Justice Atinuke Ige (justices of the court of Appeal) upon being informed about the death of her husband broke down and screamed; is this how my Bola will be treated? It was a pain too much to bear for her., she could not live to continue to watch the horrendous dreams and despicable dance of shame before her very eyes. She joined the saints triumphant 16 months after the gruesome murder of her beloved husband, our father, mentor, benefactor and a dugged fighter who with the kind permission of my sister Mrs. Funsho Adegbola (Nee Ige) gave many of us “the winges to fly” Ladies and gentlemen, the truth of the matter is that there must be closure for the immediate and political family of Late Chief Bola Ige.
Any right thinking government would deploy machineries to untravel the mysterious killing/assassination of Chief Bola Ige and that of other citizens, whose lives were gruesomely taken. Our joint refusal to so do will forever leaves a dent in the history of this county.
GENERAL IMPLICATIONS
Most often than not, we find that there is always the recurring lack of political will to hold the perpetrators of these heinous crimes accountable despite our claim of being a democratic country.
Nigeria has continued to, at an alarming rate too suffer human rights violations resulting from security challenges, youth, unemployment, poverty and decaying judicial system. These violations include kidnapping, assassination, extra-judicial killings, injustice, rape, violence, inequalities, inhuman and the degrading treatment, discrimination and above all impunity weak institutions and the lack of political will to hold perpetrator accountable .Most of the problems associated with successfully practicing a constitutional democracy in Nigeria bother on the unfortunate deviancy from practicing the rule of law which basically state that no one is above the law. Insecurity is unarguably the greatest threat to Nigeria nascent democracy.
In the southern part of Nigeria, there is menace of kidnapping for ransom and arm robbery.
Several lives have been lost in the process. In the Northern part of the country too, these is the problem of a mindless religious sect that has wasted several lives and destroyed property worth billions of Naira. Insecurity is capable of shaking the corporate existence of our nation. Anyone in doubt should go through the Vanguard of yesterday (DECEMBER, 20, 2021) with the headline “WE CAN END INSECURITY WITHIN SIX MONTHS” at pages 5 and 35 credited to General Magoro, No one could have painted the solid picture better and in fairness to him, the elder statesman suggested serious solutions on how to combat the menace of insecurity in the Country.
There is therefore the need to entrench the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms to curtail the current challenges bedeviling the country.
Injustice to Bola Ige is injustice to all. We must all undertake to speak in one unified voice of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and justice for all.
Let me leave us with this poser.
Is it possible that Nigeria in this 21st Century will sweep the murder of its former Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the carpet?
From my end I SAY, GOD FORBID!
Thank you all for your attention.
REFERENCES
1. Joe Igbokwe: THE LATE CHIEF BOLA IGE AND NIGERIA, DECEMBER 23, 2011
2. Obasanjo’s govt knew, protected, rewarded those who murdered Bola Ige – Soyinka by By Oladeinde Olawoyin PREMIUM TIMES February 7,2019.
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BolaIge…note.oin2-7
4. VANGUARD News Paper of 20th December, 2021
